Credit needs to be given to the Milwaukee Bucks today.
Facing the start of what could be Giannis Antetokounmpo last season in Wisconsin, the Bucks made two major deals yesterday that keep them in contention for the 2021 NBA Championship and, maybe more importantly in Dairy Land, in contention to sign the two-time reigning NBA MVP for the next several years.
On the first day of the new league year, the Bucks made separate deals for guard Jrue Holiday and forward Bogdan Bogdanovic. These acquisitions should solidify the Bucks contender status in 2021 and also help encourage Antetokounmpo to sign the 5-year/$220-million "supermax" contract extension that he is eligible for right now.
Holiday cost the Bucks about the same what Anthony Davis cost the Lakers to acquire last off-season. The Bucks send Eric Bledsoe and George Hill to the Pelicans along with first round picks in 2020, 2025, and 2027 and the right to swap first round picks with the Bucks in 2024 and 2026. It is a steep price to pay for sure, but Holiday should upgrade the point guard position in Milwaukee from the Bledsoe-Hill combo. That alone could be enough to win the Bucks a championship.
However, they were not done with adding Holiday. Late last night the Bucks sent Donte DiVincenzo, D.J. Wilson, and Ersan Ilyasova to the Kings in exchange for Bogdanovic and reserve guard Justin James.
The Bucks added one of the premiere defensive guards in Holiday, who is also a very good offensive player, and one of the game's better shooters in Bogdanovic.
These were decisive moves made with one eye on a championship and the other on retaining one of the game's best players in a small market, neither of which is an easy task. After watching the likes of LeBron James leave Cleveland (the first time), Kevin Durant leave Oklahoma City, and Anthony Davis leave New Orleans in search of bigger markets and championship glory, it is nice to see the Bucks making their best effort to win a championship and keep Antetokounmpo.
While there is no guarantee they'll be successful in achieving either goal, the Bucks certainly deserve credit today for going all in for Antetokounmpo.
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The Celtics, who were rumored to be part of the Holiday discussions, now move on to the future of Gordon Hayward.
Before addressing Hayward, I have to say how disappointing it will be to see him move on from Boston. Hayward's career in Boston was forever altered when he shattered his ankle in his debut game with the team back in 2017, robbing the Celtics of a multi-talented All-Star forward. It was not until the past season, which was also hindered by a broken hand and a sprained ankle, that Boston saw even a glimmer of the player that they signed as the biggest free agent in franchise history in 2017. Losing Hayward is a blow to this roster.
It will be Danny Ainge's job to get something of value in return for Hayward, who seems intent on leaving Boston by opting out of the final year of his contract (which is to pay him $34-million). It has been reported that Ainge offered Hayward and Boston's three first round picks in tomorrow's draft to New Orleans for Holiday. Today was originally the deadline for Hayward to make a decision on his player-option for the upcoming season but the two sides agreed to extend the deadline to Thursday afternoon. That gives Ainge and Hayward time to work out a deal to find Hayward a new team while Boston adds players and/or draft picks.
Hayward has been linked to the Pacers, Hawks, and Knicks so far this off-season so let's look at how that could work for Boston.
Hayward could be packaged with the Celtics three first round picks to go to Indiana with a package built around Myles Turner going back to Boston. The Pacers would likely need to add guard Jeremy Lamb or forward Doug McDermott to make the money work. Hayward is a favorite son in Indiana and this could be his desired destination.
The Hawks have the sixth pick in tomorrow's draft and a desire to add veterans to their existing roster. Boston could pull off a sign-and-trade of Hayward to Atlanta, along with their three first round picks, in order to acquire the sixth pick and a player such as Dewayne Dedmon. The Celtics could then use the sixth pick to get a big man (USC's Onyeka Okongwu), a wing (Auburn's Isaac Okoro or Dayton's Obi Toppin), or a ball handler (Iowa State's Tyrese Haliburton or French prospect Killian Hayes) to add to their young core of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
I cannot work out a trade from the Knicks, other than New York doing a salary dump out of their glut of big men, that makes sense with Hayward. The Knicks do hold the eighth pick so maybe Ainge would be willing to take on some expiring deals to turn Hayward into that pick.
Here's one improbable long shot. James Harden wants out of Houston. Russell Westbrook also wants out, with Charlotte a rumored favorite to land him. The Bulls supposedly want Kemba Walker from the Celtics. Boston wants to get something in return for Hayward. What about this four-team mega-deal?
Boston takes on Harden and Zach Lavine, Charlotte picks up Westbrook, Chicago adds Walker and the #26 and #30 picks from the Celtics, while Houston gets Hayward, Nicolas Batum, Cody Zeller, Cristiano Felicio, the #3 pick from the Hornets, the #4 pick from the Bulls and the #14 pick from the Celtics (as well as future picks from Boston) to begin their rebuild. Houston would also have the expiring deals of Batum, Zeller, and Felicio to use to acquire other assets later in the year.
I actually do not want Harden in Boston, as his style of play is not what I believe wins championships and I'd worry about how Harden's ball dominance would stunt the development of Tatum and Brown. However, a foursome of Harden, Tatum, Brown, and Lavine would be awfully hard to cover and could produce a lethal offense that separates the Celtics from Milwaukee, Miami, and Toronto in the East.
My guess is that Hayward is the property of the Pacers before the Draft tomorrow.
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Theo Epstein leaving the Cubs is big news.
While the dream of Epstein returning to run the Red Sox is as likely to come true as that four-team NBA trade I just proposed, the location of his next job does need to be discussed.
Epstein, the architect of the 2004 and 2007 Red Sox World Series winners as well as the 2016 Cubs World Series winner, said he was looking forward to a season away from the park in a letter he sent to friends. However, that doesn't guarantee he would sit out 2021 or that he would not be in play for a job after the 2021 season.
The Mets, recently purchased by Steve Cohen, are at the top of the rumors. Cohen has pledged to provide the financial resources to make the Mets a contender. Epstein would be a wise choice for Cohen to trust with his ATM card.
Boston is likely to be mentioned as well, but I do not see Epstein returning to Massachusetts unless he's running for the U.S. Senate someday. Chaim Bloom is running the baseball operations and Sam Kennedy, Theo's buddy from their days at Brookline High School, is the Team President.
I also wonder if a potential longshot could be the Angels. Joe Maddon, who Epstein brought to the Cubs before 2016 to lead the Cubs to the World Series, is in place as manager and building the team to get Mike Trout into the World Series would be the icing on Theo's Hall of Fame resume.
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Yes, that is the Patriots looming on the fringes of the AFC playoff picture.
No, they will not make the playoffs.
While this team is trending in the right direction, there are too many AFC teams to pass to sneak in to the playoffs.
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Enjoy the NBA rumors and Woj Bombs!
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