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Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks

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Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#1 » by GreekAlex » Fri May 2, 2025 4:50 am

I’m not keen on trading any of our young guys or key contributors until we give them another year with a healthy Ivey & Stew.

Our only real salary for matching purposes is Fontecchio & Sasser at roughly $10.5M.

Who’s the best rotational upgrade for around that salary?

Would it be possible to pry Keegan Murray away from the Kings since he had a down year?

Jabari Smith jr. is another young guy that could blossom here.

Now that we control our picks, what combination of Tech, Sass & picks can get us an upgrade piece that fits our group?

If we can’t retain Schröder, the upgrade might have to be for his replacement because we clearly looked 100x better after his arrival and he does some things that Ivey doesn’t. I’m not sold on giving Sasser another opportunity to fill that role considering his age and progression between years one and two for him.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#2 » by tmorgan » Fri May 2, 2025 5:25 am

Tek and Sasser at over 10 mil combined is probably a net negative package, sadly. So you’re just devaluing whatever pick(s) offered.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#3 » by GreekAlex » Fri May 2, 2025 5:51 am

tmorgan wrote:Tek and Sasser at over 10 mil combined is probably a net negative package, sadly. So you’re just devaluing whatever pick(s) offered.


They’re neutral enough end of bench guys that the picks/ pick protections are what’s going to move the needle.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#4 » by Cowology » Fri May 2, 2025 9:51 am

That package isn't getting you an upgrade.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#5 » by pistons4ever » Fri May 2, 2025 11:52 am

I know we need a big man but what about Simone , sasser and a Future Pick for Jrue Holiday


Yes he is 34 but He would get Schröders Job and He i a proven Winner .. celtics will make some Trades

Guard Rotation

Ivey / Beasley (mle)
Cade/Holiday/ 3rd Guy Veteran or young Player
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#6 » by Moses ShamMoses » Fri May 2, 2025 12:22 pm

Keegan Murray and Jabari Smith Jr are intriguing and i think should be explored. I wonder what i'd take to snag one.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#7 » by jaredtyshaf » Fri May 2, 2025 12:31 pm

Add in Tobias and/or Ivey plus some future 1st rounders and we could def get an upgrade at PF
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#8 » by JohnReese » Fri May 2, 2025 12:51 pm

I would keep Sasser. I would only trade Fontecchio if it means keeping Beasley, Schroeder and Hardaway
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#9 » by bstein14 » Fri May 2, 2025 12:55 pm

It feels like Font and Sasser both don't really have much trade value, but Sasser is a great emergency 5th guard on a roster which I think you need/want for cheap. I understand Sasser might not want to stay here if we don't find a rotation spot for him because he'll be fighting for his NBA life and next contract with what he shows this season.

Font would most likely just be expiring salary filler in a deal for another rotation player coming in.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#10 » by Kalamazoo317 » Fri May 2, 2025 1:31 pm

I think those are the right pieces to look at moving (Tech, Sasser, picks). Not sure what would be available. Biggest priority for sure, imo, is keeping everyone else in the rotation (especially Dennis and Beasley and the young guys, but preferably BBall Paul and THJ too). I expect Tobias to retire a Piston at this point.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#11 » by GreekAlex » Fri May 2, 2025 3:06 pm

Cowology wrote:That package isn't getting you an upgrade.


Again, it’s not the players it’s the picks.

Look at those 2 as salary fillers.

Those 2 players plus 4 unprotected firsts gets you a huge upgrade.

I’m not advocating to do that but I’m just illustrating the point by highlighting the picks importance.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#12 » by the_l_train » Fri May 2, 2025 3:16 pm

I want GG Jackson.

Kinda depends on if Aldama and JJJ are in their plans, and if they are he may be odd man out. Maybe our picks will peak their interest, but he had a down year and maybe they have soured on him a little. Good offensive player who fits our young guys timeline.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#13 » by Snakebites » Fri May 2, 2025 3:20 pm

Fontecchio is negative value and Sasser's value is at best very slightly positive. So this is really picks and "filler".

And it really depends on which picks and how many picks are going into the deal. Keeping that vague frames Sasser and Fontecchio as the main part of this.

It's not clear how much value you're proposing for this package.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#14 » by Cowology » Fri May 2, 2025 3:26 pm

GreekAlex wrote:
Cowology wrote:That package isn't getting you an upgrade.


Again, it’s not the players it’s the picks.

Look at those 2 as salary fillers.

Those 2 players plus 4 unprotected firsts gets you a huge upgrade.

I’m not advocating to do that but I’m just illustrating the point by highlighting the picks importance.
I understand what you are saying. I do not think it will work the way you want it to. We aren't going to be out there offering unprotected 1sts for anybody making less than $10 mil a year.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#15 » by Snakebites » Fri May 2, 2025 3:30 pm

Cowology wrote:
GreekAlex wrote:
Cowology wrote:That package isn't getting you an upgrade.


Again, it’s not the players it’s the picks.

Look at those 2 as salary fillers.

Those 2 players plus 4 unprotected firsts gets you a huge upgrade.

I’m not advocating to do that but I’m just illustrating the point by highlighting the picks importance.
I understand what you are saying. I do not think it will work the way you want it to. We aren't going to be out there offering unprotected 1sts for anybody making less than $10 mil a year.

Yeah.

Any deal involving multiple firsts to net us a major upgrade would almost certainly require at the very least for Tobias to be included.

Last year when we were way under the cap and had pure cap space to trade you could potentially talk about deals like this. This year? Not so much.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#16 » by GreekAlex » Fri May 2, 2025 3:37 pm

Snakebites wrote:Fontecchio is negative value and Sasser's value is at best very slightly positive. So this is really picks and "filler".

And it really depends on which picks and how many picks are going into the deal. Keeping that vague frames Sasser and Fontecchio as the main part of this.

It's not clear how much value you're proposing for this package.



It’s a range, I’ll give you both ends and everything else falls in the middle.

High end:
Chet Holmgren would match salaries (clearly OKC isn’t trading him, this is just used to illustration purposes) would get as many unprotected firsts as we can offer.


Low end:
Obi Toppin has 3 years left on his deal and makes slightly more than the 2 players mentioned for salary matching purposes. If the Pacers wanted out of his deal, and decided to break that contract into smaller contracts, they’d get Tech & Sass with second round picks or nothing.


I hope that makes it more clear.

Players like Jabari Smith and Keegan Murray fall somewhere in the middle.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#17 » by Cowology » Fri May 2, 2025 3:44 pm

GreekAlex wrote:
Snakebites wrote:Fontecchio is negative value and Sasser's value is at best very slightly positive. So this is really picks and "filler".

And it really depends on which picks and how many picks are going into the deal. Keeping that vague frames Sasser and Fontecchio as the main part of this.

It's not clear how much value you're proposing for this package.



It’s a range, I’ll give you both ends and everything else falls in the middle.

High end:
Chet Holmgren would match salaries (clearly OKC isn’t trading him, this is just used to illustration purposes) would get as many unprotected firsts as we can offer.


Low end:
Obi Toppin has 3 years left on his deal and makes slightly more than the 2 players mentioned for salary matching purposes. If the Pacers wanted out of his deal, and decided to break that contract into smaller contracts, they’d get Tech & Sass with second round picks or nothing.


I hope that makes it more clear.

Players like Jabari Smith and Keegan Murray fall somewhere in the middle.
Let's extend this beyond simply value. What incentive do those teams have to convert those players into future draft capital? Is that something we'd expect our franchise to do? Too many wings, maybe we should unload either Ron or Ausar for a future pick?

Those teams are looking to upgrade too.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#18 » by Kalamazoo317 » Fri May 2, 2025 4:09 pm

Snakebites wrote:Fontecchio is negative value and Sasser's value is at best very slightly positive. So this is really picks and "filler".

And it really depends on which picks and how many picks are going into the deal. Keeping that vague frames Sasser and Fontecchio as the main part of this.

It's not clear how much value you're proposing for this package.


Isn't Tech on like a $7 million expiring salary? That feels more like neutral value than negative value, imo.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#19 » by GreekAlex » Fri May 2, 2025 4:10 pm

Cowology wrote:
GreekAlex wrote:
Snakebites wrote:Fontecchio is negative value and Sasser's value is at best very slightly positive. So this is really picks and "filler".

And it really depends on which picks and how many picks are going into the deal. Keeping that vague frames Sasser and Fontecchio as the main part of this.

It's not clear how much value you're proposing for this package.



It’s a range, I’ll give you both ends and everything else falls in the middle.

High end:
Chet Holmgren would match salaries (clearly OKC isn’t trading him, this is just used to illustration purposes) would get as many unprotected firsts as we can offer.


Low end:
Obi Toppin has 3 years left on his deal and makes slightly more than the 2 players mentioned for salary matching purposes. If the Pacers wanted out of his deal, and decided to break that contract into smaller contracts, they’d get Tech & Sass with second round picks or nothing.


I hope that makes it more clear.

Players like Jabari Smith and Keegan Murray fall somewhere in the middle.
Let's extend this beyond simply value. What incentive do those teams have to convert those players into future draft capital? Is that something we'd expect our franchise to do? Too many wings, maybe we should unload either Ron or Ausar for a future pick?

Those teams are looking to upgrade too.


My contention is that some of the teams will have payroll issues and decisions to make a year or 2 before the Pistons just based on rookie contracts.

Let’s just use Houston as an example. I don’t think they can pay Jabari & Eason. Unless they have a deal lined up to bring back a useful complementary player at a modest salary, I think they’ll better off banking draft capital for when a bigger move presents itself.

Houston has a lot of guys to pay and I can’t imagine that they’ll prioritize 2 guys that weren’t starting for them in the playoffs. I think they’ll choose between Eason and Smith jr.
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Re: Best Player Available for Fontecchio/ Sasser/ Picks 

Post#20 » by Snakebites » Fri May 2, 2025 4:13 pm

GreekAlex wrote:
Snakebites wrote:Fontecchio is negative value and Sasser's value is at best very slightly positive. So this is really picks and "filler".

And it really depends on which picks and how many picks are going into the deal. Keeping that vague frames Sasser and Fontecchio as the main part of this.

It's not clear how much value you're proposing for this package.



It’s a range, I’ll give you both ends and everything else falls in the middle.

High end:
Chet Holmgren would match salaries (clearly OKC isn’t trading him, this is just used to illustration purposes) would get as many unprotected firsts as we can offer.


Low end:
Obi Toppin has 3 years left on his deal and makes slightly more than the 2 players mentioned for salary matching purposes. If the Pacers wanted out of his deal, and decided to break that contract into smaller contracts, they’d get Tech & Sass with second round picks or nothing.


I hope that makes it more clear.

Players like Jabari Smith and Keegan Murray fall somewhere in the middle.


I actually think your Chet example proves the point perfectly. People with young players like that who match in salaries to with that package generally AREN'T looking to trade them. And yes I realize that was a deliberately extreme example but I think it even applies to lesser players. Even Smith and Murray, if they're available at all, will be for short term upgrades, not scraps.

The only guys on rookie contracts teams are looking to trade for future capital are the ones that AREN'T working out at all. And we shouldn't be doing that.

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