RealGM

-----------------------------

BOS Gets: Zach LaVine
BOS Gives: Jrue Holiday & Kristaps Porzingis
Why for BOS? Boston sheds $15.6 mil of cap next season while still getting a very good & efficient secondary scorer. LaVine can help pickup the scoring void next year with Tatum rehabbing and he fits nicely (at least on offense) with the 3PT heavy offense.

PG - White / Pritchard / Davison
SG - LaVine / Scheierman
SF - Brown / Walsh
PF - Hauser / Tatum (rehab)
C - Horford (resigned) / Tillman / Queta

-----------------------------

NOP Gets: Domantas Sabonis
NOP Gives: Zion Williamson
Why for NOP? The Pelicans move on from the Zion era for a much more durable star. The Pelicans also have two terrific fits at SF & PF to place next to Sabonis as well (Murphy & Jones).

PG - Alvarado / Payton / Murray (rehab)
SG - McCollum / Hawkins / Reeves
SF - Jones / Boston
PF - Murphy / Matkovic
C - Sabonis / Missi / Olynyk

-----------------------------

SAC Gets: Zion Williamson, Jrue Holiday, & Kristaps Porzingis
SAC Gives: Zach LaVine & Domantas Sabonis
Why for SAC? The Kings take a swing on Zion and surround him with defense, shooting, & length in an effort to maximize his potential. Porzingis projects as a great fit at C next to Zion with his shooting and shotblocking. Holiday's defense, shooting, and PG play also would be a solid fit around Zion.

PG - Holiday / Monk
SG - Ellis / Carter / Davis
SF - Murray / DeRozan
PF - Zion
C - Porzingis / Valanciunas / Jones

-----------------------------

Zion is untradable right now. No team would trade for him.

I just like that of the players in the trade LaVine might be the least impactful, yet he gets the headline.

But yeah its just impossible to comment intelligently on Zion deals today.

So I'll stick to saying I don't like this for Boston. I'd find another way to save money rather than take back LaVine.

The Kings are in no position to trade Sabonis and in return take the risk of Zion.

For Boston it adds a bunch of Salary for 26/27 without making the team better. They ar better off with the status quo.

On the court, it's interesting for BOS actually. But it's not financially feasible.

Assuming BOS draft/signs #28 and #32 picks, they'll be $24M over the 2nd apron with 14 players signed. Since they're aggregating here, they'd have to get below. This deal saves $15.6M per OP, but also opens up a roster spot. If you assume they fill it with an undrafted rookie for the cheapest salary that's really $14.4M of savings. They can move Hauser to clear $10.0M, but again they have to fill the roster spot, so really the savings there are like $8.8M if you assume an UDFA rookie fills the spot. Added to the $14.4 and they'd have cleared only $23M.

They can probably get there by doing cutesy back of the roster things like trading #28 for an early 2nd to save $1.6M on the contract. Maybe dump a guy midseason and backfill with pro rated minimum. But this puts them in a tough spot all year with little flexibility for 10 days and things like that, especially already punting on their 14th spot with Tatum out all year.

The deal also has major ramifications in 2026-27. If the Celtics dump Hauser per above and also per above draft/sign at #28, #32, they will behin next offseason wth 10 players signed and $5.9M over the luxury tax. That's in range to duck it if they want. Lavine in 26-27 makes $14.1M more than Jrue which pushes them over the 1st apron and gives them no chance of ducking the tax without having to deal one of Tatum/Brown/Lavine/White. Again just not a good spot to be in.

I just don't think this is a good financial move for them at all.

I would vote yes on any trade that gets rid of LaVine without attaching picks though it may not be possible.

think this puts NOP into the tax this year unless they cut cost elsewhere.

Think lavine is redundant in a year when tatum is back.. not sure i like it for Boston

this is way too risky for Kings imo