[外絮] 快艇與PG(及勇士)的協商如何改變了快艇

https://reurl.cc/A2oe13

懶得全翻 所以就抓重點節錄

The Clippers felt as if they were one of the first teams forced to react to
the new CBA second apron sanctions. Luxury tax-paying teams such as the
Clippers and the Golden State Warriors face additional penalties beyond just
increasing tax bills if they go into the second apron. Being that deep into
the tax can cost teams access to the $5 million taxpayer midlevel exception,
the ability to aggregate salaries in trades and even potentially freeze
first-round picks seven years out and move a first-round pick to the end of
the first round.

快艇感覺他們是第一批被迫得應付新的CBA第二層硬上限的球隊之一。如快艇與勇士的豪華稅球隊去年面臨更多除了豪華稅以外的懲罰。他們不能使用5M的付稅中產、失去湊薪資的能力以及更可能要面對7年後的首輪被凍結還被強制排至最後一順位的懲罰。

(給那些覺得是付錢就能解決的人看的lol)

The Suns blazed past the second apron, becoming the first $400 million team
in salaries and projected tax, but they have a star in his prime in Devin
Booker. With three aging stars, Ballmer had to come to grips with the fact hecouldn't build around or beyond the trio because of the second apron.

太陽依然衝破了第二層硬上限，成為了NBA史上第一之400M球隊(包含豪華稅)，但他們的球星Devin Booker還在顛峰。Ballmer必須接受因為第二層硬上限帶著三名高齡球星的快艇不再能圍繞這三巨頭建隊的事實。

...

反正就是PG之前的東西 PG要NTC或4年頂薪 快艇只願意給3年普通合約

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"We wanted Paul back," Ballmer said. "We made him a big offer. We really
wanted him here. We just wanted to not put ourselves in a position where we
can't consistently be good. We offered them the max for three years and
Philly offered them the max for four years. OK, I get it. But in terms of ourtrajectory and staying really good, it was really going to be an issue for us.

"The truth is, with Paul not coming back, we were able to upgrade our team.
We don't [sign] Derrick Jones Jr. if Paul comes back. We don't [sign] Kris
Dunn, [or have] our new defensive identity. Might not have [signed] Kevin
Porter Jr., Nico [Batum]. ... You could say, well, they're not Paul George.
No, they're not Paul George."

Ballmer:「我們想要Paul回來(PG)。我們給了高額的合約。我們真的希望他在這裡。但我們不想讓自己落到沒辦法一直保持是支好球隊的下場。我們給了他3年頂薪而費城給了他4年。OK，我能理解。但就我們的發展路徑和持續保持高水準而言，這確實會成為我們的一個問題。

事實是，Paul確定不回來後，我們還是找到方法升級了我們的球隊。如果Paul回來我們將不能簽Derrick Jones Jr.;我們不能簽Kris Dunn來建立我們的防守身分。我們不能簽
Kevin Porter Jr.(這個好像不影響就是),Nico Batum...但是即使如此你還是可以說他們不是Paul George。不，他們的確不是Paul George。」

...
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The Clippers felt that if they had kept all three stars, the CBA would've puta stranglehold on their ability to add players who could do some of the
necessary lifting around the trio, especially as Leonard and George aged.
Being a second apron team could also cost the Clippers a first-round pick,
something they need for any potential trade for a star in the future.

快艇認為如果他們留下全部3個球星，CBA將會嚴重限制他們可以取得任何可以幫助這三巨頭升級的球員，尤其是在Leonard與George都變老的情況下。快艇繼續維持在第二層硬上限以上的話會讓快艇在失去一個首輪，而他們需要這個才可能在未來再交易來一個球星。

"Once your pick becomes frozen, [and] if you're in the second apron for
multiple years, you're really f---ed," Lawrence Frank, president of
basketball operations, told ESPN. "You're in a situation where you never havecap space and you never have your midlevel exception and you're just strictlydealing with minimums and trades. Our goal is we want to be a sustainable
contender."

Lawrence Frank說:「如果你在第二層硬上限以上而讓你的選秀權被凍結，那是真的糟透了。你將會落入你永遠不會有薪資空間也不會有中產特例的情況，你將只能簽底薪與做限制重重的交易。我們的目標是要當一隻永續的強隊。」

The Warriors and Clippers engaged in talks about a potential George opt-in
for the final year of his contract worth $48.7 million and then a trade. The
Clippers were willing to make a deal with their division rival, according to
sources, but were looking for something of value to help restock their asset
cupboard if they were going to take back an undesirable contract and be in
the second apron.

勇士與快艇曾經談過George執行48.7M選擇權後交易的可能性。快艇其實願意將PG交易給他們的同區勁敵，但快艇想要取得一些東西來幫助他們重新補充他們的資產因為交易後他們將會拿回他們不想要的合約而依然在第二層硬上限以上。

(與金塊的交易討論也是一樣的情形)

Swapping George for Andrew Wiggins, who has three years and $85 million left
on a four-year, $109 million deal, plus other salaries to make the math work,would have been acceptable only if the Clippers received a young player such
as Jonathan Kuminga or Brandin Podziemski and a pick or two.

用George換來4年109M合約還有三年85M的Andrew Wiggins，加上一些其他薪水來平衡交易，快艇會接受這個方案，但前提是能得到像Jonathan Kuminga或Brandin Podziemski這樣的年輕球員以及一兩個選秀權。

Draymond Green said on his "Draymond Green Show" podcast earlier this summer
that George wanted to join the Warriors and that he was surprised the
Clippers would not at least take something back instead of letting George
walk for nothing.

Draymond Green在他的個人Podcast上曾經說過George想要加入勇士但他很驚訝快艇寧可讓PG變成空氣也不要多少回收一些東西回來。

But league sources say Kuminga's name never seriously came up in talks of anysignificance and the Clippers felt they weren't getting enough positive
assets to move forward in this new second apron world.

然而Kuminga從未被勇士放在任何討論之中且快艇也不認為他們能拿回足夠的正資產來讓他們願意接受新賽季得繼續維持在新的第二層硬上限以上。

"Nothing," a league source told ESPN, "is better than something."

一名聯盟內線告訴ESPN:"這情況下空氣比拿回一點點東西好多了。"

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心得:

反正就是 因為第二層硬上限的緣故 變成空氣都比收勇士(或是金塊)的包裹好

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