Kemba-JT-JB. Keep these guys and figure it out from there.
Hayward is who I’d be looking to ship out. He’s highly serviceable and would really help a team that needs perimeter help. I think he can still be a #2 or 3 guy for a team that already has a best player.
While I think Hayward fits here, I think it’s more of a case of “talented players know how to play with each other” rather than he’s an ideal fit. And since we have to deal with the economics of salary caps and luxury taxes, you have to give up strengths in some areas to shore up other areas of your team. I think even if we lose Hayward, we’re still dominant on the perimeter with our 3 main guys.
My top targets this offseason would be:
1) talented high IQ big
- I think there are many bigs that fit the bill but their less-than-marquee status would probably leave many on here unhappy. Ive seen names like Ibaka, Tristan Thompson, LMA and to me, these seem like pretty good fits with our team (provided Hayward is the centerpiece. Not Kemba!). I’d throw in other names like Marc Gasol and Drummond as other interesting options.
2) shooter who can move off the ball
- this could be an SG or a PF. He doesn’t need to be a playmaker or off the dribble creator but he needs to be lights out. Duncan Robinson showed us how much of an impact a shooter can have by just sprinting from one spot to the next. This will open up things for our 3 main guys.
3) veteran with deep playoff experience, ideally a former champ
- I would replace Vincent Poirier with this guy. I don’t know who it is but I think a veteran locker room presence that is more safe than Wanamaker would be welcome. Idk who. Andrew Bogut?
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Getting these guys would have to be a mix of trade and FA (I haven’t had time to check the FA pool). As for what happens to Smart and Theis? I’d move them to the bench and that fixes the bench problem, imo.