Yeah, the sad thing is you're probably right and they'll probably get burned. Their best option might be to try and fleece a team like us and try to get CJ, Nurk, Gary, Zach, Nas, Simons and every pick we can give them for Giannis, Brook Lopez and George Hill. They could then shop any part of what they have left or what we gave them to get the exact team they want going into next season.
Wow! Chris Paul (2yrs 85.5 mil left on his deal) is the second highest paid player in the association. Making this trade happen is easier said than done. I think if OKC wants to trade CP3 then they would most likely want to get players that are younger than the players the Bucks have to trade in return (they would probably want young assets and cap flexibility to go with SGA). I mean Bledsoe, BroLo and Hill works to match salaries but I doubt that would be what the Thunder would want when you look at their age and contracts... hell I don't even think the Bucks would want to give up that much of this season's core group for one player that maybe has two good seasons left in him and takes up that much of the cap but who knows maybe they'll both go for it.
How is their gamble worse than what the Blazers would be taking on in trying to bring him here without an extension? If Milwaukie can add a piece or two, they could win it all next season and perhaps get him to do an extension then.
If Milwaukee shakes things up then they have a pretty good chance at going farther in the playoffs and keeping Giannis. If they just try to "add a piece or two" they could only do so with the MLE, I don't think the MLE is going to change much for them. They were completely healthy when they went down 0-3 to the Heat adding one MLE player or two players that split the MLE and hoping there are again no injuries will almost certainly not pan out. That would be a bad gamble. They have to infuse that team with some real offensive fire power if they're going to contend... I can only see them doing that through a trade or two and still it's a gamble. That being said I would hate to be a GM that traded the second player in the history of the league to win both the defensive player of the year and (I am assuming here) the MVP in the same season (it'll be him and MJ, that's it) and watch that player win a championship with someone else the next season. That would suck worse than losing him to free agency in Milwaukee's current situation. Edit: To answer your question the gamble from the Blazers would be the same except we have one of the top 7 players in the league to pair with Giannis and he happens to be the most liked player in the league by everyone not named Patrick Beverley or Paul George. So Dame is what would tilt the odds in our favor if we went all in to get the Greek Freak.
https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2014/07/trail_blazers_lamarcus_aldridge_pledges_to_sign_co.html "I feel like we're going in the right direction," Aldridge said. "I always wanted to win. And now we're doing that. I don't have any reason to jump ship. "I've worked very hard (for a maximum extension). I feel like the team values me to that level, I feel like my teammates value me to that level. This is the natural next step."
If OKC wanted to deal Paul to MIL, I could see Portland facilitating the deal by taking Ilyasova into the Bazemore trade exception. OKC could save a ton if they received just Bledsoe and Brolo in exchange for CP3.
thanks for reminding me about that TPE. I had forgot about it: I'm wondering: has there been any talk about the expiration dates of TPE's being extended. That would seem a logical step considering the pause to the season Ilyasova would seem like a rather poor reward for having that TPE unless he came with a draft pick.
Yes, but Giannis has been pretty damn forthcoming in his entire career, and just seems like a genuine cat. Aldridge had packed his bags before we lost in Game 5 of the first round that year in Memphis, and played like it. Marc Gasol and ZBo ate his lunch while he let them . Remember when he reportedly flew back to Portland earlier in that series by himself? Compare that to Giannis further injuring himself while going all out on his bum ankle. I get the skepticism with Giannis' quotes, but think we can trust him here.
For a 2x MVP who has historically been very connected with the city and franchise, without a shadow of doubt. And given his pending FA in a year, nothing they get in a trade can add up to the value that Giannis has. You take the risk with a guy like that. This isn't a fringe all star like Aldridge.
If he doesn't sign an extension this offseason and goes into next season as a free agent..... I don't know man. Super risky.
I would say that your last sentence makes it more imperative to know his intentions. Giannis is not a fringe all-star so you can't afford to let him walk like we did with Aldridge. If he leaves Milwaukee in free agency and they are left with nothing in return that is an absolute disaster. LaMarcus leaving was a meteorite that left a dent on our franchise, Giannis leaving would be a comet that would end the world that is the Bucks. https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/2a0e2ea3-b1a9-4042-aaaf-95b3177d4979
Goddammit Eric... you got me. So it is. Giannis, Hakeem and the best to ever do it. Not a bad list but also not quite as exclusive as I was making it out to be. My bad.
