I dont know what you are disagreeing with exactly. I think everything I stated in that post was pretty objective.
I think it was a no-brainer decision without this year’s performance considered, and if you go back i was pretty clear on that. If he was on our team averaging 15/8, while getting up 6 threes, it was a no brainer. If he’s doing 13/7.5 while opening up the floor, then it was still worth it. My arguments for him are irrespective of the fact that he’s averaging 19/11 this year. Hence gravy.
Yes, but your argument falls apart when it's pretty clear if he played like he did for the Pelicans for 2 months post-trade, the Jazz wouldn't have made the playoffs.
... maybe? Was he destined to have the same slump if he were to come here? I feel the fit would have been a lot more natural here from a more immediate perspective. Even so, him slumping was 14.6/8.2. But let’s pretend we didn’t make the playoffs: where are we now? What are our odds of retaining him this summer (vs. whatever the hell it is we’re going to do in reality next summer). What’s better in 2-3 years? Does Allen break out? Maybe. Is Favors still on the team?
Separate from my Niko arguments was that our pick was fool’s gold. At best, it was 14-15th (I said that repeatedly). I kept arguing that when Gobert returned we would win too much for that pick to matter. But, sure, some may complain. I wouldn’t. But this plays the hypothetical that we don’t make the playoffs. It also plays the hypothetical that we couldn’t have put protection on it (another debatable thing where everyone would default to “oh there’s no evidence that would have gotten a deal done” or people would default to “dude Stepien rule, we’d be ****ed for future assets to include in trades if we tied up picks!”)
The Pelicans protected their pick 1-5 in the trade. It goes to reason the Jazz couldn't have protected their pick for lottery and gotten the deal done.
They also took back garbage salary, something Chicago said they didn’t want. Chicago was asking for a first rounder, and nobody was biting. We could have closed the deal long before Boogie goes down with an injury. As it stood, Chicago was looking to have to put their tail between their legs on demanding a first rounder. NOP was looking to salary dump and was going to have to offer a first. Remember, they didn’t even want to guarantee Niko’s second year, because even NOP was viewing it as clearing salary, but got the bonus of filling Boogie’s spot.
We couldn't close the deal lmao. They could have waited it out for the best deal, like they did. Like every team does.
So then why was he traded a week before the deadline?
Cool. I’d rather listen to people be bitching about that than have to sit here wondering HTF we’re going to land another offensive option and quality PF.
Probably because all the teams they were in contact with said they wouldn't match NOLA's offer.
Well, for argument’s sake, then you’re looking at:
