Based on the information I gathered listening to a few podcasts tonight, I think the "better trade two days ago" Vlade was referring could have been Fournier and Vucevic from ORL. It sounded like Boogie's agent sabotaged the deal by telling ORL his client would not sign extension. The reason of course was the higher payday by staying with SAC under the hometown rule, which would earn agent more commission. Here's my problem: Vlade should have anticipated this. Does he not realize these parties have agendas and are going to act in their best interest? That this is not personal. This is business. Vlade needed to get out ahead of this by conveying to other teams Boogie rewards loyalty and love, and the acquiring team would have sufficient time (15 months) to show him this appreciation. Additionally taxes are favorable in FL vs CA.
Vlade should not have required or expected cooperation from an agent looking for the financial interest of himself and client. But he was in over his head who botched this with impulsiveness and panic. What he didn't seem to realize is he held the cards. He controlled the desirable asset. He didn't have whole league knocking down his door, but enough to negotiate from a position of strength, not weakness. Vlade was weak at the press conference. He exuded weakness. He sounded defeated. You cannot get what you want from this posture. Why for example did Vlade not insist on NOP taking Barnes off our books or find third team to absorb his salary? A GM worth his salt who does this saves his owners $8M and more importantly creates cap space going forward. And why did he presume the offers would get worse over time, between Sunday and this Thursday? Dell Demps and Alvin Gentry are on the hot seat. They are on outside of the playoffs looking in with a crappy patchwork roster. You don't think their desperation and self-preservation would have kicked in closer to the deadline to up the ante and create the Most Talented Twin Towers the NBA has ever seen?!
I think Jeannie Buss cleaned house in Laker Land partially because their front office was NOT aggressive enough in going after Boogie. She was probably furious Buss and Kupchak sat on their hands when Boogie was being pawned off for pennies on the dollar. SAC would have traded Boogie to LA for Ingram and Clarkson. If I am the Lakers I make that trade. LAL needs a superstar and Boogie would put butts in seats and be receptive to being Laker long term. As painful as would be for Kings fans, if it meant Ingram and Clarkson over the poo-poo platter we accepted, you make this deal. But Vlade did a terrible job of pitting teams against one and another, testing their mettle, affording teams opportunity to outbid each other, exploiting pending deadline to squeeze every last asset out of a trade partner. Its Negotiating 101 and our GM has no instinct or acquired skill on how to play poker and give these front office vultures a taste of their own medicine.
If you want more basis to feel disconcerted over way this dreary scenario played out, on Woj podcast it was asserted this deal was unlikely to have gone down if All-Star game was not held in New Orleans. Apparently Vlade is not too fond of conversing by phone. He is difficult to get ahold of, having Catanella take incoming. It was face-to-face meeting with NOP brass that facilitated this deal going down. Ponder that for a moment Kings fans.... Trading the most dominant big in NBA was a matter of convenience! In other words if All-Star game were in Chicago, Boogie could be a Bull! If SAC becomes good with the current decision makers in place, feigning insight and authority, it will be due to luck, not preparation or prudence. Having pulled off one of the worst trades in NBA history, the writing is on the wall. Vlade sucks at his job and only good fortune and Basketball Gods shining down on G1C can save us now. I look forward to Ben, Willie and Buddy getting their touches, strutting their stuff, proving their careers are more than footnotes, formidable in 2017-18. I also think we can hope for a prospect or pick for Collison within 48 hours to give dejected fans ray of hope, and set up the team up for brighter days ahead. Assuming, of course, Vlade can inconvenience himself to make the call.
Vlade should not have required or expected cooperation from an agent looking for the financial interest of himself and client. But he was in over his head who botched this with impulsiveness and panic. What he didn't seem to realize is he held the cards. He controlled the desirable asset. He didn't have whole league knocking down his door, but enough to negotiate from a position of strength, not weakness. Vlade was weak at the press conference. He exuded weakness. He sounded defeated. You cannot get what you want from this posture. Why for example did Vlade not insist on NOP taking Barnes off our books or find third team to absorb his salary? A GM worth his salt who does this saves his owners $8M and more importantly creates cap space going forward. And why did he presume the offers would get worse over time, between Sunday and this Thursday? Dell Demps and Alvin Gentry are on the hot seat. They are on outside of the playoffs looking in with a crappy patchwork roster. You don't think their desperation and self-preservation would have kicked in closer to the deadline to up the ante and create the Most Talented Twin Towers the NBA has ever seen?!
I think Jeannie Buss cleaned house in Laker Land partially because their front office was NOT aggressive enough in going after Boogie. She was probably furious Buss and Kupchak sat on their hands when Boogie was being pawned off for pennies on the dollar. SAC would have traded Boogie to LA for Ingram and Clarkson. If I am the Lakers I make that trade. LAL needs a superstar and Boogie would put butts in seats and be receptive to being Laker long term. As painful as would be for Kings fans, if it meant Ingram and Clarkson over the poo-poo platter we accepted, you make this deal. But Vlade did a terrible job of pitting teams against one and another, testing their mettle, affording teams opportunity to outbid each other, exploiting pending deadline to squeeze every last asset out of a trade partner. Its Negotiating 101 and our GM has no instinct or acquired skill on how to play poker and give these front office vultures a taste of their own medicine.
If you want more basis to feel disconcerted over way this dreary scenario played out, on Woj podcast it was asserted this deal was unlikely to have gone down if All-Star game was not held in New Orleans. Apparently Vlade is not too fond of conversing by phone. He is difficult to get ahold of, having Catanella take incoming. It was face-to-face meeting with NOP brass that facilitated this deal going down. Ponder that for a moment Kings fans.... Trading the most dominant big in NBA was a matter of convenience! In other words if All-Star game were in Chicago, Boogie could be a Bull! If SAC becomes good with the current decision makers in place, feigning insight and authority, it will be due to luck, not preparation or prudence. Having pulled off one of the worst trades in NBA history, the writing is on the wall. Vlade sucks at his job and only good fortune and Basketball Gods shining down on G1C can save us now. I look forward to Ben, Willie and Buddy getting their touches, strutting their stuff, proving their careers are more than footnotes, formidable in 2017-18. I also think we can hope for a prospect or pick for Collison within 48 hours to give dejected fans ray of hope, and set up the team up for brighter days ahead. Assuming, of course, Vlade can inconvenience himself to make the call.
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