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The 5 Questions that will define the off-season for me...

1. Does Giannis Get Traded? Where?
2. Where does KD end up?
3. How does Boston cut costs?
4. Will an unexpected star player ask out?
5. What is the earliest 2025 draft pick traded? Typically despite heavy rumors every year, top 10 picks don't get traded

BONUS: Will OKC win the championship? This seems to set the order of return offers for any big names if they're in on it or not.

Everything this whole off-season runs through those 5 questions though.

Also as a reference for Question 3

Boston Celtics

Jayson Tatum $54,126,450
Jaylen Brown $52,142,264
Jrue Holiday $32,400,000
Kristaps Porzingis $30,731,707
Derrick White $28,100,000
Sam Hauser $10,044,644
Payton Pritchard $7,232,143
Baylor Scheierman $2,619,000
Xavier Tillman $2,546,675
Neemias Queta $2,349,578
J.D. Davison $2,270,735
Jordan Walsh $2,221,677
28th Overall Pick $2,783,880

Total Team Salary 229,568,753
Incomplete Roster Charge -
Adjusted Team Salary (for Cap) 229,568,753
Salary Cap 154,600,000
Cap Space (74,968,753)
Luxury Tax Threshold 187,900,000
Space Below Luxury Tax (41,668,753)
Projected Luxury Tax Bill In Luxury Tax
First Tax Apron 195,900,000
Space Below First Apron (33,668,753)
Second Tax Apron 207,800,000
Space Below Second Apron (21,768,753)

1. I'm going to say no, but without just a ton of confidence.
2. Texas
3. Hauser gets dealt for no salary and KP gets traded for less
4. yes
5. #3, but not some big deal with PG, just a move down a little

Bonus: Yes

1. Yes, Philadelphia, feels like a Morey move to get the best star available and they have a lot of assets

2. San Antonio

3. Bye to Hauser and Jrue

4. Yes, don't know who

5. 3

1. Yes, to Memphis
2. Spurs
3. Hauser dumped and KP reduced
4. Yes, Sabonis
5. 11... I think Portland is kind of trying to get better and would prefer a vet

As a Knicks fan, I will not make any prediction on the bonus question haha

Where would Boston be cap wise after...

Sam Hauser to ATL for Top 55 Protected 2nd

Nurkic to Boston
Okogie and 2 Charlotte 2nds to Memphis
KP to Charlotte

Jrue for Klay and Gafford

If Giannis asks out, OKC wins it all (or decides to run it back) and Houston plays hardball... which teams are making the 5 next best offers excluding those two teams? Which of those teams would Giannis be most likely to accept a trade to?

NYG wrote:Where would Boston be cap wise after...

Sam Hauser to ATL for Top 55 Protected 2nd

Nurkic to Boston
Okogie and 2 Charlotte 2nds to Memphis
KP to Charlotte

Jrue for Klay and Gafford

Isn't Okogie no guaranteed?

ReggiesKnicks wrote:

NYG wrote:Where would Boston be cap wise after...

Sam Hauser to ATL for Top 55 Protected 2nd

Nurkic to Boston
Okogie and 2 Charlotte 2nds to Memphis
KP to Charlotte

Jrue for Klay and Gafford

Isn't Okogie no guaranteed?

Would it be guaranteed post-trade if the Hornets needed to make the deal work cap wise?

Can Houston give the Pelicans enough to land Murphy, Zion, 7 and the Bucks picks without losing Amen or Sengun? If so, is that enough to get Giannis from Milwaukee in a 3-team deal?

NYG wrote:Can Houston give the Pelicans enough to land Murphy, Zion, 7 and the Bucks picks without losing Amen or Sengun? If so, is that enough to get Giannis from Milwaukee in a 3-team deal?

Murphy is negative.

Why wouldn't Houston move Sengun if acquiring Giannis? Him and Giannis are similar in what area of the court they want to operate.

Charlotte Hornets get:
Zion Williamson

Houston Rockets get:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Pat Connaughton

New Orleans Pelicans get:
Dillon Brooks
Jabari Smith Jr.
Reed Sheppard
Jock Landale
Cam Whitemore
Aaron Holiday
10th Overall Draft Pick
Earliest of Nets/Suns/Rockets 2027 First Round Draft Pick
Two Earliest of Suns/Mavericks/Rockets 2029 First Round Draft Pick
2031 Houston Rockets Unprotected First Round Draft Pick

Milwaukee Bucks get:
Trey Murphy III
Grant Williams
Josh Green
Tidjane Salaun
4th Overall Draft Pick
7th Overall Draft Pick
2026 Bucks Swap Rights Returned (via Pelicans)
2027 Milwaukee Bucks First Round Draft Pick Returned (via Pelicans)

With a 5th team to consolidate roster spots for the Pelicans?

1. Does Giannis Get Traded? Where?
Not in the offseason but at the trade deadline. To some team in the West.

2. Where does KD end up?
Warriors.

3. How does Boston cut costs?
Give away Hauser, dump KP for lesser contract.

4. Will an unexpected star player ask out?
Always.

5. What is the earliest 2025 draft pick traded? Typically despite heavy rumors every year, top 10 picks don't get traded
Houston at #10 at a minimum.

BONUS: Will OKC win the championship? This seems to set the order of return offers for any big names if they're in on it or not.
No. Although Edwards needs to be healthy. New York could also win it all.

ReggiesKnicks wrote:

NYG wrote:Can Houston give the Pelicans enough to land Murphy, Zion, 7 and the Bucks picks without losing Amen or Sengun? If so, is that enough to get Giannis from Milwaukee in a 3-team deal?

Murphy is negative.

Why wouldn't Houston move Sengun if acquiring Giannis? Him and Giannis are similar in what area of the court they want to operate.

Why is murphy negative?

ReggiesKnicks wrote:

NYG wrote:Can Houston give the Pelicans enough to land Murphy, Zion, 7 and the Bucks picks without losing Amen or Sengun? If so, is that enough to get Giannis from Milwaukee in a 3-team deal?

Murphy is negative.

Why wouldn't Houston move Sengun if acquiring Giannis? Him and Giannis are similar in what area of the court they want to operate.

Both are equally good passers, offensive rebounders, and can learn from Steven Adams on how he's able to carve out space and open a lane to the rim for slashers.

Godaddycurse wrote:

ReggiesKnicks wrote:

NYG wrote:Can Houston give the Pelicans enough to land Murphy, Zion, 7 and the Bucks picks without losing Amen or Sengun? If so, is that enough to get Giannis from Milwaukee in a 3-team deal?

Murphy is negative.

Why wouldn't Houston move Sengun if acquiring Giannis? Him and Giannis are similar in what area of the court they want to operate.

Why is murphy negative?

I thought it said Murray

1. No . Milwaukee do some desperate all in trades . Stab in the dark … probably illegal trade without much thoughts .. outgoing kuzma / lillard … incoming Jamal Murray , Jeremi grant .
Lillard going to Denver and kuzma to Portland or reroute to 4th team if there’s a demand.

2. Miami for what basically they got for butler

3.KP and Hauser get traded before season start . See how they perform and at midseason make decision if they are going try duck the tax or what.
Horford retires or come to OKC as veteran (if he’s ring chasing).


4. Yes always.

5. None of the top 6 move . Earliest if you are hopeful is either New Orleans or New Jersey at 7/8 but more realistically it’s Houston at 10 or heck San Antonio at 14.

Bonus - yes I’m hopeful.

NYG wrote:Where would Boston be cap wise after...

Sam Hauser to ATL for Top 55 Protected 2nd

Nurkic to Boston
Okogie and 2 Charlotte 2nds to Memphis
KP to Charlotte

Jrue for Klay and Gafford

They would be $2,788,391 below the 2nd apron and $17,139,609 above the luxury tax, but with only 12 players signed. You made no mention of picks, so in theory they would still have #28 and #32 for those two roster spots and the contracts of those guys would take them to $1,302,078 over the 2nd apron and $21,230,078 over the luxury tax.

I think you'd see them tinker on the margins there to get below the tax. You have them sending Hauser to ATL, but I think they'd try to send Gafford to their TPE instead. Send Hauser to SAC's TPE or MLE instead or really any number of teams.

Send Klay to Lakers for Vanderbilt and Kleber or Vincent with LAL paying 2nds to dump Kleber/Vincent somewhere. Lakers get a more functional player and shed the 3rd year of Vandy's deal.

BOS attaches future 2nds to Nurkic and deal him for a smaller expiring.

Do all that and they'll be below the tax this year.

NYG wrote:Charlotte Hornets get:
Zion Williamson

Houston Rockets get:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Pat Connaughton

New Orleans Pelicans get:
Dillon Brooks
Jabari Smith Jr.
Reed Sheppard
Jock Landale
Cam Whitemore
Aaron Holiday
10th Overall Draft Pick
Earliest of Nets/Suns/Rockets 2027 First Round Draft Pick
Two Earliest of Suns/Mavericks/Rockets 2029 First Round Draft Pick
2031 Houston Rockets Unprotected First Round Draft Pick

Milwaukee Bucks get:
Trey Murphy III
Grant Williams
Josh Green
Tidjane Salaun
4th Overall Draft Pick
7th Overall Draft Pick
2026 Bucks Swap Rights Returned (via Pelicans)
2027 Milwaukee Bucks First Round Draft Pick Returned (via Pelicans)

With a 5th team to consolidate roster spots for the Pelicans?

This deal is so complex it makes my head spin but on first glance Milwaukee should take this and RUN.


A core of edgecombe Queen and you know they will get #1 next season going by history so add in Dybansta too

I don’t think Charlotte would give #4 and salaun for the risky Zion tho

ReggiesKnicks wrote:

NYG wrote:Can Houston give the Pelicans enough to land Murphy, Zion, 7 and the Bucks picks without losing Amen or Sengun? If so, is that enough to get Giannis from Milwaukee in a 3-team deal?

Murphy is negative.

Why wouldn't Houston move Sengun if acquiring Giannis? Him and Giannis are similar in what area of the court they want to operate.

Murphy is not negative, and if the Pelicans are looking for a solid return, they should call Cleveland.

I have Giannis heading to Houston. Might be an end of the summer trade though.