Two different trades for Turner to NOP, one involves ATL going to get Trey Murphy, the other doesn't.
NOP seems to want a floor spacing center to put with Zion/Queen and Turner is a solid combination of skill and affordability for them.
Open for debate on pick compensation but the structures seem solid to me.
Contract negotiations are going poorly for Kessler and the Jazz, we declined Kuminga, they resign Nurkic. Keyonte George will also have his inevitable extension kick in next offseason.
Is it really that crazy to think we are plotting a S&T for Kessler?
Everyone exchanges bad contracts
Suns: Use their bad contract to let Booker go back to playing SG, if they're gonna have bloated contracts at least let them fit
Griz: Get off the money a year earlier while opening the paint more for Boozer and Edey
Kings: Get a younger player as a flyer while Acuff develops while saving $12 mil against the cap
Anyways where do the inevitable 2nds exchanged go?
This is a trade structure I haven't seen yet that would match what's coming out.
Why it happens:
BOS: Split Brown into two players for better bang for your buck. Murphy fits like a glove in Boston's scheme and is free to bomb away from 3. Zion matches what Boston said at the end of season about improving their paint presence, he can replace the drive and kick game from Brown.
NOP: Get a bonafide number one option, you give up one extremely valuable piece and whatever you want to call Zion. JB is a top 15 player and those don't hit the market often. He would put butts in seats and having a star with a FMVP to his name to lead the team would be great for the young guys.
Anyways I had no clue what to do picks wise so feel free to share your input there.
Lmk why this makes sense or why this sucks.
3 potential Lamelo trades, Toronto and Minnesota have been heavily linked, and the Rockets are just a speculative wildcard.
If you asked me which team is most likely to land him, I would tell you Minnesota; if you asked what team should land him, I would say Houston.
Anyways which of these trade structures makes the most sense?
My analysis:
Hawks: Land 20 ppg play finisher at the 3 spot without giving up their ability to address their long term needs of guard and center, Dyson is hard to trade but the emergence of NAW and getting Murphy makes him slightly more expendable due to his playoff struggles.
Warriors: Land a star talent playfinisher to go all in on the last Curry years. If there is a way to make the money work with Butler instead of Draymond Moody Podz lmk because that is a better move for them, but Dyson must go to Utah.
Pelicans: 11 +23 for Murphy, fair value, and they are looking to trade him. Draymond probably gets bought out. They want Ament and have ammo to get him while keeping 23.
Jazz: Rebalance the roster, JJJ makes Lauri almost entirely expendable. Dyson fills their need for perimeter defense, can play 1-3 and opens space for Boozer if they draft him.
Anyways tell me why this stinks below:
I've been trying to figure out who we might want at 23 since I'm getting sick of the Flemings vs Mara debate, and it seems like FO is starting to zero in on Dailyn Swain with that 23rd pick.
How do we feel about that selection, whether it's at 23 or we move up a couple of slots? Personally, I would be a big fan, but I have to wonder what that means for whichever one we don't take of guard/center.
Note: I didn't want to project an entire Giannis trade; there have been enough of those on this sub. This post focuses on a subcomponent involving ATL as a facilitator, and looking to move up in this draft from 23
Why does it happen:
ATL: Primary reason to make this trade is the jump to 13, that slot is in the range for the top bigs in this draft, the guys I have earmarked for this trade are Mara and Morez. Both guys they trade away are valuable but probably more valuable somewhere else, ZR needs to get away from Snyder to develop, and Kuminga is redundant with Jalen Johnson. Wiggins fills in as a playable true 3 and can be resigned at a lower rate if he plays well and is a big expiring if not.
MIA/MIL: These are Miami assets, but since this is part of a Giannis trade, Milwaukee's reasoning must be used. This trade subdivides the value of their pick 13 into pick 23 and two different prospects. One has already shown flashes of success in playoff minutes, but is older, the other is coming off a bad 2nd year but had a great first year as a valuable archetype and will only be 21 to start the season. Their upcoming rebuild gives them space to let these guys get some run, and they are betting that at least one of the guys breaks out. Wiggins is of no value to them other than the expiring, so that's not much loss.
This is associated with other posts that have mentioned that the team is evaluating his trade value.
I am not asking whether the team should trade him, nor if he is worth his contract. The question what is he worth on the trade market at his PO salary.
For your answer please provide a pick range or comparable player.
Pretty much just what the title says. I bring this up because the FO seems pretty interested in Mara but not at pick 8. Im curious how high we think the trade package of ZR + 23 gets us if we want to try a move up to pair him with whichever guard. Definitely not top 10 but would it be delusional to think end of the lotto?
Shooting makes you a contender.
Defense wins playoff games.
Ball-handling wins championships.
What are some things that you would do in the draft that would probably get you downvoted on most other threads? Don't just say Mara at 8 because that's been discussed enough.
I'll start:
I think we should heavily consider taking two guards, especially if we get MBJ or Wagler. Okorie profiles as an ideal 6th man of the future. If Flemings or Philon fall I would be happy with a move up to get them too.
Some notes:
I did not want to try to project any draft pick for player trades, those rumors usually emerge after the finals.
I firmly believe Wagler and MBJ will go to the Clippers and the Hawks but I'm not sure which goes where. Wagler has been the consistent target for LAC but MBJ rumors have been louder recently.
I have BRK taking Ament over Acuff since they took so many pgs last year.
OKC top target will be Yaxel as a ready-made switchable big not Mara who can't move with Wemby
TOR may try to trade into the lotto but I'm not sure how or where.
Okorie and Swain went too low due to the run on bigs.
This assumes Suigo goes to college.
Why this trade happens
POR: Dame is on a great contract, Avidija may be on the best contract in the league and they have great defenders surrounding them and just made the playoffs while still missing Dame. KD is a ceiling shot without giving up the future. His outside game would pair nicely with Avdija who is one of the best drive and kick guys in the league.
HOU: KD backed them into a corner and they really need to trade him unless they're willing to get rid of some guys in the core. They get a guy who can step into the three as a floor spacer and serve as a real vet presence instead of a guy that will tear them apart. Additionally they get two young guys on cheap rookie deals and a potentially juicy ORL 2028 pick.
Why it won't happen
POR: KD is a locker room cancer. If you could guarantee he plays nice he would be worth more than twice this amount.
HOU: A team like MIA or DEN outbids them. If this is the best offer they get HOU cuts their loses and sends him.
Clippers and Hawks will be his last two workouts. Did someone promise him, were they before or after us?
EDIT: These are pre-draft meetings not workouts
Why this happens:
Hawks: Address the center spot with some switchable rim protection in exchange for a player that's an iffy fit with their best player.
Kings: The Kings are known to cover Kuminga they get him for a player that's not in their future plans and a high 2nd
Nets: Get an expiring instead of a two year contract to free up space in the big 2027 FA class. Also get a high second since Hunter is objectively worse than Claxton.
Why this won't happen:
Hawks: Kuminga actually played really well during some of the playoff games, they could view him as more valuable than Claxton.
Kings: Pick 34 is a really high second, I really think they do this though.
Nets: Hunter is a solid downgrade from Claxton in the rotation, they may want more draft capital.
Curious where people stand after 2 seasons
Trade Explanations
NOP-SAC: Arguably the two dumbest FOs get together to make a trade that somehow both lose. Mara with DQ projects to be a great front court for the next decade regardless. Sacramento takes Zion and TM3 thinking that NOP grossly mismanaged them and they got a star tandem. Maybe add a protected 2028 first from SAC.
LAC-GSW: GS clearly wants to go all in on the last Curry years and gives up a high pick to swap max players. LAC is rebuilding so they are happy to get the pick.
CLE-OKC: Cleveland decides it's time to blow it up. OKC upgrades a max contract slot. It would be an option for OKC to attach Ajay/McCain and keep 17.
MIL-MIA: Giannis trades have been overly discussed fill in the blank here with whatever you think.
LAL-BRK: Luka needs a lob partner and the Claxton contract is questionable for BRK.
*I wanted to make this a Jarrett Allen trade originally but he is worth more than 25 which I think is all LAL wants to trade away to maintain their flexibility.*
Tell me how I'm wrong in the comments.
