Why are people so dense in this fanbase? This is exactly WHY we need to make deals to absorb bad contracts along with picks! This team is used to dealing away their picks and for a franchise that has only one way of getting top tier talent, it is simply poor strategy to give up that method. We've seen what teams like Boston and Philly can do when they stock up picks, and we need to work towards that. At least with some draft picks, even a late first rounder, is better than nothing, and better than burning a pile of money for no reason on a mediocre wing that will do nothing during his time here.
Boston got lucky that the Nets trade didn't work out as the Nets planned otherwise those picks would not have been as valuable as they were. Had the Nets been good the Celtics wouldn't have draft Jaylen Brown, they wouldn't have been able to sell the top pick in 2017 to Philly to get the third pick and our pick in 2019, and they wouldn't have had the 2018 Nets pick to include the Kyrie trade.
Philly gutted their roster and lost to increase their odds and the other picks they gained were useful but didn't end up being high value picks. They got aided by this team's stupidity with the salary dump pick swap.
Which team's pick are we going to get?
The Lakers want to dump Deng but that's likely to be a pick in the 20s, not the lottery unless they are terrible next season.
The Knicks want to dump Noah but they aren't giving us their pick in 2019 or any first rounders because they are smart.
As for other possible salary dumps we are typically talking about play off teams wanting to clear space to sign someone else or avoid the tax. Maybe OKC will send us Melo and a pick, but again it's not really a high value pick we'll get.
No, sorry, not happening. This team is winning probably 33-38 wins next year with or without Lavine.
My post clearly stated next year 30 win range, 19/20 aim for .500, 20/21 winning season and playoff contender. That timeline would be Fox's fourth season, Bagley's third, Giles's third, and Lavine's seventh. Our young core would be heading towards new contract time and some would be in their prime years. Plus with the cap space we have we can target additions in 2019 or 2020 to boost our chances.
"We lose alot so let's do what this team has always done to keep wins up but never enough to actually make a difference". Sorry Mr. MLE, not good enough. This is rebuild time, and it means using every advantage we have to better the team. Even if Lavine gets the team 5 more wins alone, it isn't worth it. He isn't going to be around when the young guys are hitting their prime, and his efforts are not going to help the team develop. What WILL help the team is using whatever advantage they have to better the future of the franchise, and that means they can get assets in return for cap space and not waste it on overpaying a free agent.
Lavine has played 4 seasons to Fox's one. Both players primes will be in a similar time frame. It's not like we are looking to sign Michael Beasley to a contract.
Those assets are likely to be late first round picks at best. The teams likely to be in the lottery aren't likely to want to give up their picks. Sure we should collect assets but let's not lose and tank on the way. Stay competitive and build a positive culture.
This is why you trade for picks instead of giving away picks. It isn't a matter of wanting to tank, it is a matter of this team isn't good enough to win. Period.
This team needs to build a positive culture and get out of this losing habit as soon as possible. We've potentially got our point guard in Fox, or power forward in Bagley, and we have other young upside players like Buddy, Bogdanovic, Willie, Giles and anyone else we bring on board. Do we still need to improve at certain positions? Of course we do, but we don't need to tank or have high end picks to do that. If Utah and Denver can rebuild without top picks, we should be able to fill the remaining holes on this roster without resorting to more prolonged losing.
