Timelord/Banton for?

[JRoy]

Banton is the second coming of Will Barton, who ironically was traded from Portland to Denver. I like this for that reason alone lol.

Almost the same last name.

“The People’s Runner Up?”

[Duffman100]

I don't see the value here.

Timelord can never stay healthy
Banton - it's the first time he's doing anything but on a losing team.

Not sure you can trust either player

[redslastlaugh]

I don't see the value here.

Timelord can never stay healthy
Banton - it's the first time he's doing anything but on a losing team.

Not sure you can trust either player

The upside is getting off Nnaji and getting a (presently) healthy Rob for a playoff run and then you have early bird rights to re-sign Banton and, if Rob isn’t working, after the season you have a $13 million expiring and, as the pick calendar rolls over, an additional swap and future second to try again to add another player around Jokic. In Denver’s situation they just need to keep the ball rolling. And if they get a 2022 level Rob Williams playoff performance, it’s a risk worth taking.

I can’t stress how ugly is Zeke Nnaji contract with 3 years, 24 million AFTER this season.

[Duffman100]

I don't see the value here.

Timelord can never stay healthy
Banton - it's the first time he's doing anything but on a losing team.

Not sure you can trust either player

The upside is getting off Nnaji and getting a (presently) healthy Rob for a playoff run and then you have early bird rights to re-sign Banton and, if Rob isn’t working, after the season you have a $13 million expiring and, as the pick calendar rolls over, an additional swap and future second to try again to add another player around Jokic. In Denver’s situation they just need to keep the ball rolling. And if they get a 2022 level Rob Williams playoff performance, it’s a risk worth taking.

I can’t stress how ugly is Zeke Nnaji contract with 3 years, 24 million AFTER this season.

8 million per year in today's NBA != a fully unprotected 1st rounder to me.

It's very likely the Nuggets,

Have an injured timelord
A fringe rotation player in Banton
Still capped out so the 8 mill per year drop doesn't help.

And then in 6 years they have a really risky pick at the end of Jokic's tenure.

[redslastlaugh]

Fair enough.

[165bows]

Banton is the second coming of Will Barton, who ironically was traded from Portland to Denver. I like this for that reason alone lol.

Hmm that's a seemingly prudent take.

[cl2117]

Banton I just don't believe in. The size/length combo is obviously incredibly intriguing but if that 3PT% regresses, and I think it will, he becomes a far less appealing rotation piece. He's got the archetype of a much better player than he actually is.

Best with the ball in his hands, but not an elite finisher or passer, only OK from the FT line. Great in transition, but in a halfcourt sets where another player is running the show he's not all that great. Defensively he's solid and can be really disruptive with his length, but isn't a "clamps" guy.

If he's still playing like this come the trade deadline, I'll happily eat my words because I feel like the story on him has always been that if he can put it all together he'll be dangerous, but just have the sickly feeling that this is fool's gold right now. He needs to either turn the corner as a defensive menace or keep shooting close to 40% from three and I'm just not sold on either.

I think the Nuggets deal proposed is probably the best bet all around. If you're Portland you might as well hold out in case either of these guys can maintain their play long enough to entice someone into paying a 1st for them individually or as a pair. So anything less doesn't really move the needle (although good GM's know when to cash in their chips in fairness). For Denver, any players with this kind of upside are always going to come with some significant risk/warts. If either work out, you've struck gold. If neither do, you haven't really forked over all that much.