Landry Fields is the new GM at the Hawks at 33. Unfortunately this news brings me back to the summer of 2012 (we are almost at the 10 year anniversary) when then Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo (aka BC, aka collar boy, aka fortunate son), tried to play 4D chess in early Free Agency and failed miserably.
The Players in Colangelo's 4D Chess Game Gone Bad
a) Steve Nash - UFA last with Phoenix, still a solid player but on solid decline at 37 years old. Reportedly interested in two teams. Knicks and the Raptors.
b) Landry Fields - A Knicks RFA with 2 years in the league. Smart player, good D, but something has clearly went wrong in year 2 -- his 3pt% falls from 39% to 25%, and his FT% falls from 77% to 56%. Suns apparently like him a lot.
c) The Knicks - At 36-30 in 2012 with Melo and Stoudemire, seems like a mutual interest landing spot for Nash. They have no cap space but are looking at a sign and trade to obtain Nash.
d) The Raptors - At 23-43 in 2012, the Raptors shouldn't be going after Nash with their free cap space, but BC is willing to throw a large 3 year deal at him (more than others can offer)
e) The Suns - The Suns are moving on from Nash. Willing to do a sign and trade, apparently very very interested in Landry Fields in a sign and trade with the Knicks.
So its free agency day.
1. BC immediately makes a very rich RFA offer sheet to Landry Fields of 3/18million on day one of free agency which Fields happily and quickly accepts.
2. BC now thinks he has the Knicks in a pickle. While the Knicks can still match the Landry Fields offer sheet, they can no longer trade him or use him in a sign and trade for Nash. As a matched RFA he cannot be traded for an entire season. This essentially closes the door on any sign and trade potential between the Suns and Knicks, and closes the door on Nash going to the Knicks.
3. BC is ecstatic about this 4D chess move thinking this will lock up Nash. Reportedly he calls Nash to close the deal and Nash tells BC to go **** himself. Who would have guessed that Nash would be pissed at a GM taking his preferred option away from him?
4. Furious with the Raptors and BC, Nash ends up signing a deal with the Lakers who do a sign and trade with the Suns. He does not end up in either New York or Toronto.
5. Knicks do not match the rich offer sheet for Fields knowing something is wrong with him based on his significant decline in shooting in year 2.
6. Raps end up with Landry Fields, with no due diligence or medical check. Shortly after signing, they determine he has a degenerative elbow condition and essentially he can no longer take any jumpshots. In 107 games with the Raptors, he takes a total of 21 three point shots, hitting 2 of them.
At the end of the day the Raptors were better off not getting Nash which was a terrible BC target. But they still ended up with an overpaid and injured Landry Fields out of this. So bad - so BC.
www.si.com
