SpeedyG wrote:enetric wrote:
Speedy I have explained this before but I will do it again. You dont need to threaten taking an MLE to say trade me to that team. All you need to be able to do is threaten I am leaving my current team for someone else so trade me now or lose me. And if you trade me, the only team I will give a verbal commit to re-sign with is THIS ONE team.
That's it. So Howard's agent goes to LA and says hey...you dont want do deal him, no problem. But I am not sure my client see's himself here long term. He is thinking strongly about signing with someone else with cap space because this hasnt been a good fit. Yes, he will lose the extra year but...this is not working, its not a good fit. If you want to try an get something for him before the deadline the one and only team he is currently prepared to commit to re-sign with is Bklyn. That's where he wanted to be last year and where he would want to be now if he could sign anywhere. He understand if you do not deal him there he will be looking at other teams to chose from with cap space should he opt to leave LA. But, he has aksed me to inform you that he is leaning that way and he will not commit verbally to anyone about re-signing a new contract other than Bklyn should you find other interested trade partners.
This conversation gives Kupchack reason to panic. Do I trade for a different albeit lesser all star center now...or do I call his bluff? Kupchack says he will call his bluff. But has Dwight made a stand? If he makes the stand...the deal has a strong chance to get done. Why? Because just like Orlando when Dwight was still an expiring prior to opting in...they can yap all they want about dealing him to where they want. Other teams will not give up major assets without strong reassurance to acquire a guy. Had Dwight stuck to his guns last trade deadline he gets traded to us. This is exactly the same thing as last year. EXACTLY.
But that's EXACTLY my point! You're falling into the same trap that those poor Lakers/Knicks/Mavs fans that kept coming here for years about how "so and so" only wants to play in LA, NY, Dallas.
Yu're only looking at it on why LA would trade him to US.
Why not trade him to Houston or Dallas?
Dwight's stance was SO MUCH more powerful last year because WE, THE TEAM HE WANTS had Cap room. He can threaten ANYONE, whether its NY, LA, Dallas, Houston or whoever...REGARDLESS IF THEY HAD CAP ROOM, that Brooklyn was where he wanted to be.
And because WE HAD CAP ROOM, that bluff is so powerful. Because whatever team trades for him, KNOWS he really can just walk outright and sign with us.
That is no longer the case. So let's say Dallas or Houston trades for him. Dwight tells them "i'm not resigning and I only want Brooklyn".
WHERE IS THE THREAT IN THAT KNOWING THAT ALL BROOKLYN CAN OFFER IS A MEASLY EXCEPTION?!? They laugh in his face, they laugh in his agent's face and tell him "Really? You want Brooklyn? OK, go ahead. Go sign them for the exception".
It's a threat that has lost its power, because unlike last year, WE CANNOT sign him outright. Hell, we can't even Sign and Trade for him!!!!
Now, the thing we have on our side is, if LA does decide they want to trade him...then you look at Dallas, Houston, whoever...and then you look at us being able to offer Lopez? Brook stands to be the most valuable piece they can get. And even if they aren't enamored with him, finding a third team who will take him in exchange for other valuable pieces would not be difficult.
So yeah, there's that.
But if you're LA, you can give him the GLAM. You can give him the LEGACY. You give him HUGE MARKET. And the BIG POCKETS to win, as well as the LARGEST contract he can get.
Do you really think Howard walks away from that?
You are missing it my friend. You dont need the cap space. You need at least two OTHER teams to have cap space and that's what is out there.
Dwight cant force LA to deal him. What he can do is make LA FEAR he walks to one of the teams with cap space if they dont and lose him for nothing. And he can put 27 other teams in check by having his agent say...if you DO trade for my client he will not give you any more assurance than he is giving LA that he will re-sign with you. You give you all those nice assets to LA there is a good chance you lose him to someone ELSE with cap space. Now its your call if you want to trade for him. But, we are inclined to advise you that you are taking an enormous risk.
For this reason, those 27 other GM's hang up the phone and tell Kuchack no thanks too big a risk. It was for this exact reason 25 GM's last year didnt bother to make offers for Dwight to Orlando. They were advised that it is a mistake by the agent. They were scared off. Only LA, NJ, and Dallas were in the process because those were the only teams Dwight identified as possibilities for his services. What he needs to do is say....THIS ONE TEAM and ONE team only gets my verbal commitment during the season. Everyone else...buyer beware. The fact that we actually have a major piece to offer LA as a 75 cents on the dollar move helps as well. If we are offering Hump and Marshon...then rolling the dice is worth it. But the agent can force them to consider it and shrink the trade market by scaring off other trade partners.
And that's how it works. So lets say LA says well if we dont trade you there you cant sign there anyway. So the agent says yes, that's true but that doesnt mean we have to stay here. We can give up a year a go to Atl, Dallas etc. who has cap space. Well then why cant we trade you there? Well, those teams will look a lot less attractive to me if they have to give you big assets to get me in season....so when they call we will tell them that they are less appealing to re-sign with should they trade for me. But, we would consider signing with them July 1st. We are going to retain all our options.
The only team in the league we would give a verbal commitment to at this time is Bklyn. Up to you if you want to make that deal of course. If not we'll talk in July. Maybe Dwight re-signs with you maybe he walks to someone else. But again, he is very unhappy right now. This has been a bad fit and we want to give you a chance to make a move now before the deadline.
Now, Your point about would he leave the glitz of LA the extra revenue incentives of their market for ATL, Dallas, etc is a good point. But what is likely and what is possible are two different things. If you are Kupchak are you ready to bet your job on it? If you are LA is this a situation where nothing is better than Lopez, picks, etc?
You dealt Bynum for Howard. Howard has been hurt all year following a major surgery where he most likely now needs another one. You have a losing record. The big story this year is all negative and its about Dwight. Trading him is your out. But if you call his bluff and you are WRONG? If he bolts for another team...then what? Think about it that way and you realize that Dwight does have influence to make Kupchak reconsider.
