Mr.Tease wrote:Think you're missing the point in the Cam trade if this was to happen.
I think the logic was:
Trade the pretty well protected Charlotte 1st round pick (top 18 protected or whatever), for Cam, with the intention of then flipping him at the deadline for something better than the pick you gave up.
So in the Lakers/Toronto scenario, we could end up dumping the salaries of Burke and Noel (freeing up space to sign Brunson in the offseason), plus getting back maybe the Lakers 2027 (which may be more valuable if it has less protections than the Charlotte pick had), plus maybe a 1st or some 2nds from the Raptors. So essentially you've change one first into a better first, plus gained either another first or second round pick, plus dumped salary, all for basically holding onto Cam for a week or two.
This is the kind of stuff Brock does (remember that first draft where we somehow turned a pick into a higher pick for somehow nothing? Or when we took on that Utah F for a pick in a salary dump, then flipped him to the Twolves for another second rounder or two?). Maybe this was in the works for a while and explains the Lakers Knicks deal from a few weeks ago where we helped them out cutting a little salary)
Plus the Mavs want Dragic and he wants a buyout to sign with them, so maybe you work something out for brunson using that, as in this deal we'd then be able to show the Mavs we can sign Brunson in the offseason outright.
Doubt it happens, but I think that would be the logic behind it
I have no inside source of course so I'm just speculating but I believe you are just rationalizing this mess. I think the orginial plan was to acquire Reddish and play him. I think the logic there was since the Rose injury there would be playing time for him. Fournier at that point was looking like a train wreck---he started playing better in january but at that point was shooting not that well. I think the FO genuinely liked Cam and thought he'd get a spot in the rotation---at least until the rose return. However, Thibs stuck with Fournier (who played much better in january) and Burks (who played terribly but nevermind).
So right now you have the untenable situation of Cam sitting on the bench while the Knicks are trending towards a higher lottery pick. That looks pretty darn bad and will be a source of perpetual **** storms. Make no mistake about it: the Charlotte pick is not worse than a potentially lottery protected Lakers pick. The Lakers are a team that usually , despite some degree of dysfunction, manages to acquire high level talent via FA and many players want to genuinely join them as they are still viewed among the greatest franchises + the warm weather and all that lifestyle. The Laker pick, if it ever conveys won't be any better than the Charlotte pick......only if there was little protection on it but that is not going to happen at all. Also keep in mind that a lottery protected pick in 2027, which may convey in 2028 or 2029 (6-7 years from now) is certainly not more valuable than a Charlotte pick that may very well convey next year or in 2024.
This move is only to save face. They realized that they'd have to attach major assets to Fournier to get rid of him and as long as Fournier is here, Cam is not playing.
I watched and read a couple articles and youtube clips and it is said that it is unusual to trade a FRP for a player and have him not in the rotation. Very unusual. Especially since that guy had a 20minute role on his former team.
Don't try to rationalize it---this FO has no plan and there is a clear rift between them and Thibs. This trade is trying to mend some stuff.
