Into the TraderVerse
Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2020 7:47 am
Word count: 3,076
"Are you from another dimension? Like a parallel universe where things are like this universe but different? And you're Spider-Man in that universe? But somehow traveled to this universe, but you don't know how?"
We’ve all been there, yeah? Deep into heated discussions to make a trade that could change the very fabric of the universe. Well, the SLOE universe. Well … maybe just your own roster for a small bit of time. However, regardless of how fruitful or promising those discussions may end up being, the rug is pulled out from under you and the deal falls apart. Perhaps it is because one party got cold feet or that you realized the money just did not work the way you believed it would. Regardless of the reason, the answer was NO.
This is what I want to explore today. I am going to go over a few of the top ALMOST deals that I can think of that I have been a part of during my time in this game. On top of discussing what the parameters of the deals may have been (to the best of my recollection anyways, someone else involved can be free to correct me) and what impact the non-deal had on the rest of the season, I am going to use my Collider and zap through the Trade-Verse and explore how the fate of the teams involved may have changed if the deals had gone through. So, without further adieu …
THWIP!
“Goodbye Boban, we hardly knew ya!”
In the lead-up to unrestricted free agency, My Clippers and the Magic agreed to a blockbuster sign and trade that sent one of the league’s greatest players to Los Angeles. Boban had been a staple in Orlando but the team felt it best to begin the process of tearing down and moving forward after a game 7 loss to the Bulls in the Finals, much to the benefit of the receiving team. Boban showed up to training camp that season in all his purple glory and fans and coaches and media alike were buzzing. Then camp happened and Boban lost that lovely purple glow and that was followed by a few trades that really strengthened other teams around the league. These two things kind of brought me down about the mega-deal that I had made prior to and I immediately began to question if I could win a title with that grouping or might it be best to quickly ship Boban out and get as many future assets as possible to build for an even greater future. So, my trade block was updated with the big fella’s name on it and, predictably, my inbox was full of inquiries. There ended up being one trade scenario that I sent out that I am positive I would have taken if it had been accepted.
Boban Marjanovic to the Sacramento Kings for a package highlighted by (now) Point Guard extraordinaire, Daniel “Hand Down” Yandell. The Kings had just begun their pursuit of a superstar player of their own and was willing to move on from prime assets to get it done. I was not honed-in on only Point Guards, but perhaps I knew even then that having a great one was a gift because I was excited about the possibility. The Kings took the offer while also checking in on other opportunities that may come to them as well, deciding which type of superstar they would want to add to the roster. After some deliberation, I was told “thanks but no thanks” and the deal to get Bryce Dejean-Jones to Sacramento was finalized. The Kings loved Boban (obviously) but were really looking for a player that would run their offense and no one, at that time, did that better than BDJ.
How It Worked Out:
This is a case of a non-deal working out best for everyone involved. I did not end up making an impulsive, rash trade to get rid of a superstar and Tani went and got the game’s best Point Guard. BDJ would lead the Kings to championship a season later (against my Clippers) and then BDJ would move to go along with Boban to bring Los Angeles a championship the season after THAT.
What If … Boban had been traded to the Kings?
Well, for starters, I probably never make it to 2 Finals and grab a championship. The Kings never get Bryce Dejean-Jones either, so, do they win a championship either? Even with Boban? The Spurs probably hold onto BDJ for awhile longer before having to move him for less during an expiring contract season and that mystery team gets reaps the rewards. All-World Point Guard Daniel Yandell would have become a Clipper, where he would have stayed to this day. Terry Sterner is probably dying at the end of someone’s bench because he never comes to L.A. in the Boban re-trade. In other words, maybe no one is happier in this alternate reality and we all chose wisely.
“Clipping Bronny’s Wings”
Not too long after one blockbuster involving a star player going from Disney World to Disneyland, the Clippers and Magic began negotiations on another. This time it was Bronny James who was ready to join his old pal Boban in Los Angeles to try winning another championship. Unlike the above deal, I still have all the details of that discussion saved. At the time, Bronny was on the injured list, so it made sense for it to be the right time for a Magic move. When I first asked about Bronny, who had just been put on the Trade Block after getting hurt, there did not look to be much traction possible. Andy was looking to blow the team completely up if he moved Bronny and at first glance he did not feel like I offered that ability to him. I understood the concern and was ready to leave it at that.
(12 Hours Later)
Andy would reach out with a first, legit offer after considering the possibilities.
The initial offer looked like this:
Randy Abney, 2036 1st rounders from LAC and NO, plus a 2034 1st rounder from the Pelicans
For
Bronny James, Clippers 2035 1st (which the Magic owned from the Boban deal)
I know the deal switched a bit from that initial format due to Bronny’s injury, but the picks all remained intact. I was certainly motivated by the idea and was thrilled when it seemed like we had all the pieces in place to make a deal. Then we did the math again and realized that I did not have a contract the right size to send back to make the salary matching aspect of any trade possible. Even worse, since I did not think getting Bronny would be possible, in the hours between the time we talked (and literally MINUTES before Andy re-engaged) I had traded a small contract to the Bucks to earn a couple of extra saved tax dollars and of course that contract was the perfect amount of money that I needed.
DAMMIT DOUG!
How it worked out:
Even without Bronny, my Clippers went on to make it the Finals only to lose to BDJ and the Kings. For Orlando, the season ended up being quite different than most they had become adjusted to when they had Bronny and Boban, however they still got into the playoffs at the 5 seed and made it to the second round before being swept by the #1 seed Wizards. Though both sides had some success after the failed trade, I can’t help but wonder …
What If … Bronny had become a Clipper?
The Clippers, with Bronny and Boban united, and with Glen Sabo in-tow, flip the script and topple BDJ and the Kings. However, this also means that the Kings do not decide to trade BDJ away the following season. They tinker with the roster to find a way to combat the Boban/Bronny duo and we get a championship rematch the following season … where I ALSO WIN! BACK TO BACK CHAMPIONS! Clip City! Parades and champagne and hookers and blow for everyone!
“Sabo’s Antlers”
Here is a story all about how, Sabo’s life (almost) got turned, flipped upside down … twice. We all know how our pal Doug is always going to send offers for any major pieces that become available. Well, one player that he most certainly did everything that he could to obtain was Glen Sabo. Though he poked around on him more than twice, even if it were just to gauge my interest in moving him, there are two different times when things were close, but we just barely missed the mark.
Attempt #1
Our first deep dive into all things Sabo was directly after I was soundly dispatched by the Kings in the Finals. So, with the disappointment of that loss hanging over my head and a looming repeater tax bill hovering as well, I had been considering shuffling things away. Then that idea changed when I was able to pull off a deal to bring in Bryce Dejean-Jones. Once that trade went down, I changed my mind and was ready to go all-in again, full stop.
Enter: Doug
I could probably search our past discussions for the exact offer, but I am lazy and don’t feel like it. That said, I know the core idea was Derrick Hunter and Y/B (at the time) Chadwick Dangerfield. As we have since seen, Dangerfield has become one hell of a Point Guard and I think we all saw that coming based on his potential. Dangerfield was the only reason I was really considering making this move at all because I knew how tough it was to find a guy to run the offense and I already had Boban to anchor my front court. While I was not super excited about Forte, he would at least be a capable Center to replace Sabo on my team. On top of all of that, I had BDJ so, I had the perfect succession plan at the Point.
This was not a deal that I would flat out say no to and took a bit of time before giving an answer. Eventually, I probably became too wishy-washy and I really had a hard time deciding, but I was leaning toward just running it all back because it did not feel smart to risk a championship attempt for potential down the line. Who knows how many legit title opportunities you get, ya know? Plus, I was fresh-faced and obviously had 0 rings. So, I passed, and Doug moved on to grabbing Bjorn Ironside from the Raptors and Dangerfield has started to flourish. But I was (dangerously) close to accepting and flipping things on its head.
Attempt #2
Doug’s 2nd major attempt at getting Sabo to wear antlers on his head came in a year when I was certainly willing to move on from him. I had my title, I had moved Boban, earned some points with playoff runs and was ready to go young. However, Doug’s roster make-up made this attempt incredibly difficult. Due to his salaries, the only real way to get Sabo would be to trade away Conrad McRae, who was his only good big man at the time. So, he is quite a quality player however, I did not value him because my goal when have been to get young assets back instead of a veteran who did not fit with the rest of the team, whose skills would make Doug want to cut back on the amount of those desired assets. If he had been able to keep McRae, I could have gotten the young assets I had wanted, and Sabo might still be a Buck now. The young players were Don Sanchez, Pastor and Olney if I had not needed to take McRae in any deal. In the end, it was too much for Doug to agree to and we could not find a middle ground because of McRae.
How it worked out:
I know I wish that we could have worked through that deal because I liked all those young players a lot. With Sanchez, I was a bit worried about his looming RFA because he is a point guard and I assumed people would go overboard to sign him. I miscalculated that, and he was signed to quite a sweetheart deal ultimately. I am curious how Doug feels about it in hindsight since the only one he still has is Pastor after McRae signed with the 76ers in UFA the following off-season and he did not match Olney’s max recently. I would not move Sabo for another season, ultimately getting Marcel McAlister in return for him during his expiring season. While I am happy with McAlister, I think I still would have preferred a Bucks deal if we had more flexibility with the salaries as it would have brought in more than 1 young asset. McAlister is starting to bloom though, so we will see how much more growth he has in him.
What If … Sabo had become a Buck?
In Attempt #1, losing Sabo’s scoring ability takes away the strongest aspect of my team that season which was the ability to score in the 120s just about every night. That is not even mentioning the fact that Sabo’s defense is better than Hunter's as well. Perhaps my team blossoms down the road because of Dangerfield but that was a gamble that I ultimately chose not to take. For the Bucks, this deal probably makes them the champions that season. They won their division anyways that year but failed to get to the Finals. It looks like they had too many wings and only one proper big man that could do damage. In the trade that was discussed, they would have kept pretty much all their win-now pieces but added Sabo. So, their line-up would have been McRae, Sabo, Schumann, Rodriguez, Morant instead of also having Ironside. In this trade, if I had accepted, I feel like we see another Bucks banner flying instead of the Clippers one.
In Attempt #2, instead of losing 4-2 to the underdog Wizards in the conference Finals, the Bucks make it to the Finals to face off against the Bulls. The Bucks lineup would have been Morant, Haile, Rodriguez, Porter, Sabo with Carl Howard off the bench. They probably still don’t topple the RJ Barrett/Grayson Allen combo in Chicago, but Sabo would have made life miserable for those big men. Also, the following off-season, Doug still would have had the same munition he used to grab De’Aron Fox back and once that happens, Sabo and Fox may have still ultimately brought him back a championship. For me, it was all about youth and growth so, I’d still be about where I am now but with a higher upside as Pastor, Olney and Sanchez have all about bloomed now.
“HECTOR!!!!!! (in my Achilles/Brad Pitt voice)”
Before max contracts for big men and trades for Schumann, did you know there was a time that Big Ed and the Brooklyn Nets were asking for people to send an offer for Jame Hector, so he could wipe his hands with him? I do because I was after him for a few seasons, constantly. I offered points and picks along with Zeke Nnaji, just points and picks, and most recently, the one that got the most traction, Bryce Dejean-Jones (salary matching purposes) and Marcel McAlister. I offered this deal early in the off-season. Though I was concerned with Hector’s upcoming UFA, I had also made recent deals for Dominick Cobb and John Stoll, so I was looking to do everything in my power to win and win big. Ed was not fully convinced at the time, so the discussion was shelved.
Then the season started.
And it started BAD for the Clippers of Los Angeles. And for the Nets.
Due to the way things progressed for us, the Nets became more willing to trade Hector. So much so that Ed came back to me to say he would accept that offer for McAlister and BDJ. The problem was that I had no idea if adding Hector would seriously improve my floundering team and even If it did, I was not convinced it would make me a championship team. I was already staring at the highest tax bill in the league for a team that was not even a playoff team for a good chunk of the season and adding Hector was only going to add more salary. Timing is everything and we both said NO at different times to that deal and nothing came of it.
How it worked out:
As we have seen since, I think we are both happy that we did not move forward. Ed now looks to be a bonafide championship contender after bringing Hector and Wesson back in UFA (But you better believe I tried to steal them both) and then traded for Schumann, without losing any of his other win-now pieces. While I did not strike gold in UFA like I had hoped, I think I built a solid roster but most importantly, McAlister now looks ready to be a highly productive starter and will be my Small Forward for the foreseeable future.
What If … Hector had become a Clipper?
This one is easy, on both sides. For the Nets, they probably become more aggressive in moving Kaleb Wesson last season and start their rebuild around Fang, Trinkle and McAlister which really wouldn’t have been a bad way to start a rebuild. They likely are not a championship threat this season, however, who knows what luck UFA may have brought them as they had a ton of cap space coming into the year and by making this deal for McAlister, they still would have had a near max slow after paying him in RFA. For me, my tax bill might have taken me into tax hell for a season in an off-season where I needed to re-sign Hector. So, I still would have tried desperately to move Leonard, Cobb, Stoll but it probably would have been strictly for points to try paying that debt off. If I couldn’t have, it would have been an even bigger waste of assets than I already endured last season. This is a terrible alternate reality that I don’t want to think about.
Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
"Are you from another dimension? Like a parallel universe where things are like this universe but different? And you're Spider-Man in that universe? But somehow traveled to this universe, but you don't know how?"
We’ve all been there, yeah? Deep into heated discussions to make a trade that could change the very fabric of the universe. Well, the SLOE universe. Well … maybe just your own roster for a small bit of time. However, regardless of how fruitful or promising those discussions may end up being, the rug is pulled out from under you and the deal falls apart. Perhaps it is because one party got cold feet or that you realized the money just did not work the way you believed it would. Regardless of the reason, the answer was NO.
This is what I want to explore today. I am going to go over a few of the top ALMOST deals that I can think of that I have been a part of during my time in this game. On top of discussing what the parameters of the deals may have been (to the best of my recollection anyways, someone else involved can be free to correct me) and what impact the non-deal had on the rest of the season, I am going to use my Collider and zap through the Trade-Verse and explore how the fate of the teams involved may have changed if the deals had gone through. So, without further adieu …
THWIP!
“Goodbye Boban, we hardly knew ya!”
In the lead-up to unrestricted free agency, My Clippers and the Magic agreed to a blockbuster sign and trade that sent one of the league’s greatest players to Los Angeles. Boban had been a staple in Orlando but the team felt it best to begin the process of tearing down and moving forward after a game 7 loss to the Bulls in the Finals, much to the benefit of the receiving team. Boban showed up to training camp that season in all his purple glory and fans and coaches and media alike were buzzing. Then camp happened and Boban lost that lovely purple glow and that was followed by a few trades that really strengthened other teams around the league. These two things kind of brought me down about the mega-deal that I had made prior to and I immediately began to question if I could win a title with that grouping or might it be best to quickly ship Boban out and get as many future assets as possible to build for an even greater future. So, my trade block was updated with the big fella’s name on it and, predictably, my inbox was full of inquiries. There ended up being one trade scenario that I sent out that I am positive I would have taken if it had been accepted.
Boban Marjanovic to the Sacramento Kings for a package highlighted by (now) Point Guard extraordinaire, Daniel “Hand Down” Yandell. The Kings had just begun their pursuit of a superstar player of their own and was willing to move on from prime assets to get it done. I was not honed-in on only Point Guards, but perhaps I knew even then that having a great one was a gift because I was excited about the possibility. The Kings took the offer while also checking in on other opportunities that may come to them as well, deciding which type of superstar they would want to add to the roster. After some deliberation, I was told “thanks but no thanks” and the deal to get Bryce Dejean-Jones to Sacramento was finalized. The Kings loved Boban (obviously) but were really looking for a player that would run their offense and no one, at that time, did that better than BDJ.
How It Worked Out:
This is a case of a non-deal working out best for everyone involved. I did not end up making an impulsive, rash trade to get rid of a superstar and Tani went and got the game’s best Point Guard. BDJ would lead the Kings to championship a season later (against my Clippers) and then BDJ would move to go along with Boban to bring Los Angeles a championship the season after THAT.
What If … Boban had been traded to the Kings?
Well, for starters, I probably never make it to 2 Finals and grab a championship. The Kings never get Bryce Dejean-Jones either, so, do they win a championship either? Even with Boban? The Spurs probably hold onto BDJ for awhile longer before having to move him for less during an expiring contract season and that mystery team gets reaps the rewards. All-World Point Guard Daniel Yandell would have become a Clipper, where he would have stayed to this day. Terry Sterner is probably dying at the end of someone’s bench because he never comes to L.A. in the Boban re-trade. In other words, maybe no one is happier in this alternate reality and we all chose wisely.
“Clipping Bronny’s Wings”
Not too long after one blockbuster involving a star player going from Disney World to Disneyland, the Clippers and Magic began negotiations on another. This time it was Bronny James who was ready to join his old pal Boban in Los Angeles to try winning another championship. Unlike the above deal, I still have all the details of that discussion saved. At the time, Bronny was on the injured list, so it made sense for it to be the right time for a Magic move. When I first asked about Bronny, who had just been put on the Trade Block after getting hurt, there did not look to be much traction possible. Andy was looking to blow the team completely up if he moved Bronny and at first glance he did not feel like I offered that ability to him. I understood the concern and was ready to leave it at that.
(12 Hours Later)
Andy would reach out with a first, legit offer after considering the possibilities.
The initial offer looked like this:
Randy Abney, 2036 1st rounders from LAC and NO, plus a 2034 1st rounder from the Pelicans
For
Bronny James, Clippers 2035 1st (which the Magic owned from the Boban deal)
I know the deal switched a bit from that initial format due to Bronny’s injury, but the picks all remained intact. I was certainly motivated by the idea and was thrilled when it seemed like we had all the pieces in place to make a deal. Then we did the math again and realized that I did not have a contract the right size to send back to make the salary matching aspect of any trade possible. Even worse, since I did not think getting Bronny would be possible, in the hours between the time we talked (and literally MINUTES before Andy re-engaged) I had traded a small contract to the Bucks to earn a couple of extra saved tax dollars and of course that contract was the perfect amount of money that I needed.
DAMMIT DOUG!
How it worked out:
Even without Bronny, my Clippers went on to make it the Finals only to lose to BDJ and the Kings. For Orlando, the season ended up being quite different than most they had become adjusted to when they had Bronny and Boban, however they still got into the playoffs at the 5 seed and made it to the second round before being swept by the #1 seed Wizards. Though both sides had some success after the failed trade, I can’t help but wonder …
What If … Bronny had become a Clipper?
The Clippers, with Bronny and Boban united, and with Glen Sabo in-tow, flip the script and topple BDJ and the Kings. However, this also means that the Kings do not decide to trade BDJ away the following season. They tinker with the roster to find a way to combat the Boban/Bronny duo and we get a championship rematch the following season … where I ALSO WIN! BACK TO BACK CHAMPIONS! Clip City! Parades and champagne and hookers and blow for everyone!
“Sabo’s Antlers”
Here is a story all about how, Sabo’s life (almost) got turned, flipped upside down … twice. We all know how our pal Doug is always going to send offers for any major pieces that become available. Well, one player that he most certainly did everything that he could to obtain was Glen Sabo. Though he poked around on him more than twice, even if it were just to gauge my interest in moving him, there are two different times when things were close, but we just barely missed the mark.
Attempt #1
Our first deep dive into all things Sabo was directly after I was soundly dispatched by the Kings in the Finals. So, with the disappointment of that loss hanging over my head and a looming repeater tax bill hovering as well, I had been considering shuffling things away. Then that idea changed when I was able to pull off a deal to bring in Bryce Dejean-Jones. Once that trade went down, I changed my mind and was ready to go all-in again, full stop.
Enter: Doug
I could probably search our past discussions for the exact offer, but I am lazy and don’t feel like it. That said, I know the core idea was Derrick Hunter and Y/B (at the time) Chadwick Dangerfield. As we have since seen, Dangerfield has become one hell of a Point Guard and I think we all saw that coming based on his potential. Dangerfield was the only reason I was really considering making this move at all because I knew how tough it was to find a guy to run the offense and I already had Boban to anchor my front court. While I was not super excited about Forte, he would at least be a capable Center to replace Sabo on my team. On top of all of that, I had BDJ so, I had the perfect succession plan at the Point.
This was not a deal that I would flat out say no to and took a bit of time before giving an answer. Eventually, I probably became too wishy-washy and I really had a hard time deciding, but I was leaning toward just running it all back because it did not feel smart to risk a championship attempt for potential down the line. Who knows how many legit title opportunities you get, ya know? Plus, I was fresh-faced and obviously had 0 rings. So, I passed, and Doug moved on to grabbing Bjorn Ironside from the Raptors and Dangerfield has started to flourish. But I was (dangerously) close to accepting and flipping things on its head.
Attempt #2
Doug’s 2nd major attempt at getting Sabo to wear antlers on his head came in a year when I was certainly willing to move on from him. I had my title, I had moved Boban, earned some points with playoff runs and was ready to go young. However, Doug’s roster make-up made this attempt incredibly difficult. Due to his salaries, the only real way to get Sabo would be to trade away Conrad McRae, who was his only good big man at the time. So, he is quite a quality player however, I did not value him because my goal when have been to get young assets back instead of a veteran who did not fit with the rest of the team, whose skills would make Doug want to cut back on the amount of those desired assets. If he had been able to keep McRae, I could have gotten the young assets I had wanted, and Sabo might still be a Buck now. The young players were Don Sanchez, Pastor and Olney if I had not needed to take McRae in any deal. In the end, it was too much for Doug to agree to and we could not find a middle ground because of McRae.
How it worked out:
I know I wish that we could have worked through that deal because I liked all those young players a lot. With Sanchez, I was a bit worried about his looming RFA because he is a point guard and I assumed people would go overboard to sign him. I miscalculated that, and he was signed to quite a sweetheart deal ultimately. I am curious how Doug feels about it in hindsight since the only one he still has is Pastor after McRae signed with the 76ers in UFA the following off-season and he did not match Olney’s max recently. I would not move Sabo for another season, ultimately getting Marcel McAlister in return for him during his expiring season. While I am happy with McAlister, I think I still would have preferred a Bucks deal if we had more flexibility with the salaries as it would have brought in more than 1 young asset. McAlister is starting to bloom though, so we will see how much more growth he has in him.
What If … Sabo had become a Buck?
In Attempt #1, losing Sabo’s scoring ability takes away the strongest aspect of my team that season which was the ability to score in the 120s just about every night. That is not even mentioning the fact that Sabo’s defense is better than Hunter's as well. Perhaps my team blossoms down the road because of Dangerfield but that was a gamble that I ultimately chose not to take. For the Bucks, this deal probably makes them the champions that season. They won their division anyways that year but failed to get to the Finals. It looks like they had too many wings and only one proper big man that could do damage. In the trade that was discussed, they would have kept pretty much all their win-now pieces but added Sabo. So, their line-up would have been McRae, Sabo, Schumann, Rodriguez, Morant instead of also having Ironside. In this trade, if I had accepted, I feel like we see another Bucks banner flying instead of the Clippers one.
In Attempt #2, instead of losing 4-2 to the underdog Wizards in the conference Finals, the Bucks make it to the Finals to face off against the Bulls. The Bucks lineup would have been Morant, Haile, Rodriguez, Porter, Sabo with Carl Howard off the bench. They probably still don’t topple the RJ Barrett/Grayson Allen combo in Chicago, but Sabo would have made life miserable for those big men. Also, the following off-season, Doug still would have had the same munition he used to grab De’Aron Fox back and once that happens, Sabo and Fox may have still ultimately brought him back a championship. For me, it was all about youth and growth so, I’d still be about where I am now but with a higher upside as Pastor, Olney and Sanchez have all about bloomed now.
“HECTOR!!!!!! (in my Achilles/Brad Pitt voice)”
Before max contracts for big men and trades for Schumann, did you know there was a time that Big Ed and the Brooklyn Nets were asking for people to send an offer for Jame Hector, so he could wipe his hands with him? I do because I was after him for a few seasons, constantly. I offered points and picks along with Zeke Nnaji, just points and picks, and most recently, the one that got the most traction, Bryce Dejean-Jones (salary matching purposes) and Marcel McAlister. I offered this deal early in the off-season. Though I was concerned with Hector’s upcoming UFA, I had also made recent deals for Dominick Cobb and John Stoll, so I was looking to do everything in my power to win and win big. Ed was not fully convinced at the time, so the discussion was shelved.
Then the season started.
And it started BAD for the Clippers of Los Angeles. And for the Nets.
Due to the way things progressed for us, the Nets became more willing to trade Hector. So much so that Ed came back to me to say he would accept that offer for McAlister and BDJ. The problem was that I had no idea if adding Hector would seriously improve my floundering team and even If it did, I was not convinced it would make me a championship team. I was already staring at the highest tax bill in the league for a team that was not even a playoff team for a good chunk of the season and adding Hector was only going to add more salary. Timing is everything and we both said NO at different times to that deal and nothing came of it.
How it worked out:
As we have seen since, I think we are both happy that we did not move forward. Ed now looks to be a bonafide championship contender after bringing Hector and Wesson back in UFA (But you better believe I tried to steal them both) and then traded for Schumann, without losing any of his other win-now pieces. While I did not strike gold in UFA like I had hoped, I think I built a solid roster but most importantly, McAlister now looks ready to be a highly productive starter and will be my Small Forward for the foreseeable future.
What If … Hector had become a Clipper?
This one is easy, on both sides. For the Nets, they probably become more aggressive in moving Kaleb Wesson last season and start their rebuild around Fang, Trinkle and McAlister which really wouldn’t have been a bad way to start a rebuild. They likely are not a championship threat this season, however, who knows what luck UFA may have brought them as they had a ton of cap space coming into the year and by making this deal for McAlister, they still would have had a near max slow after paying him in RFA. For me, my tax bill might have taken me into tax hell for a season in an off-season where I needed to re-sign Hector. So, I still would have tried desperately to move Leonard, Cobb, Stoll but it probably would have been strictly for points to try paying that debt off. If I couldn’t have, it would have been an even bigger waste of assets than I already endured last season. This is a terrible alternate reality that I don’t want to think about.
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