I think the issue is playoff caliber teams won't value Lee's contributions highly, and likely can't afford to allocate so much cap space to him, even if it gets them a valuable expiring contract. They'd do it, but only to send back to Golden State some similar contract, or a couple of contracts that add up to Lee's salary, but have more years left. In which case, why would GS do it. yeah, they're feeling food and happy about winning a championship, but they aren't going to give up Lee and his expiring contract just to help him get to a team where he actually plays again, if it means taking back crap contracts. But you're right there's a trade there to be made somewhere.
Win a ring and get traded. Players like Draymond will now run to the Money. I got a ring, bball legacy is done.
It's not so much that, as it is that Golden State literally cannot afford to keep their team together with Lee on the books next season. Lee is an overpaid role player on that team, and they need to pay Green this offseason. My guess is the Bucks or Charlotte take him in exchange for picks.
What will GS have to attach to Lee for some team to take on his 15M contract? (even though it is expiring after next season). I know GS gave up a bunch of picks in the Iggy deal. Will they have to move their 1st rounder this year?
they had to attach multiple first round picks to Utah to dump Jefferson and Biedrins contracts to sign Iggy I would imagine that Lee's contract would take at least 1 first round pick and multiple second round picks. Hard to see a team taking Lee on. He had some decent moments in the Finals but the fact that he Warriors played so well without him shows most teams that his value isnt nearly as high as it once was. He is super talented but the injuries have hurt him and to say he is horrid at defense is being generous.
Lee is a better player than these guys, though. Also, keeping Lee now isn't costing them any opportunity to go after a free agent or preventing them from keeping anyone. All it means is that they have to pay Lee money and pay a luxury tax if he is still on the team after the trade deadline. They have more time to figure things out so the situation isn't nearly as urgent.
Yeah, not urgent. I guess we'll have to see how teams use their cap space this summer. If there is one team that is left out of the mix and has the room, they could rent their space to GS for a fee.
Getting rid of Lee is going to take attaching another asset from GS. His type of player is not valued around the league right now. And maybe ever again. My guess is that GS just has to eat the rest of his contract.
There will be many teams want Lee, the ones need to put the points on the board. What's the difference between Love and Lee? Neither of them can make the team win, but both put 20 & 10 stats consistently. And I believe Lee actually has a better FG %.
But oddly enough Lee could not buy PT on the Warriors this season. He will be expensive for GS to unload. And by the way Lee put up an 8/5 line in 18.5 MPG this season. That is a far far cry from 20/10.
Lee's only done that once. Kevin Love is a superior version of David Lee. He does all the things you say they both do, but does it at a more prolific pace. On a championship caliber team, Love struggled a bit, though it was a bad fit. On a championship caliber team, Lee was demoted to second string, and often didn't play at all, even though offensively the fit works well (pace, putbacks, etc.). That's the difference.
As long as there are still teams out there don't believe in data driven business decisions that take contract amount into account and as long as there are "old school" types in charge, then there will be a market for Lee. Hopefully some poor saps like the Sixers, Bucks, etc - teams looking for picks and more picks don't agree to help GS out for the grand prize of drafting a a weak player and paying them guaranteed money for two years PLUS paying Lee 15 million coming off an injury. Let's just hope there isn't a team willing to pay 15 million for a late first and a few seconds. For taking Lee off their hands, they should be giving up something of value - maybe like Ezili+multiple picks+cash.
What prospect? Do they have any? The Warriors first round pick? The Jazz have the Warriors 2017 first round pick... doesn't that mean they can't currently trade their 2016 or 2018 first round picks, unless they acquire another one somehow?
Now that I think about it, they really don't have any prospects. And you are also correct about their pick situation. I didn't really think that trade through when I first thought of it.
