RealGM

scenario for Utah: Lauri is in place, but the Jazz want to turbo-tank, slash salary, and add a pick
scenario for Charlotte: things aren't bad- LaMelo is playing, Mark Williams is playing, and the team is respectable, not quite there, but you can see it starting to come together. Salaun looks like he needs a year or two in Greensboro and is not a threat to take PF minutes.

Charlotte trades Nick Richards, Nick Smith Jr, Cody Martin, Taj Gibson (all but NSJ expiring), worst of 2027 1sts (CHA/MIA/DAL)
Utah trades Walker Kessler (taken into room exception), John Collins (salary matches 4 players above)

The Jazz turn the team over to the younger guys- with follow up trades involving Clarkson/Sexton, and run with Lauri and guys on rookie scale contracts only, with their eyes on Flagg and the others at the top of that class. They dump Collins a year early for bite-sized expirings, the payment being sending out Kessler on a bit of a discount, for whom there are mixed reports on if he's in their future. Hard to tell what NSJ is yet, good shooter but nothing truly separating him from the others that do what he does... the main value is the pick and the $25M in savings next year.

Charlotte reshapes their frontcourt, adding a significant amount of size behind Mark Williams, and allowing the team to play bigger most of the time. Collins is an interesting stopgap as well, due to natural fit with LaMelo, and his ability to slide over to center for short stretches. Kessler is the big get here though, as he and Mark can split the center minutes and give Charlotte 48 minutes of excellent rim protection.
Charlotte's rotation becomes: LaMelo/Miller/Bridges/Collins/Mark Williams + Micic/Mann/Green/Grant Williams/Kessler

The Jazz are well under the cap in 25-26 season even with a Laurie max anyway so I don't see the point in giving away value just to dump Collins' contract. *I'm not saying the Jazz are giving away value based on your proposal, just pointing out the motivation you provide is flawed.

This depends pretty hugely on how well Kessler plays this year and it's very hard to make mock trades for Kessler right now given how wide the range of outcomes for Kessler this year are.

If Kessler learns how to shoot free throws and set screens, he's like a near top 10 center and commands way more (especially from Phoenix and other second apron teams). If he's the same level as last year, he will not be very valuable.

I think this gets done with Micic right now..

Utah should not say no to clearing Collins second year and getting a first for Kessler.. They should do the OP with Grant Williams really

jayjaysee wrote:I think this gets done with Micic right now..

Utah should not say no to clearing Collins second year and getting a first for Kessler.. They should do the OP with Grant Williams really

I agree with this.

jayjaysee wrote:I think this gets done with Micic right now..

Utah should not say no to clearing Collins second year and getting a first for Kessler.. They should do the OP with Grant Williams really

i think Charlotte wants to wait to see where their team is at first. If Ball is injured again and they are near bottom of standings it wouldn't make sense to buy

Godaddycurse wrote:

jayjaysee wrote:I think this gets done with Micic right now..

Utah should not say no to clearing Collins second year and getting a first for Kessler.. They should do the OP with Grant Williams really

i think Charlotte wants to wait to see where their team is at first. If Ball is injured again and they are near bottom of standings it wouldn't make sense to buy

Kessler and Collins aren’t stopping a tank, obviously. So yeah. If Ball is hurt, CLT can set themselves up to add another high ceiling guy to Miller..

This is hardly buying though? It’s trading a worst than first years out for a 23 year old center. Grant Williams and filler for Collins is a win for CLT by getting off the third year. And I dislike Collins’ impact as much as anyone?

Things will have to have gone really wrong if CLT is still not in the playoffs in 3 years. Ball, Miller, Salaun, Williams, Kessler.. a high 2025 first as you suggest..

I like the makings of this trade. Wish we could just do it right now though because the roster for Charlotte is lopsided on guards and thin elsewhere.

Rich4114 wrote:I like the makings of this trade. Wish we could just do it right now though because the roster for Charlotte is lopsided on guards and thin elsewhere.

unfortunately Taj Gibson's $3M is the missing piece to make it work salary wise. It maybe could've happened way earlier in the offseason instead of trades+waives for Graham and Jackson, before we even officially re-signed Bridges.