ORL sends: Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, Jett Howard, Moe Wagner
ORL gets: Kelly Olynyk, Lonzo Ball
Why: Lonzo is everything we like...big, solid defender, high BBIQ/court vision, low turnovers, good 3pt shooter. Massive injury risk, but large expiring deal. He'd be a terrific example for what AB could become as they play alongside one another/spend time together. Lonzo tightens up the second unit and allows Mose to maintain 48 mins of long, hellish, defensive guard play. Lonzo is one of the best connectors in the league...it's no coincidence that all of the CHI players looked suddenly great last year - until Lonzo went down and they all, suddenly, weren't good players anymore. He's one of the great team "lifters" around. His injury risk is, I know, huge...but he's an expiring deal - so look at it like Jingles last year. Essentially, no long-term harm if he falls apart...we have more cap space this summer, at worst. Olynyk is like a slightly different flavor of Moe, whose offense we need to replace. He's smart, a better shooter and passer than Moe, and, along with Ball, would raise the IQ, ball movement, and floor spreading of the second unit by a considerable amount.He's got one more year, but he's versatile enough that, even at full strength, ORL can find minutes for him at 4/5.
*There's an understanding that Moe is immediately bought out by CHI, and never leaves Franz' couch. Depending on his rehab, we talk more with Moe about the future starting in the summer. This is more than fair to Moe...we love him, but let's not get too romantic about what's "owed" to him...this is a creative twist to keep him in the "family", but not sink the ship to accommodate him.
CHI sends: Lonzo Ball
CHI gets: Moe Wagner (buyout), Gary Harris(solid vet but TO/expiring/buyout/flip candidate), Jett Howard (21yo prospect)
Why: CHI moves an expiring out for an intriguing young prospect and saves salary immediately with buyouts and/or flips, expirings. Clearly, not necessarily a win-now move for CHI...which would be smart, as they survey the Vuc & Lavine markets for more youth and draft equity. Howard's quick trigger and range, along with good size, make him an intriguing & inexpensive complement to Giddey.
TOR sends: Kelly Olynyk
TOR gets: Cole Anthony, 2 srps
Why: TOR is in sell-mode for older vets, etc as they re-tool on the fly. Salaries and contract length (one more year) line up, so it's a wash, financially, for both. TOR grabs some draft equity and gets a look at a still-young, dynamic guard, with the best personality in the NBA. Cole is definitely a candidate for "flourish in a new setting" potential. He's certainly good enough to contribute to TOR PG depth, but the draft equity is really the point for TOR. Some nights, he's Kyrie. Some nights, he's...not
