RealGM

Which players would they be willing to trade into cap space?

Washington needs young talent even if it's not there yet. We can cut someone like Anthony Gill or send someone like Delon Wright for a couple of young players. We are overloaded with developmental 2 guards, but thin on bigs. Would Memphis be open to moving any of the following?

Kenny Lofton?
David Roddy?
Jake LaRavia?

penbeast0 wrote:Which players would they be willing to trade into cap space?

Washington needs young talent even if it's not there yet. We can cut someone like Anthony Gill or send someone like Delon Wright for a couple of young players. We are overloaded with developmental 2 guards, but thin on bigs. Would Memphis be open to moving any of the following?

Kenny Lofton?
David Roddy?
Jake LaRavia?

Moving Konchar makes sense financially, so maybe Konchar + one of those young guys and a 2nd for Wright. His salary triples to like 6M so not sure about the cap particulars.

So, none of the 3 are considered part of Memphis's future? That's more what I was looking for an opinion on though Wright for Konchar with one of the 3 as incentive is fine if the Wiz like them more than the Griz. I love Wright but he's not in the team's future as we are still a few years away.

i wouldn't mind kicking the tires (a 2nd) on Lofton even though I know he's not going to help our 30th ranked defense.

HornetJail wrote:i wouldn't mind kicking the tires (a 2nd) on Lofton even though I know he's not going to help our 30th ranked defense.

Deal

Kenny Lofton is likely the cut or trade here, he needs the most seasoning and if we plan to make a run of it will get zero play. I don't think we have a big role for Wright here and with him out with injury for a while still, so doubt we are targeting him with extra assets.

Roddy and to a lesser extent LaRavia are still going to hold some value to us and are possible part of our future and would not dump them for basically nothing or a 5th guard like Wright. They are not worth a lot right now but no reason for us right not to see if they can turn the corner. But they are gone in any trade that needs the salary or value for a player that we actually want.

Outside the box, but If Indy is willing to give up on any cap space possibilities, the Pacers could do Nwora and seconds for Brandon Clarke. Memphis would then get to waive Nwora and his smaller $3m contract, while they also could take Nwora in to their DPE, and thus create a new TPE equal to Clarke’s $12.5m contract. Indy would utilize their cap space to absorb the difference in Clarke’s salary to Nwora.

Scoot McGroot wrote:Outside the box, but If Indy is willing to give up on any cap space possibilities, the Pacers could do Nwora and seconds for Brandon Clarke. Memphis would then get to waive Nwora and his smaller $3m contract, while they also could take Nwora in to their DPE, and thus create a new TPE equal to Clarke’s $12.5m contract. Indy would utilize their cap space to absorb the difference in Clarke’s salary to Nwora.

I would be surprised if Indy was willing to do this. Hypothetically if Clarke comes back healthy he is on a bargain contract and key rotation player that Memphis wouldn't want to move in a trade and viewed as a long term fixture for us, but if he doesn't round into form then is a longer term bad contract. IMO I rather gamble on Clarke bouncing back, but understand that with the tax line approaching tough decisions are going to have to be made and Memphis may choose the safer and cheaper route if offered.

It is an interesting gamble either way.

psman2 wrote:

Scoot McGroot wrote:Outside the box, but If Indy is willing to give up on any cap space possibilities, the Pacers could do Nwora and seconds for Brandon Clarke. Memphis would then get to waive Nwora and his smaller $3m contract, while they also could take Nwora in to their DPE, and thus create a new TPE equal to Clarke’s $12.5m contract. Indy would utilize their cap space to absorb the difference in Clarke’s salary to Nwora.

I would be surprised if Indy was willing to do this. Hypothetically if Clarke comes back healthy he is on a bargain contract and key rotation player that Memphis wouldn't want to move in a trade and viewed as a long term fixture for us, but if he doesn't round into form then is a longer term bad contract. IMO I rather gamble on Clarke bouncing back, but understand that with the tax line approaching tough decisions are going to have to be made and Memphis may choose the safer and cheaper route if offered.

It is an interesting gamble either way.

Yeah, I think he’d be an insurance policy as both Jalen Smith and Myles Turner hit free agency next year (Myles can’t legally extend because of the mechanics of his renegotiation and extension).

psman2 wrote:

Scoot McGroot wrote:Outside the box, but If Indy is willing to give up on any cap space possibilities, the Pacers could do Nwora and seconds for Brandon Clarke. Memphis would then get to waive Nwora and his smaller $3m contract, while they also could take Nwora in to their DPE, and thus create a new TPE equal to Clarke’s $12.5m contract. Indy would utilize their cap space to absorb the difference in Clarke’s salary to Nwora.

I would be surprised if Indy was willing to do this. Hypothetically if Clarke comes back healthy he is on a bargain contract and key rotation player that Memphis wouldn't want to move in a trade and viewed as a long term fixture for us, but if he doesn't round into form then is a longer term bad contract. IMO I rather gamble on Clarke bouncing back, but understand that with the tax line approaching tough decisions are going to have to be made and Memphis may choose the safer and cheaper route if offered.

It is an interesting gamble either way.

There is no player around the rim in the current roster other than Clarke and partially Adams. In my view, we have been looking so helpless mostly because of their absence, so I believe FO would rather trade Smart for good value than Clarke for almost nothing just because of the importance of his skills.

esvl wrote:

psman2 wrote:

Scoot McGroot wrote:Outside the box, but If Indy is willing to give up on any cap space possibilities, the Pacers could do Nwora and seconds for Brandon Clarke. Memphis would then get to waive Nwora and his smaller $3m contract, while they also could take Nwora in to their DPE, and thus create a new TPE equal to Clarke’s $12.5m contract. Indy would utilize their cap space to absorb the difference in Clarke’s salary to Nwora.

I would be surprised if Indy was willing to do this. Hypothetically if Clarke comes back healthy he is on a bargain contract and key rotation player that Memphis wouldn't want to move in a trade and viewed as a long term fixture for us, but if he doesn't round into form then is a longer term bad contract. IMO I rather gamble on Clarke bouncing back, but understand that with the tax line approaching tough decisions are going to have to be made and Memphis may choose the safer and cheaper route if offered.

It is an interesting gamble either way.

There is no player around the rim in the current roster other than Clarke. In my view, we have been looking so helpless mostly because nobody can play around the rim, so I believe FO would rather trade Smart for good value than Clarke for almost nothing just because of the importance of his skills.

I agree that we need things that Clarke could provide if healthy. But if we were to do a trade like above it could result in enough room under the tax to have the full MLE open next year. Right now we likely only looking at the TMLE. I think we could likely find someone to help that does the things Clarke can do with that salary and avoid the risk of Clarke not coming back healthy. Personally I rather just stick it out with Clarke.

psman2 wrote:

esvl wrote:

psman2 wrote:
I would be surprised if Indy was willing to do this. Hypothetically if Clarke comes back healthy he is on a bargain contract and key rotation player that Memphis wouldn't want to move in a trade and viewed as a long term fixture for us, but if he doesn't round into form then is a longer term bad contract. IMO I rather gamble on Clarke bouncing back, but understand that with the tax line approaching tough decisions are going to have to be made and Memphis may choose the safer and cheaper route if offered.

It is an interesting gamble either way.

There is no player around the rim in the current roster other than Clarke. In my view, we have been looking so helpless mostly because nobody can play around the rim, so I believe FO would rather trade Smart for good value than Clarke for almost nothing just because of the importance of his skills.

I agree that we need things that Clarke could provide if healthy. But if we were to do a trade like above it could result in enough room under the tax to have the full MLE open next year. Right now we likely only looking at the TMLE. I think we could likely find someone to help that does the things Clarke can do with that salary and avoid the risk of Clarke not coming back healthy. Personally I rather just stick it out with Clarke.

The problem with the TRE option is that it is almost impossible to find an available target and then win the bidding war, so I would stick with Clarke too.

psman2 wrote:Roddy and to a lesser extent LaRavia are still going to hold some value to us and are possible part of our future and would not dump them for basically nothing

LaRavia is an Indianapolis native. I wonder if we'd offer the lower of our two 2024 Firsts. Roddy also would have interest.

Wizop wrote:

psman2 wrote:Roddy and to a lesser extent LaRavia are still going to hold some value to us and are possible part of our future and would not dump them for basically nothing

LaRavia is an Indianapolis native. I wonder if we'd offer the lower of our two 2024 Firsts. Roddy also would have interest.

LaRavia is definitely not pulling a first right now. Roddy may not either, but it’s possible. Doesn’t mean Memphis will deal either, though.

Scoot McGroot wrote:

Wizop wrote:

psman2 wrote:Roddy and to a lesser extent LaRavia are still going to hold some value to us and are possible part of our future and would not dump them for basically nothing

LaRavia is an Indianapolis native. I wonder if we'd offer the lower of our two 2024 Firsts. Roddy also would have interest.

LaRavia is definitely not pulling a first right now. Roddy may not either, but it’s possible. Doesn’t mean Memphis will deal either, though.

I'm not excited about having two firsts this year. perhaps the compromise would be to give a 2023 first and take back a future one.

Wizop wrote:

Scoot McGroot wrote:

Wizop wrote:
LaRavia is an Indianapolis native. I wonder if we'd offer the lower of our two 2024 Firsts. Roddy also would have interest.

LaRavia is definitely not pulling a first right now. Roddy may not either, but it’s possible. Doesn’t mean Memphis will deal either, though.

I'm not excited about having two firsts this year. perhaps the compromise would be to give a 2023 first and take back a future one.

I don't think Memphis is really going to be interesting in swapping a future 1st/LaRavia for a late 1st this year.

Now LaRavia/future 2nds for you worst 1st this year could be something we for sure would look at, but we have a crowded roster and might not really want a late 1st round talent to go along with our possible lottery pick.

Scoot McGroot wrote:

Wizop wrote:

psman2 wrote:Roddy and to a lesser extent LaRavia are still going to hold some value to us and are possible part of our future and would not dump them for basically nothing

LaRavia is an Indianapolis native. I wonder if we'd offer the lower of our two 2024 Firsts. Roddy also would have interest.

LaRavia is definitely not pulling a first right now. Roddy may not either, but it’s possible. Doesn’t mean Memphis will deal either, though.

LaRavia objectively likely pulls a 35-42 type of pick from a team that liked him in the draft. Now would we take it if offered is another story but I agree that no other team would be offering any type of 1st for him alone.

I agree that a simple trade or cut of a young guy is the easy solution here.
But if you look big picture. Memphis is at 170 million in salary next year. The Tax Line is set at 172 million.
That is without bringing back Kennard on his team option, Xavier Tillman, GG Jackson or a projected top 5 pick.

This could be an interesting Hayward trade location. Who says no.

Grizzlies get Hayward
Hornets get Kennard, Steven Adams plus an asset (2nd rounder or young player)

Why for Grizz: Clears roster crunch, puts them in a much more manageable cap spot next and Hayward fills a need at the 3 spot they are lacking this year.

Why for Hornets: Hornets likely aren't bringing back Hayward. Kennard is probably a guy that given Hornets cap situation would be an easy yes to PO. They eat Adams cap for now, but he would be a good locker room addition and they could look to flip him or Nick Richards in the summer and still have a solid center rotation. Konchar/Roddy/LaRavia would be a great pickup, but doubt they toss him in. I think a 2nd would be fine.

I just don't know if Memphis is happily paying the tax next year, especially if they miss the playoffs entirely this year. They are dead last in revenue and that is when they are a top seed. I assume that number is even lower this year without Ja and winning 6/22 of games to start year.

I think Memphis will look to offload Kenneth Lofton Jr., and when there is no takers, decide to waive him.