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NO trades McCollum, Missi, 2025 1st (lightly protected) to Detroit for Stewart, Hardaway

NO gets a credible starting center option - right now they really have no one. This also saves some money next year as Hardaway comes off the books. They decide to keep Ingram as there's no trade market for him. Given his low trade value now it won't be that crushing of a loss if he leaves as a UFA next summer - so they can make a reasonable contract offer rather than being forced into an overpay.

Murray/Ingram/Jones/Zion/Stewart + Murphy

Detroit gets a secondary prospect in Missi (backup minutes on a rebuilding team are a better fit than starting on a team that's trying) along with an extra 1st round pick. McCollum can start next to Cade, providing off-ball shooting, on-ball playmaking when needed and an adult in the room. They take on some extra salary for 2025-6 but are being paid for it.

Eh they are better off adding a bit more if needed to get claxton imo

I don't get why the Pelicans would give up a good pick in a loaded draft plus a recent first rounder (Missi) in order to turn a good player like McCollum into a likely career backup in Stewart, and save 5M in year 1 and 15M in year 2. There are probably better deals around if the Pelicans want to unload McCollum.

I feel that Stewart is a credible 5th starter option, and that while McCollum still has on-court value he's overpaid. It's arguably still an overpay from NO, but their need at center is enough to justify a mild overpay (and the mild overpay is why Detroit does it).

I'd do it for Detroit. I love Beef Stew and what he brings to the team but another 1st in this loaded draft and Missi who is a recent first rounder with a lot of potential is enticing. McCollum's salary is hefty but it's only two years and he slots into our starting backcourt nicely next to Cade.

Duren/Reed
Harris/Ausar
Fontecchio/Holland
McCollum/Beasley
Cade/Ivey

The main downside is that McCollum may make us good enough to contend for the play-in and hurt our lottery odds. But we also need to start winning sometime soon and can't put a terrible team around Cade forever.

Stewart + Hardaway is a nuetral value package (and that assessment seems generous). Hardaway was just dumped a couple of months ago and the consensus was that the Pistons ate his deal too cheaply.

Even if McCullom has negative value, there's no reason for the Pelicans to pay this price to get off his deal. A lightly protected 1st and Missi should return a better player than Stewart and that's before you get to Hardaway.

jbk1234 wrote:Stewart + Hardaway is a nuetral value package (and that assessment seems generous). Hardaway was just dumped a couple of months ago and the consensus was that the Pistons ate his deal too cheaply.

Even if McCullom has negative value, there's no reason for the Pelicans to pay this price to get off his deal. A lightly protected 1st and Missi should return a better player than Stewart and that's before you get to Hardaway.

Absorbing a contract into pure cap space is different than just trading for a guy on an expiring during the year. Nobody would have to pay to dump hardaway at this point. He's just expiring cap filler.

Billl wrote:

jbk1234 wrote:Stewart + Hardaway is a nuetral value package (and that assessment seems generous). Hardaway was just dumped a couple of months ago and the consensus was that the Pistons ate his deal too cheaply.

Even if McCullom has negative value, there's no reason for the Pelicans to pay this price to get off his deal. A lightly protected 1st and Missi should return a better player than Stewart and that's before you get to Hardaway.

Absorbing a contract into pure cap space is different than just trading for a guy on an expiring during the year. Nobody would have to pay to dump hardaway at this point. He's just expiring cap filler.

He's still not worth his contract and trade partners are going to evaluate him accordingly. A playoff team dumped him for a reason. Here he is going to another playoff team. Now if the Pelicans were interested in giving Ingram the extension he wanted, maybe his expiring status gets them to pull the trigger due to that ancillary benefit, but they clearly aren't interested giving Ingram that extension.

jbk1234 wrote:

Billl wrote:

jbk1234 wrote:Stewart + Hardaway is a nuetral value package (and that assessment seems generous). Hardaway was just dumped a couple of months ago and the consensus was that the Pistons ate his deal too cheaply.

Even if McCullom has negative value, there's no reason for the Pelicans to pay this price to get off his deal. A lightly protected 1st and Missi should return a better player than Stewart and that's before you get to Hardaway.

Absorbing a contract into pure cap space is different than just trading for a guy on an expiring during the year. Nobody would have to pay to dump hardaway at this point. He's just expiring cap filler.

He's still not worth his contract and trade partners are going to evaluate him accordingly. A playoff team dumped him for a reason. Here he is going to another playoff team. Now if the Pelicans were interested in giving Ingram the extension he wanted, maybe his expiring status gets them to pull the trigger due to that ancillary benefit, but they clearly aren't interested giving Ingram that extension.

Oh, he's not worth the contract. No arguing that. But it's expiring. Teams aren't going to give up anything of value for him obviously, but he's not negative money coming back for teams trying to cut salary going forward.

I don't think NO would want to move Missi and a pick for Stew, but the problem in that deal isn't hardaway's contract. The problem is that stew isn't a sure fire starting center at this point. He's definitely a rotation big, but if you are giving up essentially 2 draft picks , you want a starter coming back.

Mr Peanut wrote:I'd do it for Detroit. I love Beef Stew and what he brings to the team but another 1st in this loaded draft and Missi who is a recent first rounder with a lot of potential is enticing. McCollum's salary is hefty but it's only two years and he slots into our starting backcourt nicely next to Cade.

Duren/Reed
Harris/Ausar
Fontecchio/Holland
McCollum/Beasley
Cade/Ivey

The main downside is that McCollum may make us good enough to contend for the play-in and hurt our lottery odds. But we also need to start winning sometime soon and can't put a terrible team around Cade forever.

I'm with you on this evaluation.

I don't really like the direction for Detroit. McCollum would take up minutes we should be spending on development of some of the handful of players who might fit next to Cade, and might hurt the tank. But the assets coming back make it hard to say no.

I'd feel a bit guilty sending Beef Stew to NOP as the answer to their C issues. He's a good young player, locked up on a fair contract, with room for improvement -- but he hasn't shown he's starter level on a bad team, let alone a good team.

In the surface, the deal doesn’t make much sense for Detroit. CJ adds to the guard depth. Cade/CJ would take about 35-40 mins a night each. It makes no sense without a pick. For NOP, would you give a pick to move off CJ to upgrade at the 5? Tough call.