[Charania] The Nets are making moves in preparation as if they’re bringing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving back next season
Meh. “We are totally planning to run it back, pay no attention to that man behind the curtain requesting a trade.”
The only thing that potentially could speed things up is Ayton’s situation. Is he going to wait all offseason to sign? If he goes and signs an offer sheet somewhere, doesn’t that really put Suns/Nets on the clock?
[Charania] Everything I'm told, that stance (on Durant requesting a trade) has not changed, there's been no signal he's going to back off of that.
The Nets bringing them back might actually be the best thing for the Rockets. Duran lowers his trade value with each added year. 2023 is a swap year. We are better off if they get bad in 23 or 25. Eventually they will implode. Right now Durant will probably bring back a good enough haul to make the Nets semi-competitive. Let’s say he stays relatively healthy this year and Irving balls out for the contract. Big deal, we don’t swap, and the Nets are convinced to max out Irving. 2023 one goes down to injury or mental distress, and, boom the train wreck. Our 24 pick just became lottery, and, they have no hope of a re-build with Duran and Irving locked up with little trade value.
I don't know if it's wishful thinking, but I could see the Nets dragging this situation well within the season. Durant and Irving can seat and they can have incentives to bottom out this season. Given that the Rockets will keep on tanking next season -- as we should -- there could be a reasonable chance that both picks turn out to be pretty high. Obviously for us it would be as good as it gets, giving double the chance of getting the first pick. But it could also realistically end up getting the Nets a top 10 pick as well, which would be a nice place for them to restart togheter with the assets they may get for Irving at the deadline and Durant whenever they decide to take the best (or the "least bad" lol) offer. IIRC they traded to the Jazz the Sixers pick, or the worst between Rockets, their own and Sixer, something like that. The worst between ours and theirs may very well be as high as the second, if the Spurs and Presti and Silver allow it.
The Gobert trade was terrible for us. Inflated the market where now Durant trades dont make sense in comparison
I would think that where the rockets end up at the end of the season and where if they nets (if they end up being bad) maybe the 10-12th pick. Together those %'s would be around the %'s if you were to have the worst record in the league they have have had in the last 2 years. Which is around 50% chance for a top 4 pick. Now if they really implode (not likely) the rockets could have a 70-80% combined chance.
The one year TJ Warren signing by the Nets makes me unhappy. TJ's a very good scorer. It seems like a last ditch effort to retain KD. TJ is coming back from an injury though, that might reduce his effectiveness.