There is a certain type of logic that only exists in the front offices of professional basketball teams and maybe in the back of an auto body shop on Lawrence Avenue. It is the logic of the future. According to Michael Grange, an anonymous NBA executive recently suggested he would not trade Scottie Barnes for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The reasoning is that Giannis is thirty one and looking for a massive extension, while Scottie is twenty four and locked in for four years. The executive basically asked if Giannis will be better than Scottie over that specific window. They said they did not know the answer to that. I usually do not know the answer to things either, like where I left my keys or why we ever traded for Hedo Turkoglu.
The Math of Getting Older
Giannis is incredible, but he is entering that phase of a career where every fall looks a little more painful. You start thinking about your knees more than your vertical leap. We are at a point where a two time MVP is being weighed against the potential of a guy who really enjoys looking away before he passes the ball.
Scottie is 24 now, which is a good age to be. You still have all your cartilage and you do not get a hangover from eating a medium pizza at ten at night. The league looks at Scottie and sees a decade of possibilities. They look at Giannis and see a very expensive, very talented ticking clock.
Trade Schemes and Missing Bigs
While everyone is debating the value of superstars, the Sacramento Kings are dealing with terrestrial problems. Domantas Sabonis is listed as out for injury management tonight. People on the internet like to make of this what they will, which usually involves a lot of squinting at trade machines.
Speaking of trade machines, someone updated a new scheme involving the Raptors. It is that time of year where everyone becomes an amateur accountant. It is a stressful hobby. My uncle used to do the same thing with Canadian Tire coupons, trying to see how much we could get off a new garden hose.
The Search for the Third Guard
There is also talk about finding a third point guard to help out Immanuel Quickley and Jamal Shead. It is a respectable pursuit. You can never have too many people who know how to dribble without looking at their feet.
It feels like the team is trying to fill a hole that we have been staring at for a while. Usually, we just fill those holes with more wing players who are six foot nine. Having a third guard would be a nice change of pace, like finding a twenty dollar bill in a coat you have not worn since the bubble season.
Success and Other Mysteries
Scottie Barnes recently went on ESPN to detail the team's success this season. It is good to see him getting airtime. He talks about basketball with a level of enthusiasm that I haven't felt since they stopped making those specific spicy chicken wraps at the cafeteria.
The Raptors are in a strange place where people are actually comparing our franchise player to the Greek Freak. It makes me feel a bit dizzy. Maybe the anonymous executive is right, or maybe we are all just overthinking the concept of time. Eventually, we all stop being twenty four, and the extension comes due for everyone.