RealGM

Let's say the Nets get Donovan Mitchell for Cam Johnson, DFS, '27 76ers 1st, '27 Suns 1st and '29 Suns 1st so those picks are off the table...

What follow-up move would they make using Simmons and the other picks?

'25 Suns 1st
'28 Earlier of Suns/Nets 1st
'29 Mavs 1st
'30 or '31 Nets 1st

Ayton and you can keep the picks!

What about 1 or 2 of the picks in a Kuzma based deal?

Claxton/Kuzma/Bridges/Cam/Mitchell

SA or Detroit would take Simmons and that phx pick for cap space. Gambling on strong 2025 draft. Maybe send the rest for Vleet or CJ etc.

If I'm the Nets I play out the 1st half of the season and try to trade Simmons + Picks midseason for any disgruntled players or expiring/semi-expiring players teams don't want to lose for nothing.

I agree.

The only way they will offload such a valuable expiring now with insanely valuable picks would be for a Top 10 player who becomes available AND fits the timeline of the team (likely 28 or younger or close to it if they are Top 5), and they fit the positional and play style need.

I am unsure who that might be. The door might open more by the middle of next season when Luka or Embiid realize they cannot win in their current locations (or someone of that stature).

JKiddy wrote:I agree.

The only way they will offload such a valuable expiring now with insanely valuable picks would be for a Top 10 player who becomes available AND fits the timeline of the team (likely 28 or younger or close to it if they are Top 5), and they fit the positional and play style need.

I am unsure who that might be. The door might open more by the middle of next season when Luka or Embiid realize they cannot win in their current locations (or someone of that stature).

He's not a valuable expiring, he's a huge dead-weight contract.

Keeping him and letting him expire isn't useful for the Nets in this scenario. They waste a year with less depth/quality due to Simmons eating up a bunch of their payroll. With the guys they have in-house they don't really create that much cap space for the year after. And Simmons + secondary picks is obviously not bringing back a top-10 player.

Maybe too much of the league is trying in the offseason to get a good value deal and it's better to wait until mid-season for some teams to pull the plug but keeping him all year is a terrible idea (and you need to think more like Kuzma-level guys then Luka-quality).

Problem is, not many teams are wanting a picks package for a star. Wizards don’t have a star to trade and they might be only openly tanking team.

One I always post is Markkanen. Ainge just might, for the right picks overpay, part with Markkanen. Seems like his MO. I think the call would be to Ainge first, what picks does he like the most. Then leftover to acquire Mitchell.

If Nets can keep Bridges, a trio of: Mitchell | Bridges | Markkanen…is legit team. More so if Claxton is retained.

NYG wrote:What about 1 or 2 of the picks in a Kuzma based deal?

Claxton/Kuzma/Bridges/Cam/Mitchell

I don’t think giving up picks for Kuzma is a good idea . He has always been a net negative according advanced stat indicators.

This sounds like a terrible plan for the Nets.
Maxing out as a 5 seed with no future draft capital.

What’s the plan for once Mitchell is extended? That feels the direction the offseason is going right? Not Mitchell traded for picks.

But I’d go after DJM here. Fake idea would be something like

DJM, Hunter, OO for Simmons, Dennis, and 3 of those picks if you believe OO will actually continue to work on his shot.. but probably just Hunter and DJM for Simmons and two of those picks since they do have nice upside..

Claxton/Sharpe/OO/Hunter/Bridges/Murray/Cam/Mitchell
With Clowney

brackdan70 wrote:

NYG wrote:What about 1 or 2 of the picks in a Kuzma based deal?

Claxton/Kuzma/Bridges/Cam/Mitchell

I don’t think giving up picks for Kuzma is a good idea . He has always been a net negative according advanced stat indicators.

Not going after Kuzma specifically is reasonable. But if your offering Simmons and a secondary pick or two that's the rough level of guy you'd get. Offering 3-4 secondary picks + Simmons gets you someone better but still not an elite guy. Expecting Luka for Simmons and 3-4 secondary picks is delusional.

I think at least one of those PHX picks need to go with Ben's expiring if you're star hunting.

Who knows if Ben will be dead weight again. Maybe the 2nd surgery fixes the issue or at least makes it so that he'll be willing to play through discomfort in a contract year. Regardless, his main value is as a massive expiring that can match 1 for 1 in a star trade. His deal's cashflow is also front loaded. He gets 25% of his salary in July and 25% in October. While he'll still count fully against the cap and tax, the acquiring team can avoid a large chunk of his salary if acquiring him after the Nets pay out one or both of those milestone payments.

Nuggets send MPJ and Tyson
Nets send Simmons

Nets hope MPJ can be productive.
Nuggets glad to get out of MPJ contract for the cost of 1 year of Simmons.

KD @ the deadline. Maximum LOL.

Mitchell,
CamT,
Bridges,
KD,
Claxton

is actually a threat in the east imo too.

Grant for Simmons and a future perennially LP 1st rounder.