RealGM

To Atlanta
LaMelo Ball

To Charlotte
Jalen Green
Reed Sheppard
2027 Houston Pick w right to Swap with Brooklyn Unprotected

To Houston
Trae Young

For Charlotte, seems as though they are still firmly in the rebuilding stages, and LaMelo may no longer fit their timeline. They will have another high pick this year, and if the BPA is a PG, it might create a logjam. They get Green whose contract is a bit more manageable than Melo's as well as a number of high upside assets, which would set them up nicely long term.

For Atlanta, they have to be nervous with Young's impending free agency, and stated desire to win. Atlanta has been a cost sensitive team, and they may have a difficult choice of either having Trae leave, or significantly overpay him. They have numerous young pieces, who are not ready to win now, and frankly need more time for them grow. With San Antonio having their picks, selling off Trae is not an option, so in this move they land Ball who solves a number of those issues. First, he is a similar caliber player, second he will sell tickets and keep fans engaged, third he is cheaper and locked down for a longer period of time, which gives them some extra breathing room while their young core develops.

For Houston, they desperately need an offensive engine, and Trae has quarterbacked numerous top ten offenses in his short time in the NBA. He has always been a weak point on defense, but Houston has a wide number of POA defenders who can cover his defensive shortcomings. He is also young enough to get a number of good years in him, so you don't have the decline risk of other targets like Durant / Booker.

I think most people on this forum view Jalen Green as negative or neutral at best, and rightfully so given his output at an NBA level through 4 seasons.

If you value Jalen Green as a positive, which OP has expressed in multiple threads, then this is definitely in the ball-park of what I view LaMelo's value to be.

I like the idea of Trae in Houston. I don't know if that package (what Houston is sending) is enough to get him though.

Edit: Hornets are paying for Trae, while the Rockets are paying for Ball. That makes more sense I think.

I don’t know enough about Reed. He just had a big counting stats game and maybe FVV missing some time giving Reed a chance to get comfortable in NBA/pace?

But this still feels short a first to me.

And I really think CLT wants to be done tanking and I don’t see what prospect in the top 6ish that doesn’t fit with Ball?

I do not see any of the small guards moving up into the top 10 personally.

ReggiesKnicks wrote:I think most people on this forum view Jalen Green as negative or neutral at best, and rightfully so given his output at an NBA level through 4 seasons.

If you value Jalen Green as a positive, which OP has expressed in multiple threads, then this is definitely in the ball-park of what I view LaMelo's value to be.

I try to craft these as what I would want as the opposing team. I would be taking as many homerun swings as possible

If a rebuilding team with cap flexibility, is silly enough to pass on a high upside player, for whatever reason, it can easily be swapped with FVVs expiring deal. All the better for Houston.

HAHAHAHAHA

gotta love a swap of star PGs where Charlotte ends up with Jalen Green instead of a star PG

I see Trae as higher value than Lamelo, probably I'd want some of those assets going to the Hornets for the Hawks if I were them

Makes sense if Charlotte gets 2nd pick which is pg Harper.
Cha gets Vleet, Whitmore, Reed
Atl gets Melo, Nurkic filler expiring
Hou gets Trae, Niang filler

Vleet tutors Harper for a year. Whitmore and Reed upgrade wings.
Not sure if Houston needs to send a pick but could ship pick 10 fairly easily.

Reed and Miller could be best 3 point shooters in the league in a year or two.

Feel like this should just be a Atlanta Houston deal

This is very interesting, especially if Char gets Flagg
Reed/Green/Miller/Flagg/Williams is a great foundation to build on, with extra picks and some talent on the bench

Hou also makes sense for Young, and ATL could use a change

The Hornets take Trae and ask the Rockets to absent themselves from the room.

jbk1234 wrote:The Hornets take Trae and ask the Rockets to absent themselves from the room.

Trae wants to win.

LarsV8 wrote:

jbk1234 wrote:The Hornets take Trae and ask the Rockets to absent themselves from the room.

Trae wants to win.

So do.the hornets and they have draft assets aNd matching salary to add more win now pieces

jbk1234 wrote:The Hornets take Trae and ask the Rockets to absent themselves from the room.

we actually do neither and just keep LaMelo