PhilasFinest wrote:the_process wrote:
What it likely means is no discounts. You give them their 5-188 or they threaten to go.
In retrospect, it makes the decision to go for it right now that much stupider, as they acquired two pending UFA’s in an offseason where half the league has max cap space. That’s what you get when you get when you half ass the GM search.
Wait, SO your basically saying we should have held onto Covington, Dario, Fultz, Shamet and never had made the Butler/Harris trades with hopes that we could sign a free agent in an ultra competitive market this Summer?
And what happens when you don't land any of those FA? After the LeBron situation, I think you have to realize that Philadelphia (as a city/destination) is NOT likely out dueling New York, LA and other desirable markets....especially when the money is the same or similar.
You bring someone into the fold like Butler for a season or so.....Have him experience the city, the fans, the team etc and also hold the ability to pay him more money than anyone. That was a SMART move by Brand, because without it.....you're likely not landing him.
This is pretty much the only way to look at it. I still think that the Sixers gave up too much for Harris, and should have fought to keep Shamet, but that's haggling at the margins. Without having traded for Butler and Harris mid-season, there's little chance we could have signed either one of them this summer (let alone both). And little chance we would have signed any other top-tier FA.
So, while the trades were kind of tough to swallow at the time, and while it's still possible that one or both of those guys could walk this summer, the Sixers tried to set themselves up for the best possible shot of signing/acquiring 2 top talents this summer.
To those who say that the team could have accomplished the same thing via the trade market down the road:
Butler's and Harris's contracts, should we sign them this summer, should be tradable in coming years if things don't work out here (assuming neither one of them is badly injured). There will always be teams coming up short in the marquee free agent market, and hence always teams looking to trade for guys who can mollify their fanbases or their owners. Make Butler and Harris max offers on Day 1 of FA and then do what you can to flesh out the bench.
