Well folks, here we are. The awkward, smelly kid in the far corner of the dance that no one wants to talk to. Not even the chaperones.
The small market jerks with the asshole owner no one wants to deal with. The city no WAG can thrive in with a coach who's system would neuter even Ovi. And to top it off, a GM so far up(?) the spectrum he mortgaged the farm for a 12 game rental that he's about to sheepishly return + late fees.
...
Or
...
I've got a theory!
Say you're ET, and 2 weeks before the trade deadline, you offer your shiny, new trade piece your best offer. He says he needs some time to decide.
You can't offer him more money, because Daddy Dundon sets his price and won't pay a cent over. The agent doesn't even bother sending a counter offer because they know how stubborn Tom is. Everyone on the interwebs is making fun of you!
What do you do?
You field offers from around the league. You even let them negotiate an extension beforehand, so they don't end up in the same boat you are.
Oh, you're not gonna trade him. He was always gonna be a part of this cup run!
But, now you have a lot more data to work with. Mikko gets an idea what his FA market would look like. All those small details that the agents wouldnt even bother discussing with you? Toronto's GM hammered all those out for you.
And, most importantly, you can go back to Dundon and tell him, "Dallas is willing to give up 10m barrels of oil, 12 tons of smoked brisket, both of Cotton Hill's shins and pay $xx,xxx,xxx more than you. Maybe, he's more valuable than you think..."
And, now you have 3 months to focus on winning a championship. And, if he can etch his name on that cup again, he'll probably sign that dotted line, too!
TL:DR
