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Andre Iguodala is gone. Jrue Holiday is gone. Andrew Bynum never existed. Damien Wilkins is the antichrist. Dorell Wright and Nick Young are gone. Lou Williams is gone. Kenny Thomas is gone but maybe still under contract.
That leaves the three remaining useful veterans -- Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, and Spencer Hawes, all 25 years old -- and it's not any guarantee all or even one of them will remain after this season. Hawes will be an unrestricted free agent, Evan has Qualifying Offer of $8.72M on deck which, should it be declined, makes him a restricted free agent, and Thad's got two years after this one at a shade under $10M per.
Under Sam Hinkie, no one is safe (there's even rumors of sending me to Brew Hoop), so the LB crew takes our best stab and who makes it the whole year without being moved.
Who Remains? | |
Hofmann | Thad |
Steidel | Spencer |
Fischer | Thad/Spencer |
Pavorsky | Spencer |
Baumann | Thad |
Gowton | Thad |
Burton | Thad/Evan |
Rueter | Thad |
O'Connor | Evan |
Justin | NONE |
Levin | Thad/Evan |
TRADING EVAN/SPENCER:
Gowton: "Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes are traded to Siberia."
Baumann: "Hinkie's going to take the bulk of this season to see if one or both wind up improving their trade value, but both of them are going to be free agents after the season, so if the deadline rolls around and Hawes is only worth a second-rounder, then that's what he'll be traded for."
Justin: "None remain." DAYUM.
KEEPING THAD:
Hofmann: "A late first is not enough value for a player of his caliber."
Rueter: "He has a reasonable contract, never ages (He’s been 25 years old for like a decade now), and the front office thinks highly of him."
Burton: "While Thaddeus Young may be the most valuable asset on the roster, his contract (three years remaining at a total of roughly $27.5 million) makes it somewhat difficult to move him."
Steidel: "Hinkie will most likely do the shopping there but not with Thad. He'll be like the hot girl in high school who just sits back waiting for the quarterback to ask her to the prom. His dress is gold, match your tux accordingly."
ETCETERAS:
O'Connor: "Evan remains on the roster at the end of the season, then leaves as a free agent, while Thad and Spencer are traded away during the year. Hinkie goes to war with a scorched earth strategy."
Fischer: "At the end of the day, Sam Hinkie will keep Thad to be a building block to this young core and Spencer has more value as an expiring contract to roll off of the team's cap."
Pavorsky: "A fringe contender looking for a forward who can run the floor will part with their first round pick for Thad."
Just like the BareNaked Ladies told us: it's all about value. Sam won't trade anybody for less than he believes they're worth. I think Hinkie buys Thad as a crucial piece to a championship contender. Whether that's in Philly or elsewhere, Sam will insist on being compensated for him as such.
Evan just doesn't have the league-wide appeal. I imagine Sam will do his best to try to trade him, but the clock will run out and he'll decide the cap space is good enough. OR, alternative theory, he re-signs Evan under a small contract to come off the bench. Either way, I don't think he gets moved. Today I don't, at least.
And Spencer is just the easiest player and contract to find a home for. A big guy that can rebound a bit, shoot a bit, and down a mean margarita on a Sunday morning in Seatle -- all with an expiring contract? That's mighty appetizing to a contender down the stretch. Should be able to get a decent bit for him on a half-season rental.
Who do you think makes it? Will Hinkie tolerate being out-tanked by Phoenix?