Jared Bayless as a hardship exemption replacement for Doug McDermott (out for year)

[KingKev]

That shows this team is not going all-out rebuild, and will continue quasi-compe ive.

Not the strategy I’d choose but this shouldn’t surprise anyone. Will be interesting to see how things change when Pop hangs it up.

[Gagnrath]

Not the strategy I’d choose but this shouldn’t surprise anyone. Will be interesting to see how things change when Pop hangs it up.

I sort of think they figured at a management/front office level getting Pop the all-time wins book mark would put them pretty close to a play in spot so they figured make it possible to take a run. Handing a young team who made the post season to a successor, vs #1 overall pick for getting the first year coach.