Re: "lowering his trade value"..

If we do wind up keeping (read that getting stuck with) hym, his contract likely gets deflated.

Meantime, the "We just might keep him" ploy is just that - a ploy to get what we can in trade instead of dumping him in a fire sale.

He's damaged goods and has outlived his usefulness, unfortunately. I had high hopes untiol his narcissism surfaced.