Winning the Durant Sweepstakes This Time...

[GreenlyGreeny]

Durant is upset that many are claiming the original Dubs are better without Durant. Furthermore, he’s upset about the ring-chaser label. How can Durant prove both impressions to be wrong? Who gives him an opportunity to do that next year, to beat Golden State and a chance to win multiple championships elsewhere the next 3-5 years? How about the current home of his buddies Kyrie Irving and Al Horford? But how can we afford him, you say?

Here’s how:

Dump Hayward and secure a nice asset in the process:

http://tradenba.com/trades/r117_L56V

Suns want to drop back in exchange for more picks and a solid vet or two. Mavs know they need a third piece to pair with their boys, and do they really think they’ll get a better former all-star in free agency? No way.

Act two is to clear some additional salaries with a team that has potential cap space. Given the sixth overall pick being in the mix, I do not think we’ll have trouble moving the following:

6th overall pick
2020 Celtics first-round pick
Brown (expiring contract with rights)
Yabusele
Williams
Ojeleye

In exchange for a current lottery team’s 2020, 2022 and 2024 unprotected first-round picks. That still gives us the Memphis pick (2020 or 2021) and three other potential lottery picks in 2020, 2022 and 2024 along with our picks 2021-onward. Plenty to replenish the coffers with, so we are not mortgaging the future despite moving Brown before he becomes too expensive.

Rescind the rights to Theis, Wannamaker and Morris.

Horford and Irving opt out.

Get Tom Brady in a room with Kyrie, KD and Big Al, so they can hear him talk about what it’s like to win multiple titles in Boston into your 40s...

July 1, we give max contracts to Kyrie and Durant, Horford re-signs for the amount of cap leftover this year.

Irving
Smart
Tatum
Durant
Horford

Baynes to spell Horford
MLE PF/C
Vets willing to take the minimum to win a ring

Irving, Tatum and Smart are solid for the next 8-10 years, and we have 8 first-round picks in the next half decade, so we can find a replacement for Horford, replenish the depth and find a successor for Durant (although I do not think it’s impossible for Tatum to become Durant’s little brother and eventual successor): 2020/2021 Memphis pick, 2020 potential lottery pick, 2021 Celtics pick, 2022 potential lottery pick, 2022 Celtics pick, 2023 Celtics pick, 2024 potential lottery pick, 2024 Celtics pick

[TheSundanceKid]

I don't think that works. When Horford and Irving opt out they still have a cap hold. In order to create the cap space to trade for Durant you would need to rescind the cap hold for at least one of them, meaning you couldn't re-sign them.

The only way for us to get Durant is to trade Hayward or Horford in a trade for him. You could get to a similar place to your trade in a 3 team trade but that is very difficult to achieve.

Realistically the only way is Durant opting in and trading for Hayward + pieces. Then if GS want to trade Hayward on to someone else they can.

Edit: you also can't trade Rozier before free agency due to him being an expiring contract. To trade him would need to be via a sign and trade, which leads to more difficulties with salary matching.

[GreenlyGreeny]

So we definitely cannot sign Rozier to an extension before the draft and trade him in this scenario? In that case, change the scenario such that the Suns rescind the rights to a number of players and we shift all of the draft picks and Hayward for sixth overall (cut the Mavs out of it).

Yes, we would still have the cap holds for Horford and Irving, but is it not a timing issue since re-signing Horford to a lower amount would remove the rest of the cap hold first? In such a scenario, with just Smart, Tatum, Baynes and Horford (at say $15 mil/yr. for 4 years) on the books, how much cap space do we have to sign Irving and Durant?

[greg683x]

Nobody is taking Haywards contract right now, you’re living in a fantasy world if you think otherwise

[GreenlyGreeny]

You don’t think the Suns or Mavs would want him as a third piece? In that case, surely a bottom dweller such as the Hawks would take Hayward + Brown + Williams + Ojeyele + Yabusele + 14 + 20 + 22 + 51 in exchange for 1-3 future first-round picks, right? That’s a lot of youth and only one bad contract for only two years (and there’s still a chance he pulls off a Paul George comeback)...

[TheSundanceKid]

You don’t think the Suns or Mavs would want him as a third piece? In that case, surely a bottom dweller such as the Hawks would take Hayward + Brown + Williams + Ojeyele + Yabusele + 14 + 20 + 22 + 51 in exchange for 1-3 future first-round picks, right? That’s a lot of youth and only one bad contract for only two years (and there’s still a chance he pulls off a Paul George comeback)...

But why would we do that? We are a capped out team, it doesn't free space for us to sign a max piece. If you're trading Hayward away like that then you may as well blow up the entire team and start again. Which of course is not a good option

[BitterJim]

So we definitely cannot sign Rozier to an extension before the draft and trade him in this scenario? In that case, change the scenario such that the Suns rescind the rights to a number of players and we shift all of the draft picks and Hayward for sixth overall (cut the Mavs out of it).

Yes, we would still have the cap holds for Horford and Irving, but is it not a timing issue since re-signing Horford to a lower amount would remove the rest of the cap hold first? In such a scenario, with just Smart, Tatum, Baynes and Horford (at say $15 mil/yr. for 4 years) on the books, how much cap space do we have to sign Irving and Durant?

With Baynes on the roster and Horford at $15 million, we would be about $8 million short of being able to sign KD to a max (and after signing Kyrie, that would jump to $10 million short). It's not happening

[Silky]

Nobody is taking Haywards contract right now, you’re living in a fantasy world if you think otherwise

There are a number of teams that would deal for gordon right now, that wouldnt cost picks to move him.

Moving him for free capspace would be difficult, but also moronic imo.

Detroit and charlotte are 2 teams off the top of my head that would trade for him.

Indy, miami, portland, sas could all be in that grouping as well.

[TheSundanceKid]

Nobody is taking Haywards contract right now, you’re living in a fantasy world if you think otherwise

There are a number of teams that would deal for gordon right now, that wouldnt cost picks to move him.

Moving him for free capspace would be difficult, but also moronic imo.

Detroit and charlotte are 2 teams off the top of my head that would trade for him.

Indy, miami, portland, sas could all be in that grouping as well.

But who are you trading for that gives more upside than Hayward? We don't need extra depth, we already struggle to appease those on the team. We need a move that consolidates assets on the team into a better player. Moving Hayward only works if it's part of a package for Durant, otherwise you're better moving other assets and continuing with Hayward's recovery

[Roy H.]

The only way you get Durant (and it’s not particularly realistic):

1.  Durant opts into his contract, in a prearranged agreement to be traded to Boston.

2. Horford opts into his contract, in a prearranged agreement to be traded to Golden State.

3. Boston trades Horford and Brown and/or picks to GS for Durant.

4. Kyrie re-signs.

5. Celts trade Tatum + Smart + remaining assets for AD.

Davis
Morris
Durant
Hayward
Kyrie

[greg683x]

Nobody is taking Haywards contract right now, you’re living in a fantasy world if you think otherwise

There are a number of teams that would deal for gordon right now, that wouldnt cost picks to move him.

Moving him for free capspace would be difficult, but also moronic imo.

Detroit and charlotte are 2 teams off the top of my head that would trade for him.

Indy, miami, portland, sas could all be in that grouping as well.

Let me rephrase then.  We’re not gonna be able to trade Hayward without receiving a negative return or swapping him with another bad contract, in which case I’d rather just hold onto Hayward

[Silky]

Nobody is taking Haywards contract right now, you’re living in a fantasy world if you think otherwise

There are a number of teams that would deal for gordon right now, that wouldnt cost picks to move him.

Moving him for free capspace would be difficult, but also moronic imo.

Detroit and charlotte are 2 teams off the top of my head that would trade for him.

Indy, miami, portland, sas could all be in that grouping as well.

But who are you trading for that gives more upside than Hayward? We don't need extra depth, we already struggle to appease those on the team. We need a move that consolidates assets on the team into a better player. Moving Hayward only works if it's part of a package for Durant, otherwise you're better moving other assets and continuing with Hayward's recovery

I move Hayward for 1 of 2 things

A proper center that allows at the worst, for Horford to move to the PF spot(ideally off the bench for 30 minutes a game)

or

Smaller, closer to expiring deals that can be used as ballast in a deal for Davis

[Silky]

Nobody is taking Haywards contract right now, you’re living in a fantasy world if you think otherwise

There are a number of teams that would deal for gordon right now, that wouldnt cost picks to move him.

Moving him for free capspace would be difficult, but also moronic imo.

Detroit and charlotte are 2 teams off the top of my head that would trade for him.

Indy, miami, portland, sas could all be in that grouping as well.

Let me rephrase then.  We’re not gonna be able to trade Hayward without receiving a negative return or swapping him with another bad contract, in which case I’d rather just hold onto Hayward

I still disagree.

Hayward still has alot of value around the league, injury and bad season aside, most people understand that he is a bad fit on this team as currently constructed as most of the wings had a less than stellar season.

Brown
Tatum
Hayward
Rozier

all performed worse this past season than seasons prior. Now if Hayward had another season performing poorly on a team with fewer wings needing the ball, then you would be on to something.

[greg683x]

Nobody is taking Haywards contract right now, you’re living in a fantasy world if you think otherwise

There are a number of teams that would deal for gordon right now, that wouldnt cost picks to move him.

Moving him for free capspace would be difficult, but also moronic imo.

Detroit and charlotte are 2 teams off the top of my head that would trade for him.

Indy, miami, portland, sas could all be in that grouping as well.

Let me rephrase then.  We’re not gonna be able to trade Hayward without receiving a negative return or swapping him with another bad contract, in which case I’d rather just hold onto Hayward

I still disagree.

Hayward still has alot of value around the league, injury and bad season aside, most people understand that he is a bad fit on this team as currently constructed as most of the wings had a less than stellar season.

Brown
Tatum
Hayward
Rozier

all performed worse this past season than seasons prior. Now if Hayward had another season performing poorly on a team with fewer wings needing the ball, then you would be on to something.

Believing he’ll return to form, and putting your job on the line for that belief are two different things.  You’re talking about a GM that would be taking ALL the risk in a deal since you’re saying we could land a positive return.

No GM is gonna put their neck on the line and give us a positive return for Gordon given the amount of money owed and what they’d be losing in the process.  I don’t care if they believe he’ll probably return to form.  There’s other less risky options around the league.

[Silky]

Nobody is taking Haywards contract right now, you’re living in a fantasy world if you think otherwise

There are a number of teams that would deal for gordon right now, that wouldnt cost picks to move him.

Moving him for free capspace would be difficult, but also moronic imo.

Detroit and charlotte are 2 teams off the top of my head that would trade for him.

Indy, miami, portland, sas could all be in that grouping as well.

Let me rephrase then.  We’re not gonna be able to trade Hayward without receiving a negative return or swapping him with another bad contract, in which case I’d rather just hold onto Hayward

I still disagree.

Hayward still has alot of value around the league, injury and bad season aside, most people understand that he is a bad fit on this team as currently constructed as most of the wings had a less than stellar season.

Brown
Tatum
Hayward
Rozier

all performed worse this past season than seasons prior. Now if Hayward had another season performing poorly on a team with fewer wings needing the ball, then you would be on to something.

Believing he’ll return to form, and putting your job on the line for that belief are two different things.  You’re talking about a GM that would be taking ALL the risk in a deal since you’re saying we could land a positive return.

No GM is gonna put their neck on the line and give us a positive return for Gordon given the amount of money owed and what they’d be losing in the process.  I don’t care if they believe he’ll probably return to form.  There’s other less risky options around the league.

A positive return on this team could well be a negative asset on another.

It is possible for both teams to win a deal.