That kind of my question. If you could have either Bane or White, who do you take? I know Bane is younger but White is better and should have more trade value. Holiday is right there too. Value is impacted by age and contract but Holiday is right there based on talent.
So this is a really interesting question. Here's a few of my random thoughts on this:
- Bane is definitely a better offensive scorer than White and Holliday
- As a team regular season defender, I'd say they are all pretty equal
- As playoff defenders, I'd say that White and Holliday clearly are better, more reliable defenders, especially with Bane's limited wingspan
- White and Bane are currenetly pretty similar as spot-up, stretch-the-floor shooters. Holliday is probably not to their level, but may be closer with a bounce-back season.
- White is much more durable than Bane. Holliday is slightly more durable, but you might consider them even due to Holliday's age.
- In order, their contract value is probably White-Bane-Holliday. Bane will be paid 45m in 28-29, which would be the fourth season from the one starting this fall. That's a lot to pay for a short-armed guard that has struggled with injuries whose main value is scoring.
I think the Magic needed an aggressive scoring guard to prevent their offense from slowing down in the half-court so much. I'm not sure that either White or Holliday would have provided what they need to the extent Bane will.
However, there are other teams that need missing piece type players. There are teams looking for 3-D defenders with championship pedigree that can run your offense (Lakers, Mavs, Clippers, Sixers, Heat if they trade for Durant, Rockets if they trade for Durant) or other teams that are looking for do-it-all guards that can run your offense (Mavs, Kings, Pistons, Rockets, Wolves, Warriors, Pelicans). Not all of those teams can or would want to make trades for players like Holliday and White, but I think there is definitely a market for "missing piece" type players like the Celtics have, and I think the price has been set by other trades (Bridges, Holliday 2 years ago, Bane, etc.).
