NBA Discussion

[Kaladin]

 

[gtlacey]

Good post, even if you don't need the picks like Windy said, you should demand them from the Lakers and then flip them to someone else for someone who can help you win now.

Below is just further proof of how bad Nico is at his job. I say all this and watch, the Mavs are going to go win the NBA finals now.

 

[tman87]

But there are dumb enough teams out there to take a chance on Luka. He's a generational guy. And who cares if the team is ruined this year? They're probably ruined without Luka no matter what!

On top of that, The Athletic is reporting the Lakers couldn't contact Luka's agent. I don't if I buy that, but that would align with him dropping $15mm on a house he's going to put back on the market later this year probably.

Again, your buddy might be right, but there's conflicting stuff coming out right now.

The Athletic:
The Lakers’ logic, according to league sources, was that parting with both of their first-rounders would be too perilous. Dončić’s contract can expire in 2026 when they couldn’t know his interest in re-signing. And they had no chance to find out before pulling off an exchange that shook the NBA.

The Lakers could not talk to Dončić’s agent, Bill Duffy, about the trade because both sides, Dallas and Los Angeles, wanted to keep negotiations a secret. Mentioning the behind-the-scenes details to agents would put the information at risk of becoming public, which the Mavericks especially thought would be too flammable. If a trade didn’t materialize, then they believed the prospect of being left with a disgruntled franchise centerpiece could be disastrous.

Inside the top-secret trade negotiations that made Luka Dončić a Laker

Even mentioning details to the superstars' agents would risk info becoming public, which the Mavs thought was especially flammable.

www.nytimes.com

Here's the problem - and not just with sports reporting, but all news - so much is purposefully wrong/smoke screen, etc. Most all of what you are getting on twitter, ESPN, etc - is wrong or a smoke screen.

My friend is not an "insider" like some likely think - he doesn't work for "A" team. I can just say he is a main mover on helping teams manage the cap, salaries/roster management, etc, and he often plays a big part of helping trades work with the math. Plus other stuff - media - for outlets you would know.

I am about to stop this because I see where it has already gone. I didn't want it to be this way. And I want to preserve info about people whom value info being private. There has been very little accurate reporting (and much of it is that those reporting don't have accurate info, mostly because the person/people giving that info have a slant they want out there). That is all. I have seen for well over a decade now the veracity of the info I have gotten, and while no one gets everything right all the time, this situation with my friend is probably at 99%. And - yes - even this trade caught him off guard, that's how much it was kept under wraps and only between a few people (Duffy to Buss, then Nico to Pelinka it went in that order). So much of what these purposefully slanted rumors are, don't even make sense, and are simply to sway opinions of the masses.

I'm done with this for now. Interested to see how it plays out. At the very least, it was probably the biggest stealth trade of superstars to date.

 

[KidsSeeGhosts]

Yeah, I agree. I'm not sure if it's true or not. I still think Nico is a bad GM and should've gotten more for Luka.

Worse players than Luka got 3-4 first round picks in addition to some decent players. Also, Luka is losing about $20mm a year going to LA (between losing the supermax and state income tax), I know you said he doesn't care about money, but I think he would care about that much.

Gobert = 4 first rounders
Mikail Bridges= 4 first rounders
Donovan Mitchell = 3 first rounders
De'Aaron Fox = 3 first rounders
Durant (probably the only one better than Luka) = 4 first rounders

I think your nugs are onto something, but I think there's another part of the story they're not telling.

Agree they should've pushed for more value, but the picks don't tell the full story, since you need to consider swaps and protections. Couple of those Fox draft picks are pretty low value given likely picking order or otherwise won't convey for example. Spurs were really the ones that worked on that trade.

Ainge is an all-time trade fleecer though.

 

[tman87]

Agree they should've pushed for more value, but the picks don't tell the full story, since you need to consider swaps and protections. Couple of those Fox draft picks are pretty low value given likely picking order or otherwise won't convey for example. Spurs were really the ones that worked on that trade.

Ainge is an all-time trade fleecer though.

Yep - those FRP's more like early 2nds, could even turn in to 2nds yet.

No other gms in the league want to work with Ainge.

As far as the Luka/AD trade - this was an owner to owner trade, really. GM's had little to do with it, certainly not Pelinka, Duffy as the old school keep this in house broker. Nico is taking the fall for the fallout, not that Nico is very good either, but it wasn't his call, it was Dallas ownership who knew Luka was not going to sign his next contract extension. Really - all of them handled it well for their specific purposes and reasons, which happened to align in this rare instance.

At the genesis of why this happened - Luka didn't like Post-Cuban Mavs org or the new owners. Didn't feel it was going to be run successfully enough to get back to the finals. Luka didn't like the Mavs owners, and how things looked long term, and simply wanted out of Dallas, and had the leverage to get to Lakers for a current all NBA stud Big in return. Duffy was able to keep this on the down low because only a couple other people were involved - Adelson, Buss, and Pelinka (who is normally a sieve of info). All understood why, if this was to happen, it had to be quick and in stealth mode. Bron didn't know, because if he did Klutch would know and also AD would know - and good chance that group would have scuttled it/leaked info. Then the dreaded "WTF are you trying to trade Luka" drama gets out. None of them wanted that. And Buss/Lakers wanted out of the Klutch business - which - good for her/Lakers as they need strong leadership at the top (it's been a real cluster for far too long in Lakers front office).

Also Ainge didn't know what trade he was helping out - just knew he was benefitting by helping. If he knew the trade details, he would have fucked it up too.

 

[Dr.DrakeRamoray]

Lakers need to get Vucevic, though they could use a center like Williams as well

Lakers would need to score 150 a night with a line up of Reaves Luka Vuc and LJ. Ole defense

 

[Dr.DrakeRamoray]

Good post, even if you don't need the picks like Windy said, you should demand them from the Lakers and then flip them to someone else for someone who can help you win now.

Below is just further proof of how bad Nico is at his job. I say all this and watch, the Mavs are going to go win the NBA finals now.

The funny thing is Nico is actually very highly thought of in the league. Not sure anymore though

 

[tman87]

The funny thing is Nico is actually very highly thought of in the league. Not sure anymore though

It wasn't NIco's call or decision. This was over his head - ownership decision. Just like trading AD is over Pelinka's head - ownership decision.

Nico is paid well and taking the fall out. Is what it is.