Ok, First off I'd like to apologize for another LMA trade thread, but I just had to get my thoughts out. I typically only write about things that sincerely interest me. So here is my science fiction like post about LMA and some thoughts and trade options.
Thoughts:
First off, watching Durant walk away for nothing should be a lesson to all decision makers. Sure on one hand you can keep it together for one last run and hope for the best, but if you fail, you risk losing a major piece for nothing. The effects of which can bring you down from a contender to a fringe playoff team like I believe OKC will ultimately become. This brings me to my first point. When you have a player that is homegrown and has those ties you can rest more peacefully at night because that's all they have known and you have a head start with relationships and favorable emotions. When we had Tim Duncan, we risked it all and banked on those relationships. And plus a guy like Duncan, you pretty much be crazy to trade. In our case, Duncan stayed and the rest was history. But Aldridge is different, he has no ties here. He signed as a free agent. He was not drafted by us. He has no fond memories of the past to fall back on when it hits the fan. Sure he talks up the organization but does it come off as insincere to anyone else but me around here. Does he really want to be here or is he here because nothing better was available. It's like being in a relationship because no-one better has arrived. You're not in love. In the end you either leave that person when you find someone else you love or you learn to love. I think the only way the latter happens is if we win the ship this year. But here's the problem. LMA's value is at it's highest right now because he has years on his deal and considering the current cap it's a bargain. So we risk a greater return for the lure of winning his affection. If we don't win, next year we'll have given teams with honest interest with assets the leverage needed to make a lesser bargain. You'd hope that a bidding war starts but then you have to take into account user preference. Where does LMA want to go. A class organization like the Spurs, can only salvage their image by appeasing his requests of location cause he's the one that has to resign. And I say salvage cause, how can a family org, that does things the right way, can't keep an FA, and that FA being the most important acquisition off the market in franchise history.
So you have to think from PATFO's perspective, is the juice worth the squeeze. Is he a player you want to risk possibly years of rebuilding for. Do you want to pay for his next max contract when it could exceed 30 mil(?Cap #s please). Is he the character that you want in the locker room or did you sign him for the same reason he signed with you. Are LMA and PATFO cuddle buddies, just not wanting to be alone and feel like someone is there. Did we sign him to remain relevant and extend the contender window or did you sign him because you believed he modeled your culture. Most know we sacrificed a lot for LMA. The built not bought moniker died. The beautiful game died. Wasn't that what are signature was?
You got to think about the future now. Right now San Antonio is a hot destination because of reputation. We are basically a living legend. The respect will never be higher imo. Pop is known as best coach in the game. The front office is seen with great regard to build contenders and a safe bet to succeed. And the organization is first class. Some believe that losing LMA would hurt our ability to sign FA's in the future but I disagree. Pop has at least four more years before he retires. He's coaching the next Olympic team for team USA. You have Kawhi as a centerpiece which is a legitimate MVP DPOY candidate but after that you have questions. Who will be the next Tony, Manu, Hill, or Kawhi. Is it Murray or Bertans? The time to build is now, because once Pop retires all bets are off. Then you hope we can hire the right minds. Will the same trust be there that is now when say an Ettore Messina is head coach and no experience is there. Is he the next Blatt. Man I hope we get Coach Bud back but I'm not gonna go on a tangent here. I'm sure we can get those C list players that can be B list players like say a Paul Millsap type. And we could probably unearth another Danny Green or Gary Neal, or maybe Jon Simmons. But we can safely assume we have a 3-4 year window before Pop is gone and how do you want to leave the franchise. Do you want to leave the franchise in rebuilding mode after a plan that was more short term than long term or do you want to already be on the rise with say a few pieces that are primed to enter their best stages of their career. Think about this cause this is what it is basically.
Some mention the Spurs conservative ways as keeping LMA but I'm here to say maybe it's more conservative to sell high and not risk losing him for nothing. IMO it's safer to start now long term wise. But could we remain compe ive now. Imo we can. I actually think Pau is a better offensive player than LMA even at his age. He can post and he can pass. LMA skill set killed the beautiful game, but maybe with the right pieces you could see it come back. Maybe I need to let it go. I think if you get a big back and a young prospect and a first you do it. So now that brings me to some trade scenarios.
In my mind there's only two places and that's Boston and Phoenix.
Phoenix is the obvious one because that's what our comp was during our courtship. Maybe he really wanted to go there but he played it safe. In Phoenix or Boston he would be the first option. Maybe that's what he wants.
In Phoenix the trade scenarios would center around
Brandon Knight/ Tyson Chandler with a Middle filler like Pj Tucker a young big like Chriss or Bender and a first for LMA and pieces like Forbes and/or Anderson
I do not like this deal at all because Tyson is on decline and both lock up money for a few years. Knight is not the playmaker you want out of a point guard. He's more a shooting guard.
So this brings us to where all the rumors began and that's in Boston.
In Boston a scenario might look like this
Amir Johnson with a couple young players with upside for LMA and Anderson.
Now Danny Ainge is one of the best at extracting players on good deals. He's not going to let us do him like we did Larry Legend. So with that being said, he's not going to want to part with that first round pick if we choose a certain player.
Alex Kennedy AlexKennedyNBA
Yesterday, Jaylen Brown said that he met with the Celtics, Bulls, Hawks, Timberwolves, Kings, Spurs and Rockets while at the NBA Combine.
For some reason, we managed to meet with Jaylen Brown at the combine, but why? Every mock had him in the lottery so why did we meet him. What made us think we could acquire him. Perhaps this LMA story is farther along in the organization then we know. This would explain the leak from Boston's side to weaken the trade value so that way they wouldn't have to give the first and Brown. Well that's one theory imo. I'm having fun.
Also with Amir on a one year deal you retain flexibility while acquiring a solid starter that would fit with your SL. With his salary off the books you could feasibly have some room to either resign your free agents or go after someone like a Serge Ibaka. And this kid Brown is very intellectual and can ball. He has potential to be a two way player. Pair that with Kawhi and you could have the best wing play in years to come.
Edit: So would you take Amir Johnson, Jaylen Brown, and Jerebko with Brooklyn's first for LMA and Anderson for example?
Jerebko is on a one year 5 million deal. More flexibility. Jackson wouldn't work.
I would.
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lol nooooooo... Trade ideas aren't my thing TBH... I am very bad with that. 
guess we have a similar style
