Rumors, Random Thoughts, and Non-threadworthy Posts 17.0 The Least Random

[Texas Chuck]

I still like Lakers flotsam and Knecht for Claxton. Don't love Reaves for Cam for them though.

Knecht is only two years younger than Claxton and outside of a hot Early season stretch not good I don't see them doing that

I have Claxton as neutral to slightly negative value. So getting expirings and a low level prospect feels like plenty of value. Obviously if some team will give them a future first or better prospect more power to them, but I can't see which team is doing that.

[Diop]

Am I wrong in thinking Jrue is going to be a sought after pieces this off-season and will return real, substantial and tangible value?

All the impact metrics still paint him as a Top 15-20 player in the NBA. He is the ultimate finishing touch to any title contender.

Teams like Minnesota, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Denver, Cleveland, Dallas and Orlando should all show real interest.

He had the 8th highest LEBRON and VPM on the Celtics and he's earning $105m over next 3 seasons.

He looked like he fell off defensively while shooting poorly as a "pick his spot" option.

I think a team would be foolish to take him now.

he does fit well next to Kyrie and fits the timeline of the vets. Pj and Klay for Jrue?

[Scoot McGroot]

Is this basically correct.

If a team trades 2 players with for 1 player, who's expiring, then let that player walk they clear salary of that player they trade for right?

example; I was thinking of Gabe/Maxi for Vucevic. That way Lakers get Center they need for a season and clear rostor spot, at worse you can do a short 1+1 type of contract or let him walk and clear cap space of $20mil for 2026 free agency.

If you trade 2 expirings for 1 expiring and all them money is about the same, you’ve cleared nothing in terms of salary, yet added nothing. You’ve consolidated or cleared a roster spot.

[Godaddycurse]

Is this basically correct.

If a team trades 2 players with for 1 player, who's expiring, then let that player walk they clear salary of that player they trade for right?

example; I was thinking of Gabe/Maxi for Vucevic. That way Lakers get Center they need for a season and clear rostor spot, at worse you can do a short 1+1 type of contract or let him walk and clear cap space of $20mil for 2026 free agency.

If you trade 2 expirings for 1 expiring and all them money is about the same, you’ve cleared nothing in terms of salary, yet added nothing. You’ve consolidated or cleared a roster spot.

Technically they add more salary since they have to pay for 1 more played from freed up roster spot. Many people ignore the roster hold when calculating how much salary needed to clear to duck aprons

[ReggiesKnicks]

Any takers for Mathurin and/or Obi? Could they be combined for something bigger?

What if we were a dark-horse Jrue team with their salary? Probably don't have enough elsewhere.

[SlimShady83]

Is this basically correct.

If a team trades 2 players with for 1 player, who's expiring, then let that player walk they clear salary of that player they trade for right?

example; I was thinking of Gabe/Maxi for Vucevic. That way Lakers get Center they need for a season and clear rostor spot, at worse you can do a short 1+1 type of contract or let him walk and clear cap space of $20mil for 2026 free agency.

If you trade 2 expirings for 1 expiring and all them money is about the same, you’ve cleared nothing in terms of salary, yet added nothing. You’ve consolidated or cleared a roster spot.

Well that sucks then lols.

[Godaddycurse]

Any takers for Mathurin and/or Obi? Could they be combined for something bigger?

What if we were a dark-horse Jrue team with their salary? Probably don't have enough elsewhere.

Brooklyn probably wouldnt mind sending one or more of their late 1st(s for mathurin

[Texas Chuck]

Any takers for Mathurin and/or Obi? Could they be combined for something bigger?

What if we were a dark-horse Jrue team with their salary? Probably don't have enough elsewhere.

Brooklyn probably wouldnt mind sending one or more of their late 1st(s for mathurin

They could send one of the last two firsts and take Toppin back. Depending on what they think of Mathurin. But doing that would free them up from doing something stupid with Cam Thomas.

[MoreyWins]

Teams with young star players should think twice about dumping all their future draft picks for a win-now situation.

[ReggiesKnicks]

Teams with young star players should think twice about dumping all their future draft picks for a win-now situation.

That's not what happened with Minnesota. The CBA changed and blindsided the entire league. Under the old CBA or anything remotely similar, Minnesota is in much better shape.

[Astaluego]

Gobert/Donte LAKERS
Reaves/Claxton+26/27 WOLVES
Maxi/Vandervilt/Knecht/Milton+17 NETS

Or..
Rudy for Dejonte Murray
Donte for Gafford

A healthy Murray is a very good fit. They take a risk with his health, but on the other hand, Murray is 4 years younger.

[ReggiesKnicks]

Gobert/Donte LAKERS
Reaves/Claxton+26/27 WOLVES
Maxi/Vandervilt/Knecht/Milton+17 NETS

Or..
Rudy for Dejonte Murray
Donte for Gafford

A healthy Murray is a very good fit. They take a risk with his health, but on the other hand, Murray is 4 years younger.

Rudy for Murray is absolutely brutal for Minnesota. Gobert is better and healthy, Murray is worse and injured.

Donte for Gafford makes sense, though I think Donte is slightly more valuable but the value can be mitigated.

That first deal has Minnesota picking 17/26/27/31?

[Astaluego]

Gobert/Donte LAKERS
Reaves/Claxton+26/27 WOLVES
Maxi/Vandervilt/Knecht/Milton+17 NETS

Or..
Rudy for Dejonte Murray
Donte for Gafford

A healthy Murray is a very good fit. They take a risk with his health, but on the other hand, Murray is 4 years younger.

Rudy for Murray is absolutely brutal for Minnesota. Gobert is better and healthy, Murray is worse and injured.

Donte for Gafford makes sense, though I think Donte is slightly more valuable but the value can be mitigated.

That first deal has Minnesota picking 17/26/27/31?

yes, Murray would be risky but... he's also 4 years younger and on the court (if he returns to a similar level) he fits very well with Ant,... good size for the position, good assist numbers, above average scorer and defender... he's not perfect, but you'd be trading him for a Center, who is a better player, yes (but limited, older, more expensive and more replaceable, there are a very limited number of starting caliber Guards that could be available eventually), can you think of someone better? Who?

[K_chile22]

Nil starting to destroy the back half of the first round and beyond. Lotta guys I liked past the top 15 have withdrawn this year

[ReggiesKnicks]

Nil starting to destroy the back half of the first round and beyond. Lotta guys I liked past the top 15 have withdrawn this year

Sort of. NIL is going to take out some prospects who are younger with a higher ceiling and lower floor with more unknown and mystique about them.

At the same time, older more NBA ready prospects with more refined skill-set will be filling the back-half of the 1st round and early 2nd.

[LarsV8]

Garland, Allen, 19 -> Houston

Green, 10 -> Brooklyn

Sengun, CamJ -> Cleveland


Bk gets a better draft pick.

Cleveland balances it's roster a bit and saves money.

Mitchell
Jerome
CamJ
Sengun
Mobley


Houston balances it's roster a bit, and gets savings by moving FVv to the bench on a renegotiated lower deal.

Garland / FVV
Brooks / Reed
Amen / Eason
Jabari / (Flemming)
Allen / Adams

[Astaluego]

The Wolves need a PG and I think Toronto needs a Big One who can spread the floor. Is there a way for Quickley to be a Wolf and Naz a Raptor?

Gobert LAKERS
Poelt/IQ/Hachimura WOLVES
Naz/DDV/Vincent RAPTORS(Selec Draft Maluach)

[NYG]

I still like Lakers flotsam and Knecht for Claxton. Don't love Reaves for Cam for them though.

Knecht is only two years younger than Claxton and outside of a hot Early season stretch not good I don't see them doing that

I have Claxton as neutral to slightly negative value. So getting expirings and a low level prospect feels like plenty of value. Obviously if some team will give them a future first or better prospect more power to them, but I can't see which team is doing that.

Knecht and filler for Claxton
Kuzma and '31 1st for Cam Johnson

[babyjax13]

May need balancing/filler, but as usual, I am morbidly fascinated by the Kings.

The West is a bloodbath and there are, IMO, three teams without a path to the playoffs: Utah, Sacramento, and Portland. Only one of those teams seems aware of this (Utah), but the other is at least making an attempt to balance developing its youth with improving (Portland). The Kings are the Kings, and instead of trading Fox for rebuilding assets only, took LaVine. Let's say 'new front office, new approach.'

Trade 1
SAC trades: Domantas Sabonis
CHA trades: Jusuf Nurkic (released), Grant Williams, Tidjane Saluan, 4
Sacramento starts a rebuild while Charlotte sees a depleted East and grabs a center to help unlock some off-ball stuff for Ball while giving them three legitimately good scoring options between Ball/Miller/Sabonis. If it doesn't work they can make the decision to pull the plug later, but this would be the most talent Charlotte has had in the Hornets' second stint.

Trade 2
SAC trades: Zach LaVine
in: Kleber (released), Vincent (released), Anthony, Howard, Milton (released), 25
Swap about half of LaVine's salary for expirings, get a look at Howard, and get a late first.

ORL trades: KCP, Cole Anthony, Goga Bitadze, Jett Howard, 16, 25
in: Durant
Orlando looks at the East and decides they can make a short-term all-in move. Suggs/Wagner/Durant/Paolo/WCJ is a really good top 5, and they can look to add a point guard into the mix with other assets.

LAL trades: Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht, Shake Milton
in: KCP, Bitadze
The Lakers get a really nice 2 who fits their need for a 3+D POA defender + a reasonable backup center.

PHX trades: Kevin Durant
in: LaVine, Knecht, 16
Phoenix swaps Durant for a very good player (albeit redundant with Beal, but that is a sunk cost as of now) + a good bench shooter that allows them to move Allen for a position of need, and a nice pick in a draft loaded with centers.

Trade 3
SAC trades: Malik Monk, Isaac Jones
DET trades: Jaden Ivey, Simone Fontecchio
Sacramento gets a look at a young guard who is probably better as a lead guard. Detroit gets a shooting guard who can really score but also distribute and runs with Monk/Beasley at the 2 to keep excellent floor spacing there for 48 minutes. Monk has the added bonus of being able to play some point guard, too.

Trade 4
SAC trades: DeMar DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas
MIL trades: Kyle Kuzma, Pat Connaughton (released), Tyler Smith, Chris Livingston, 2026 UTA 2nd, cash
Sacramento flips DeRozan for some young players and an early 2nd in 2026. Milwaukee gets a playable second option while Lillard is down.


Pre-draft depth chart:
C: none
PF: Smith/Salaun/Kuzma/Williams
SF: Murray/Fontecchio/Livingston
SG: Ellis/Howard/Davis
PG: Ivey/Carter/Anthony

Picks:
4. Tre Johnson (or VJ Edgecomb, or Ace Bailey, depends on who is here/who you like)
25. Hansen Yang
42. Yanic Konan-Neiderhauser

Give the keys to Murray/Ivey and see if either are anything more than they've shown in their current capacity, draft some centers to help fill out the rotation, go whoever you think is BPA at 4. It is a foundation for a rebuild and hopefully a core with promise. The Sabonis Kings have been fun, but the experiment has expired.

[babyjax13]

Garland, Allen, 19 -> Houston

Green, 10 -> Brooklyn

Sengun, CamJ -> Cleveland


Bk gets a better draft pick.

Cleveland balances it's roster a bit and saves money.

Mitchell
Jerome
CamJ
Sengun
Mobley


Houston balances it's roster a bit, and gets savings by moving FVv to the bench on a renegotiated lower deal.

Garland / FVV
Brooks / Reed
Amen / Eason
Jabari / (Flemming)
Allen / Adams

I don't think that balances Cleveland at all, it just makes new issues.