Wizards/Pistons/Lakers: Smart to Lakers, Kleber to Pistons, future 2nd to Wiz

mhd · Post #1 » by **mhd** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 6:54 pm

Simple trade:

Wiz trade Smart (expiring) for Vincent (expiring)+Fontechio (expiring)+2029 Lakers 2nd (via Pistons)
Lakers trade Vincent (expiring)+Kleber (expiring) for Smart (expiring)
Pistons trade Fontechio (expiring)+2029 Knicks 2nd Rounder for Kleber (expiring)

Why for the Lakers?
1). Smart gives them a much needed versatile defender who can credibly defend 1-4. No future cap harm as the deal is expiring contracts for Smart's expiring contract.

Why for the Pistons?
1). Fontechio fell out of the rotation. They lacked any bigs after the injury to Stewart. Kleber is expiring, so no future cap harm, and maybe he bounces back and gives the Pistons a credible stretch big. All it costs is a future 2nd.

Why for the Wiz?
1). They do Smart a solid by trading him to the Lakers while getting a future 2nd to add to their stockpile of future picks. No harm to their future cap either.

Post #2 » by **Texas Chuck** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 6:58 pm

I don't think the Pistons pay anything for Maxi. Which pains me because I love Maxi. But he can't stay healthy and he's gotten to where he is super hesitant to shoot which means his value as a stretch 4/5 is really diminished when he plays. Which is too bad because even at this age he's still pretty effective when he has to switch on guards. Helps you defensively, but makes you play 4 on 5 at the other end at this point.

BK_2020 · Post #3 » by **BK_2020** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 7:06 pm

I cannot imagine a world in which the Pistons will do worse than Kleber for their 3rd center either in free agency or in trade with a future 2nd.

jayjaysee · Post #4 » by **jayjaysee** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 7:07 pm

Feel like LAL owes both teams a second. Or Dalton to Det and Det gives Washington (and maybe LAL?) a second?

hugepatsfan · Post #5 » by **hugepatsfan** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 7:09 pm

Agree with others on Maxey not being worth anything. LAL should be paying the 2nd here anyway though. WAS won't care if it's Maxey back instead of Fontecchio either. This could work fine as a LAL/WAS swap.

mhd · Post #6 » by **mhd** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 7:16 pm

hugepatsfan wrote:Agree with others on Maxey not being worth anything. LAL should be paying the 2nd here anyway though. WAS won't care if it's Maxey back instead of Fontecchio either. This could work fine as a LAL/WAS swap.

The issue is that the Lakers don't really have a future 2nd to give. They traded all of theirs away. The general Smart for Vincent+Kleber deal was what I was working on. Smart has more value than that poo poo platter, so the Wiz deserve to get a future 2nd in a pure expiring for expiring type trade. The issue is that the Lakers don't have any to trade.

Post #7 » by **Texas Chuck** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 7:51 pm

mhd wrote:
hugepatsfan wrote:Agree with others on Maxey not being worth anything. LAL should be paying the 2nd here anyway though. WAS won't care if it's Maxey back instead of Fontecchio either. This could work fine as a LAL/WAS swap.

The issue is that the Lakers don't really have a future 2nd to give. They traded all of theirs away. The general Smart for Vincent+Kleber deal was what I was working on. Smart has more value than that poo poo platter, so the Wiz deserve to get a future 2nd in a pure expiring for expiring type trade. The issue is that the Lakers don't have any to trade.

That's not Detroit's problem though. So they shouldn't have to give value for a player who has none so Washington can feel better. Either do the deal as as gesture of goodwill to Smart's agent and the Lakers without it or figure out a way to get the Wizards value a different way. Maybe you can get a future 2nd for the current 2nd LA has now if Washington needs it to be a future year.

But adding 3rd teams to take value from is never making a deal better.

BK_2020 · Post #8 » by **BK_2020** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 8:00 pm

If Washington really feels bad for Smart and wants to send him to a contender, just buy his ass out.

Post #9 » by **nate33** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 8:43 pm

BK_2020 wrote:If Washington really feels bad for Smart and wants to send him to a contender, just buy his ass out.

I go the other way on this. I'd rather just keep Smart as a veteran mentor and a potential mid-season trade asset than trade him for a late SRP 3 years down the road.

If a contender has an injury to a rotation player, I could see them being very interested in a guy like Smart at the Trade Deadline. I think the Wizards would do better than this package - particularly if the Wizards absorb a little extra salary in the transaction.

Post #10 » by **Mavrelous** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 8:44 pm

I love Maxi, but there is no meat left on that bone...
Detroit shouldn't trade for him, Lakers can throw a symbolic 2nd rd swap...

vege · Post #11 » by **vege** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 9:12 pm

This trade work without Detroit and this is awful for Detroit, so just remove them.

GatherStepGuru · Post #12 » by **GatherStepGuru** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 10:58 pm

I’m hoping WAS values Smart as a defensive minded vet than this level of offer.

I’d like him around for a year to have a positive impact on Bub and Bilal than let him go for a negligible return like this.

chrbal · Post #13 » by **chrbal** » Fri Jun 27, 2025 1:31 am

mhd wrote:
Wiz trade Smart (expiring) for Vincent (expiring)+Fontechio (expiring)+2029 Lakers 2nd (via Pistons)
Lakers trade Vincent (expiring)+Kleber (expiring) for Smart (expiring)
Pistons trade Fontechio (expiring)+2029 Knicks 2nd Rounder for Kleber (expiring)

Why for the Pistons?
1). Fontechio fell out of the rotation. They lacked any bigs after the injury to Stewart. Kleber is expiring, so no future cap harm, and maybe he bounces back and gives the Pistons a credible stretch big. All it costs is a future 2nd.

Fontechio did fall out of the rotation, but at least he’s healthy. Maxi is not and the Pistons can easily replace with a bargain free agent

Doesn’t make any sense for Detroit to include a second