SAS - PHO - LAL - BKN - NOP: Bigger is better, right (Durant - Vassel - Reaves - Alvarado - Claxton)

realEAST · Post #1 » by **realEAST** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 7:16 pm

SAS in: K. Durant
SAS out: D. Vassell, K. Johnson, J. Sochan, 2026 UTA 2nd, 2026 NOP / POR 2nd, two most favourable 2026 2nds (SAS / OKC / IND), 2028 1st most fav SAS / BOS

PHO in: A. Reaves, K. Johnson, D. Knecht, J. Sochan
PHO out: K. Durant

LAL in: N. Claxton, D. Vassell, J. Alvarado, 2028 1st most fav SAS / BOS / LAL (if not conveyed, 2028 NOP and MIN 2nd)
LAL out: A. Reaves, D. Knecht, : G. Vincent, J. Vanderbildt, M. Kleber, S. Milton, 2031 LAL 1st (top3 prot.)

BKN in: G. Vincent, J. Vanderbildt, M. Kleber, S. Milton, 2031 LAL 1st (top 3 prot.)
BKN out: N. Claxton

NOP in: 2026 UTA 2nd, 2026 NOP / POR 2nd, two most favourable 2026 2nds (SAS / OKC / IND)
NOP out: J. Alvarado

Spurs get Durant without giving up anything essential long term; they retain salary flexibility when his deal is up (even if he extends for two year or so)

Suns add several younger pieces - starter in Reaves, potential two way forward in Sochan, and Johnson and Knecht, who fit well and save considerable salary

Lakers add good starting center who fits well, all round 3&D guy in Vassell, who is also a gppd fit along Doncic long term, and Alvarado as 6th man. Caveat is LeBron taking paycut (to 40 mil per season) to open up MLE and BAR to add N. Alexander Walker and backup center.

Nets get pick with decent upside, taking up some immediate salary, but saving considerable salary long term.

Pelicans get several good 2nds for a guy who is on expiring deal that they can't take advantage of, and is behind Murray and CJ in rotation

JKiddy · Post #2 » by **JKiddy** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 7:18 pm

The Nets don't get anything here and would bow out of this deal.

Post #3 » by **Mavrelous** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 7:19 pm

Lakers do the Claxton deal separately, they have no business trading Reaves for a pick.

JKiddy · Post #4 » by **JKiddy** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 7:25 pm

Mavrelous wrote:Lakers do the Claxton deal separately, they have no business trading Reaves for a pick.

I do not see a LAL BK two team deal. The Nets do not want any of the Lakers players not named Luka. I do not think LAL has a good enough 1st to offer in a deal that is during the rebuild do they?

Post #5 » by **Mavrelous** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 7:27 pm

JKiddy wrote:
Mavrelous wrote:Lakers do the Claxton deal separately, they have no business trading Reaves for a pick.

I do not see a LAL BK two team deal. The Nets do not want any of the Lakers players not named Luka. I do not think LAL has a good enough 1st to offer in a deal that is during the rebuild do they?

I disagree, I think Claxton isn't worth a 1st, but since LAL need a center they may pay it, and it would be great value for BK.
No one can judge the quality of 2031 1st...

JKiddy · Post #6 » by **JKiddy** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 7:33 pm

If Luka is on LAL in 2031 do you think that 1st is going to truly hold value?

Post #7 » by **Mavrelous** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 7:36 pm

JKiddy wrote:If Luka is on LAL in 2031 do you think that 1st is going to truly hold value?

Mavs missed the PO in 2019 and 2023 with Luka on roster...
GSW had 3 lottery years out of 5 after their finals trip in 2019.

Post #8 » by **Texas Chuck** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 7:54 pm

Nets had KD, Kyrie, Harden and Claxton. 6 years is forever.

facothomas22 · Post #9 » by **facothomas22** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 8:23 pm

Why are the Lakers in this deal outside of sucking value from other teams? Austin Reaves provides no value to the trade and the Nets are not trading Nic Claxton for trash. Also, while Kevin Durant value isn't that high anymore ,the fact that Keldon Johnson is the best player the Suns get out of the KD trade with no draft capital makes this a non starter for them. The Suns needs atleast a 1st round pick to even consider this at all.

Post #10 » by **Texas Chuck** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 8:38 pm

Austin Reaves holds value. He's a very good offensive player making very little money.

realEAST · Post #11 » by **realEAST** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 8:58 pm

I'd say Reaves is probably second most valuable asset in this construction, and Lakers 2031 1st could very well be 3rd, so I don't think Lakers suck value from the others.

They pay Nets to take on some salary this year in exchage for longer term savings, which enables Suns to save some money this year, which is why Spurs kick in some extra value to get Alvarado to Los Angeles (you could do the deal without that 2028 swap portion, I just thought Lakers were due some minor value still - or that value could be redirected to Nets if they don't get enough)

jayjaysee · Post #12 » by **jayjaysee** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 9:05 pm

Texas Chuck wrote:Nets had KD, Kyrie, Harden and Claxton. 6 years is forever.

I know you know this and I’m just doubling down.

6 years ago Billy King’s finished work was finally done bleeding and Brooklyn was trying to build a roster but had no real upside outside of Allen…

Then they were a superteam….

Now they are a terrible team with some okay future assets.

Six years is such a long time.

One_and_Done · Post #13 » by **One_and_Done** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 10:22 pm

realEAST wrote:SAS in: K. Durant
SAS out: D. Vassell, K. Johnson, J. Sochan, 2026 UTA 2nd, 2026 NOP / POR 2nd, two most favourable 2026 2nds (SAS / OKC / IND), 2028 1st most fav SAS / BOS

PHO in: A. Reaves, K. Johnson, D. Knecht, J. Sochan
PHO out: K. Durant

LAL in: N. Claxton, D. Vassell, J. Alvarado, 2028 1st most fav SAS / BOS / LAL (if not conveyed, 2028 NOP and MIN 2nd)
LAL out: A. Reaves, D. Knecht, : G. Vincent, J. Vanderbildt, M. Kleber, S. Milton, 2031 LAL 1st (top3 prot.)

BKN in: G. Vincent, J. Vanderbildt, M. Kleber, S. Milton, 2031 LAL 1st (top 3 prot.)
BKN out: N. Claxton

NOP in: 2026 UTA 2nd, 2026 NOP / POR 2nd, two most favourable 2026 2nds (SAS / OKC / IND)
NOP out: J. Alvarado

Spurs get Durant without giving up anything essential long term; they retain salary flexibility when his deal is up (even if he extends for two year or so)

Suns add several younger pieces - starter in Reaves, potential two way forward in Sochan, and Johnson and Knecht, who fit well and save considerable salary

Lakers add good starting center who fits well, all round 3&D guy in Vassell, who is also a gppd fit along Doncic long term, and Alvarado as 6th man. Caveat is LeBron taking paycut (to 40 mil per season) to open up MLE and BAR to add N. Alexander Walker and backup center.

Nets get pick with decent upside, taking up some immediate salary, but saving considerable salary long term.

Pelicans get several good 2nds for a guy who is on expiring deal that they can't take advantage of, and is behind Murray and CJ in rotation

This is still too much for KD. The Spurs aren't competing now, and KD is 37. I could see them sending two protected 1sts maybe. Vassell & Sochan are guys the Spurs should hang on to as well, since they're being valued at close to nothing in this trade.

Karmaloop · Post #14 » by **Karmaloop** » Wed Jun 4, 2025 11:00 pm

JKiddy wrote:The Nets don't get anything here and would bow out of this deal.

They have to give up something of value in order to expect value in return. And just because it's the 3rd best player on the *checks notes* 6th worst team doesn't mean that he's valuable.

JKiddy · Post #15 » by **JKiddy** » Thu Jun 5, 2025 1:47 pm

BKN in: G. Vincent, J. Vanderbildt, M. Kleber, S. Milton, 2031 LAL 1st (top 3 prot.)
BKN out: N. Claxton

Why would the Nets do this? They have zero need for any of these players. They have enough cap space now to do whatever they want. This does not help them. Why would they do this for a pick in 2031 that is protected? They are rebuilding likely now until 2027.

DarkXaero · Post #16 » by **DarkXaero** » Thu Jun 5, 2025 2:58 pm

Karmaloop wrote:
JKiddy wrote:The Nets don't get anything here and would bow out of this deal.

They have to give up something of value in order to expect value in return. And just because it's the 3rd best player on the *checks notes* 6th worst team doesn't mean that he's valuable.

I think the mistake here is thinking that Nets HAVE to trade Claxton when they actually don't, certainly not for this return. Mark Williams was netting more in an actual trade and Claxton is worth more than Mark Williams imo. If you put Knecht, 2030 swap, and a 2031 unprotected first on the table, then its a conversation to have.

JKiddy · Post #17 » by **JKiddy** » Thu Jun 5, 2025 3:03 pm

I agree. Claxton is better than Mark Williams without the massive red flag for FAILING A TRADE PHYSICAL.

Fo-Real · Post #18 » by **Fo-Real** » Thu Jun 5, 2025 3:49 pm

The Suns dont want that back for KD.

brackdan70 · Post #19 » by **brackdan70** » Thu Jun 5, 2025 3:53 pm

JKiddy wrote:If Luka is on LAL in 2031 do you think that 1st is going to truly hold value?

Id think 2031 Luka has a lot of variance with health and fitness issues.

Astaluego · Post #20 » by **Astaluego** » Thu Jun 5, 2025 4:18 pm

DarkXaero wrote:
Karmaloop wrote:
JKiddy wrote:The Nets don't get anything here and would bow out of this deal.

They have to give up something of value in order to expect value in return. And just because it's the 3rd best player on the *checks notes* 6th worst team doesn't mean that he's valuable.
I think the mistake here is thinking that Nets HAVE to trade Claxton when they actually don't, certainly not for this return. Mark Williams was netting more in an actual trade and Claxton is worth more than Mark Williams imo. If you put Knecht, 2030 swap, and a 2031 unprotected first on the table, then its a conversation to have.

M. Williams is younger, bigger and heavier, a much better rebounder and scorer, and makes over $20 million less. Did you take that into account in your assessment?