Not too long ago, the Los Angeles Lakers completed a sign-and-trade deal with the Utah Jazz that set the bar for similar deals this summer.
Utah acquired two first-round picks and two first-round swaps as they parted ways with Walker Kessler, while LA mortgaged their four-year future to secure a long-term running mate for Luka Doncic, the creme de la creme of pick-and-roll operators.
While I'd still lean towards criticizing the deal for the Lakers, at least it solves a tangible problem for a team desperately in need of proving they can provide Doncic with a contending supporting cast. The same cannot be said for the Hawks, whose target is asking the exact same haul as the Jazz.
Denver's stinginess should be met with apprehension, not acceptance
The Denver Nuggets are allegedly asking the exact same price that the Jazz received for Walker Kessler. While they've exhibited a preference to match offers for Watson, a sign-and-trade is also on the table.
Peyton Watson broke out as a legitimate tertiary two-way scoring option for the Nuggets during the middle of last season, while Nikola Jokic took his longest leave from the sport due to injury in many years.
Without Jokic, the Nuggets should've careened down the standings - instead, Watson helped to buoy them to securing homecourt advantage and the third-seed in a bloated Western Conference.
The only problem? Watson is now worth significantly more money for his impending extension.
Thanks to Christian Braun, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, and Nikola Jokic consuming a great deal of their cap room, all roads appear to lead to a deal to another squad rather than an extension at home.
With all of this frozen cap room and aging stars, one has to wonder - how much longer does Denver truly have to win another title?
Will the Nuggets blow it up sooner rather than later?
The Nugget's first-round elimination against their bitter rivals, the Minnesota Timberwolves, seems like the penultimate straw that broke the camel's back.
While Denver isn't quite at a stage where they'd be comfortable destroying the roster that secured them the 2023 NBA Title around Nikola Jokic, I imagine they're close. Their entire core is aging - Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic especially. How many more years do this trio have before it's too late?
Perhaps the most fatal flaw that NBA teams exhibit is clinging onto a false title-contending team. While the idea of securing another championship with Jokic can never truly be eliminated thanks to his greatness, what are the odds?
Every year, they slim down, and I'd argue the Nuggets would be best off blowing it up now (or at least, a year from now) before their return shrinks exponentially.
Therefore, all the Hawks have to do is be patient. Wait it out. In two years, Denver might be willing to part ways with Nikola Jokic himself for a similar asking price that they're demanding for Peyton Watson today.
Remember, Jokic has praised Hawks' budding star Jalen Johnson for his unique, high-level play - would it be ridiculous to see Jokic in an Atlanta uniform before his career is over?
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