RealGM

NOP trades: Brandon Ingram, 2031 NOP 2nd rounder, 2031 ORL 2nd rounder
NOP receives: Khris Middleton, MarJon Beauchamp, 2026 NOP 1st rounder

WHY FOR NOP? Stay competitive with Khris Middleton, get 2022 1st rounder in Beauchamp, plus get their 2026 1st rounder back for a player they may lose for nothing next offseason.

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MIL trades: Khris Middleton, MarJon Beauchamp, Pat Connaughton, 2026 NOP 1st rounder, 2031 MIL 2nd rounder, cash
MIL receives: Brandon Ingram

WHY FOR MIL? They have very limited ways to add talent and they need to get a bit of a youth infusion with Middleton now on the wrong side of 30. Ingram should be able to extract a similar deal out of the Bucks as OG got from the Knicks because it's a bad look for a team to trade assets for a player, then lose him a few months later.

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DET trades: Cap space
DET receives: Pat Connaughton, three 2031 2nd rounders (MIL, NOP, ORL), cash

WHY FOR DET? Similar to Charlotte getting three 2nd rounders and cash for helping out the Knicks-Wolves, Detroit would receive assets for taking on salary.

Who else has cap space available other than Detroit?

Bucks cannot aggregate salaries for a larger contract due to 2nd apron rules. nor do they own the rights to the Pelicans 2026 1st (Pelicans have a right to swap with Milwaukee), so the idea of this trade is basically D.O.A.

I don't think the pistons are interested in absorbing contracts for seconds at this point of the season. They are going to evaluate guys under a new coach and keep the powder dry for closer to the deadline.

Ron Swanson wrote:Bucks cannot aggregate salaries for a larger contract due to 2nd apron rules. nor do they own the rights to the Pelicans 2026 1st (Pelicans have a right to swap with Milwaukee), so the idea of this trade is basically D.O.A.

This. Also, the 2031 NOP/ORL 2nd is a swap option only (worse of). And the 2026 NOP 1st from MIL is actually just a swap option owned by NOP.

If the Pistons are the only team w legit cap space, then they will be the only team to facilitate trades. Better to hold out until closer to the deadline and at least get some kind of FRP. Seconds are meh.

Also probably not taking on multi-year contracts without a pretty impressive sweetener. If Pat was an expiring, I could see the logic.