Another tough decision
You’ve come this far without having to tell anyone to pack their belongings and continue chasing their dream somewhere else. You’ve rewarded two players already but now you’ve reached the unavoidable, business part of the stage. You must decide who to cut or trade to another team to clear an additional roster spot for your two new additions.
Not only are you losing time but you’re losing trade leverage, too. Some teams are willing to make a deal but many know you’re working under a clock that’s soon to expire, thus forcing your hand.
Cutting a player with a guaranteed salary means you’re paying them to not play for you or, worse, play for somebody else (like David Justice with the Oakland Athletics in Moneyball). The goal, then, is to make a trade.
With no leverage, making a trade will be difficult. But at least one player has to leave. If a team has the cap space to take on one player with a pick swap or getting multiple draft picks, great. If not, it has to be a 2-for-1 deal to clear the additional roster spot.
There are two types of trades you can make – a minor one to accomplish your goal or a big splash that dramatically shapes your team.
If you choose to pursue a minor trade in favor of team chemistry, click here.
If you choose to make a big splash and immediately go all-in on winning, click here.