Fake Trade Thread #6

[Rich4114]

Woj:

The Nets are rebuilding the roster around forward Mikal Bridges. They hold significant salary cap space and draft capital to build around him this summer and beyond.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39558023/sources-nets-promote-kevin-ollie-replace-jacque-vaughn

Whelp, so much for that.

Also, while Mikal is a really good player - is he the type you can build a contending team around? Seems like a 2nd or 3rd option on a contender.

[JustBuzzin]

Nets gonna Nets.

Building around Bridges is basically telling your fanbase you are just looking to be mediocre.

As someone said above at best Bridges is a 3rd option on a championship team.

[MasterIchiro]

I hate to re-hash a former Mitch Kupchak pick but what would you guys give to acquire Larry Nance Jr.? He looks like he can be a championship caliber stretch big at C2. He's such a huge upgrade over Nick Richards if the new owners are being totally serious.

[lmcguir15]

I hate to re-hash a former Mitch Kupchak pick but what would you guys give to acquire Larry Nance Jr.? He looks like he can be a championship caliber stretch big at C2. He's such a huge upgrade over Nick Richards if the new owners are being totally serious.

He's already 31, has never played 70 games in a season and will be on an expiring deal next year. How many red flags do you need?

[JMAC3]

Realistically post trade deadline what our biggest holes? Because we solved a lot of them with more ball handling, more shooting, more depth, more defense.

Ideal rotation
Melo- Martin- Miller- Miles- Mark
Micic- Mann- Bertans-Grant- Nick
Curry- NSj- McGowens-Thor-Bolden

2 way- Black, Mensah, Amari

5th pick, 40th pick.

Our biggest needs are more size/defense on the wing and a 3rd string center. Risacher, Holland, Buzelis, Cody Williams all could take over the Bertans mins day 1. If they earn more mins you can always flex Miller to the 2, start rookie at 3 and move Martin to bench. 3rd center is likely Nnaji next year or pick 39.

We have 13 players under contract, plus Miles maybe. So we really don't have a ton of roster spots open unless we don't pick options for Thor, McGowens, Curry and Bertans.

Curry as the 5th guard who can play either spot is actually really nice. I would lean towards keeping him right now.

[JustBuzzin]

Realistically post trade deadline what our biggest holes? Because we solved a lot of them with more ball handling, more shooting, more depth, more defense.

Ideal rotation
Melo- Martin- Miller- Miles- Mark
Micic- Mann- Bertans-Grant- Nick
Curry- NSj- McGowens-Thor-Bolden

2 way- Black, Mensah, Amari

5th pick, 40th pick.

Our biggest needs are more size/defense on the wing and a 3rd string center. Risacher, Holland, Buzelis, Cody Williams all could take over the Bertans mins day 1. If they earn more mins you can always flex Miller to the 2, start rookie at 3 and move Martin to bench. 3rd center is likely Nnaji next year or pick 39.

We have 13 players under contract, plus Miles maybe. So we really don't have a ton of roster spots open unless we don't pick options for Thor, McGowens, Curry and Bertans.

Curry as the 5th guard who can play either spot is actually really nice. I would lean towards keeping him right now.

Agreed on the draft targets.

We need to get a starter defensive type wing with our lottery pick. I'm fine with Risacher/Buzelis/Cody as the pick.

[fatlever]

Realistically post trade deadline what our biggest holes? Because we solved a lot of them with more ball handling, more shooting, more depth, more defense.

Ideal rotation
Melo- Martin- Miller- Miles- Mark
Micic- Mann- Bertans-Grant- Nick
Curry- NSj- McGowens-Thor-Bolden

2 way- Black, Mensah, Amari

5th pick, 40th pick.

Our biggest needs are more size/defense on the wing and a 3rd string center. Risacher, Holland, Buzelis, Cody Williams all could take over the Bertans mins day 1. If they earn more mins you can always flex Miller to the 2, start rookie at 3 and move Martin to bench. 3rd center is likely Nnaji next year or pick 39.

We have 13 players under contract, plus Miles maybe. So we really don't have a ton of roster spots open unless we don't pick options for Thor, McGowens, Curry and Bertans.

Curry as the 5th guard who can play either spot is actually really nice. I would lean towards keeping him right now.

needs - more vet leaders, depth at center or size at pf, would love a 3pt shooting center. more 3pt shooting across board. another wing defender. clear out dead weight of failed draft picks, and a new training staff that can convince melo to get serious about his strength

[Bassman]

I like Cody but we could really use an offensive upgrade there as long as he also plays strong D (yes I want it all). That’s my target with the lotto pick, unless Mark’s back is questionable…then target need #2 at Center. With Mann and Martin we are in a good position. Mann might prove he’s a starter next to Melo, and Martin is a good complimentary glue guy defender and contributor on offense. This amazing trade deadline reset has us dealing from strength for once. But, one more star next to Miller, Melo, Miles and Mark gets us over the hump. That could also come from a veteran but not sure we’re in a position to acquire that level of player.

[SWedd523]

I think Martin continues to get undue criticism.

He's still the best perimeter defender in the roster and does a lot of the small, hustle things that many other guys don't/won't.

He's being forced to play outside his typical role because Cliff seemingly refuses to play Micic or even Mann as the lead ball handler. That's not Cody's game and never has been.

When we get a new coach, he will (hopefully) go back to a more defined role as a 3D guy.

Blame Cliff, not Cody.

[MasterIchiro]

I like Cody but we could really use an offensive upgrade there as long as he also plays strong D (yes I want it all). That’s my target with the lotto pick, unless Mark’s back is questionable…then target need #2 at Center. With Mann and Martin we are in a good position. Mann might prove he’s a starter next to Melo, and Martin is a good complimentary glue guy defender and contributor on offense. This amazing trade deadline reset has us dealing from strength for once. But, one more star next to Miller, Melo, Miles and Mark gets us over the hump. That could also come from a veteran but not sure we’re in a position to acquire that level of player.

I don't go by record. I go by whether we are stuck after trading a lottery pick for a win-now player.

I look at the starting lineup and determine how much room there is to upgrade a starting 5 including the 4 you mention (LaMelo, Miller, Miles, Mark) with the 5th starter being an acquisition from the 2024 lottery pick, like Trey Murphy III.

For example could the Hornets significantly upgrade a starting 5 of Melo - Murphy - Miller - Miles - Mark?

I don't think we'd be reaching if we were to trade a high lottery pick for an established wing defender alongside LaMelo who can also space and score.

The bench with that starting 5:

Micic - Mann - Martin - Grant - Richards

End of bench:

S. Curry - NSJ.

Are we stuck with that roster?

No, we get control of all our own picks at the end of next season. And that roster is one of the younger ones in the NBA. And we don't have any bad contracts nor major cap issues if we want to add.

The starters and bench are all movable contracts if we want to attach picks and shuffle the deck, but they're young enough where we'd probably improve internally without making any major moves.

Absolutely we don't have to make this draft pick like we're the Detroit Pistons.

[yosemiteben]

Doesn't the Stepien rule keep us from trading the 2024 pick with the 2025 pick potentially conveying to SAS?

[MasterIchiro]

Doesn't the Stepien rule keep us from trading the 2024 pick with the 2025 pick potentially conveying to SAS?

It prevents us from trading the pick but doesn't stop us from drafting a player for the Pelicans then trading the draft rights to the player. We would not be trading the pick. We'd be drafting the pick and trading draft rights.

[MasterIchiro]

Put differently, we can't trade the pick before making the pick. But we can trade the rights to the player as soon as we select him.

[yosemiteben]

Put differently, we can't trade the pick before making the pick. But we can trade the rights to the player as soon as we select him.

Ah, I'm with you. That makes sense.

[MasterIchiro]

Hornets
Jalen Suggs

Magic
Nikola Topic (pick 1-4)
Cody Martin (matching salary

Something like this 9-man rotation interests me.

LaMelo - Micic
Suggs - Mann
Miller - Miles
Miles - Grant
Mark - Nick

Who's the weakest player there other than Nick Richards? It's someone good.

Suggs is scoring efficiently and leading a top defense. And he's young.

Magic would have to love Topic and feel satisfied with Franz and Banchero as franchise faces.

Suggs is breaking out for them. But a top-4 pick is a strong offer if they're listening on him for trades that return a franchise PG.

[yosemiteben]

Not sure why ORL would trade Suggs just as he starts to play at the level that you described.

[MasterIchiro]

Not sure why ORL would trade Suggs just as he starts to play at the level that you described.

They're in need of a franchise PG.

We are not.

If we are in position to draft someone they project strongly as franchise PG, who would you demand from their roster if they came calling, if not Suggs?

[yosemiteben]

Not sure why ORL would trade Suggs just as he starts to play at the level that you described.

They're in need of a franchise PG.

We are not.

If we are in position to draft someone they project strongly as franchise PG, who would you demand from their roster if they came calling, if not Suggs?

Just seems unlikely to me that they trade away their former top 5 pick PG that is breaking out so they can take another roll of the dice in the top 5 on a PG.

I agree Suggs is the most likely Magic target for us given their roster construction, I just don't get why they'd be that interested.

[JustBuzzin]

We need a long athletic wing. Miller is a sg until he adds more weight and gets stronger.

[MasterIchiro]

Not sure why ORL would trade Suggs just as he starts to play at the level that you described.

They're in need of a franchise PG.

We are not.

If we are in position to draft someone they project strongly as franchise PG, who would you demand from their roster if they came calling, if not Suggs?

Just seems unlikely to me that they trade away their former top 5 pick PG that is breaking out so they can take another roll of the dice in the top 5 on a PG.

I agree Suggs is the most likely Magic target for us given their roster construction, I just don't get why they'd be that interested.

The trade hinges on the Magic evaluation of Topic. They'd have to really covet him as a bedrock piece of their core with Franz and Banchero. Magic would have to have Topic #1 on their board. In which case they solve their PG position longterm.

Do they consider Suggs universally untouchable? I'm not sure.