CHI | DEN | NOP: LaVine, Vuc, MPJ, Zion

[drosestruts]

Chicago in: Zion Williamson, Michael Porter Jr, Zeke Nnaji, and Daniel Theis
Chicago out: Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, PDX 2025 1st (lottery protected through 2028)

Denver in: Zach LaVine and Torrey Craig
Denver out: MPJ, Zeke Nnaji, and 2031 1st

New Orleans in: Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams, PDX 2025 1st (lottery protected through 2028), DEN 2031 1st
New Orleans out: Zion Williamson and Daniel Theis


Bulls:

Giddey/Ball/Carter
White/Dosunmu/THT/Duarte
MPJ/Phillips/Terry
Zion/Buzelis/Nnaji
Smith/Theis

Bulls emerge as the team willing to roll the dice on Zion. They flank him in the front court with size and shooting in Smith and MPJ. Bulls continue to get younger by adding the 24 and 26 year old Zio and MPJ for Zach (29) and Vuc (34). If it works it's a heck of a young core. If it doesn't - Bulls keep their pick.


Nuggets:

Murray/Westbrook
LaVine/Braun
Craig/Strawther
Gordon/Watson
Jokic/Jordan

Nuggets get a more dynamic scorer in LaVine and 3&d veteran Craig in a swap for MPJ. They also send out a future first to new orleans. The MPJ/LaVine swap is often discussed here, no need to rehash too much.


Pelicans:

Murray/Alvarado
McCollum/Hawkins
Ingram/Murphy/Green
Jones/Williams
Vucevic/Missi

Pelicans move on from Zion and had a short-term fix at center in Vuc who's been playing great offensively this year. And some long-term pieces in Williams (another 3&d wing - an archetype they seem to like who's locked in long term), as well as two future 1sts

[Godaddycurse]

dont think denver is willing to give 2031 1st to swap mpj for lavine

[vxmike]

dont think denver is willing to give 2031 1st to swap mpj for lavine

They probably should. They need more dynamic offense than MPJ can offer.

[drosestruts]

dont think denver is willing to give 2031 1st to swap mpj for lavine

Will probably be the "Who blinks first" factor in that whole trade (assuming the rumors are true).

I have Zach as slightly better than MPJ, Denver pretty much has to include Nnaji whose contract is not good to make the deal work.

Craig >>> Nnaji but that's because Craig is useful role player on a cheap expiring contract and Nnaji is basically unplayable and signed for 3 more years.

So where does that value come from? It could be a pick swap - but who wants to pick swap a team with Jokic.

After that, the only asset Denver really has is that 2031 1st.

From Denvers side there's really just a lack of options in ways to add value

[jayjaysee]

I think Denver might/could include Holmes. But not the 2031 first. LaVine just is not worth that to any team.

I don’t even think that’s really necessary, but think that’s as good as it’s going to get for Chicago.

The NOP idea.. trading Zion to go for the play in like Chicago has been doing feels awful once you lose the 2031 Denver first. Even without Denver overpaying, it’s still not very good for New Orleans though.

Chicago could easily pull both these trades off if they felt like it made sense to, but you’d have to pay to play IMO.

[ChettheJet]

I would rather keep the roster as is than even get close to this running ambulance outside the building for that pair.

[Mrakar]

lol...easy no for Pelicans
that package is neutral at best. No1 wants Williams with that contract, you need the assets only to offset his value.

Denver also says no. Lavine is upgrade on offense, but his defense is even worse because of the size and rebounding would fall off the cliff for Denver.
Not to mention that Porter was healthy as it gets since last operation and since he has those carbon things in shoes.

[vxmike]

dont think denver is willing to give 2031 1st to swap mpj for lavine

Will probably be the "Who blinks first" factor in that whole trade (assuming the rumors are true).

I have Zach as slightly better than MPJ, Denver pretty much has to include Nnaji whose contract is not good to make the deal work.

Craig >>> Nnaji but that's because Craig is useful role player on a cheap expiring contract and Nnaji is basically unplayable and signed for 3 more years.

So where does that value come from? It could be a pick swap - but who wants to pick swap a team with Jokic.

After that, the only asset Denver really has is that 2031 1st.

From Denvers side there's really just a lack of options in ways to add value

Denver should take that deal in a second. That’s actually more guaranteed money to Chicago and worse talent. I’m not even sure Chicago makes that deal for a FRP 7 years out. I’m not a huge Lavine fan but he’s worth more than MPJ.