I imagine Cleveland would be looking to reflip assets for high-end 1-2 pick players, Brad-style, so it might be ok for them.
An Ode to the Fallen: 2024 - 2025 Offseason Thread
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Are we assuming destination team has already agreed to extension for Mitchell or are these trade proposals just for one year of Mitchell? I’m skeptical he goes for that much without a firm agreement he’s signing
Assuming an extension or agreement to re-sign. Zero chance this level of assets gets traded without that.
I wouldn't sleep on Houston in the Mitchell market. They have a lot of pieces— young players and draft picks. And if New York doesn't work out as a destination, Houston is a major metropolitan market where players like to be (unlike, say, OKC or SA).
Why does Cleveland want young players and draft picks? They have Mobley and Garland. If you are Cleveland you are looking for a strong wing.
Butler, Ingram, or Bridges would be who I would come out asking for.
Just consider draft picks + young players as fungible currency for CLE to go get a "strong wing".
Brad has the trade playbook. Target a cusp All-Star >>> use 1-2 late Firsts + youngish players that need minutes
Why add a step?
Edit - Picks are a depreciating assets. Young players can be appreciating assets however they need playing time. When you are team like Cleveland with framework of a playoff team with 3-4 set starters, younger players are less of an asset.
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Because the guys mentioned are probably overpriced.
Brad has really killed it in identifying the market undervaluing top-50 players, and overvaluing top-20 players.
You get the former for 1-2 firsts and flotsam. The latter cost 3 picks + swaps + 1-2 decent young players.
Obviously this strategy works a lot better when you have a top-10 guy who is elite at making teammates better on both ends, but Tatum isn't the only guy like that in the league. He just has a GM who understands how to maximize his unique skillset and value.
If that is all you are getting for Donovan, you are already dead. A guy like Butler can be paired with Mobley and Garland and be competitive in the East, hell that could be a East finalists.
Butler's too old to make sense for CLE. And likely too divisive. They want someone to pair with young talent to form a nucleus for the future. Jimmy ain't that.
Ingram is perfect, but will Mitchell go happily to NO? That's why a 3-way with Houston involved could work for all parties.
Bridges only works if Mitchell is happy going to a Brooklyn team with no talent whatsoever and no way of improving. (Which he might be— who knows).
The only other interesting fit I can think of for them right now is Randle.
Brunson Mitchell would have similar problems that Garland Mitchell have. The Knicks should stay away from Mitchell and I am not sure how Randle, Mobley, and Allen would work unless you were trading Allen as well.
Edit - With Butler, I think Cleveland is ready to challenge now. I think Butler fits into Cleveland better than Mitchell and they can absorb him sleep walking through regular season much better than Miami. Butler on Cleveland would be the second best team in the East even if 76ers could get Paul George.
I agree about the Brunson-Mitchell problem. Was just throwing Randle in there as a potential fit for CLE as I was wracking my brain about a possible target for them.
We disagree about Butler as fit for CLE, I guess. He's been such a thorny personality in past cases (great player, don't get me wrong)...plus with the age/injury questions... I don't see him as the guy you go all-in for with a young team unless you're _really_ sure he's bought in.
Team age doesn't matter as much as contract construction now in the second apron era. You can't wait around and aggregate contracts to get a larger contract. So if you are going to add stars you need to either trade for star or do it before your young talent gets its second max. Mobley is due his max extension this summer which will start the need to morph.
Between Mitchell and Allen and the extension they can give this summer there is a lot of different movement that can happen. That said Cleveland desperately needs a forward. LeVert is probably on his last year of the contract, Strus is basically dirty our man's Hauser, and Wade is Temu Hauser.
Edit - You can no longer build a team like Stevens did. He caught the last train out of town before the full second apron era.
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