Nets pick vs Lakers pick

[CelticsElite]

Dealing away the Nets pick was a colossal mistake. That pick will be top five guaranteed. Unless you think Timofey Mozgov is a generational talent who is going to be the saving grace of the Nets organization, saying the pick might end up in the 7-10 range is just you trying desperately to justify a dumpster fire of a trade by Danny Ainge.

Our best hope now is to hope the Kings are bad in 2019, because the Lakers won't be a bottom five team unless they're struck with a huge injury plague. Lonzo Ball is more transcendent of a player Han many people think, Brook Lopez is hungry for a large contract and will have a solid year to prove he's worth it, Julius Randle is slowly becoming a double double machine, I see Brandon Ingram making big strides, and they just got KCP who is on a one year deal and also eager to prove himself. Their bench of Clarkson, Deng, Nance, Ennis, and Zubac ain't too shabby either. That team wins at least 35 games this year so unless the ping pong balls fall in our favor, that pick ain't coming our way

wrong in both accounts

Nets could be 6-10. And Lakers are as bad as we think they are

[PaulAllen]

I would bet the Lakers will be out of playoff contention near trade deadline then wheel out Lopez and Caldwell-Pope, gain some picks back and go full tank...

This will clear room for Lebron, PG, Melo, Wade etc etc

[MetroGlobe]

Kevin O'Connor made this point on Simmons' podcast, and I think it's very valid.  The Nets have absolutely no incentive to tank because they have no pick this year.  But Chi, Atl, Ind, Orl, and maybe even Det do have incentive to tank.  I think that factor alone could result in +3 to 4 wins for the Brooklyn, which could drop that pick a bit. 

Combined with the tremendously tougher teams in the Western conference, I think the Lakers are going to be pretty rough.  One injury to a key guy like Ball or Lopez, and they're going to be in real trouble.

And don't forget that the way the lotto works, they don't have to be one of the five worst teams in order to end up in the top 5.  They could be the 7th or 8th worst team and the pick could still move up to #s 1, 2, or 3.  Obviously we don't want to see it land on #1.  But we'd be ecstatic if it were 2 or 3.

[GreenEnvy]

I would bet the Lakers will be out of playoff contention near trade deadline then wheel out Lopez and Caldwell-Pope, gain some picks back and go full tank...

This will clear room for Lebron, PG, Melo, Wade etc etc

Why wheel them out if they have to take back salary on guys who are expiring? Letting them finish the season then leave would allow max cap space.

Why full tank when they won't get that pick?

Kevin O'Connor made this point on Simmons' podcast, and I think it's very valid.  The Nets have absolutely no incentive to tank because they have no pick this year.  But Chi, Atl, Ind, Orl, and maybe even Det do have incentive to tank.  I think that factor alone could result in +3 to 4 wins for the Brooklyn, which could drop that pick a bit. 

Combined with the tremendously tougher teams in the Western conference, I think the Lakers are going to be pretty rough.  One injury to a key guy like Ball or Lopez, and they're going to be in real trouble.

And don't forget that the way the lotto works, they don't have to be one of the five worst teams in order to end up in the top 5.  They could be the 7th or 8th worst team and the pick could still move up to #s 1, 2, or 3.  Obviously we don't want to see it land on #1.  But we'd be ecstatic if it were 2 or 3.

The Nets had no incentive to tank last year, either.

Or the season before that.

That resulted in the worst and third-worst records in the league. What's going to change this season? They aren't adding major talent via the draft or through free agency. They are going to be just as bad this year.

[Moranis]

I would bet the Lakers will be out of playoff contention near trade deadline then wheel out Lopez and Caldwell-Pope, gain some picks back and go full tank...

This will clear room for Lebron, PG, Melo, Wade etc etc

Why wheel them out if they have to take back salary on guys who are expiring? Letting them finish the season then leave would allow max cap space.

Why full tank when they won't get that pick?

Kevin O'Connor made this point on Simmons' podcast, and I think it's very valid.  The Nets have absolutely no incentive to tank because they have no pick this year.  But Chi, Atl, Ind, Orl, and maybe even Det do have incentive to tank.  I think that factor alone could result in +3 to 4 wins for the Brooklyn, which could drop that pick a bit. 

Combined with the tremendously tougher teams in the Western conference, I think the Lakers are going to be pretty rough.  One injury to a key guy like Ball or Lopez, and they're going to be in real trouble.

And don't forget that the way the lotto works, they don't have to be one of the five worst teams in order to end up in the top 5.  They could be the 7th or 8th worst team and the pick could still move up to #s 1, 2, or 3.  Obviously we don't want to see it land on #1.  But we'd be ecstatic if it were 2 or 3.

The Nets had no incentive to tank last year, either.

Or the season before that.

That resulted in the worst and third-worst records in the league. What's going to change this season? They aren't adding major talent via the draft or through free agency. They are going to be just as bad this year.

I think the Nets will be a much improved team from last year.  I think they have a pretty good mix of players and actually think they will be better without Lopez.  A few days ago, I pegged them as the 6th worst team in the league in the 25-29 win range, and I see no reason to alter that view. 

[Th3M2n]

The only way this trade make sense is if DANNY thinks the LAL pick will be 2-5 and the Brooklyn pick will be 6+.

Danny doesn't care what WE think the pick will be...

[nickagneta]

I look at it this way:

Let's assume Danny knew before the draft that IT doesn't have a guarantee that his injury won't be effecting him long term. Therefore, Danny decided he wasn't going to ever offer the max contract to Thomas due to this news and because of on court things as well(probably had career year and won't replicate it, defense).

Let's also assume that Ainge heard through sources that Kyrie wanted to be traded.

We already know Tatum was Danny's guy, Fultz wasn't.

So, Danny, instead of just drafting Fultz to replace IT and keep the Brooklyn pick and really build for 4-5 years down the line, decided to grab another possible top 5 pick by trading down nab his guy knowing he would eventually land Kyrie by trading IT and parts with one of those two picks.

So after this season instead of not having IT, because Danny wasn't going to sign him, and having Fultz and a possible top 5 pick he has Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum and a possible top 5 pick.

Looking at it this way, Danny looks brilliant.

[Fafnir]

Looking at it this way, Danny looks brilliant.

Yeah I don't particularly like this trade. But there is certainly good logic to it that I do not think is bad. And the team isn't in a bad position. Similar to the Fultz move, I get it but I'm not all that happy with it.

I expected us to move on from IT with Fultz really, not Kyrie.

[Boris Badenov]

The only way this trade make sense is if DANNY thinks the LAL pick will be 2-5 and the Brooklyn pick will be 6+.

Danny doesn't care what WE think the pick will be...

Well yeah, but what does he know compared to us? I'm coming up on 4500 posts here, man, I'm an EXPERT on this s**t.

[Rosco917]

Stop with this nonsense. I think everyone's heart is hurting for IT because he gave everything to the Celtics.

When cooler heads and hearts prevail. We got the #1 overall pick, NBA champion from a player who watched Bron for 3 years....and he's ONLY 25 years old.

STOP with the nonsense. When IT signs that deal people will be saying, "man, I'm glad Ainge didn't sign him".

BOOM!

[ManUp]

Lakers will be worse because the west got better they play those teams 4 times a year. Brooklyn will be better because the east got worse and they play those teams 4 times a year. Atl, Chicago, and Magic will be worse than Brooklyn in the east and Phoenix will be worse. Those 5 teams all have incentive to tank. Lakers have a better team than Brooklyn but playing in the west might make all the difference.

[droopdog7]

Frankly, the fact that DA dealt the Nets pick rather than the lakers pick doesn't really say what DA was thinking about each of those picks.  More likely, it says that DA really really values Kyrie (and I agree) and that the Cavs really valued the Net's pick.  Remember, two teams negotiating here and DA can't just give teams what he wants to give them.

All that said, who the heck knows.  I think the lakers are better than the Nets but they also are in a much better conference.  It's a toss up and as said, the Net's pick is probably a little better in that it was unprotected.

But I'm fine with the deal because there are teams in the league that have shown their cards and are tanking hard while neither the nets or the lakers have that incentive.  I think both picks will be worse that people think (5-7 range). 

[mef730]

I look at it this way:

Let's assume Danny knew before the draft that IT doesn't have a guarantee that his injury won't be effecting him long term. Therefore, Danny decided he wasn't going to ever offer the max contract to Thomas due to this news and because of on court things as well(probably had career year and won't replicate it, defense).

Let's also assume that Ainge heard through sources that Kyrie wanted to be traded.

We already know Tatum was Danny's guy, Fultz wasn't.

So, Danny, instead of just drafting Fultz to replace IT and keep the Brooklyn pick and really build for 4-5 years down the line, decided to grab another possible top 5 pick by trading down nab his guy knowing he would eventually land Kyrie by trading IT and parts with one of those two picks.

So after this season instead of not having IT, because Danny wasn't going to sign him, and having Fultz and a possible top 5 pick he has Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum and a possible top 5 pick.

Looking at it this way, Danny looks brilliant.

Your logic is the long-term brand that I think DA uses and absolutely fits the pattern. When you look at roster building, try not to concern yourself with the pieces--look at the team in its totalitarianism (bonus point if you can tell me where I paraphrased that from).

I'm getting over my hatred of this trade and it is becoming more of a mild dislike: IT wasn't coming back, We are overstocked at the 3 and I know nothing about Zizic. My question is whether you'd rather have nine years of the draft pick or two guaranteed years of Kyrie. And I can't answer that @#$! question. But I'm in the camp that the Nets are just awful (Yes, I said that before the trade, too.). Russell and Crabbe and Goyle only look good in the context of what they had. The loss of Lopez more than offsets all the additions.

Mike

[nickagneta]

Personally I think Cleveland is blowing it up next summer. With IT and Crowder added they will go all in to win it this year them push the button to blow that team apart. I think thats why they insisted on Tatum or the Brooklyn pick. That player would be the start of the base they will rebuild with.

My guess is you will see players like Thompson, Love, Smith and Korver traded for picks and expiring contracts. I think Lebon and IT will be walking, and the tank will be on.

As an aside, how good does it make you feel that the Cavs were so hot for Tatum? I think they might have viewed him as the best player in this draft too with potential to produce right away.

[action781]

Personally I think Cleveland is blowing it up next summer. With IT and Crowder added they will go all in to win it this year them push the button to blow that team apart. I think thats why they insisted on Tatum or the Brooklyn pick. That player would be the start of the base they will rebuild with.

What if they win the title this year though?  Think Lebron walks then?  He'd have to be a real jerk to walk away from a championship team.