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I've read how the Jazz want to start the process of contending after rebuilding (read: blatantly tanking) for so many seasons now.

Mikal Bridges is expiring, and as a savvy Knicks fan, I don't want to pay him what he's going to demand. He's more suited to be a 2nd option where he can be more aggressive offensively and stay engaged on that end. Too many games this season, he drifted offensively and didn't take enough shots. On the Knicks, he's a 3rd/4th option as currently constructed, and he actually played his best (where I was impressed with him) when Brunson was out with an injury.

So my idea is:

Mikal Bridges (expiring)
for
Walker Kessler (club option for 25-26 and then is RFA)
Collin Sexton (expiring)

With I guess a protected 1st round pick sent to the Knicks.

Jazz get to pair Lauri Markannen with Mikal Bridges and start to build a winning culture. This might be contingent on Mikal's willingness to sign an extension with the Jazz, so perhaps a 3rd team is necessary. Jazz also avoid having to pay for (match in RFA) Walker Kessler if they end up keeping him somehow, or ultimately risk losing him for nothing. Mikal would also serve as an excellent mentor to whoever the Jazz take at #5 in this draft.

For the Knicks, I can tell you guys, and if you watched them a decent amount you would probably agree.. Towns is NOT a center. He's a power forward. Knicks did their best with Mitchell Robinson and Towns on the court together -- however with Mitch you really shouldn't expect more than 50 games out of him. So enters Walker Kessler, who would pair with Towns in a similar fashion and would be an injection of youth to the team as well. Sexton would be the microwave energy guard off the bench and can help distribute on the 2nd unit.

Sure but I wouldn't pay this for Kessler

ReggiesKnicks wrote:Sure but I wouldn't pay this for Kessler

The key is Knicks not doubling down on the Bridges trade into paying him a huge deal that he'll likely demand.
If it's paying too much for Kessler (who would fit like a glove on NYK) then what is suitable draft compensation heading back to NYK?

I would have no desire to make this trade as a Jazz fan. If we trade Kessler it’s for unprotected FRP’s not to bring back a player like Bridges.

Knicks365247 wrote:

ReggiesKnicks wrote:Sure but I wouldn't pay this for Kessler

The key is Knicks not doubling down on the Bridges trade into paying him a huge deal that he'll likely demand.
If it's paying too much for Kessler (who would fit like a glove on NYK) then what is suitable draft compensation heading back to NYK?

Good question, I am not sure what Bridges is worth at the moment. Similar to Fox, you don't want to be paying him his next contract at Max Level, but you are priced into it.

I wouldn't give Kessler for Bridges and I certainly wouldn't be adding a first on top.

I think this is wrong directionally for us, but the value totally depends on Bridges' next contract. I think he is a 20 percent of the cap player which is about 30 million a year. I do not think that is how he feels.

Utah comfortably say no.

They could get much better deals for Kessler and Sexton. And Danny Boy still wants a couple of first round picks in the process.

ReggiesKnicks wrote:

Knicks365247 wrote:

ReggiesKnicks wrote:Sure but I wouldn't pay this for Kessler

The key is Knicks not doubling down on the Bridges trade into paying him a huge deal that he'll likely demand.
If it's paying too much for Kessler (who would fit like a glove on NYK) then what is suitable draft compensation heading back to NYK?

Good question, I am not sure what Bridges is worth at the moment. Similar to Fox, you don't want to be paying him his next contract at Max Level, but you are priced into it.

Bill Simmons said a few weeks ago (around the time of the Thibs firing) that the Knicks are committed to Bridges long term and will give him an extension in the Summer.

Man would this hurt. Have to assume that for something like this to happen Dolan has fired our FO and put someone like IT in charge again.

Knicks365247 wrote:I've read how the Jazz want to start the process of contending after rebuilding (read: blatantly tanking) for so many seasons now.

Mikal Bridges is expiring, and as a savvy Knicks fan, I don't want to pay him what he's going to demand. He's more suited to be a 2nd option where he can be more aggressive offensively and stay engaged on that end. Too many games this season, he drifted offensively and didn't take enough shots. On the Knicks, he's a 3rd/4th option as currently constructed, and he actually played his best (where I was impressed with him) when Brunson was out with an injury.

So my idea is:

Mikal Bridges (expiring)
for
Walker Kessler (club option for 25-26 and then is RFA)
Collin Sexton (expiring)

With I guess a protected 1st round pick sent to the Knicks.

Jazz get to pair Lauri Markannen with Mikal Bridges and start to build a winning culture. This might be contingent on Mikal's willingness to sign an extension with the Jazz, so perhaps a 3rd team is necessary. Jazz also avoid having to pay for (match in RFA) Walker Kessler if they end up keeping him somehow, or ultimately risk losing him for nothing. Mikal would also serve as an excellent mentor to whoever the Jazz take at #5 in this draft.

For the Knicks, I can tell you guys, and if you watched them a decent amount you would probably agree.. Towns is NOT a center. He's a power forward. Knicks did their best with Mitchell Robinson and Towns on the court together -- however with Mitch you really shouldn't expect more than 50 games out of him. So enters Walker Kessler, who would pair with Towns in a similar fashion and would be an injection of youth to the team as well. Sexton would be the microwave energy guard off the bench and can help distribute on the 2nd unit.

I can't imagine giving up what we gave up to bring in Bridges only to flip him for this after one year.

Gotta think the Jazz have a better chance retaining incumbents on new contracts than a guy they'd have to trade for. Under the OP's hypothetical that Mikal agrees to an extension, it's a maybe for Utah. I like it for New York, even if the optics are terrible.

Utah doesn't want players who can help them in next season. They try to lose. They will lose their pick if it is over 8. So if they are trading Kessler or Sexton they want picks or/and young players. Some older players are fine too.

SkyHook wrote:I wouldn't give Kessler for Bridges and I certainly wouldn't be adding a first on top.

Are you saying Kessler is worth more Bridges?

Rockazoids wrote:

SkyHook wrote:I wouldn't give Kessler for Bridges and I certainly wouldn't be adding a first on top.

Are you saying Kessler is worth more Bridges?

To me and for the Jazz, yes. I have no problem if others see it differently, but nearly every advanced metric favors Kessler over Bridges. I do like Mikal and would love to have him in Utah, but Walker's elite rim protection and high efficiency scoring are foundational to the Jazz rebuild.

ReggiesKnicks wrote:

Knicks365247 wrote:

ReggiesKnicks wrote:Sure but I wouldn't pay this for Kessler

The key is Knicks not doubling down on the Bridges trade into paying him a huge deal that he'll likely demand.
If it's paying too much for Kessler (who would fit like a glove on NYK) then what is suitable draft compensation heading back to NYK?

Good question, I am not sure what Bridges is worth at the moment. Similar to Fox, you don't want to be paying him his next contract at Max Level, but you are priced into it.

I don't know how real of a threat this is going to be...
I don't know what cap space will look like that year, but there are good odds at a mismatch between what the FA/RFA think they are worth, and what the market will bear.

For the OP trade - I don't think this deal makes us better. We need a back-up for Mitch, replacing a 82 games 30+ mpg guy for a back-up center and a 6th man type, particularly when we don't know what our system is going to require, is a high risk.

Another way of looking at this is there are a ton of C's that we could get if we make Bridges available. There are not that many 2-way wings (durable) that Jazz could get for WK.

SkyHook wrote:

Rockazoids wrote:

SkyHook wrote:I wouldn't give Kessler for Bridges and I certainly wouldn't be adding a first on top.

Are you saying Kessler is worth more Bridges?

To me and for the Jazz, yes. I have no problem if others see it differently, but nearly every advanced metric favors Kessler over Bridges. I do like Mikal and would love to have him in Utah, but Walker's elite rim protection and high efficiency scoring are foundational to the Jazz rebuild.

I don't agree with your value equation, but that's alright. I also think you are the perfect team to engage with PHX in the Durant trade because some team with draft assets can swing them to you for WK.

I have never heard anyone say the Jazz are ready to start contending. Until this thread.

Knicks get hosed.

No talk of Sexton, really. Doesn't he help the Knicks with floor spacing and punch off the bench?