bleachkit

We're back in this thing.

Rough second quarter for the Hawks

It's a rite of passage

Dont think JJ would be sitting court side if they were about to trade him.

Worst case scenario Rudy Gobert. Best case scenario is a taller Giannis.

A lot of people think the league requested JVG's dismissal because he took shots at the refs and wasn't scared to criticize the league.

Wemby's offense is going to take time. He length will be impactful on defense right away though.

They fired funny, interesting, insightful Jeff Van Gundy, but kept boring as watching paint dry Doris Burke.

Seriously, this is a salary dump. Salary matching vets and a draft pick. There you go.

He's a supermax. He's under contract for the next 5 years! That is a huge commitment going forward. What if AJ or JJ has to get paid? We would have very little financial flexibility. The new CBA is doing more than taxing the big spending teams, it's limiting MLE's, limiting acquiring players on the buyout market, limiting the types of trades you can make, basically if you go above that second apron you have no maneuverability.

KAT's contract is a non starter. Once a guy in late 20's starts having chronic injuries it never stops. Look at Kawhi and PG. And this is a hard cap league now. Having 1/3 of your cap tied up in a chronically injured player could be a death knell. It's too risky.

Others might enjoy fights of fancy. I enjoy getting it right.

Did you read the numerous posts yesterday? Everyone was spiking the football yet we haven't crossed the goal line. We might be nowhere near the goal line.

That's fair, but nevertheless, his contract is an enormous risk. Considering the punitive nature of the new CBA, for me it's a non starter.

I'm not indicting anyone. But this ain't my first rodeo. No way a KAT trade was occurring without national media, or beat writers catching wind of it. Lo and behold, no KAT trade. We do this every summer and posters continue to be remarkably credulous.

We aren't taking KAT's supermax contract. We aren't paying him 35% of our cap. The new CBA is extremely punitive to big spenders. He could easily end up having one of the worst contracts in the NBA if he continues down his road of injuries and declining play.

No, there probably won't be a trade. And everyone will just pretend the whole insider KAT thing never happened. I've been on the Squawk for many years, this is how it works.

As I correctly predicted, a KAT trade is/ was not imminent. Probably won't happen at all.

Yea, he is under contact. A supermax that pays him 50 million plus annually. That gives him leverage, fair or not.

You already added him to your avatar? Kinda jumping the gun there aren't you?

Well that's the thing, It's hard to trade a star unless they want to be traded. Their agents can easily kill the teams leverage, just as Siakam has done, by declaring he wont sign an extension. Or they stating they will only accept such and such a role with the new team, etc. If KAT tells Trae Young he's not interested in coming to Atlanta, then guess what, that trade is dead. That's just how it goes.

Yea, but you can only be so quiet, because the receiving team has to get the blessing of the star they are trading for. They have to make sure they on board. The Hawks aren't paying KAT 50 million a year unless they are sure he wants to be here and he's all in. Stars have unique leverage in that way, and if KAT is traded, he will be well aware of it beforehand.

It's very rare that blockbuster trades come out of nowhere in today's NBA. I cant think of any recent examples of one. Everyone knew Beal was getting traded, same for Durant and Irving last season. Lillard is also a fait accompli that will get done at some point. Young guys, and role players can get traded any time without warning. But for star players, that's just not how it works in the NBA.

No not really. Agents and executives often leak things to gain leverage or to prepare fan bases.

Not trying to be debbie downer, but if a KAT trade was imminent, there would be some inkling in the media. I'll own up to it if I'm wrong, but I'm highly skeptical we are on the precipice of a KAT trade.