I've been tied up but can finally speak my piece on this situation.
BK has always been solid with me. We've done big trades in the past like the KAT blockbuster. As such we communicated frequently via PM up until right before his disappearance, and even on WhatsApp many times previously.
We discussed deals all the time. I know first hand that he agreed to deal Capela to ribs. How so? Because I was initially targeting Capela, and BK respectfully let me know he had a better deal, and that Capela was Atlanta bound. He would always get back to me, and never left me in limbo regardless of whether or not a trade could be consummated.
I'm also solid in communications with NewEra. So I know for a fact that BK agreed to a major deal with him, as well. I won't speak on the moving parts in this one, out of respect for the confidentiality element between NewEra and I. But the deal was there and in place, to the point it altered my perspective and my planning for this offseason.
Smash3 and I, are also good money. As you all know, we completed a Bagley/Nunn deal at the turn of the new league season. As such, since I was in communication with him, and with BK, in independent negotiations, I know for a fact Tobias Harris was due to be heading Portland's way.
I say all that to say this. I'd like to think I’m good with the vast majority of GMs here. I firmly believe in honoring ones word when a deal is agreed to in principle. Handshake deals should be honored by GMs for credibility purposes alone.
At the same time, I do not view this situation as a flaw in our trade protocols, at all. The system we have in place works like a well-oiled machine. Bish has come to the rescue countless times on deals that were agreed upon, but could not be processed, for a myriad of reasons. Issues such as cap implications, pick discrepancies, roster spots, Exempt List player issues, etc.
Therefore, it would simply be inefficient to consider agreements between GMs "official." Quite frankly, a deal is not official until it has been agreed to by all parties, sent in by all parties to bish via PM, and subsequently announced in the discussion thread. Anything outside of that is unofficial and premature, rendering it incapable of being considered an official trade transaction.
I have a lot of respect for all parties involved. So I'm torn because, while I know these discussions took place and were even agreed upon, these trades were not sent in to Bish, and they weren't announced, due to BK's disappearance. However, what I won't do, is speculate on why BK is no longer active here.
As for me, I always do my best to ensure I follow through with my word on any deal I wholeheartedly agree to. Please believe I will follow through, once I give my trade agreement to another GM in PM. I would never disappear on this competition or this group. Some say it's just a game to pass the time and enjoy the sport we all love. But to me it's bigger than that. It's a brother/
sisterhood (wdup Greenie). We laugh, talk wild to eachother, fall out, and come back together good money, as if nothing ever happened.
If I ever disappear weeks/months with no word, best believe I‘m either dead, gravely ill, or incarcerated.

Lastly, I gave my word to NewEra I would not allow my prior knowledge of the moving parts involved with his trade to influence my vote. I have no idea why BK never sent in his confirmation(s) to Bish. But before I send in my vote, I do need clarification on one crucial development.
bishnykfan wrote:NewEra worked on that huge trade where each piece was dependent on the next so I do feel that his offseason was effected more than usual. However, I also let him know that BK had not approved the trade before I posted all of his other trades. Seeing that there was no reason to question BK at the time he wanted to go through with the other parts of his deals.
I’d like clarification on the timeline of the enlarged. I understand BK disappeared by the time of the official turn of the new league year on July 11th. But my question to Bish is, many of us (myself included) attempted to send agreed deals in even earlier, on or closer to July 1st. Yet we were ultimately told, any official deals have to be resubmitted to the commissioner on July 11th. With that said, did BK ever make any prior attempts to send any of these aforementioned 3 deals to you? Was he ever told they'd have to be resubmitted at the official turnover of the new league season?