RealGM

Atlanta gives-
Z. Risacher
O. Okongwu
T. Mann
V. Krejci
1st Rd #22
2029 1st top 3 protected
2027 2nd via Cle

Atlanta gets-
J. Brown
X. Tillman (3.5m TPE)
D. Gafford (25.3m TPE)
C. Martin (13.1m TPE)

The Hawks go for it with the east wide open by bringing the local kid home. Gafford replaces Okongwu and Martin replaces Levert who leaves as a free agent.

Dallas gives-
PJ Washington
D. Gafford
C. Martin

Dallas gets-
J. Holiday
1st rd #28 via Boston
2nd rd #32 via Boston
2027 2nd from ATL VIA Cle

Dallas gets the guy they're rumored to be interested in. The prevailing thought seems to be Klay rather than Washington, but what if they don't plan on resigning PJ?

Boston gives-
J. Brown
J. Holiday
X. Tillman
1st rd #28
2nd rd #32

Boston gets-
Z. Risacher
O. Okongwu
PJ Washington
T. Mann
V. Krejci
1st rd #22 via Atlanta
2029 top 3 protected 1st via Atlanta

Boston gets a player with upside and fortifies their frontcourt. Unlike Dallas, Boston will resign Washington after this upcoming season. Mann and Krejci are rotation caliber wings. They won't have many roster spots so they convert their 2 picks this year into one better pick, while adding a high potential pick in 29, giving them a 1st round pick every year moving forward. This trade saves them 27.9 mil and gives them major flexibility. They will still have the tradable contracts of KP, Mann, and Hauser. They could aggregate, trade into cap space, let KP expire, whatever that want. This trade sets them up for the future and rids them of their financial worries.

the Dallas part is minor, but I don't like trading PJ for some meh picks as this version has them doing. If they can't work out an extension, they can surely get better pick value in return. Plus this has them taking on a lot of future money without moving much out creating major financial issues for them to navigate later.

I'd have no interest in Jrue in this format.

Texas Chuck wrote:the Dallas part is minor, but I don't like trading PJ for some meh picks as this version has them doing. If they can't work out an extension, they can surely get better pick value in return. Plus this has them taking on a lot of future money without moving much out creating major financial issues for them to navigate later.

I'd have no interest in Jrue in this format.

Yep ok, I'm curious to see what happens with him.

Cricket23 wrote:Yep ok, I'm curious to see what happens with him.

Me too.

I could see an extension.
I could see him playing out his deal with Dallas and hitting free agency in a year
I could see him traded in a package for something else Dallas needs
I don't much see him traded for future value. but I think even that is possible.
I think a decision could be pushed to the deadline. If Flagg looks super ready, he's more expendable.

Texas Chuck wrote:

Cricket23 wrote:Yep ok, I'm curious to see what happens with him.

Me too.

I could see an extension.
I could see him playing out his deal with Dallas and hitting free agency in a year
I could see him traded in a package for something else Dallas needs
I don't much see him traded for future value. but I think even that is possible.
I think a decision could be pushed to the deadline. If Flagg looks super ready, he's more expendable.

My thought was that going forward, PJ and Martin would be more expensive together than Jrue alone, and adding a couple more rookie contracts would help Dallas financially, if in fact they do really want Jrue. I see PJ as a pretty desirable player, the kind you don't normally let walk away, yet it seems possible.

I think including PJ (in place of Klay in this deal) costs more than Boston would want to pay if they’re trading Jaylen.

But I’d say send 22 to Dallas I think?

The Mavericks need to more to take on Jrue Holiday's contract, especially if they're giving up PJ Washington in the process. Jrue Holiday is a negative asset on his current contract and something I can't see the Mavericks doing.

I like the on court impact for ATL a lot here, but not sure how financially feasible it is. They're adding a ton of salary for this year here, but longer term beyond just the 25-26 season they'll have hypothetical extensions for Daniels/Gafford kicking in and Trae Young's player option probably has to be replaced for a small-ish raise too. Added onto Brown's supermax and it gets pretty heavy for ATL.

If they can make the financials work for them though, I think Trae/Daniels/Brown/JJ/Gafford should be in the mix for ECF the next 3 years or so which would make it one of the best teams in their franchise history, so while I expect some pushback that it's not worth it because it's not likely to win a championship, I don't think it's anything a real world business/franchise would scoff at.

I've gone back and forth many times, and while I like the return a lot (and have proposed something similar previously), I just don't think we trade Jaylen.

hugepatsfan wrote:I like the on court impact for ATL a lot here, but not sure how financially feasible it is. They're adding a ton of salary for this year here, but longer term beyond just the 25-26 season they'll have hypothetical extensions for Daniels/Gafford kicking in and Trae Young's player option probably has to be replaced for a small-ish raise too. Added onto Brown's supermax and it gets pretty heavy for ATL.

If they can make the financials work for them though, I think Trae/Daniels/Brown/JJ/Gafford should be in the mix for ECF the next 3 years or so which would make it one of the best teams in their franchise history, so while I expect some pushback that it's not worth it because it's not likely to win a championship, I don't think it's anything a real world business/franchise would scoff at.

What numbers are you ballparking for Gafford/Daniels. I think Gafford is probably an MLE sized guy right? And Daniels right now is a hot name with the 2nd in DPOY but traditionally defense first wings don't get giant paydays. Might be more feasible than we think to keep it together?

Regarding the Hawks, if they made a big move like this and it doesn't go as hoped, that's when I think they'd strongly consider dealing Trae. Also, Niang is an expiring.

Texas Chuck wrote:

hugepatsfan wrote:I like the on court impact for ATL a lot here, but not sure how financially feasible it is. They're adding a ton of salary for this year here, but longer term beyond just the 25-26 season they'll have hypothetical extensions for Daniels/Gafford kicking in and Trae Young's player option probably has to be replaced for a small-ish raise too. Added onto Brown's supermax and it gets pretty heavy for ATL.

If they can make the financials work for them though, I think Trae/Daniels/Brown/JJ/Gafford should be in the mix for ECF the next 3 years or so which would make it one of the best teams in their franchise history, so while I expect some pushback that it's not worth it because it's not likely to win a championship, I don't think it's anything a real world business/franchise would scoff at.

EDIT: I left off Martin's multi year deal, who this deal has them taking. Too lazy to redo the in depth math, but obviously makes ducking tax in 26-27 even hard and furthers tax in later years. At the least, feels that likely needs to be taken out.

What numbers are you ballparking for Gafford/Daniels. I think Gafford is probably an MLE sized guy right? And Daniels right now is a hot name with the 2nd in DPOY but traditionally defense first wings don't get giant paydays. Might be more feasible than we think to keep it together?

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/atlanta-hawks/tax/_/year/2026/sort/tax_total

That's their current tax for '26-27. $70.3M below with 8 player signed. If you assume $2.2M per roster spot for all minimum guys (6 spots, to get up to 14) then effectively I look at it as $57.1M of room below the tax.

Mann/Okongwu/Risacher for Brown eats up $11.4M of that, but really $15.8M of it once you factor in roster spots. So now down to $41.3M of space.

Gafford for MLE starts at about $15M, I believe. Back out the roster spot he takes though and net it's $12.8M. So down to $28.5M.

Trae Young's player option salary there is 28.79% of the cap. A max extension replacing it would be 30% of the cap, which translates to a modest $2.1M raise. However, if they put together a good team there's a real possibility he'd be super max eligible which means 35% eligible which means a more substantial $10.6M raise. They have to at least be aware of how that impacts then. So this gets them down to $26.4M below the tax if he's only 30% eligible, or $17.9M if he's 35% eligible.

The last piece there is Daniels' extension. Not sure what it is exactly, but feels like it'd put them into the tax for sure if Young gets 35% and PROBABLY if he doesn't.

They can probably duck the tax for 26-27 by moving Bufkin, but beyond that, you're looking at a tax paying team for Trae/Daniels/Brown/JJ/Gafford as starters and all vet min as bench players. Not sure what ATL's tax appetite is and if they aren't willing to pay a more substantial tax, not sure this makes sense for them. If ownership is willing to make a 2-3 year dip into the tax though (not 2nd apron or anything, just some tax), then I really like this for them. But not sure of it.