RealGM

Okay I know but hear me out....

Pelicans trade Ingram, M Ryan
Receive Poeltl, Boucher, Agbaji and sac 2nd rd pick

Why? With Zion healthy, they now have more roster balance, free up playing time for their solid young players, remove the contract drama from the team and get underneath the tax line.

Bulls trade Zach Lavine, Lonzo Ball, 2025 Portland first (protected 1-14) and sac 2nd round pick
Receive Ingram and B. Brown

Why? With as bad as Portland is, they might only ever receive a second round pick in 2028 but this also allows them to see if Ingram is a good fit with the team and if not they have cap space to maneuver with the following year.

Raptors trade Poeltl, Agbaji, Brown and Boucher
Receive Zach Lavine and Lonzo Ball

Why? Lonzo Ball is an expiring and if he has recovered from his will have value at the trade deadline. With Zach Lavine, the raps will be taking the OKC approach and helping him to rehab hiss value to trade for an asset down the road.

Thought? Insights? Deal or no Deal?

sorry, the Raps also get the Portland first

Yuck for Toronto. I wouldn't do brown/bucher/agbaji for lavine/POR 2025 1st straight up, let alone Poellt for Ball as well

Bulls are stealing value. That packadge is neutral at best, probably negative. Raptors get robbed and Pelicans also say no.

Leave ball out and send them Vuc

scottyg wrote:Leave ball out and send them Vuc

I doubt TOR or their fans here like that. We'd hear how Vucevic is a walking corpse as usual.
I'm reluctant to give up on Lonzo Ball. In every deal, he's an expiring $21M to give cap space. Cap space works for the Bulls just as well, but with the option of him actually being recovered and able to play. A little at first then maybe more. I know character is never seen as a factor in any proposed trade here but even if I'm the only one--I think that FA Lonzo Ball if he plays well for the Bulls would take a minimum deal from them for a year maybe two, for sticking by him for 2 3/4 seasons and $60M for not playing and show the fans and NBA that he appreciates not being considered nothing.

But here's where this doesn't work. Who do the Bulls start, the expiring Ingram and Brown who would no doubt be max contracts to resign? The just resigned Patrick Williams for 5/$90M, do they just play him off the bench and does he improve for the remaining 4 years of his contract? Do they resign one of them which puts their cap space in doubt when White, Giddey and Dosunmu come up for big contracts. If they move Ingram and Brown come draft time what are they going to get?

Yeah it getting good players back and moving on from Lavine's contract but this trade doesn't seem to fit in any kind of plan the Bulls seem to have going forward

This deal is basically Ingram/Poeltl/LaVine and the three just don't have the same value (and the fake 1st/actual 2nd Portland pick isn't making up the difference). The filler parts of the deal aren't really changing anything.