RealGM

DAL trades: Kyrie Irving (opts in), Daniel Gafford, Jaden Hardy
PHX trades: Kevin Durant, Royce O'neale

Why DAL does it: Kyrie is likely to miss a lot of time and they have a narrow window with AD. They add a player who - if not better than Kyrie - is at least similarly impactful at this point in his career and, importantly, isn't currently out with an ACL tear. They also still have some assets and matching salary after this, so they could/would make subsequent trades to balance the roster.

Why PHX does it: Phoenix starts to rebalance their roster, understanding of course that Kyrie is likely to miss a majority, if not all, of next season. The general idea, though, is that Kyrie is younger than Durant and a nice pairing with Booker, so when he comes back they can have retooled around that duo. Alternatively, he extends the window in which they can make a trade - Durant has to be traded this offseason, while if they can extend or resign Irving under the max, he could have some value once he is back. Gafford also gives them a real, albeit mediocre, center rotation.

Why Kyrie does it: AD will likely be 34 by the time Kyrie is back, and he will be 35. Dallas' core is dead before it started. Here he can come back to a slightly younger star once he is recovered.

I dont think kyrie has any trade value right now

With healthy Kyrie this is close in value, but don't like the direction for the Suns, witj Kyrie out, value is nowhere near.

I think KD returns a lot less than most here.. But not this much less. Maybe if KD is still in Phoenix by the time Kyrie is healthy, the value is probably right. But definitely not now.

And I really don’t like the idea for Dallas. Without Kyrie, I don’t see the point in pairing AD/KD. The trio makes you feel like with the right depth/health, you have a real chance at a championship for that 2 season run..

But you take the OP and trade both KD and AD*

Seems I whiffed here. I think a healthy Kyrie is individually more valuable than Durant b/c of age, so my assumption was ... well, Durant is def. more valuable now, but when Kyrie comes back he'll probably be more impactful + Phoenix at least gets Gafford and can rebalance the roster. Maybe it requires an extend and trade, which I don't even know if it is possible under the new CBA with teams in the tax, etc. etc.

Any chance this is salvaged by Dallas including their 2025 1st?

I think another issue is KD coming here would have been to play with Kyrie, right? I think this injury probably kills that, but if the Mavs feel good about Kyrie, I could still see the KD trade, but not involving Kyrie going out.

Texas Chuck wrote:I think another issue is KD coming here would have been to play with Kyrie, right? I think this injury probably kills that, but if the Mavs feel good about Kyrie, I could still see the KD trade, but not involving Kyrie going out.

I don't think KD preferring to play with Kyrie is super relevant here, tbh. He and AD are a good foundation for an excellent team and I think Dallas could build a contender with a small window around him. That seems to have been the goal: championship now, finances, tomorrow.

Isnt this more if suns want to reset? Like sending kd to mavs and booker to whoever now holds their picks, and almost resers their salaries?

Yeah I'm expecting it's Kyrie-Christie-KD-AD-Lively that Mavs want in next season's playoffs.

Klay+PJ+Gafford+Martin/Naji+#9
For
Durant

zimpy27 wrote:Yeah I'm expecting it's Kyrie-Christie-KD-AD-Lively that Mavs want in next season's playoffs.

Klay+PJ+Gafford+Martin/Naji+#9
For
Durant

You are even sending more salary..
+- 66 millions
KD will win +- 53...
Realistically, I think you have to include Lively (who is a worrying pairing with AD anyway, due to injury risk)..

Lively/PJ/Martín/Marshall+Lakers 29 to SUNS

cut money, get younger, get future assets

Richards/KD to MAVS

Mavs have Gafford/Powell + #9 to trade for a guard, who can keep them afloat and can play next to KI (it's a shame Dejonte is hurt because I think he would fit in very well)

Klay/Hardy + some incentives to NETS

nonsense..but is there a world where KD stays the year he has left with the Suns (without the option of going to any clear contender) and signs wherever he wants as a free agent in 2026? interestingly, KI (who is rumored to want to reteam with KD) would also be a free agent at that time and supposedly fully recovered...if they repeat the play they made to go to the Nets and both end up in a big market like Chicago, they would only have Lonzo / P. Williams / Buzelis and the rookies they choose in the draft on the books...?