Handlogten's Heros
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It may not have even been that exactly. Maybe they were going to do a THT/Johnson plus a first for Turner? They have interest in a bigger deal with us but also are getting impatient and Indiana is getting impatient. Indiana has reservations about paying Westbrook that much to go away. Their owner is old school and does things differently even if it is at the detriment of his team. The Malcolm Brogdon deal and the Ayton offer sheet (refusing to make it poisonous at all) are examples... the paying Russ to not play thing was real and reported. Lakers may not have wanted to give both firsts.So we do a trade now so the Lakers pinkie swear they won't do a trade with the Pacers...yet? OK haha.
We are 1 of 2 teams constantly mentioned with Russ... I'd add a third team in SA but there hasn't been as much noise there. It is not wild to think there is a follow up deal and this was real tangible action to show intent later to complete the bigger deal.
This happens in business all the time. My FIL does a ton of land deals and will put up good chunks of money to get 14-30 day extensions to close a deal. While I don't think Lakers are obligated to complete a deal with us later... this may have been enough to get us a 14 day extension. We literally can't do the bigger deal right now... so it totally makes sense for the Lakers to require something real or they will move on.