DLO Russell Trade Timing

[AbeVigodaLive]

Not having the coach (or key players) on board in an unprecedented, historical, franchise-changing trade seems like a new GM gone rogue, mad with power, or a bad case of smartest guy in the room-itis.

[WildWolf2813]

I just don't get the value of the vaunted "salary slot" if all you end up with is a declining player that won't move the needle much more than DLO. Aren't you then looking to trade that player next year as an expiring? And what do we get back then? Probably another declining or sub-optimal player.

Unless you can somehow parlay DLO into an asset that is actually more valuable to us, then I just don't see the point to trading DLO or maintaining the salary slot. I know that could put us in a pickle for next year at PG. TC and Finch will need to figure that out.

It could be a declining or sub-optimal player yes, but there is going to be less risk for other teams when the cap is going up which means there may be the chance to actually acquire an asset. I think we have to be looking at being a 3rd team to become incrementally better. I don't know if there are going to be a large swath of teams looking to dump salary with a cap bump coming, but I do think that could be a reality once the new cap numbers come into play. Having that 30 mil in a cap environment with more movement gives us more options to be deal makers. It's our only chance to keep this capital flexibility and build the breadth and depth of our team. Wasting that option is foolish from a flexibility standpoint IMO.

For instance lets say Detroit, New York, OKC, Orlando see promise and decide that next year is their year to make a push for veteran talent, they may not want an aging PG but certainly may need a mechanism to get to 30 mil.

I don't think the MLE will solve our PG situation next year, that would mean ditching an actual asset to acquire someone. And we really don't have many assets that we could look to deal next year apart from a massive KAT deal and a more moderate Rudy deal.

The problem is that free agency classes by and large now, suck. The idea of teams trying to shed salary to have max cap space is only of value if there's a superstar within reason available. Most guys now are where they want to be or they force their way to where they wanna be before free agency.

Having the salary slot woulda been huge for us had we not traded for Rudy. Without assets to attach, it's just extra money on a luxury tax bill for Lore. Detroit, OKC, NY (your examples) all have picks and young players to attach to salary slots that they already possess.

[thedoper]

I just don't get the value of the vaunted "salary slot" if all you end up with is a declining player that won't move the needle much more than DLO. Aren't you then looking to trade that player next year as an expiring? And what do we get back then? Probably another declining or sub-optimal player.

Unless you can somehow parlay DLO into an asset that is actually more valuable to us, then I just don't see the point to trading DLO or maintaining the salary slot. I know that could put us in a pickle for next year at PG. TC and Finch will need to figure that out.

It could be a declining or sub-optimal player yes, but there is going to be less risk for other teams when the cap is going up which means there may be the chance to actually acquire an asset. I think we have to be looking at being a 3rd team to become incrementally better. I don't know if there are going to be a large swath of teams looking to dump salary with a cap bump coming, but I do think that could be a reality once the new cap numbers come into play. Having that 30 mil in a cap environment with more movement gives us more options to be deal makers. It's our only chance to keep this capital flexibility and build the breadth and depth of our team. Wasting that option is foolish from a flexibility standpoint IMO.

For instance lets say Detroit, New York, OKC, Orlando see promise and decide that next year is their year to make a push for veteran talent, they may not want an aging PG but certainly may need a mechanism to get to 30 mil.

I don't think the MLE will solve our PG situation next year, that would mean ditching an actual asset to acquire someone. And we really don't have many assets that we could look to deal next year apart from a massive KAT deal and a more moderate Rudy deal.

The problem is that free agency classes by and large now, suck. The idea of teams trying to shed salary to have max cap space is only of value if there's a superstar within reason available. Most guys now are where they want to be or they force their way to where they wanna be before free agency.

Having the salary slot woulda been huge for us had we not traded for Rudy. Without assets to attach, it's just extra money on a luxury tax bill for Lore. Detroit, OKC, NY (your examples) all have picks and young players to attach to salary slots that they already possess.

Yeah my emphasis is on being a 3rd team to eventually provide a mechanism for a salary dump while picking up an asset or two in the process. I think there will be a lot more teams looking to dump salary by the time the new salary cap and contracts have kicked in. We wouldn't get anything from those 3 teams making a direct trade.

[Leado01]

Sounds like the front office preference and definitely the coaching staff preference is to keep DLO and extend at a lower price.

If that doesn't happen, FO feels confident he won't get his ask in FA and would likely stay. He's well liked, coachable, and serves as top on court leader.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Sounds like the front office preference and definitely the coaching staff preference is to keep DLO and extend at a lower price.

If that doesn't happen, FO feels confident he won't get his ask in FA and would likely stay. He's well liked, coachable, and serves as top on court leader.

That remains the best case scenario to me. I'd rather the two sides agree on an extension and it not linger later in the season, especially the post-season, but I can also see both sides allowing for free agency to take its course with the Timberwolves matching whatever the highest bid on him is.

To clarify, I'm aware D'Angelo Russell isn't a restricted free agent so "matching" isn't an automatic outcome, but I do think he wants to remain in Minnesota long-term and his agent would communicate whatever the top offer is and give them a chance to match or exceed it. If the money just isn't there for him in the way that him and his agent feel like it will be, then Minnesota may be able to get him at what they feel is appropriate value. It's for this reason that I wish we knew where the two sides were in terms of asking price and what the organization is or was offering. How far apart are they? No clue.

[Coolbreeze44]

Again, the problem with extending him is your forced to play him - a lot. Not what I believe the organization wants to do.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Again, the problem with extending him is your forced to play him - a lot. Not what I believe the organization wants to do.

The other rub is that this is the best he has to offer.

He's either at a career high or close to a career high percentage for fg, ft and 3fg percentage.

It's a contract year.




[Note: Obviously, he's still worth a lucrative deal. But just how much is the $100M question... and until we know... we're just sort of spinning our wheels.]

[FNG]

Mike Conley provided more evidence last night that he has little left in the tank by scoring 17 points on only 8 shots, while adding 9 assists, 4 rebounds, I block and NO turnovers...all adding up to +12. He made 5 out of 6 three pointers and has now edged ahead of Russell on 3-point percentage for the year. After a poor shooting start to the season, he's averaging 12.2/7.6/2.7 and only 1.7 turnovers his past 10 games, and is making 40.9% of his threes over that span.

Does this make me happy? Well, kind of...because it's more proof that he is just what this team needs the rest of the season, and I read about a Russell/Conley swap in several media outlets. But I say "kind of" because Ainge is a savvy guy, and I just don't see him pulling the trigger on this deal with Conley getting back to form.

[Wolvesfan21]

Mike Conley provided more evidence last night that he has little left in the tank by scoring 17 points on only 8 shots, while adding 9 assists, 4 rebounds, I block and NO turnovers...all adding up to +12. He made 5 out of 6 three pointers and has now edged ahead of Russell on 3-point percentage for the year. After a poor shooting start to the season, he's averaging 12.2/7.6/2.7 and only 1.7 turnovers his past 10 games, and is making 40.9% of his threes over that span.

Does this make me happy? Well, kind of...because it's more proof that he is just what this team needs the rest of the season, and I read about a Russell/Conley swap in several media outlets. But I say "kind of" because Ainge is a savvy guy, and I just don't see him pulling the trigger on this deal with Conley getting back to form.

Maybe Ainge wants to tank. Adding DLO would certainly do that.