Knicks/Spurs/Magic

[JayTWill]

Knicks out - Mitchell Robinson, Kolek, Hukporti, 2026 Top 8 Protected Wizards pick (becomes 2026 and 2027 Washington 2nds if not conveyed)
Knicks in - #14, Goga, (Wesley or Branham)

Spurs out - #14, Branham, Wesley
Spurs in - 2026 Top 8 Protected pick, Robinson, (Houstan or #46)

Magic out - Goga, (Houstan or #46)
Magic in - Kolek, Hukporti, (Wesley or Branham)

This is based on the premise that Knicks see someone they really like at 14 and the Spurs don't and would rather move the pick instead of adding multiple lotto picks that will need time for development. They traded out of the #8 pick last year for a 1st and a swap 6-7 years out.

As a Knicks fan I would do this if somehow someone like Carter Bryant slipped to the back end of the lotto as a big athletic wing/3 and D prospect with some shot blocking capabilities. Goga would provide a cheaper Robinson replacement as the backup center with an extra year on his deal. Wesley or Branham would just be filler but I guess would choose Wesley for his defense.

For the Spurs they trade out of the end of the lottery while picking up a great backup for Wemby and a protected first. Mitch has his injury concerns but he provides a big body with elite rebounding to go against the other big centers in the league and anchor the defense when Wemby sits. The Spurs have shown they are willing to manage their player's minutes and health which is the complete opposite of how he was handled in New York until this last season.

The Wizard pick will likely be a high 2nd in 2026 and another 2nd in 2027 but with a little lotto luck it could also be another lotto pick in 2026. I think it has a similar value to a late first in this draft. Wesley and Blake are in the last year of their rookie contracts and haven't shown much from what I have seen imo but I admit I haven't seen much of either. I assume they could be replaced by a vet min player that could make a bigger impact. Houstan or #46 could be cheap depth.

For the Magic it's hard for me to gauge the value of their players Goga went from 3rd string to starter back to DNP's by the end of the season 2 years in a row. With WCJ, Wagner and Isaac all getting minutes at the 5 Goga feels more like a luxury on his contract than a necessity even with the team's injury history.

Kolek would provide a cheap natural point guard under contract for 3 more years as Paolo's big extension hits the books next year. Hukporti is a ball of energy and a great shot blocker but he is still pretty raw. I think he will be fine as the game slows down for him. He finally cracked Thibs tight rotation but he got injured. He makes more sense as the 3rd/4th string big at his price point instead of Goga and he also has the German connection with the Wagenrs and TDS if that has any value. Not sure how much the Magic value Houstan in the last year of his deal and i'm not sure where he fits on their current roster but including his salary prevents a hard cap at the 1st apron but there could be some other ways around that.

[ReggiesKnicks]

Knicks out - Mitchell Robinson, Kolek, Hukporti, 2026 Top 8 Protected Wizards pick (becomes 2026 and 2027 Washington 2nds if not conveyed)
Knicks in - #14, Goga, (Wesley or Branham)

Spurs out - #14, Branham, Wesley
Spurs in - 2026 Top 8 Protected pick, Robinson, (Houstan or #46)

Magic out - Goga, (Houstan or #46)
Magic in - Kolek, Hukporti, (Wesley or Branham)

I don't know if anything New York is trading here is worth a Real 1st. Hard to see that these many dimes and a quarter equal a dollar.

Do you expect the Washington Wizards pick to convey? I don't.

The Spurs are getting hosed here. Trading #14 and a couple bench prospects for 2nds and Mitchell Robinson is brutal.

I actually like this deal without the Knicks.

Goga for Branham

Magic get breathing room to use the Full MLE (unsure of their cap situation) and Spurs get a back-up Center.

[jbk1234]

I believe the Magic declined the option on Mo Wagner as part of the Bane trade. Now maybe they already have an agreement to bring him back, in a non-tampering kind of way, but they can't re-sign him before the draft. That makes trading Goga before the draft risky for them. Isaac is already gone and having WCJ as the only real center strikes me as ill-advised.

[JayTWill]

Knicks out - Mitchell Robinson, Kolek, Hukporti, 2026 Top 8 Protected Wizards pick (becomes 2026 and 2027 Washington 2nds if not conveyed)
Knicks in - #14, Goga, (Wesley or Branham)

Spurs out - #14, Branham, Wesley
Spurs in - 2026 Top 8 Protected pick, Robinson, (Houstan or #46)

Magic out - Goga, (Houstan or #46)
Magic in - Kolek, Hukporti, (Wesley or Branham)

I don't know if anything New York is trading here is worth a Real 1st. Hard to see that these many dimes and a quarter equal a dollar.

Do you expect the Washington Wizards pick to convey? I don't.

The Spurs are getting hosed here. Trading #14 and a couple bench prospects for 2nds and Mitchell Robinson is brutal.

I actually like this deal without the Knicks.

Goga for Branham

Magic get breathing room to use the Full MLE (unsure of their cap situation) and Spurs get a back-up Center.

Yeah, I could see the Spurs not doing this but I valued the Washington pick as a late 1st. I could see a team like the Nets willing to trade one of their many 1st this year for the Washington pick. It depends how much they value Robinson. I think he would be great for them as a backup/situational starter but I could see them just going for Goga instead.

I don't value their bench prospects that highly and I could see the Spurs letting both of them walk at the end of the season. Wesley looked like he had potential on defense but looked lost on offense and a bit out of control in the games I watched. Branham was terrible defensively when I watched him. Both of them have been in the league for 3 years. A Spurs fan would have a better idea of their value than I would though. I can't imagine offering either of them a 1 year $5M deal if they were free agents though so I can't imagine they have a ton of value. I would prefer Kolek over Branham if I was Orlando.

[JayTWill]

I believe the Magic declined the option on Mo Wagner as part of the Bane trade. Now maybe they already have an agreement to bring him back, in a non-tampering kind of way, but they can't re-sign him before the draft. That makes trading Goga before the draft risky for them. Isaac is already gone and having WCJ as the only real center strikes me as ill-advised.

Isaac is gone? I can't keep up with the moves made in the last week. Did I miss something? I assumed they would bring Wagner back but I may be wrong.

[jbk1234]

I believe the Magic declined the option on Mo Wagner as part of the Bane trade. Now maybe they already have an agreement to bring him back, in a non-tampering kind of way, but they can't re-sign him before the draft. That makes trading Goga before the draft risky for them. Isaac is already gone and having WCJ as the only real center strikes me as ill-advised.

Isaac is gone? I can't keep up with the moves made in the last week. Did I miss something? I assumed they would bring Wagner back but I may be wrong.

My bad that was KCP.

[Texas Chuck]

Robinson is hurt all the time. I know we are excited about his play in the playoffs but that doesn't return pick 14 for a year of a guy you simply can't trust to be available and none of that fluff added on makes up for that.

Just not close here.

[pad300]

...

Goga for Branham

Magic get breathing room to use the Full MLE (unsure of their cap situation) and Spurs get a back-up Center.

As a SAS fan, I wouldn't do the OP, but I would do this.

[JayTWill]

...

Goga for Branham

Magic get breathing room to use the Full MLE (unsure of their cap situation) and Spurs get a back-up Center.

As a SAS fan, I wouldn't do the OP, but I would do this.

As a SAS fan how much do you value Branham? What would he add to the Magic? I'm not sure why the Magic would want him as they currently have Bane, Suggs, Houstan, Black, Howard, TDS, Wagner etc.

[orlando_joe]

I believe the Magic declined the option on Mo Wagner as part of the Bane trade. Now maybe they already have an agreement to bring him back, in a non-tampering kind of way, but they can't re-sign him before the draft. That makes trading Goga before the draft risky for them. Isaac is already gone and having WCJ as the only real center strikes me as ill-advised.

magic did not decline mo or houstan only harris and cojo....but magic pass on this magic need goga and houstan

[One_and_Done]

Spurs already have a 5. They don't need to trade a lotto pick to get an oft injured back up.

[JayTWill]

Robinson is hurt all the time. I know we are excited about his play in the playoffs but that doesn't return pick 14 for a year of a guy you simply can't trust to be available and none of that fluff added on makes up for that.

Just not close here.

I know he has his injuries concerns and nothing will change that but he was also playing for a coach that was not to too concern about health and continuously pushed his possibly fragile body to 35 minutes any time he started to look good on the court even when he had possibly the best backup in the league in iHart and any center would have gotten injured by some of the things Embiid did in the previous postseason while trying to compete with Robinson.

I'm hoping he can stay healthy this time but i'm also someone that wants to fix the Brunson/KAT pairing defensively and doesn't think Mitch is the solution.

What value pick value would you give to Mitch in this draft? None?

What pick value would you give for the Wizards pick in this draft?

What combination of picks do you think could move a team up to the mid first round?

[Texas Chuck]

I have Robinson not worth any first rounder. I would not assign 1st round value to the Wizards pick with those protections though if I'm Brooklyn I'd trade 27 for it and take the gamble knowing if I get the 2nds its not a huge loss, but I might gain something. But its not actually worth that, I just viva la variance...

Doesn't matter what picks might in theory could get you to 14, I don't see the Spurs trading back for multiple late picks and plus the Knicks don't have a ready path to that anyway.

[wemby]

As a Spurs fan, I'd rather use 14 or trade it for a better pick than the Magic 26 which projects to be far worse, and it's top 8 protected to boot. Robinson isn't the Spurs long term backup, he's injured a lot and probably wants to go elsewhere. Pass on this.

[JayTWill]

As a Spurs fan, I'd rather use 14 or trade it for a better pick than the Magic 26 which projects to be far worse, and it's top 8 protected to boot. Robinson isn't the Spurs long term backup, he's injured a lot and probably wants to go elsewhere. Pass on this.

I'm not sure he would want to go elsewhere but what would you be looking for at #14?

[wemby]

As a Spurs fan, I'd rather use 14 or trade it for a better pick than the Magic 26 which projects to be far worse, and it's top 8 protected to boot. Robinson isn't the Spurs long term backup, he's injured a lot and probably wants to go elsewhere. Pass on this.

I'm not sure he would want to go elsewhere but what would you be looking for at #14?

If Spurs find themselves with none of their targets available, they probably trade out for a future pick that projects better than this one. Alternatively I would also consider a better fitting role player, like Cam Johnson.

[pad300]

As a SAS fan how much do you value Branham? What would he add to the Magic? I'm not sure why the Magic would want him as they currently have Bane, Suggs, Houstan, Black, Howard, TDS, Wagner etc.

I don't put much value on Branham for the Spurs. I think he's going to be a casualty of the numbers game this year, and thus moving him for a backup C makes a great deal of sense to me...As far as his value to the Magic, that's their business, not mine... but if ReggieKnicks is correct, and the exchange of contracts gives the Magic room to use the full MLE, that is worth something on it's own.

[JayTWill]

As a Spurs fan, I'd rather use 14 or trade it for a better pick than the Magic 26 which projects to be far worse, and it's top 8 protected to boot. Robinson isn't the Spurs long term backup, he's injured a lot and probably wants to go elsewhere. Pass on this.

I'm not sure he would want to go elsewhere but what would you be looking for at #14?

If Spurs find themselves with none of their targets available, they probably trade out for a future pick that projects better than this one. Alternatively I would also consider a better fitting role player, like Cam Johnson.

Seeing the Nets get #22 just for taking on some money I assume they would want more than #14 for Johnson. I don't know.

Just out of curiosity if Robinson was guaranteed to be healthy and re-sign at a reasonable rate would you like his fit on the roster?

[Chinook]

I'm not sure he would want to go elsewhere but what would you be looking for at #14?

If Spurs find themselves with none of their targets available, they probably trade out for a future pick that projects better than this one. Alternatively I would also consider a better fitting role player, like Cam Johnson.

Seeing the Nets get #22 just for taking on some money I assume they would want more than #14 for Johnson. I don't know.

Just out of curiosity if Robinson was guaranteed to be healthy and re-sign at a reasonable rate would you like his fit on the roster?

I don't think trading 14 for a backup center will ever have legs. Using 14 to draft a combo-big like Sorber, Newell or Fleming could work. But with the MLE at theie disposal, they can't give up a lotto pick for a backup. And in case it needs to be said, the Spurs are not looking for a way to play Wemby at PF. He's far more effective at the five at this point. That doesn't mean they wouldn't play an interior big next to him at all, but its unlikely those minutes are more than situational. Therefore while Robinson's skill-set would fit fine, he wouldn't pay enough minutes to justify the trade.

[jjohns828]

I think you're overestimating the Magic's center depth. Wagner isn't likely to be ready at the start of the season and Isaac is likely going to play very little center since he's going to be slimming back down again after putting on weight negatively impacted his game a lot this year. That leaves Goga and WCJ the only people available to play significant minutes at Center to start the year so I think they will be less willing to trade Goga right now then people expect unless they draft a center at 25 or have some other move lined up to bring in a quality backup at the position.