RealGM

Utah is set as a team ready to tank.if they cannot get the deal they want for Markkanen -multiple draft picks and a young potential star - Utah changes course and goes for wins.

With plenty of draft picks to use in future years:

Utah trades Collins/Kessler
NOP trades Ingram

For Utah they get a scoring forward to partner with Markkanen. Still have plenty of minutes for Williams and Hendricks to get playing time.

NOP gets a center with experience. Also gets a PF to spread the floor and can play a small ball 5.

I can't imagine New Orleans accepting this without picks being included. Let's assume Collins + Kessler is a wash on value (I assume that's about right), Utah needs to add the value for Ingram - even if he's a distressed asset. But after the deal we are just locking ourselves into the playin.

I think we have two routes:
1) keep Lauri, but trade other veterans and tank w/Lauri (should be doable)
2) trade Lauri, either prior to his extension, or at the deadline after he is extended for assets that can help with a rebuild and tank hard after the deadline

I am guessing that #1 is the direction we are going. We've added no one of consequence to the rotation, we've replaced NBA veterans with rookies, I am guessing that we are looking to deal Clarkson and hopefully Collins to open more minutes for Hendricks/Collier, which should lead to losses.

Utah makes use of remaining cap funds and goes for Okoro/Reed.
Team looks drastically different.

louc1970 wrote:Utah makes use of remaining cap funds and goes for Okoro/Reed.
Team looks drastically different.

Unlikely. Utah is $31 million under the cap before a Lauri R+E. I assume he gets a $24 million raise, and I don't think Spotrac is including the extra 20% most rookies get (which adds about $2 million to our salaries) and there is a good chance we give Johnny Juzang and Micah Potter contracts (probably minimums) which would get us to about $30 million in salaries added and a 15 man roster.

louc1970 wrote:Utah makes use of remaining cap funds and goes for Okoro/Reed.
Team looks drastically different.

problem is there's such a seismic gap between their current talent level and the talent level needed to make even the play-ins out west, that I'm not sure Ingram+Reed changes anything for Utah. is a rotation of

Keyonte George/Sexton/Ingram/Lauri/Reed + Collier/Clarkson/Cody Williams/Hendricks/Filipowski (my best guess at that rotation anyway)

supposed to overtake Denver, Minny, Dallas, OKC, Phoenix, NOLA minus Ingram, Memphis, LA, LA, Golden State, Sacramento, or even Houston or San Antonio? Even if the West wasn't seriously loaded, playoffs would be unlikely for this team. I have my doubts that adding Ingram and creating a giant hole at C is doing anything more than moving Utah from #14 to #13.

What exactly are they winning? They want to join the group of Lakers, Kings, Warriors and Rockets? Still behind the Wolves, Nuggets, Mavs, Thunder, Pelicans, Suns, Grizzles.

This base idea went from a random future first, to Cody Williams, to no additional value in 2 days.

That’s pretty impressive.

Utah owes here.

And it only really makes sense if there’s another (big) deal lined up. Which Utah can afford both on salaries and assets..

Collins+Kessler might get CJ and a pick for Utah

Add pick(s) or Hendricks imo

jayjaysee wrote:This base idea went from a random future first, to Cody Williams, to no additional value in 2 days.

That’s pretty impressive.

Utah owes here.

And it only really makes sense if there’s another (big) deal lined up. Which Utah can afford both on salaries and assets..

By pre season , New Orleans will be giving up huge value in the trade!

So who are these teams breaking down doors to get Ingram?