Thread titles like this is why I don't bother posting much over here.
One more time
1. Nobody is looking for a max deal. But if BI and his team want 45, they aren't going to accept 40. Or even 43. They have no reason to move off their number at this moment. None of those numbers are MAX.
2. The straight up trade pool is further reduced because the Pelicans specifically need a center. Everybody knows this at this point. So now you're having in involve multiple teams in the trade. Most of whom are set with what they want at this point.
If BI were in the 3rd year of his deal and the pelicans weren't specifically in the center market, this would have been done weeks ago. I also do not believe Griff is going to trot out a small backcourt of CJ and Dejounte. So either CJ is also being traded or he's about to accept a bench role.