Ernest wrote:I'm feeling like keeping Kemba becomes a stronger option as each game goes by. He doesn't look hurt at all out there. The only real knock on him now is that he doesn't play back to backs- but he could. We are just choosing (wisely) not to play him to increase our chances in the playoffs.
Can we realistically duck the over tax line next season? Thats the question. Tatum will get a big pay hike. We don't know what we have with Fournier yet or how much keeping him will cost. If we could delay the repeater tax another year it might be worht trading Kemba. But once you go over you might as well really go over- as long as the players are good. There has been a lot of talk about losing guys for nothing. When you are under the cap, it doens't matter so much as you can just sign a new guy or make a trade that takes on salary. Once we are all in and over the tax line we are really limited in how we add players.
Maybe we just hold on to Kemba and 2 years from now, he is the expiring contract we attach Romeo or Nesmith too and bring back the final piece to the puzzle.
Ernest, I'm glad you brought this up. It's an interesting evolving debate. Here's the debate at the surface level, for me anyways. I've got 3 players to consider after this season: Kemba, Marcus, and FournHub. We won't be in the tax this year so next year we could go over. But as we all know, it starts to get REAL expensive, real fast once you wade into this territory. So...
Marcus: Could be an ideal starting primary ballhandler for this team. Best passer on the team. Best defender. Enables Brad to field completely switchable lineups. A leader on the floor and in the lockeroom. Someone that everyone respects. Maybe command close to 20M 2 years from now which is a considerable discount from Kemba. Ideally, doesn't need a ton of shots to function on this team which is ideal if Kemba or FournHub are taking more (which they should). But he's also the most tradeable of the 3. Almost any team would want him and you could get in return for him a player or players in a package that could fill in what remaining holes you might have. Plus, I don't think it takes a star primary ballhandler to run this offense. It can fit most guys as we've seen.
Kemba: Still an explosive guy who can carry you for quarters if not games anymore. Well-respected leader on this team. It's taken him all year but he finally looks more bouncy from game to game, and maybe even just as important, he's looking more and more like he's finally finding his fit with the Jays on the court. Remember earlier it looked so awkward with all of them on the court together? Doesn't look like that lately. He told everyone that HE needed to adjust to fit in with our 2 young stars, not the other way around and lately, it looks like he finally has. Starting to pass the ball well and be a playmaker for others now which is not something he has really done. I think as Fournier gets added to the mix, you'll see that blossom even further. He's converting at the rim now at like 70%. His jumper is still off though and inconsistent. Plus, it's gonna be hard to move him in the offseason. We'll need to add sweeteners to get him off this team.
FournHub: This is the wildcard. Right now he's a relative unknown. But if everyone was calling this acquisition "Hayward-lite", how likely is it that his skillset is NOT gonna translate here? We've already seen in a small sample size what he can do. His shooting blends with the Jay's so well here it's scary. He and Smart need less Usage than Kemba to impact the game around our 2 main guys. He spreads the floor. He moves without the ball. As a tertiary scorer, with HIS efficiency, what do you think would happen if you gave him Kemba's 15 shots in this system? But we didn't give up much for him. 2 2nd rounders are nothing. Could Danny afford the optics of how it would look to let him leave? He may want similar to what Smart will get. How about another sign n trade if he doesn't want to stay here. Can you really sign him and NOT prepare for him to be a starter next season next to the Jays? Would he even agree to that? Middle of the season is one thing but I imagine, Evan thinks himself a starter.
Sorry for the book but if this brings us back to your thought at the end, could we actually keep all 3? Would that even work? I kinda feel like one way or another, a choice will have to be made.
