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Slava wrote:The last time we traded away an active player on the roster was Steve Blake in 2014. I'd be surprised if Jimbo and Mitch don't extend that streak beyond the trade deadline because making trades requires a lot of leg work. You got to make calls, gauge value and understand the market. Jim ain't got no time for that.

Vesper wrote:I knew Plumlee wasnt going to get resign by Portland...

THey got a good midround pick for a guy they knew they werent going to resign. Dont know how well Plumlee + Jokic will work or why they even traded a first round pick for Plumlee, an expiring contract.

myersia wrote:

Vesper wrote:I knew Plumlee wasnt going to get resign by Portland...

THey got a good midround pick for a guy they knew they werent going to resign. Dont know how well Plumlee + Jokic will work or why they even traded a first round pick for Plumlee, an expiring contract.

I have no idea. Portland gets a steal. They are taking that 8th seed.

Vesper wrote:

myersia wrote:

Vesper wrote:I knew Plumlee wasnt going to get resign by Portland...

THey got a good midround pick for a guy they knew they werent going to resign. Dont know how well Plumlee + Jokic will work or why they even traded a first round pick for Plumlee, an expiring contract.

I have no idea. Portland gets a steal. They are taking that 8th seed.

Portland with Nurkic? I dont know.

I wouldnt bet on Portland to make the playoffs this season.

I have both the Kings, Nuggets and Mavs as better shots than Portland for the 8th seed

Washington Wizards Receive: Lou Williams, Marcelo Huertas

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: 2017 first-round pick, Trey Burke, Jason Smith

Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld is well aware how punchless his bench is—and that won't change despite Ian Mahinmi's return to the lineup Wednesday. Far more relevant here, Grunfeld knows what a step back it was for the Wizards not to make the playoffs last season when he expected they might be ready for a deep run.

So with Washington having found a rhythm under new head coach Scott Brooks, Grunfeld is looking for a guard just like Lou Williams, who can create his own shots and get to the foul line in slugfest playoff games—and has the nerve to want the ball in those moments. Williams (18.3 points per game) is also a good shooter who can spot up when defenders are smothering John Wall.

One of Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak's best qualities has been swinging slick trades, and his ability to nurture the Lakers' future is being questioned at the moment.

Getting a first-round pick either from the Wizards or via a three-way deal for Williams, who is more than a rental with another reasonable $7 million salary coming in 2017-18, would be Kupchak's goal rather than settling for any Wizards youngsters.

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Rudy Gay, Ben McLemore, two second-round picks

Sacramento Kings Receive: Luol Deng

Kings general manager Vlade Divac made it easy on us when he told ESPN's Marc Stein that DeMarcus Cousins wasn't going anywhere. At least for the time being, we can take a hiatus from the annual tradition of speculating on Cousins' future, as said future almost certainly features a contract from the Kings worth more than $200 million.

More broadly, though, Divac and the Kings' history of strange moves makes predictions difficult. A braintrust willing to surrender useful vets and draft assets in order to clear cash for Rajon Rondo (yes, this really happened) puts everything on the table. Remember, Divac is the guy who a league source described in Kevin Arnovitz's deep dive on the Kings for ESPN.com thusly: "Nobody in that position has ever been less qualified, less capable or a nicer person."

Perhaps Divac's amicable nature will lead to a swap for Lakers forward Luol Deng.

The Kings could certainly use a steadying, professional veteran presence on the roster, and Deng is most useful these days as an undersized power forward—an area of need Matt Barnes and Anthony Tolliver haven't consistently met.

So, the bold prediction: Sacramento sends Rudy Gay, Ben McLemore and two second-round picks to the Lakers for Deng, which allows L.A. to get out from under Deng's onerous four-year deal and clear nearly $18 million from next year's books...assuming Gay recovers well enough from his torn Achilles to opt out of the final season of his contract. McLemore is a pure flier. Maybe he shows the Lakers something, but more likely, he walks away and L.A. isn't upset about it.

Deng is already overpaid for his production, and the aging curve will only exacerbate that issue in the final three years of his current deal. But he's a name, and the Kings are devoted to winning in the short term. This is the kind of head-scratching move that fits their brand.

Stranger things have happened. Actually, with the Kings, stranger things always happen.

Landsberger wrote:With that said, Okafor is intriguing. He could be a PF. He lacks effort at times which I think is a very important (if not the most important) factor in a player but I'm trying to figure out if it's because of his crappy situation or the situation is because of crappy effort.

Landsberger wrote:Why is everyone wanting Noel? We need wing who can score not another center who can't. We have Black, Randle and Mozgov who are all not consistent threats to score. Zubac is looking like he's got a shot at being a starter next year. Noel would play where if we can't get rid of Mozgov (which is going to be calculus hard to do).

With that said, Okafor is intriguing. He could be a PF. He lacks effort at times which I think is a very important (if not the most important) factor in a player but I'm trying to figure out if it's because of his crappy situation or the situation is because of crappy effort.

I hope to heavens we trade Young and not let him walk for zip. While Williams is under our control longer I think it's time to at least see if a playoff contender will overpay for a spark off the bench. Keeping them if there is a market for them seems silly.

Not sure how our front court fits right now. Ingram, Randle and Zubac don't really fit that well together. Neither Ingram nor Randle space the floor. If we could get a wing player who can score I'd toss Randle in a deal with Williams if there is a taker. Black and Nance can give us what he does on most nights.

Princeinrevolt wrote:

Landsberger wrote:Why is everyone wanting Noel? We need wing who can score not another center who can't. We have Black, Randle and Mozgov who are all not consistent threats to score. Zubac is looking like he's got a shot at being a starter next year. Noel would play where if we can't get rid of Mozgov (which is going to be calculus hard to do).

With that said, Okafor is intriguing. He could be a PF. He lacks effort at times which I think is a very important (if not the most important) factor in a player but I'm trying to figure out if it's because of his crappy situation or the situation is because of crappy effort.

I hope to heavens we trade Young and not let him walk for zip. While Williams is under our control longer I think it's time to at least see if a playoff contender will overpay for a spark off the bench. Keeping them if there is a market for them seems silly.

Not sure how our front court fits right now. Ingram, Randle and Zubac don't really fit that well together. Neither Ingram nor Randle space the floor. If we could get a wing player who can score I'd toss Randle in a deal with Williams if there is a taker. Black and Nance can give us what he does on most nights.

Okafor is not a pf, will never be a pf, both offensively and defensively... No wayy... why would we trade for a center, when we are already paying for three of them... nope not gonna happen


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