AD trade scenarios...

[donato]

What was that? More leverage you said? pic.twitter.com/JoLkXcYNMv

— The Bird Writes (@thebirdwrites) June 12, 2019

Was a lede buried in the article about LA/Boston being deep in negotiations.

Seems we have more leverage than some assume.

Tweet has already been deleted because it was wrong. It said the Nets and Clippers talks HAVE gained traction while the actual article reads:


"The Brooklyn Nets and LA Clippers are two teams with interest in Davis who haven't been able to gather traction in conversations with New Orleans, league sources said."

[PELICANSFAN]

Don't really agree there.

Griff clearly doesn't love what LA has to offer, or he would have taken it already. They're putting Ingram, Ball, and #4 on the table and he's telling them ''not good enough. Get another team.''

Maybe, but if this were the case and Boston was offering what we have been discussing, why wouldn't he have taken the Celtics offer?

[Gant-]

One thing to remember is that the threat of AD walking away ASSUMES that LA will have the cap space to sign him in 2020.

If AD goes to Boston or NY, LA has two choices.

1) Burn another year of Lebron on one-year big contracts to fill out the team so that they can still have space in 2020 to sign AD.
2) Try and make signings from the multiple high quality stars in FA this year, spending the money that would be needed for AD next year.

It's not just a case of ''Oh, hey, if AD goes elsewhere, LA just needs to wait and they'll get him anyway.''

It's a case of ''if AD goes elsewhere, LA has to accept and waste a full year of Lebron, AGAIN, after Lebron's camp has already threatened trade demands if they can't secure something this year''.

This is true. AD probably can't use "I'll go to the Lakers next year as a free agent" as leverage. To other teams yes, but likely not the Lakers.

[Mount Zion]

One thing to remember is that the threat of AD walking away ASSUMES that LA will have the cap space to sign him in 2020.

If AD goes to Boston or NY, LA has two choices.

1) Burn another year of Lebron on one-year big contracts to fill out the team so that they can still have space in 2020 to sign AD.
2) Try and make signings from the multiple high quality stars in FA this year, spending the money that would be needed for AD next year.

It's not just a case of ''Oh, hey, if AD goes elsewhere, LA just needs to wait and they'll get him anyway.''

It's a case of ''if AD goes elsewhere, LA has to accept and waste a full year of Lebron, AGAIN, after Lebron's camp has already threatened trade demands if they can't secure something this year''.

I predict that when Griffin sends AD somewhere other than LA, you will begin to hear more rumblings about Lebron wanting to be traded before the season. Of course, Shams will probably be the source, not a direct quote from Rich Paul.

[Pelicanidae]

Maybe, but if this were the case and Boston was offering what we have been discussing, why wouldn't he have taken the Celtics offer?

I repeat the second half of that comment:

''If there really was only one team offering anything decent, Griff would have taken it, just like if Ainge was offering everything, Griff would have taken it.

He's sitting between the multiple offers he's getting and trying to leverage them all up. There may be favourites right now, but I think it would be silly to just assume there's a team that's basically got it locked in already.''

[NMThreeMVP]

Although it is possible, it does not sound like Griffin's MO. RP admitted in the SI article that he leaked the names before and now the Pelicans have changed their front office and yet the names are leaked again. Woj doesn't get everything he reports on from the Pelicans just like Shams report yesterday that the Celtics were still involved likely did not come from RP.

Who does leaking the names of Lakers players benefit?

[Pelicanidae]

This is true. AD probably can't use "I'll go to the Lakers next year as a free agent" as leverage. To other teams yes, but likely not the Lakers.

Exactly. If I'm Danny Ainge, I'm calling the bluff.

Come to the Celtics, take a finals trip with us and Kyrie.

You wanna walk after that? Cool, where to? Cause LA has nothing but a maxed out Brandon Ingram and a 36 year old Lebron, cause they waited for you.

And if they didn't wait, then they don't have the cap space anyway.

[neworleanshoo]

Here’s the chess board for Boston: 1) They know the KD factor is off the board, meaning less likely that Kyrie will go there. 2) they know the Lakers can’t hold cap space until summer 2020 if they don’t get AD this season.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) June 12, 2019

[Pelicanidae]

Here’s the chess board for Boston: 1) They know the KD factor is off the board, meaning less likely that Kyrie will go there. 2) they know the Lakers can’t hold cap space until summer 2020 if they don’t get AD this season.

— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) June 12, 2019

Exactly what I'm saying. LA can't afford to just whiff on another year of Lebron. They need to make something happen. Either they get AD now, or they try hard to sign names this year that ensure they can't get AD next year.

[Primetime]

There's gotta be a way they can create the space. They'd move Ball, Ingram, Kuzma for scraps.

[PELICANSFAN]

Who does leaking the names of Lakers players benefit?

Could be either. Showing that the Lakers are not offering everything could be RPs way of trying to keep the Celtics offer lower and/or make Griffin look like he is lying to Ainge. These names were leaked at the deadline, how much more damage can be done to their attitudes now?

[Pelicanidae]

There's gotta be a way they can create the space. They'd move Ball, Ingram, Kuzma for scraps.

Ingram would be a free agent ready to get big money. Nobody would take him unless he has a fire year. They'd be betting on him to really explode, and if he did, would they even want to move him?

Ball isn't even netting the #6 pick in THIS draft.

[msusousaphone]

Boston is the city that I dislike but somehow always end up having to root for as they take on someone I dislike even more.

But c'mon Boston. Win this thing.

Then with AD I will definitely go back to hoping you lose.

[Pelicanidae]

Boston is the city that I dislike but somehow always end up having to root for as they take on someone I dislike even more.

But c'mon Boston. Win this thing.

The with AD I will definitely go back to hoping you lose.

Not me. If Boston get AD, I'm rooting for them to make the finals next year.

So he stays.

[JJackisangry]

It’s getting interesting for sure. I’m on board with the theory that Griffin doesn’t really like any of the offers on the table so he is trying to drive the price up as much as he can. Boston will have to take the biggest chance here because AD will likely leave. If LA doesn’t land AD, they are essentially screwed. They will have to waste another year for Lebron on 1 year deals and waste yet another season. They also have to bet on Lebron staying healthy and delaying his decline a bit longer. Can the Lakers flip the right pieces and come up with a desirable package? Can any team for that matter? Find out on the next episode of Zion Ball Z

[Mount Zion]

I don't think a deal gets done until Friday at the earliest. Griffin may want to bring in players to look at for the additional picks, but he wants the other GMs to sweat what they are going to do given the market for free agents as it will likely shake out. I don't think Jimmy Butler or Kemba are changing teams and I wouldn't be shocked if KD opted in with GSW. Kawhi could win a title and decide to re-sign with Toronto. That leaves a lot of GMs with fan bases expecting a splash, but are more likely to end up with a little ripple. It just takes one motivated GM to look at the landscape and figure a trade for AD is better than ending up with scraps.

[NMThreeMVP]

Could be either. Showing that the Lakers are not offering everything could be RPs way of trying to keep the Celtics offer lower and/or make Griffin look like he is lying to Ainge. These names were leaked at the deadline, how much more damage can be done to their attitudes now?

Keep the Celtics offer low how??? because the Lakers aren't offering their 4th best asset in Kuzma??

[NMThreeMVP]

The ripple effects of the KD injury... man...

[JJackisangry]

Ingram would be a free agent ready to get big money. Nobody would take him unless he has a fire year. They'd be betting on him to really explode, and if he did, would they even want to move him?

Ball isn't even netting the #6 pick in THIS draft.

Yeah Ingram is the scariest piece here. Pre blood clot, he could have easily been flipped for something big. Yet I still see someone in FA throwing crazy money at him- a team with nothing to lose.

[PELICANSFAN]

Keep the Celtics offer low how??? because the Lakers aren't offering their 4th best asset in Kuzma??

Or any future picks. Note that it is being reported that the Pelicans desperately covet Kuzma and the Lakers are not willing to include him.

[msusousaphone]

I don't think a deal gets done until Friday at the earliest. Griffin may want to bring in players to look at for the additional picks, but he wants the other GMs to sweat what they are going to do given the market for free agents as it will likely shake out. I don't think Jimmy Butler or Kemba are changing teams and I wouldn't be shocked if KD opted in with GSW. Kawhi could win a title and decide to re-sign with Toronto. That leaves a lot of GMs with fan bases expecting a splash, but are more likely to end up with a little ripple. It just takes one motivated GM to look at the landscape and figure a trade for AD is better than ending up with scraps.

Exactly. You wait. Klutch has used all of their arsenal, the proce just goes up from here. Or stays pat. Very little scenarios it goes down. Needing time to vet draftees is valid.....but I bet we wait until the weekend.

[Mount Zion]

It’s getting interesting for sure. I’m on board with the theory that Griffin doesn’t really like any of the offers on the table so he is trying to drive the price up as much as he can. Boston will have to take the biggest chance here because AD will likely leave. If LA doesn’t land AD, they are essentially screwed. They will have to waste another year for Lebron on 1 year deals and waste yet another season. They also have to bet on Lebron staying healthy and delaying his decline a bit longer. Can the Lakers flip the right pieces and come up with a desirable package? Can any team for that matter? Find out on the next episode of Zion Ball Z

LOL! I wouldn't be surprised if Griffin came out and said that some of the deals are attractive, but they just aren't enough for a player of AD's caliber, so the Pelicans may just have to wait and see what develops later. Yes, they might miss out on picking particular guys in this draft, but it might just make a team desperate enough to meet his price.

[Pelicanidae]

LOL! I wouldn't be surprised if Griffin came out and said that some of the deals are attractive, but they just aren't enough for a player of AD's caliber, so the Pelicans may just have to wait and see what develops later. Yes, they might miss out on picking particular guys in this draft, but it might just make a team desperate enough to meet his price.

He's come pretty close to saying that already when he said that although he'd prefer a deal to be done before the draft, he's not in a rush and is willing to make a deal when the time is right, rather than setting an arbitrary deadline.

[Smow-]

It’s getting interesting for sure. I’m on board with the theory that Griffin doesn’t really like any of the offers on the table so he is trying to drive the price up as much as he can. Boston will have to take the biggest chance here because AD will likely leave. If LA doesn’t land AD, they are essentially screwed. They will have to waste another year for Lebron on 1 year deals and waste yet another season. They also have to bet on Lebron staying healthy and delaying his decline a bit longer. Can the Lakers flip the right pieces and come up with a desirable package? Can any team for that matter? Find out on the next episode of Zion Ball Z

This trade saga really be like the tournament of power

[Taker597]

Yeah Ingram is the scariest piece here. Pre blood clot, he could have easily been flipped for something big. Yet I still see someone in FA throwing crazy money at him- a team with nothing to lose.

I rank Ingram the best talent of the package, but has the lowest value with issues cited above. He honestly is just a 1 year rental. Why waste a max slot on Ingram, anyway. He doesn't seem to pair well with Zion.

HELL, none of the Laker's assets makes sense with Zion on the floor.