It's been an exciting few days, and I've just finished reading through just about everything that has been posted here, on RealGM and BrightSide. I think I have enough of a handle on the situation to have an opinion.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball- ... 00022.html
Received: Brandon Knight, 2016 first-round draft pick (Cleveland’s), Danny Granger, John Salmons, two first-round picks from the Miami Heat (2017 and 2021).
Traded: First-round pick (Los Angeles Lakers’, top-five protected this year, top-three protected in 2016 and 2017, unprotected in 2018), Miles Plumlee, Tyler Ennis, Goran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas, Zoran Dragic.
Trade 1: Dragic to MIA for 2 likely lottery picks plus filler. This was a SPECTACULAR recovery from the corner that McDonough had painted himself into. Sure, the picks won't come this way for a while. That being said, a protected pick (top 7) and an unprotected one soon after Bosh, Dragic and Wade ALL GET REALLY OLD are worth lots. I'd expect something like the #10 pick with the first, and a high, high lotto pick with the second.
Trade 2: IT to BOS for Cleveland's 2016 pick. IIRC, this pick is not protected, making it potentially valuable. Do LeBron and Love leave? If so, the pick's golden. If not, well, McDonough created an asset from cap space.
Given the circumstances, I'm absolutely shocked that the Suns got so much for Dragic and IT. Sure, the FO deserves much blame for alienating Dragic. Nice recovery, though, in not getting completely fleeced. Good thing that MIA was willing to mortgage its future. But now:
Trade 3: Plumlee and the LAL top-5 protected pick for Brandon Jennings and change.
My first reaction was...Ummm...WTF???
Thinking things through, though, the trade makes a lot of sense. Regardless whether the LAL pick conveys in 2016 (it probably will not convey this year), the pick isn't as good as we were thinking early on this season because the 2016 draft looks weak. Still, this is not an asset that is worth burning...and I'm not happy the Suns gave it up. Also not happy about Ennis being moved. I wonder if McD has a thing against traditional pass-first point guards. There's some logic to this, since a PG centric system can be shut down much more easily than 2 combo guards. The problem is that the combo guards have to buy into the system and pass willingly...
That being said, I wonder if this will be considered a very good move in the coming years.
- Knight apparently has expressed a desire to play PG, but is a much better SG kind of like Gilbert Arenas prior to the gun incident.
- Bledsoe can run point, but needs an SG with handles and some passing ability. Hence, a traditional 2-guard like many were wanting simply would not work with Bledsoe.
- Knight is a RFA so expect the kind of tough negotiating that we saw with Bledsoe.
Overall, I'm cautiously optimistic. Everything depends on Bledsoe becoming more of a passer and Knight being willing to play a traditional 2-guard role more than half of the time.
Having said all of this, though, I am absolutely livid at both the Suns and Dragic about the way they ended the relationship. I watched Dragic grow up in the league and wanted him to retire in Phoenix. I hate how the management effed it up, and I hate how Dragic went "big market mad" on us.
My hope is that the new core stays and grows, being supplemented by other assets along the way. Maybe a star PF that will make Markieff a sixth man candidate.
