Maybe, but if we want to go all in... that's the type of trade you make. Especially when you have two players who can easily replace the ones you are trading. Harkless and Vonleh can do what Aminu and Davis do.
We are probably not winning championship this season, Ibaka won't change that. Someone like Cousins or Anthony Davis might, not Ibaka. Losing three assets we could still use next year to acquire player who will stay here for 25-30 matches is ridiculous. With Aminu and Davis $7M contracts they got very good value in them. We would find teams across the league willing to trade more valuable assets for them, especially if we package them together. If not, I would honestly rather give them time to get back to form than trade them for someone who will leave very soon.
The problem is we aren't going to get a Davis or Cousins. Unless we are willing to trade CJ and I doubt we are. Ibaka is a tier 3 star but he IS a good third option on a contender. He is far better than Aminu, Davis, and a late 20s pick. Also, who knows? We could re-sign him easily with a couple moves if things work out well.
I don't know if it's just me but the team and the feel has the feel the team had back in 14-15. LA's final year. Other than Damian and the kat that is trying to prove that he can play at this level, Layman. I'm struggling to sense a pulse on this team. A lot of guys got paid and the team fell asleep.
I blame the extra weight for Davis' slow start. I guess the team really wants him at C, and he went all in. His real value has been as a PF/C.
I rate Ibaka, I really do. He would be a good fit at power forward here. What I don't agree with is giving up three long term assets for someone that will be here for a few games and then leave in the Summer. We don't have to give up anything for him in the Summer, just create some cap space and offer him a deal - the same as it would be if we traded three assets for him now. And this season we are not winning championship anyway, Ibaka could make a difference between winning 1 and winning 2 games in a series versus Clippers or Warriors. We should really be trying to built a team that will compete in 2-3 years when the window of the better teams shuts a little and our young players develop further. Signing Ibaka for a very high price now will not facilitate that. It would even be much better to go for struggling draftees from the past 2-3 years who may still have the potential to get there and who you will be able to extend when the time comes - the likes of Cauley-Stein, maybe someone like Stanley Johnson or Justise Winslow (I don't really know how they are doing but I like their potential). You get cheap contracts, create cap space to get better free agents and get talent to work with.
After watching Davis last night I am not sold that the extra weight is a factor. Unless he lost it, which is pretty easy to do for these guys. He looked like his normal self last night. If he is heavier, is it noticeable? I can't tell.
I'm not sure, but it looks to me like he's put on ~15 lbs the past two seasons. From 225 (listed) to 240.
The problem is that we can't create cap space this summer. We're already well over the cap, and with CJ's extension kicking in 7/1, cap space is simply impossible. If we traded "long term assets" for him this season, then we'd at least have bird rights with which we could re-sign him if we were so inclined. As for the assets themselves, I've not got the impression that Aminu or Davis are considered cornerstone players. Yes, they're assets, but they're not particularly important ones. Giving them up for a player who can provide what Ibaka offers would not be much of a loss, even if he didn't re-sign here in the offseason.
Is it possible that Davis isn't playing as well because our second unit is shit? Watching Turner/CJ try to run the offense has been infuriating.
I don't think these concepts are mutually exclusive. For instance, we signed Aminu to start immediately and also traded for lotto-pick-turned-castoff Moe Harkless. Now Moe is starting and Aminu seems expendable. Ibaka, of course, is significantly better than Aminu, but the point remains that trading for him would not necessarily preclude us from pursuing other potential bargain-bin youngsters. Also, I reject the notion that we can't win a title this year. With the way Dame is playing, if our under-performing bench starts stepping up, we absolutely could be a contender, and a trade for a talent like Ibaka could conceivably make a massive difference.
I thought Davis played pretty well last night. But he is not really ever involved with the offense, so I don't think Turner/CJ would be a factor. IMO his role is to rebound, set screens, and play D. Any points are a bonus.
Orlando gave up two pretty good young pieces to get Ibaka. It was a risky move. I just can't see them giving up on him unless he says he wants out.
I think Ibaka would be perfect... and I imagine he's gettable because Orlando sucks. I still don't understand why they traded Oladipo for him. I get that they wanted to break out of their rut, but he's going to be a free agent and now they might lose him anyway, and they gave up Oladipo/Sabonis. They might be willing to give him up to get some of that young talent back. Ibaka is only 27 though. I always forget that he's still that young.
