RealGM

Utah gets: Lillard, Zeke Nnaji, right to swap worst 2031 pick (either Utah or Phoenix unprotected) for unprotected Bucks pick.
Utah sends: John Collins, Collin Sexton, Johnny Juzang

Why for Utah: Eat some TERRIBLE salary in exchange for an intriguing swap, get a great vet in Lillard who has lived in Utah a lot and will be fine rehabbing in Utah.

Denver gets: KCP, Collin Sexton, 3.7m in salary relief
Denver sends: MPJ, Zeke Nnaji

Why for Denver: More depth and hopefully KCP can do better back with Jokic.

Orlando gets: John Collins
Orlando sends: KCP

Why for Orlando: Get off of KCP after a bad season, get a big man who can add some wrinkles (this is the part of the deal I'm least confident in)

Milwaukee gets: MPJ, Johnny Juzang, 9.8m in salary relief
Milwaukee sends: Lillard, previously mentioned swap

Why for Milwaukee: Turn Lillard's dead salary into MPJ if they're really still trying to do contention with Giannis.

Hartford Whalers ALL CAPS Corollary doing work here.

I can't see the Bucks wanting to make that pick swap to turn Dame into MJP. Feels like if they were interested in using that do turn Dame into players, wouldn't they deal straight with Utah? I'd much rather have Collins/Sexton than just MPJ for instance. But Utah has a number of interesting possibilities. Could be Lauri for instance.

Texas Chuck wrote:Hartford Whalers ALL CAPS Corollary doing work here.

I can't see the Bucks wanting to make that pick swap to turn Dame into MJP. Feels like if they were interested in using that do turn Dame into players, wouldn't they deal straight with Utah? I'd much rather have Collins/Sexton than just MPJ for instance. But Utah has a number of interesting possibilities. Could be Lauri for instance.

The Jazz turned down four picks and expirings for Lauri last offseason from the Kings and Ainge would be fired if he had to trade Lauri for the worst contract in the NBA and a single 2031 pick. Lauri is almost certainly not getting traded this offseason.

Lauri may be traded at the deadline next year if he has a good season, but his value is too terrible to trade now after all the elite packages they turned down for him in the past.

I don’t think Milwaukee goes this route as there’s an incredibly low ceiling around Giannis..

Maybe if Connaughton/Juzang/filler salary/the now weak 2031 first gets sent to another team for a player making 18-22~ million? Or maybe Kuzma/filler for a player making 30-35? Could combine them and bring in a near max player if you found an overpaid guard.. Dont know who that player is but Milwaukee can’t tell Giannis his core is MPJ, Portis and Green. Better to sit still imo.

Milwaukee could seemingly do Kuzma, Connaughton, 1-3 vet mins (depending on if they want to trigger a first apron hard cap or not) for MPJ. And I don’t think such a valuable swap would be needed at that point.

Yeah no interest in a Lauri value debate with you. Should have left him out, that's definitely my bad. My point is the deal is made worse by being so complicated. If the Bucks and Jazz are interested in this concept they don't need these other teams, in particular Denver.

Cut Orlando out and send Collins to Denver. He is much better player than KCP.

I appreciate what KCP did for Denver, but he's nearing the end. Really don't see the point of bringing him back.

Jazz not eating all that money for a swap. It’s needs to be the unprotected pick.

As noted above. Utah is not absorbing all that money for one swap in 31. Would have to be the pick unprotected. Utah would probably do Collins, Sexton, and maybe a late FRP or 2 second round draft picks so Bucks have some young depth players for an unprotected pick. Dames contract is terrible, he’s oldish, and he isn’t coming back a better version of what he was and he was already being attacked on defensive routinely. Whoever eats that contract is getting first round picks or multiple swaps.

I like the direct UTA-MIL trade and so did some Bucks fans when I posted it. I agree with your valuation re: getting that swap for taking Lillard. If Giannis demands out that will likely be a premium pick. If he doesn't, in 2031 that will still likely be a premium pick because of how old he will be and how few assets they have.