is the cut and paste stuff really necessary…so much work…

may stay for the Mets game manana…

Oh Bob. I was just looking for an interesting comparison with some dude that played in the 1970s. You’re welcome to argue for or against Sabonis in a trade. My point is, that wasn’t my point. Glad it’s yours, though. So you know, have at it.

Oh, Raven! That “some dude” (Dave D) was a HOF “some player from the 70’s.” The question you asked which I responded to was:

So Bob, who’s Dave D today?

And I responded in good faith Jalen Johnson, JJJ and Sabonis. Your point/question was, what players would be today’s Dave D analog in the Bellamy trade that launched the championship runs of the 70s. Those three players might be of lower stature in the publics eye that KAT, but might be more conducive to championship basketball due to their more diverse games/BB IQ/ fit with Brunson, et al.

But you did ask my opinion directly who might be analogous to the Bellamy/Dave D trade.

Oh right, you did already. Never mind.

Oh never mind. Have at it.

There’s no “have at it”. It is an opinion that is supported by some surprising data. Others are free to disagree. But if you disagree, make a reasonable argument that Sabonis at 11M /year less with a broader skillset isn’t a better fit than what we saw this past season.

I thought that Jalen Johnson, JJJ and Sabonis were better fits than trading KAT for Nick Claxon and 2 picks who would play 4 and 6 years in the future.

The next time a team with Sabonis on it wins a playoff series will be the first time.

Yeah…. Sabonis’ fault! starting with Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray and Harrison Barnes, imagine that they couldn’t beat GSW who won the NBA title the year before.

Oh never mind. Have at it.

I don’t really see what Sabonis adds that KAT doesn’t already give us beyond his passing, which is less important on a Brunson-led team, and KAT is the better shooter. Feels like it’d be a lateral move at best and his contract is also not really that much cheaper than KAT’s.

#1… Sabonis is a far better manipulator and scorer in the post. If anyone tried defending Sabonis with 6-6 forwards, he would have forced them out of that defense (which killed the Knicks the last 50 games of the season) by eating them alive in the post with his footwork and agility for his size in the post. He is also as mentioned a far better passer than KAT and a better screener.

You say KAT is a better shooter (which is true from 3 and the FT line) but Sabonis shot 38%, 39% and 42% from 3 the past 3 seasons and out shot KAT in TS%, FG%, eFG% this season.

Broader metrics like OBPM, DBPM, BPM and VORP strongly favor Sabonis over the past 3 years and Sabonis outrebounded KAT last season. Did I mention Sabonis was 7th in MVP voting in 23 and 8th in MVP voting in 24? KAT never garnered a single MVP vote in his career.

I just think Sabonis has a more diverse game and he also makes 11 million a year less than KAT the next 3 seasons.

Can a team with KAT as a 2nd best player and loaded with elite 3&D wings win the Eastern Conference?

I say, yes. Why are we even thinking about trading him? Think its silly.

Because we were bored and were talking about the future, not this upcoming season.

Because it’s still unclear you can win a title with KAT at the 5.

And because we are definitely not “loaded with elite 3&D wings” (we have one).