Post#116 » by HartfordWhalers » Fri Mar 26, 2021 6:09 pm
Going through and formally grading all of these.
Orlando: A+++ Best deal of the day
Chicago: C- ... which is an F.
Orlando gets a massive return and fully blows it up. Value: Check plus. Direction: Check plus.
Chicago base case gives up a former lotto pick (of questionable value), a ton of cap space, and 2 mid 1sts for a center who is poor defensively to pair with LaVine and Coby White? Talk about not knowing your weaknesses. And Thad or Lauri don't have the rim protecting from pf either that Isaac promised. I see a team that just went all in on being a 6th seed. The worst part? Jay's idea to renegotiate and extend LaVine is gone. If LaVine is promising enough to build around and push all in on, why not next summer offer him a 10m+ bump to sign early?
But really, in the summer of '22 talk to me about what this Chicago team is for the start of the next season. Thad and Sato will be ufa assuming both kept now. Lauri is ? And then what other talent surrounds LaVine and Vuc; two guys known for not exactly lifting teams even when putting up All Star numbers?
I put LaVine's playoff series wins line for Chicago o/u at 1.0. How many non-Chicago fans are taking the over? This looks like a great push to move up a tier in terms of respectability, but even in terms of that; are they really better than if they went after some of the more affordable players? Aaron Gordon age-wise and athleticism and not capping the center defensive output I would have liked better. Vuc feels impatient and rushed, slapshot improvement in a very paperthin way.
If they had given a 1st and Lauri for Lonzo I would have said they overpaid... and liked it a ton more.
Selling Thad for a pair of 2nds and being a firm play in team I would have liked better.
Having a real plan with Markaneen?
Taking a flier on Bagley?
Lots of options this trade deadline, and I disliked this not so much directionally, but as the execution for moving in now.
He wasn't available, but if Chicago has spent 2 1sts and had FVV and could sell me on a FVV/LaVine/Williams / we find 2 guys going forward, I could applaud the push in. This move? yeah, I listed a C- first because when they win 2 extra games people will want to congratulate the boldness, but it feels like a GM saving himself from being fired for a year, only to look worse when fired in two years type move.