The bottom line is that the Nets probably wouldn’t give up much for him at this time, certainly nothing that would make it worth our while to trade him.

It doesn’t make any sense for the Nets (or any bottom feeding team) to trade for KAT today. The only sort of team that would be interested is a good team with a big hole at center

But what about Orlando… they have 7 firsts the next 6 years. Would they, a very weak 3 ball shooting team with one of the worst centers in the NBA be interested in sending say 3 picks and 2 swaps to Milwaukee along with only filler?

Maybe Memphis, who could certainly move up from 9th in the west by swapping out Zach Eddy for KAT and moving JJJ permanently back to the 4 might be willing to swap a bunch of picks to Milwaukee for flotsam and jetsam.

I believe the idea you couldn’t get a bunch of picks for a guy that puts up 23/12 with 40% deep shooting for just filler from the right team is not true.

still my point that Leon shouldn’t care what KAT thinks still stands

That’s a fine point, but has nothing to do with what I’m saying. The question is, why would we max KAT? The answer normally would be, to keep him from signing with another team. But the only team with cap space will be the Nets (again, unless another team makes some moves). I am saying that KAT won’t want to sign with the Nets – nothing about trades. And that gives us enough leverage to think that we may be able to keep him for a lesser commitment, because there won’t be real competition. (In the same way that Randle ultimately had to take a tram-friendly salary.)

Right now his deal sucks, but that may not be the case with the next contract.

Note that I do not think the pieces are fitting together quite right yet, or that we’re firing on all cylinders. KAT going for two points game before last is a perfect example (WTF was that anyway?). But the potential for this team is enormous, and Brown so far looks better at figuring out ways to unlock it (put the pieces together correctly…).

“One of the things I keep thinking as I read through all the armchair GM trade ideas is just how weirdly but almost perfectly constructed this team is, even with KAT, and to some extent because of him.”

Raven, I agree in general. We should definitely celebrate that for this year we are a legit championship contender! And it’s precisely because of the fit that you allude to. But even if the players do complement one another in most of the most important ways, and even if whatever is missing in one area is largely made up for in another area, I think we are all in agreement that it most probably isn’t enough, except if we have a whole bunch of luck.

We can debate how close we are, and what is missing, but does it really feel like we are all that much closer than we were last year because we are significantly better and/or we have a better coach? Or is more due to the window being thrown open mainly due to Indy and Boston being in transition?

It’s all a bit misfit toys, at least individually, but they all seem to fit together in a way that makes sense.

And yet, they didn’t last year. I guess moving on from Thibs was the correct call.