MOC breaks it down the most likely categories of deals the Sixers may be dealing with before Thursday — some of which don't even involve ducking the tax!
This is great - I’ve been starved for legit fake trades, and appreciate the thought put into these.
On Giannis, I haven’t seen anyone articulate it as well as MOC does here. If there’s a possibility to land Giannis, I would lean yes, too. The only hard decisions are the ones between good options, and I think people are too quickly dismissing how good that team will be.
Even if it may not apply this time, I have to call out that the “come on, it’s blank player!” Argument is always good…until it isn’t.
I very specifically remember a couple years ago having people suggest offering Maxey and every pick (and whatever salary) for Durant when he was on the market from the Nets because “come on! It’s Kevin Durant!” And yes. It was. And he was and still is great. I feel like that would not have been a smart trade in hindsight.
Different tier of player(s) on both sides at this time. But the same was said by many when Bradley Beal and Lillard were made available when it came to offering Maxey. “Come on! Maybe Maxey could someday be almost as good as Lillard. But this is actually Damian Lillard!” Well how both sides of that one go? Lol
My point is, the bigger name is always going to seem like self-explanatory logic when trading a younger lesser name for them. But I feel like the track record actually isn’t great.
I like the Day'Ron Sharpe trade the most, but it sounds like the Nets would rather ship Claxton out and keep sharpe. Yves Missi might stink. He can't shoot, but how do you feel about Jeremy Sochan? Easy to match the salary and gives the Sixers an athletic, switchable defender who can pass and isn't a zero on the glass. Though Sochan might not fix their REB issues he's a very nice fit at the 4. He might be a rental but he could be a steal at a reasonable price.
A consideration people don’t really talk about when selling for Giannis: Maxey isn’t playing Top 10 most mins per game in spite of good guards surplus, our guard depth is sneaky shitty!
Not saying Giannis wouldn’t make up for the loss of VJ edgecombe rn. He will more than make up for it. I’m more so saying without subsequent trades, we are only gonna see Maxey play more mins. We are also gonna see legitimate Kyle Lowry/Eric Gordon mins.
The latter is gross, but it is what it is. The former very much concerns me of the potential for a soft tissue injury.
Unless they really think McCain is capable of returning to a form similar to his rookie season, i don’t think it’s as simple as “Peak Giannis for 3 years is better than VJ + picks for 10”
This is great - I’ve been starved for legit fake trades, and appreciate the thought put into these.
On Giannis, I haven’t seen anyone articulate it as well as MOC does here. If there’s a possibility to land Giannis, I would lean yes, too. The only hard decisions are the ones between good options, and I think people are too quickly dismissing how good that team will be.
Thanks Jacob! And well said regrading Giannis.
Even if it may not apply this time, I have to call out that the “come on, it’s blank player!” Argument is always good…until it isn’t.
I very specifically remember a couple years ago having people suggest offering Maxey and every pick (and whatever salary) for Durant when he was on the market from the Nets because “come on! It’s Kevin Durant!” And yes. It was. And he was and still is great. I feel like that would not have been a smart trade in hindsight.
Different tier of player(s) on both sides at this time. But the same was said by many when Bradley Beal and Lillard were made available when it came to offering Maxey. “Come on! Maybe Maxey could someday be almost as good as Lillard. But this is actually Damian Lillard!” Well how both sides of that one go? Lol
My point is, the bigger name is always going to seem like self-explanatory logic when trading a younger lesser name for them. But I feel like the track record actually isn’t great.
Agreeing with everything on Giannis.
But to me the most important point seems to always be left out.
Since the 19/20 season he has missed 21, 19 twice, 15 twice and one time just 9 regular season games… (and now this season much more than that!)
The last 4 playoffs he was playing hurt 3 of those - while missing the fourth all together.
Seems to me we would be in the same predicament we are with Joel - Giannis being 31 already you must assume it does get worse rather than better.
And to hope on „one great run, where everybody is healthy“ sounds both: very familiar and very unlikely…
I’d much rather have (while obviously still preferring the one unlikely championship run) 10+ years of exciting ball with vj and maxey.
I like the Day'Ron Sharpe trade the most, but it sounds like the Nets would rather ship Claxton out and keep sharpe. Yves Missi might stink. He can't shoot, but how do you feel about Jeremy Sochan? Easy to match the salary and gives the Sixers an athletic, switchable defender who can pass and isn't a zero on the glass. Though Sochan might not fix their REB issues he's a very nice fit at the 4. He might be a rental but he could be a steal at a reasonable price.
A consideration people don’t really talk about when selling for Giannis: Maxey isn’t playing Top 10 most mins per game in spite of good guards surplus, our guard depth is sneaky shitty!
Not saying Giannis wouldn’t make up for the loss of VJ edgecombe rn. He will more than make up for it. I’m more so saying without subsequent trades, we are only gonna see Maxey play more mins. We are also gonna see legitimate Kyle Lowry/Eric Gordon mins.
The latter is gross, but it is what it is. The former very much concerns me of the potential for a soft tissue injury.
Unless they really think McCain is capable of returning to a form similar to his rookie season, i don’t think it’s as simple as “Peak Giannis for 3 years is better than VJ + picks for 10”