The check is already cashed by making the finals

I really wonder what goes on through NBA execs heads with players like Cam Reddish

Bro shot 35% in college with a straight face as a 6’8 athlete in a stacked Duke team

He was never ever going to be good and yet still got so many chances and made over 20m when he shouldn’t have seen even 10mpg ever, the fact that he started 100+ games is insane

He even has fanboys, it’s kind of hilarious

Warning: this is a very very long post featuring some historic breakdowns of pretty damn bad trades. I just love talking about the NBA so I figured someone might be interested in the read.

One of the great fleeces in the modern era for sure. In terms of all time you’d be surprised how baffling some trades in the 60s-80s were, Josh Hart is a minor blunder compared to them. Also, Atlanta actually traded Luka for Trae on draft day. Another draft trade resulted in Boston drafting Tatum and the 6ers getting Fultz, completely changing the trajectory of both franchises for at least a decade. In general draft trades are a bit of a chest code in these discussions, but I made sure to pick trades that were very apparent to result in drafting a unicorn high impact player in an older writeup I did on draft trades a couple of years ago:

There are generally speaking a lot of draft steals that beat out any trade because franchises would draft generational players. The magic draft for LA would be another example where la gave up 2 absolute no-names to draft Magic Johnson and the acquisition of Kareem was a similar story where the trade value was just massively skewed towards LA. Scottie Pippen was also another draft trade for yet another guy nobody ever heard from and picks.

Dirk was traded to the Mavs for a guy called Traylor on draft day. Pacers wanted Hill and gave Kawhi to the Spurs. Draft steals are among the most impactful GM moves possible, honestly they are probably the most impactful move a FO can pull. You draft trade and get a generational player like Dirk, Kobe, Magic, that’s value you can’t really beat with regular off-season moves and season trades. Then there are franchises getting all-time players, 1st ballot HoF people like Pippen McHale Parish and so on.

Then there are some moves that stem from one FO being really dumb, so the FO acquiring these players didn’t really pull a great move but they still got insane value out of these decisions for not being dumb. Examples would be the Magic not willing to pay 100m for Shaq, pissing him off, and so he ends up on the Lakers making 4 finals and completing one of the very few 3peats in NBA history. Another one would be Doc Rivers not allowing Tim Duncan’s family to fly on the team plane which influenced his decision to sign for the Spurs.

So overall there are just so many moves infinitely more impactful than signing Kawhi for a one-year rental into a Championship. Masai made an excellent decision but the decisions op comment mentioned in addition to the ones I added in this comment are much more powerful because we’re talking about getting Magic Johnson with Kareem winning 5 rings, making 9 finals, the Mavs getting Dirk for 20 years, one of the 10 greatest scorers ever and a player that changed the game entirely on his own, or putting Pippen next to MJ unleashing the greatest dynasty of the modern era and many more.

A move that fits in none of these categories but turned out to be absolutely brilliant and era-defining was the Warriors committing to Steph and giving him the contract after his season-ending injury in the early 2010s which eventually lead to GSW landing KD Steph Klay Dray and Iggy on the same team. it’s that contract that made the best team in NBA history possible because Steph was making like 12m in 2016.

And I’ll add that when it’s all said and done Trae for Luka will also be one of these moves, even though Trae is an amazing player as well. But a talent like Luka rolls around once every generation and in 20-30 years people will wonder how the Hawks would rather trade Trae over him.

Going with regular trades that didn’t revolve around “just” drafting as the main value, there’s also James Harden to HOU for Kevin Martin and Lamb. Moses Malone for a guy called Caldwell Jones, PG13 for Shai (and a shitload of picks but this has to be mentioned sorry lol), Barkley to the Suns was a massive fleece as well, trading Julius Erving for 3m and no players or picks at all.

Some more modern trades: Jermaine O’Neal to the Pacers for some nonames, Kyrie to the Celtics, KD to Suns for pretty much every asset Phoenix had at the time, KG to the Celtics, then a bit later the corpses of Pierce and KG for a massive haul from Brooklyn, Bynum to the sixers (Dwight to LA, like 6 players to the Magic +picks, Iguodala to the Nuggets), and ofc THE worst trade not involving drafts ever; AD for Luka.

To be fair incoming vs outgoing value is one thing, but blazers were intentionally moving away from hart not cause he was a bad fit or player or anything, but because his contract was up and we didn’t want to pay him, and I honestly think it was a wise move for both teams

It already has.

Knicks FO deserves massive credit as does Mike Brown. I was dunking on Brown during the Hawks series but props for turning it around.

There was a first round pick in there, too.

I was actually worried the Pelicans did something stupid but that was the CJ McCollum’s trade where I completely forgot Josh Hart went to Portland for a minute

Lets be fair.

Josh Hart developed well compared to his 1st year on the Knicks and how long he’s been in the NBA.

you still need to draft well. they wouldn’t have been able to get og without drafting and developing rj barrett and immanuel quickley.

I think specifically mentioning Brunson taking unders helped as well. He’s a max player every day of the week. Yet he’s making \(37M this year and \)40M next. Arguably one of the best contracts in the league. The purest example we have of ethical hooping. 

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FO. Savvy free agent signings and trades got the Knicks to where they are, not the draft.

I mean… being in New York certainly helps.

I don’t think these guys would be lining up to sign in Memphis or New Orleans.

TELL THAT TO PEOPLE IN THE BACK!!

in the end : JUST GET GOOD PLAYERS, DONT CARE HOW YOU GOT IT

Kinda…but not quite the whole story. They still needed to draft tradeable assets to get some of their players.

It’s true that you don’t necessarily “have to”, but I’d argue the Knicks are the exception that proves the rule. What other contenders in recent years have followed this blueprint?

I’d also say that there’s a lot more nuance to the strategy than might otherwise be obvious. The Knicks were really opportunistic and didn’t force moves (other than maybe Bridges).

There’s also a fair bit of luck. Finding a genuine superstar in FA and paying as little as they did is probably not repeatable?

It’s also as much a question of fit as it is talent. We don’t have a traditional rim protecting rebounding C so we get those attributes from guys like Hart and OG. We don’t have a traditional distributor PG (though Brunson is a good passer), so we get some of that production from KAT. Elite wing D from OG and Bridges. OG can also defend the post. Everyone on the floor can shoot. Everyone other than Bridges can create their own shot (and even bridges is doing some of that now)

It’s just a starting 5 whose skillsets all damn near perfectly complement each other and pretty much everyone can beat you in different ways.

Obviously they’re all extremely talented too but I think the way they fit together along with meech and deuce off the bench is the bigger reason for this run. Doesn’t hurt that Shamet turned into prime Ray Allen either

That’s was basically the Bucks when they won. The FO had Giannis, and everyone else was a trade or FA signing.

Even Middleton was a throwaway price in a trade.

Randle is a bum so that was just a fleecing lol

Robinson and McBride be the biggest two guys off the bench

landry shamet slander

Proves you need to play in the east for an easier trip.

Big money and being the #1 market in America helps lot to convince players.

Cleveland analytically won in chemistry buddy

I think it’s okay to be disappointed about getting swept and/or not making a finals and/or not winning a championship

I also think it’s a huge accomplishment to make a conference finals. Teams with bad chemistry don’t make CF/

Our core has played together for along time but only 40ish games with Harden lol

How much chemistry could we possibly have with him already

Yeah but can it buy analytical wins? Cause really New York lost this series buddy

Landry Shamet on a Vet Min contract. Money can buy something

Take THAT for data!

Brunson, Hart and Bridges just seem to know where each other are at all times. Throwing laser passes to cutters or to the three point line that would miss if they didn’t have the chemistry.

Money can’t buy chemistry. Cleveland should’ve thought about that.

I welcome the hate for being pathetic but not on this one. We were stalled with DG and tried something. I’m really happy we at least tried, even if it didn’t work. Our owner and GM try their ass off even if it doesn’t work out, which is all you can ask for

He was probably the 5th best C in the playoffs and he played like 10 mins a game for the Knicks.

This team is deep and stacked.

His offensive rebounding ability is unreal & I dont see enough people mention it ever really

Your 2nd paragraph is not something Brunson cooked up in the offseason. The big man being the hub is something Brown did with the Kings (sabonis) & he brought here.

It was expected to be a huge part of the offense this season when they hired Mike Brown & a bit questionable why it took them until the playoffs to really use it. KAT has doubled his assist numbers this postseason compared to the regular season

They don’t make it without Mayor Zohran Mandani either.

President of the Vibes department

the entire starting five is under contract until 2028. this is just the beginning.

Firing Thibs was one of those things that felt like it was either going to crash and burn or look like an absolutely genius move in hindsight. Glad it was the latter but holy fuck that was risky. Props to Leon for being able to make a decision like that because I don’t think there are many GMs with balls that big

This is like when people say “Raptors won a Finals without a single lottery pick”

It’s disingenuous framing of the team’s path to get where they did

Yeah, I’ll betthis is the last time Brunson doesn’t get first team. Voting is all about recognition, and now everyone has no choice but to recognize his greatness, especially since he stopped flopping this year. That Brunson SGA comparison chart didn’t hurt either. People really get stuck on height.

Surely its Brunson vs Cade lmao. SGA didnt steal First Team from Jalen.

What do you mean look at Brunson vs SGA, they’re not in the same tier lol

Rose didn’t draft Mitchell or Barrett. He was only hired in 2020

I’m not so sure that any team will ever get to the extent of the thunder with rebuilding at this level. Spurs also, given they had 3 top 5 picks in 4 years or something to that extent.

I’m so curious to see how front offices manage free agencies with their rookie class up for extensions etc. the new CBAs restrictions make for teams to be top heavy then a lot of team friendly deals. Knicks saw this coming and arranged their roster accordingly, but the element of foresight is gone and it’s now table stakes to be frugal with middle tier players on a roster.

The Patrick Williams of the world won’t get the bag like they have anymore.

Which ended up being a great decision.