RealGM

• MPJ: 36 mil through 26-27
• Nnaji: 9.5 mil (team option in 27-28)

• Jerami Grant: 30 mil through 27-28
• Thybulle: 11.5 mil (expiring in 26)

• Acquire two more defensive minded players and hope that Grant can recapture his mojo in the place he thrived.

• Gets out of Grants contract a year earlier and take a flyer on a more talented and younger player in MPJ.

• If you think value is off, but close, please suggest how to improve the trade
• If you think value is close, but fit is off, maybe a three team trade can maybe solve this problem.

• Simmons
• Avdija
• Porter Jr
• Camara
• Ayton

• Scoot
• Sharpe
• Murray
• Reath
• Clingan

• Murray
• Braun
• Grant
• Gordon
• Jokic

• Paul (free agent - see spoiler)
• Strawther
• Thybulle
• Brown Jr (free agent - see spoiler)
• Watson
• Holmes

Mr Puddles wrote:Proposed this in the post mortem and figured I'd share it here for feedback.

Denver trade to Portland

• MPJ: 36 mil through 26-27
• Nnaji: 9.5 mil (team option in 27-28)

For:

• Jerami Grant: 30 mil through 27-28
• Thybulle: 11.5 mil (expiring in 26)

Why for Denver.

• Acquire two more defensive minded players and hope that Grant can recapture his mojo in the place he thrived.

Why for Portland:

• Gets out of Grants contract a year earlier and take a flyer on a more talented and younger player in MPJ.

Humble request:

• If you think value is off, but close, please suggest how to improve the trade
• If you think value is close, but fit is off, maybe a three team trade can maybe solve this problem.

Line ups after trade:

Portland:

• Simmons
• Avdija
• Porter Jr
• Camara
• Ayton

Bench:

• Scoot
• Sharpe
• Murray
• Reath
• Clingan

Denver:

• Murray
• Braun
• Grant
• Gordon
• Jokic

Bench

• Paul (free agent - see spoiler)
• Strawther
• Thybulle
• Brown Jr (free agent - see spoiler)
• Watson
• Holmes

Spoiler:

Honestly, I'm expecting maybe people to say the Nuggets should blow things up which I think is crazy.

Losing in 7 games against a 68 win team isn't reason to blow things up.

While Denver is in a tough spot, they do have some positive things going on.
- Gordon's improvement and fit next to Jokic
- Christian Braun is young and improving
- while Murray is overpaid and has his flaws, the 2 man game between him and Jokic can be unstoppable at times.
- they have a bunch of young guys who have shown flashes in Watson and Stawther and a wild card in Holmes.

To me, upgrading Porter + adding depth is enough to run it back next year. But ofcourse that's easier said than done.

Step 1: trade MPJ + Nnaji to Portland Grant and Thybulle.

Step 2: convince atleast one of free agents Bruce Brown, Luke Kennard and Chris Paul to sign for the minimum.

1. Denver needs to do a better job at attracting free agents to take discounts for a year to increase their value. One thing the second apron has shows in that many rotational guys will not be getting the contracts they hope to get. Think Tyus Jones, Trent Jr., Achiuwa who all took discounts last year.
2. Bruce Brown, Luke Kennard and Chris Paul are all guys I'd target. Chris Paul could help stabilize a non-Jokic unit, Brown played his best ball next to Jokic, and Kennard's spacing would be insane next to Jokic.
3. The MPJ situation is a lot tougher, ideally the Nuggets can replace him with a 3&D guy but they hardly have assets to attach to him (ideally they would have included picks not players). A trade for Phoenix with KD would have made a lot of sense, if the Nuggets had had picks. Trade for Grant and Thybulle makes a ton of sense to me.

JRoy wrote:It gets Grant off the team, which is great.

vxmike wrote:MPJ’s last year is only guaranteed for $12m. This is a home run for Portland to get out from Grant’s deal. Not sure Thybulle is the best filler though as Jokic needs shooters.

Mr Puddles wrote:Proposed this in the post mortem and figured I'd share it here for feedback.

Denver trade to Portland

• MPJ: 36 mil through 26-27
• Nnaji: 9.5 mil (team option in 27-28)

Tim Lehrbach wrote:Easy yes for Portland. If Denver likes it, there's no need to haggle over "value," but I suspect they want Simons in this deal too. Load up with a new look for next year's run, but you're not committed to Simons beyond that. No idea whether Portland is foolish enough to refuse to move Anfernee.

Pattycakes wrote:

Tim Lehrbach wrote:Easy yes for Portland. If Denver likes it, there's no need to haggle over "value," but I suspect they want Simons in this deal too. Load up with a new look for next year's run, but you're not committed to Simons beyond that. No idea whether Portland is foolish enough to refuse to move Anfernee.

I’m not throwing in Simons whom alone has equal value to mpj, if not more..

I’d go Grant and Thybulle/Reath which are plenty value for Porter Jr.

Simons add and they can get us some young talent coming back then in return cause we’re setting them up for more title runs with vets.

LightTheBeam wrote:I don't see the point for Denver. If anything i'd be looking to break MPJ into 2-3 guys who can play their roles. Grant is just worse, and Thybulle doesn't get minutes as he provides much of what you get from Watson but just worse.

JRoy wrote:

LightTheBeam wrote:I don't see the point for Denver. If anything i'd be looking to break MPJ into 2-3 guys who can play their roles. Grant is just worse, and Thybulle doesn't get minutes as he provides much of what you get from Watson but just worse.

Watson is an elite all nba defensive player?

LightTheBeam wrote:

JRoy wrote:

LightTheBeam wrote:I don't see the point for Denver. If anything i'd be looking to break MPJ into 2-3 guys who can play their roles. Grant is just worse, and Thybulle doesn't get minutes as he provides much of what you get from Watson but just worse.

Watson is an elite all nba defensive player?

Is Thybulle?