2018 cap space is a myth. 2018 free agents aren't worth it. We should be taking on 2019 expirings and take on whatever assets that come along with facilitating those deals.
@NAOS @Saint Cy of JFC
Nobody is thinking like a GM trying to conduct an orchestra.
It's clear to me that DL geared up to use 2018 as a fight between CLE and BOS in the East. It's the only thing that makes sense from what he did last summer combining now with a forward looking stance. I believe he was 98% sure Gortat Haywood was gone by July. The Rubio signing had nothing to do with retaining Haywood and was part of a hope that him, Burks, Favors, and Hood would progress and increase trade value to one of those two EC contenders.
Then he went out and grabbed a bunch of excellent substitute players that could help both of those EC teams, with the possibility of Dan Gilbert saving himself tens of millions. He was thinking 10 tradable assets, plus draft picks. Joe J, Jereb J, Thabo, Favors, Ingles, Burks, Exum, Rodney, Rubio, Udoh. Unfortunately, all the retained players outside of the oft injured Favors have been a thud. Joe is done. Exum, eh, someone please take him so DL doesn't have to pick up the QO. Burks doesn't fit with Utah's offense that draws multiple defenders pounding him and everyone else in the paint, but he still has value. Hood has proven to be a mid-deep bench player. Ingles is going to jingle and adds so much more than his box score. Anyone would love to take him off Utah's hands.
Rubio sucks ***. All other vet signings still have a ton of value outside this B.S. Utah Jazz injury plague that took Thabo.
Rubio is an expiring in 2019 and was signed on hope for a this season trade + an expiring asset to facilitate a trade next season. LA Lakers used this same approach to load up over the cap and LT.
