You are assuming we would be willing to Tag him next year...............maybe we plan on Tagging ZMart or DLaw again and will let Irving walk?
So if the team has made the decision that Irving is going to be too expensive to sign next year, why not tender him at 2nd round value and hopes somebody bites? How is that being stupid?
It's not. Especially if you feel you might get a better offer to match this year than you would to sign him long term next year.
There is no way a round 2 tender is bad. No way in case of him either leaving or staying that it is bad.
Especially if you can free up 20M in cap space fairly easily rather than be bullied into losing him.
In a lot of ways it's like playing cards but you got the bigger stack. Let other dudes go all in, but you don't have to; all you gotta do is match.
