I really love this .gif
Y'all probably know that I hate paying tax. I never wanted to be one of those teams who spend 3+ years paying to not win championships. So when I looked at my team after yet another playoff exit, I figured it was time to kill it and find new talent. It started well, as I was able to trade Luc for KCP and a 2nd-rounder that became Monty Marra. More on those guys later. I also sent Jeff Teague to an old friend who'd just gone through an identity crisis, and got some points in return. More cash, yay! But then...
...and I was getting on a roll too
...the fire was put out. Suddenly, nothing. And by nothing, I mean NOTHING. I couldn't reach a deal with anyone, which was pretty demoralizing given the flurry of activity around the league. It wasn't all bad, though. Brandon Knight decided to sign with us in RFA, and the Heat front office took one look at his contract, laughed, then let him go. I think they know something I don't. I also brought Melo back to his true home here in the DMV.
You spent more of your pre-adult years in Baltimore than in NYC, after all
The Hawks were nice and patient enough to wait while I kept trying (and failing) to be a pyromaniac, so when they reached back out to me about Melo, I decided to accept. It was the least I could do. Sorry Gerald, you meant a lot to me, and you will be missed...though honestly, what I had hoped to do with you was a hell of a lot worse than shipping you back to the ATL.
Dodged a bullet there, Gerald
Getting back to Free Agency, I was scared of losing Wilson & Ersan for nothing...but I was terrified of further tanking their (damn near nonexistent) trade value by overpaying them. Truly a conundrum for the ages. So I low-balled them, figuring that the majority of the league didn't have the cap room to get them for much more even if they wanted to. So why bid against yourself, y'know? To my surprise, they both took pity on me and re-signed for value deals. And then I took a look at my projected tax bill...and a vision came to me...
It wasn't a pretty one
What followed next was a massive brain fart in which I totally panicked and decided to pay off another debt by trading Ersan to the Denver Syndicate so I could save a little bit of money. What can I say, the stress of the trade market finally broke me, and I made a hasty move. At that point, I honestly believed that the Nuggets deal was the best I could possibly get, so I took it. Sorry, Ersan. I know you loved DC and were excited about playing with Melo and Jeff, but it is what it is. And, if I'm being totally honest, Pek fits far better in our planned rotation than you would've.
Sounds filthy, but it's true...ugh
Finally training camp was upon us, and though the Wiz draft pick curse didn't strike down Furkan and Monty (this time), KCP was taken as payment for their safety. I honestly would've preferred it the other way around. Everybody else, though? Meh.
.....And that's what I did this summer. Any more questions?