RealGM

The Wolves are likely heading into the lux tax and most point to trading KAT if they want to avoid it. Hypothetically, if they’re sold on keeping KAT, feel good about Alexander-Walker taking McDaniels spot and Garza/Miller being enough to make losing Naz not hurt as much, they could look to move Naz and/or McDaniels to save money.

If that’s the case (and I don’t think it’s likely at all, but hypotheticals are fun), what could Minnesota get for either guy with the assumption that saving money is the priority?

Mamba4Goat wrote:The Wolves are likely heading into the lux tax and most point to trading KAT if they want to avoid it. Hypothetically, if they’re sold on keeping KAT, feel good about Alexander-Walker taking McDaniels spot and Garza/Miller being enough to make losing Naz not hurt as much, they could look to move Naz and/or McDaniels to save money.

If that’s the case (and I don’t think it’s likely at all, but hypotheticals are fun), what could Minnesota get for either guy with the assumption that saving money is the priority?

I'd like to see the Wolves prioritize Naz and Jaden by turning KAT into someone like Mikal Bridges.

Conley/NAW
Ant
Bridges
McDaniels
Gobert/Reid

I think it's a more balanced roster. They should not be overextended by KAT. His value on the trade market is approaching a peak.

Something built around cason wallace and mcdaniels could be interesting

I'd love the Warriors to kick the tires on Reid, mostly because he always kills us when we play y'all.

Not really sure what we have to offer though. Best we can do is probably Looney + Moody + some 2nds and that doesn't feel like a super compelling offer.

Didn't they duck the tax with Conley's extension? Also, if cost-cutting becomes a primary concern, I see KAT getting traded before Reid and McDaniels.

When was the last time a contending team with a young core traded one of their top 3 players for a bunch of role players to get under the tax? The Wolves are not trading KAT to save money.
For the same reason they aren't trading Naz Reid and definitely not Jaden McDaniels just to dump salary and get nominal "assets" which they'll have to trade to get players worse than them.

Mamba4Goat wrote:The Wolves are likely heading into the lux tax and most point to trading KAT if they want to avoid it. Hypothetically, if they’re sold on keeping KAT, feel good about Alexander-Walker taking McDaniels spot and Garza/Miller being enough to make losing Naz not hurt as much, they could look to move Naz and/or McDaniels to save money.

If that’s the case (and I don’t think it’s likely at all, but hypotheticals are fun), what could Minnesota get for either guy with the assumption that saving money is the priority?

Would the goal be expiring salary then? Or would you be trying to trade them into space?

I'd give up a pretty generous pick package for McDaniels, or a less generous one for Naz.

BK_2020 wrote:When was the last time a contending team with a young core traded one of their top 3 players for a bunch of role players to get under the tax? The Wolves are not trading KAT to save money.
For the same reason they aren't trading Naz Reid and definitely not Jaden McDaniels just to dump salary and get nominal "assets" which they'll have to trade to get players worse than them.

Who said Wolves are trading KAT for a bunch of “role players?”

That is a huge misperception all too commonly wrong on RGM. Towns trades are win-now pieces received…just not named Towns and not at his salary.

Maybe we collectively need to call them Towns Swaps. Because Wolves can swap Towns and even get better. Hard to do? Yes. But doable.

In this scenario, what are the Wolves doing with Morris and Anderson? That probably matters a bit on judging the return.

If our Big 3 turn out to truly be a big 3 in the playoffs this year, I think OKC could really use both players. We could also save MIN money while replenishing some picks and some role players.

Kenrich Williams, Wiggins, 4 FRP? (or Dort, or Dieng maybe?)
for
McDaniels, Reid

I think McDaniels should be the second least likely player traded. He’s a great fit with Ant and either Rudy/KAT. So would expect either center traded before McDaniels. (Despite both having more value than he does)

I do think it would make sense to trade Naz if the team wants to save money, or move money. Say if the team is unwilling to pay Kyle and Naz, trading Naz for a first round pick and keeping Kyle?

No idea what Naz’ value is as he’s likely opting out of 2025.. But think a pick between OKC’s owned (11-13th ish) and Toronto’s earlier first (16-18) seems reasonable? And that money gets slid right into Kyle’s new contract. Throw in Minnesota’s first if I’m aiming too high?

Wolveswin wrote:

BK_2020 wrote:When was the last time a contending team with a young core traded one of their top 3 players for a bunch of role players to get under the tax? The Wolves are not trading KAT to save money.
For the same reason they aren't trading Naz Reid and definitely not Jaden McDaniels just to dump salary and get nominal "assets" which they'll have to trade to get players worse than them.

Who said Wolves are trading KAT for a bunch of “role players?”

That is a huge misperception all too commonly wrong on RGM. Towns trades are win-now pieces received…just not named Towns and not at his salary.

Maybe we collectively need to call them Towns Swaps. Because Wolves can swap Towns and even get better. Hard to do? Yes. But doable.

No one's going to trade you a Top 25 player for Towns. Teams don't want to aimlessly swap their top 2-3 players, they want to add to their core. When a team trades a Top 25 player, they do it to blow up the core and want picks back. Go back decades and you will rarely see an All-Star for All-Star swap. At best you'll get a role player like Mikal Bridges and some mid picks.

I'm nowhere near convinced that Minnesota is going to dump salary this offseason. My bet would be that the Wolves pretty much run it back in 2024-25 and pay a sizeable luxury tax bill for at least one and possibly even two seasons.

I would also say that I think McDaniels is the 2nd least likely player to be traded by the Wolves with Naz probably the 3rd least likely.

Mamba4Goat wrote:The Wolves are likely heading into the lux tax and most point to trading KAT if they want to avoid it. Hypothetically, if they’re sold on keeping KAT, feel good about Alexander-Walker taking McDaniels spot and Garza/Miller being enough to make losing Naz not hurt as much, they could look to move Naz and/or McDaniels to save money.

If that’s the case (and I don’t think it’s likely at all, but hypotheticals are fun), what could Minnesota get for either guy with the assumption that saving money is the priority?

Just quoting OP, as for a second I wasn't sure this wasn't a KAT trade thread.

Would Orlando be interested in a Wagner/KAT type?

jbk1234 wrote:Didn't they duck the tax with Conley's extension? Also, if cost-cutting becomes a primary concern, I see KAT getting traded before Reid and McDaniels.

Quite the opposite. Even though Conley's extension is VERY affordable, They locked themselves in as a second apron team without a serious cost cutting trade.

Scoot McGroot wrote:

jbk1234 wrote:Didn't they duck the tax with Conley's extension? Also, if cost-cutting becomes a primary concern, I see KAT getting traded before Reid and McDaniels.

Quite the opposite. Even though Conley's extension is VERY affordable, They locked themselves in as a second apron team without a serious cost cutting trade.

Yeah. Without Conley, there was a chance that they could have slipped under the second apron without making a cost-cutting trade. But not anymore. They currently have $186M in salaries committed for 24-25, and that's with only 10 roster spots filled. Even if they fill out the rest of the roster with vet mins they're over the second apron.

With 4 vet min guys they'd be at roughly $194M, so they'd need to cut at least $5M to get under the second apron.

If they want to duck the 2nd apron, Naz feels like the obvious move. Can move off the entire number and get some kind of asset back. And while he's a really nice player, when you have Gobert/Towns already he's a luxury maybe they decide they can't afford?

Hard to know. This team is definitely worth paying for(barring some kind of playoff meltdown), but this new group has also seemingly struggled with financing all along the way. I'd not be surprised to see a money saving deal this summer at all.

If they're good enough in the postseason to justify going into the tax, I could see the Cavs bundle Niang and their 2024 1st for Reid, which should save Minnesota roughly $5.5m to stay out of the second apron.

I could see a similar deal with LeVert or an Okoro S&T and the 1st for McDaniels.

Godaddycurse wrote:Something built around cason wallace and mcdaniels could be interesting

This would sting but it makes a lot of sense for both teams. Maybe more for OKC before Micic got dumped.

Naz for Nick Richards + 2nds (debate how many) cuts a lot of salary while returning a very capable backup. McDaniels is, IMO, tricker. I wouldn't want to pay him that contract but I don't watch him a ton and understand many Wolves fans are enamored. McDaniels + Moore for Murray could be interesting (salary neutral, though), McDaniels would help the Hawks quite a bit.