Chicago | Miami | New York: 90's rivals become 2024 trade partners
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 3:25 pm
Chicago in: Kel'el Ware, Terry Rozier, and Precious Achiuwa
Chicago out: Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, and Talen Horton-Tucker
Bulls continue prioritizing youth while balancing their roster by taking on the 20 year old rookie center Ware, as well as 25 year old Achiuwa. Taking on Rozier is the cost of doing business - but given the Bulls history for injured guards it's not a bad idea to have Rozier around.
Bulls depth post trade:
Giddey/Ball/Rozier/Carter
LaVine/Dosunmu/Duarte
Craig/Phillips/Terry
Williams/Buzelis
Smith/Ware/Achiuwa
Miami in: Coby White and Mitchell Robinson
Miami out: Kel'el Ware and Terry Rozier
Heat get a backcourt upgrade in White, as well as some better center depth once Robinson returns from injury. If you're keeping Butler, might as well make moves that can help now and in the future.
Heat Depth:
White/Burks
Herro/Robinson
Butler/Jaquez
Highsmith/Jovic
Adebayo/Robinson/Love
New York in: Nikola Vucevic and Talen Horton-Tucker
New york out: Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa
Knicks move two bigs for the reliable, dependable, floor-spacing Vucevic. It's a luxury to have Vuc as your backup big - but we title aspirations it shores up the big man depth by giving the Knicks a guy who's always available, and can also space the floor from his position (45% on 3's this season on 5 attempts a game). They also add THT - who can be a break glass in case of emergency bench scorer. Honestly some nights he can't miss and will hit the dumbest shots. Other nights after 2 minutes you want to glue him to the bench. The Knicks won't be overly reliant on him - again it's another luxury depth piece for a competing team. For stretches you can probably go double big with Vuc at the 5 and KAT at the 4 if needed.
Knicks depth:
Brunson/McBride/Kolek
Hart/Shamet/Payne
Bridges/THT
Anunoby/
KAT/Vucevic/Sims/Hukporti
Chicago out: Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, and Talen Horton-Tucker
Bulls continue prioritizing youth while balancing their roster by taking on the 20 year old rookie center Ware, as well as 25 year old Achiuwa. Taking on Rozier is the cost of doing business - but given the Bulls history for injured guards it's not a bad idea to have Rozier around.
Bulls depth post trade:
Giddey/Ball/Rozier/Carter
LaVine/Dosunmu/Duarte
Craig/Phillips/Terry
Williams/Buzelis
Smith/Ware/Achiuwa
Miami in: Coby White and Mitchell Robinson
Miami out: Kel'el Ware and Terry Rozier
Heat get a backcourt upgrade in White, as well as some better center depth once Robinson returns from injury. If you're keeping Butler, might as well make moves that can help now and in the future.
Heat Depth:
White/Burks
Herro/Robinson
Butler/Jaquez
Highsmith/Jovic
Adebayo/Robinson/Love
New York in: Nikola Vucevic and Talen Horton-Tucker
New york out: Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa
Knicks move two bigs for the reliable, dependable, floor-spacing Vucevic. It's a luxury to have Vuc as your backup big - but we title aspirations it shores up the big man depth by giving the Knicks a guy who's always available, and can also space the floor from his position (45% on 3's this season on 5 attempts a game). They also add THT - who can be a break glass in case of emergency bench scorer. Honestly some nights he can't miss and will hit the dumbest shots. Other nights after 2 minutes you want to glue him to the bench. The Knicks won't be overly reliant on him - again it's another luxury depth piece for a competing team. For stretches you can probably go double big with Vuc at the 5 and KAT at the 4 if needed.
Knicks depth:
Brunson/McBride/Kolek
Hart/Shamet/Payne
Bridges/THT
Anunoby/
KAT/Vucevic/Sims/Hukporti