Quote:
Originally Posted by Fyrestorm3
Now, in real life, the "trading block" is generally just a bunch of rumors and hearsay anyway, but that's hard to model in OOTP.
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Yea, I think this is the crux of the matter. How should the game model this?
As it stands now, the trading block is overwhelmingly populated with guys that are useless... that nobody would ever want.. well, at least in my most recent experiences with v12 thru v14. Once in a blue moon, you might find a decent rental bench guy if you have the cash to pay off the remainder of the final year of his bloated contract... but that's about it.
I think maybe it should sway a bit more towards "we're taking calls on this guy" type of a thing. I personally don't necessarily think that leverage really plays into things... Whether you tell nobody or take out full page ads in Sports Illustrated, you still hold his contract and can simply retain the player... What other leverage do you need? Either another team(s) wants him or they don't. Now I can understand the morale system playing a role in how eager a team is to move a player... and having that play into potentially accepting below market value... But I don't think that the trade block should be the equivalent of a fire sale... where everything must go and teams already bought the bus ticket as soon as they see your number on the Caller ID.
I would like to see the trade block used in conjunction with the trade deadline for rebuilding teams looking to unload upcoming FAs that they cannot / will not resign. But the AI doesn't seem to have any long term vision, it's a series of individual decisions as far as I can tell. If things could get to a place where obvious rentals were advertised as such, and then the entire league could see this and make offers.. Well, it could work much like free agency... "We like your offer, but San Fran is really stepping to the plate... Maybe if you include Prospect X then we'll do this deal...". It would be tricky to balance this so it only effects certain deals around the deadline... But as of now, the trade block is pretty much pointless.