Ayton agrees to offer sheet with Indiana

[JeremyG]

Highlights:

* Fastest matching he’s ever seen

* No player option, no trade kicker, no advance money—just a straight contract (I wonder if that was owner Herb Simon insisting on that?)

* Suns luxury tax bill is at $32M, which means Ayton costs them $63 million this season

* KD trade to Phoenix would need a third team involved

* Thinks KD is in Brooklyn when training camp starts

[Cap]

* KD trade to Phoenix would need a third team involved

According to the trade machine, we can still do it with Bridges, Johnson, Crowder and/or Saric, and a bunch of picks, assuming Marks will accept that.

[Indy]

* KD trade to Phoenix would need a third team involved

According to the trade machine, we can still do it with Bridges, Johnson, Crowder and/or Saric, and a bunch of picks, assuming Marks will accept that.

We can do it without Bridges or CamJ (we only need to get to 35.3M) by sending Crowder + Saric + Shamet + CamP + Torrey = 10.2+9.2+9.6+6+5.1=40.1.

[Split T]

Ya it’s easy to do contract wise…I think Brooklyn probably either wants a better young prospect than we have to offer or more picks. Moving Crowder to a 3rd team for a 1st could be an avenue.

I don’t know how they feel about Cam J and/or Mikal either. If they’d rather have picks, I feel like a team like OKC, HOU, or NOP might give up multiple picks for 1 of them. NY could as well if they don’t get Mitchell.

Trying to get Mitchell from Utah with our picks could be another avenue, but that brings the Simmons issue up again. Finding a spot for him and getting value to Brooklyn for him would be tough. I wonder if Indy would be interested with their cap space?

[Split T]

If Mikal has to be a part of it anyways and Brooklyn doesn’t love him, what about some deal that sends him to Houston for a player(Tate? Can he be traded?) and 2 of Brooklyn’s own picks back.

I feel like Houston would love to add Mikal to their Jalen Green/Jabari Smith core.

[BigLewy]

I'd be curious as to what would happen if KD basically told the Nets-trade me to the Suns, that is the only place I want to go and I won't suit up for the Nets again. With the whole player empowerment thing, KD actually has some leverage. Not saying that a pupu platter if expirings and Cam J would get it done, but Bridges/Cam J/Crowder etc and picks may be all that the Nets can get if it comes down to it.

[Cap]

* KD trade to Phoenix would need a third team involved

According to the trade machine, we can still do it with Bridges, Johnson, Crowder and/or Saric, and a bunch of picks, assuming Marks will accept that.

We can do it without Bridges or CamJ (we only need to get to 35.3M) by sending Crowder + Saric + Shamet + CamP + Torrey = 10.2+9.2+9.6+6+5.1=40.1.

And a bunch of draft assets coming our way, assuming Sean Marks hates his employer. Then he can waive all those guys he got in trade so they can resign with us. Let’s get Irving and Simmons too while we’re at it.

[Cap]

I'd be curious as to what would happen if KD basically told the Nets-trade me to the Suns, that is the only place I want to go and I won't suit up for the Nets again. With the whole player empowerment thing, KD actually has some leverage.

He’s under contract for basically the rest of his career. Sitting it out would be equivalent to retiring. You think he looks like somebody who’s ready to retire?

[Indy]

I'd be curious as to what would happen if KD basically told the Nets-trade me to the Suns, that is the only place I want to go and I won't suit up for the Nets again. With the whole player empowerment thing, KD actually has some leverage.

He’s under contract for basically the rest of his career. Sitting it out would be equivalent to retiring. You think he looks like somebody who’s ready to retire?

They don't want to pay him 200M to sit. And he can find some way to still get paid while on their roster and not playing if he really wanted to.

[Split T]

I just don’t think there’s any chance Brooklyn would risk not moving him. Imagine the backlash they’d get? KD did them a huge favor picking them when they’ve never really been a destination franchise. You can’t turn around and hold him hostage like that. I think there’s also a good chance he signed his most recent extension under the idea that Brooklyn would then take care of Harden and Kyrie. Well the vaccine season threw those plans off and while Brooklyn would be in the right to change their minds on Kyrie, I think it’s a very bad look to tell KD, sorry but you signed here already, you’re staying.

[JeremyG]

If only he hadn't signed the extension, then decided to sign with Phoenix for the TPMLE.

[Cap]

I'd be curious as to what would happen if KD basically told the Nets-trade me to the Suns, that is the only place I want to go and I won't suit up for the Nets again. With the whole player empowerment thing, KD actually has some leverage.

He’s under contract for basically the rest of his career. Sitting it out would be equivalent to retiring. You think he looks like somebody who’s ready to retire?

They don't want to pay him 200M to sit. And he can find some way to still get paid while on their roster and not playing if he really wanted to.

Can you imagine KD making up some Ben Simmons style “mental health” bullshit*? I can’t.

He wants to be here. Doesn’t mean he’s going to end his career to retaliate for not getting his way.

This is Kevin Durant we’re talking about. Wherever he finds himself, he’s going to play. And he’s going to play great.


* Edit: I’m not saying Simmons’ issues are bullshit. His health issues may be legit, I don’t know. But if Durant tried to pull it, it would be bullshit.

[In2ition]

* KD trade to Phoenix would need a third team involved

According to the trade machine, we can still do it with Bridges, Johnson, Crowder and/or Saric, and a bunch of picks, assuming Marks will accept that.

We can do it without Bridges or CamJ (we only need to get to 35.3M) by sending Crowder + Saric + Shamet + CamP + Torrey = 10.2+9.2+9.6+6+5.1=40.1.

That's the dream, and then go out and find a good backup PG. One person's trash is another one's treasure, haha.

[Split T]

Been thinking about it and here’s how I think things happened:

We told Duffy we’d bring Ayton back at some sort of near max deal(thinking like 4/110). We probably knew Duffy wouldn’t accept that and said well go find a max offer and we’ll match. They found Indy but Indy wanted to work a sign and trade, only we didn’t like what Indy was willing to offer. Indy knew we’d match, but they did a favor to Duffy and signed the offer sheet anyways and now Duffy owes the Pacers a favor. I’ll watch closely the Duffy-Indy connection in the future.

[Wally_West]

Been thinking about it and here’s how I think things happened:

We told Duffy we’d bring Ayton back at some sort of near max deal(thinking like 4/110). We probably knew Duffy wouldn’t accept that and said well go find a max offer and we’ll match. They found Indy but Indy wanted to work a sign and trade, only we didn’t like what Indy was willing to offer. Indy knew we’d match, but they did a favor to Duffy and signed the offer sheet anyways and now Duffy owes the Pacers a favor. I’ll watch closely the Duffy-Indy connection in the future.

Myles Turner

[Indy]

Yeah I assumed it meant that Duffy would find a good deal for Turner. Because you know we told Duffy we would match any deal Ayton got, just like we told him last year we would give him this same contract but with 8% raises and he turned it down.

[Cap]

Been thinking about it and here’s how I think things happened:

We told Duffy we’d bring Ayton back at some sort of near max deal(thinking like 4/110). We probably knew Duffy wouldn’t accept that and said well go find a max offer and we’ll match. They found Indy but Indy wanted to work a sign and trade, only we didn’t like what Indy was willing to offer. Indy knew we’d match, but they did a favor to Duffy and signed the offer sheet anyways and now Duffy owes the Pacers a favor. I’ll watch closely the Duffy-Indy connection in the future.

Didn’t they have to waive-stretch some players to make the offer sheet? It will affect their cap in coming years. That’s a pretty big favor. They must have had some hope that we wouldn’t match.

[JeremyG]

Yeah, we told Duffy we would match but that doesn't mean Duffy told Indiana.

[Indy]

Yeah, we told Duffy we would match but that doesn't mean Duffy told Indiana.

this.

[Split T]

Been thinking about it and here’s how I think things happened:

We told Duffy we’d bring Ayton back at some sort of near max deal(thinking like 4/110). We probably knew Duffy wouldn’t accept that and said well go find a max offer and we’ll match. They found Indy but Indy wanted to work a sign and trade, only we didn’t like what Indy was willing to offer. Indy knew we’d match, but they did a favor to Duffy and signed the offer sheet anyways and now Duffy owes the Pacers a favor. I’ll watch closely the Duffy-Indy connection in the future.

Didn’t they have to waive-stretch some players to make the offer sheet? It will affect their cap in coming years. That’s a pretty big favor. They must have had some hope that we wouldn’t match.

They did, but they were all minor players with small contracts. Basically took 4 million off this years books and added 2 million to next year and the year after. Nik Stauskus, Juwan Morgan, and Malik Fitts. I don’t think they were planning on anything from them.