Rafael122 wrote:I just threw it out there to see if it makes sense. I don't think the final deal will be that since we are giving up a ton, but you have to take that gamble like OKC did with George. If Leonard stays on, you got a really strong core 3 that rivals Philly and Boston (probably better than Boston).
Well, Leonard's better than Porter, so in that sense sure. But, overall I don't think it would work out that way.
For one thing, that "core" would be 3 players. & Leonard would have to re-sign while having no idea how the team would be completed. I can't see any reason whatever that would encourage his doing that.
After all, if he re-signed ($35m? Can we even pay him?), then something North of $135m would be tied up in contracts for him, Wall, Beal, Mahinmi, Sato & Brown. Would he look at that & assume there'd be a way to fill out the roster at a contender level? Hard to imagine. Even in the East.
Yet, at 28 both Wall & Leonard would be going into the last 2-3 years of their peak. It would have to happen right away.
As to "have to take that gamble," I'm not sure exactly what OKC got for that gamble? Right now OKC's salary load for 12 guys this year is @$145m. For the same team that just lost to Utah in 6 games in R1 of the playoffs? 6 of those 12 guys are Dakari Johnson, Alex Abrines, Terrance Ferguson, Patrick Patterson, Kyle Singler & Raymond Felton.
In fact, Indiana got better -- not worse but better -- by trading Paul George for Oladipo & Sabonis. Doesn't that tell us something?