Big 3-way Nets, Bulls and Lakers

[tcheco]

So why the fudge not:

Bulls trade:
Zach Collins, Huerter, Ayo, Vucevic, best of 2026 Portland and bulls pick

Bulls get:
MPJ
Claxton

Lakers trade:
Gabe, Knecht, Kleber, 2031 first rounder

Lakers get:
Ayo, Vucevic

Nets trade:
MPJ, Claxton< Timme

Nets get:
Collins, Vincent, Huerter, Knecht, Kleber, 2 picks

Why:
Bulls move expiring players and a pick for 2 expensive upgrades, MPJ and Claxton should operate amazingly with Giddey, add 3point shooting and a defensive big. Risk comes from MPJ being a injury risk, and Claxton coming from a down year, but they add skills not present in this current Bulls team.

Lakers:
They add a scoring punch in Vucevic as insurance for their C rotation, Vucevic with the minutes will deliver 20/10 and is an iron man, that lowers the risk of Ayton not panning out. Ayo brings solid defense as well as being a decent ball handler for this offense to operate

Nets:
Get 2 picks and Knecht as prizes from MPJ and Claxton, and 58M in expiring contracts to either buyout(Vincent and Kleber probably) or reroute at deadline for second rounders if any team needs a bench player or two.

Bulls:
Giddey/Tre/Carter
White/Okoro/Phillips
MPJ/Okoro/Noa
Matas/Pat Williams/Noa
Claxton/Jalen Smith

Lakers:
Luka/Smart
Reaves/Ayo
Lebron/Laravia
Rui/Vando
Vucevic/Ayton/Hayes

What is missing here? Too light for the Nets? Too light for the bulls?

[pipfan]

Bulls' fan here-too much to give up. PWill and the 2026 pick with min protection, plus the Port pick (Vuc/Ayo/PWill/JCarter (buyout) and maybe DTerry if needed for the $)

A Bulls' lineup of
Giddey/Jones
White/Huerter
Matas/Okoro
MPJ/JSmith
Claxton/Collins
Work Noa in some over time
That team could surprise some people

[ChettheJet]

The Bulls might give up the mythical PORT pick but need to keep their own. They give up 4 of the expiring contracts, Claxton has a big contract but is a good bet to stay healthy. Porter remains a bad injury risk for 2 years and $78M. I don't see the Bulls giving up on a summer with a lot of cap space to throw all their chips in with MPJ and Claxton. What kind of year does Coby White have? Can they resign him and for how much considering they just added what would be their 2 biggest contracts.

If the Lakers actually want Vucevic then cut out the Nets and go with Vucevic to the LAL and Hachimura and Hayes to the Bulls

[tcheco]

The Bulls might give up the mythical PORT pick but need to keep their own. They give up 4 of the expiring contracts, Claxton has a big contract but is a good bet to stay healthy. Porter remains a bad injury risk for 2 years and $78M. I don't see the Bulls giving up on a summer with a lot of cap space to throw all their chips in with MPJ and Claxton. What kind of year does Coby White have? Can they resign him and for how much considering they just added what would be their 2 biggest contracts.

If the Lakers actually want Vucevic then cut out the Nets and go with Vucevic to the LAL and Hachimura and Hayes to the Bulls

Hachimura and Hayes are worse than Vucevic, no? You add a PF to play ahead of Matas and Noa, while keeping Pat Williams...

Will the bulls the able to do big things in free agency next year? White will have a big cap hold, Ayo too. John Collins might be the best center available in free agency and might command more money than Claxton. Porzingis has a injury risk, KD might not be attainable

I thought of this mainly because the fit with MPJ and Claxton seems really good, and the team can count on the growth of Giddey, Matas, Noa, even White. MPJ expires before having to pay Matas. Seems like a easy bet considering they are parting with a pick(one of the 2026 ones) and expiring contracts.
Nets might think its too little to part ways with probably their 2 best players, 2 picks and Knecht, but freeing up that much money, having added so many rookies this last draft and adding a top4 pick this year might be a good bet.

[tcheco]

Bulls' fan here-too much to give up. PWill and the 2026 pick with min protection, plus the Port pick (Vuc/Ayo/PWill/JCarter (buyout) and maybe DTerry if needed for the $)

A Bulls' lineup of
Giddey/Jones
White/Huerter
Matas/Okoro
MPJ/JSmith
Claxton/Collins
Work Noa in some over time
That team could surprise some people

I dont mind this change, Nets might not be happy to eat Pat Williams but if bulls are adding both 2026 picks that might be ok

[One_and_Done]

Well I can certainly see the Nets doing it, though they seem to be taking on a fair bit of salary here.

[tcheco]

Well I can certainly see the Nets doing it, though they seem to be taking on a fair bit of salary here.

Take on the same amount they are sending out, but all of it as expiring, aside from Knecht

[One_and_Done]

Well I can certainly see the Nets doing it, though they seem to be taking on a fair bit of salary here.

Take on the same amount they are sending out, but all of it as expiring, aside from Knecht

Yeh, I agree the Nets do it. Why do the Lakers want Vuc tho? Seems pricey.

[tcheco]

Well I can certainly see the Nets doing it, though they seem to be taking on a fair bit of salary here.

Take on the same amount they are sending out, but all of it as expiring, aside from Knecht

Yeh, I agree the Nets do it. Why do the Lakers want Vuc tho? Seems pricey.

Not trusting Ayton to be their full time Center(as they should) and also getting Ayo who is an upgrade to Gabe on both sides of the ball. If they are willing to go for it this year, they add versatility too for the Center rotation as Vucevic can space the floor, while Ayton can't. Ayo can guard more positions than Gabe too(and will play 30mpg if Smart is done(it sure looked like it at some point). Sure is pricey, but cant see better trades without adding Reaves or Rui(both have a clear role in this team I believe)

[One_and_Done]

Take on the same amount they are sending out, but all of it as expiring, aside from Knecht

Yeh, I agree the Nets do it. Why do the Lakers want Vuc tho? Seems pricey.

Not trusting Ayton to be their full time Center(as they should) and also getting Ayo who is an upgrade to Gabe on both sides of the ball. If they are willing to go for it this year, they add versatility too for the Center rotation as Vucevic can space the floor, while Ayton can't. Ayo can guard more positions than Gabe too(and will play 30mpg if Smart is done(it sure looked like it at some point). Sure is pricey, but cant see better trades without adding Reaves or Rui(both have a clear role in this team I believe)

Vuc is a bench player on a good team. He doesn't fit with Luka at all either.

[SlimShady83]

WOW ... Never thought I'd see this ... AYO and Vucevic are worth a FRP? ... I like both players but no way I'm using the FRP on them LOL sorry OP this is a huge fail on the Lakers side of things.

Edit: to get Vucevic you actually offer, Gabe/Maxi and a SRP, I'm sure Bulls would be interested. That said I'm not sure what Ayo is worth but I'm NOT throwing away a FRP for either of them.

[tcheco]

Yeh, I agree the Nets do it. Why do the Lakers want Vuc tho? Seems pricey.

Not trusting Ayton to be their full time Center(as they should) and also getting Ayo who is an upgrade to Gabe on both sides of the ball. If they are willing to go for it this year, they add versatility too for the Center rotation as Vucevic can space the floor, while Ayton can't. Ayo can guard more positions than Gabe too(and will play 30mpg if Smart is done(it sure looked like it at some point). Sure is pricey, but cant see better trades without adding Reaves or Rui(both have a clear role in this team I believe)

Vuc is a bench player on a good team. He doesn't fit with Luka at all either.

Yeah, I’m proposing this for the Lakers to improve depth drastically. Vucevic off the bench, specially with Luka resting and Lebron missing 4 weeks already this start of the season, can help the team much more than Hayes, and with Luka he can space the floor much better than Ayton. Ayo defense helps keeping Luka or Reaves fresher

[tcheco]

WOW ... Never thought I'd see this ... AYO and Vucevic are worth a FRP? ... I like both players but no way I'm using the FRP on them LOL sorry OP this is a huge fail on the Lakers side of things.

Just want the season to start already lol

[SlimShady83]

WOW ... Never thought I'd see this ... AYO and Vucevic are worth a FRP? ... I like both players but no way I'm using the FRP on them LOL sorry OP this is a huge fail on the Lakers side of things.

Just want the season to start already lol

Yeh I know we all do LOL ...

[tcheco]

WOW ... Never thought I'd see this ... AYO and Vucevic are worth a FRP? ... I like both players but no way I'm using the FRP on them LOL sorry OP this is a huge fail on the Lakers side of things.

Just want the season to start already lol

Yeh I know we all do LOL ...

I'd just ask if exchanging Ayo for Coby White makes sense, but he and Reaves are redundant a bit, so not point

[One_and_Done]

Not trusting Ayton to be their full time Center(as they should) and also getting Ayo who is an upgrade to Gabe on both sides of the ball. If they are willing to go for it this year, they add versatility too for the Center rotation as Vucevic can space the floor, while Ayton can't. Ayo can guard more positions than Gabe too(and will play 30mpg if Smart is done(it sure looked like it at some point). Sure is pricey, but cant see better trades without adding Reaves or Rui(both have a clear role in this team I believe)

Vuc is a bench player on a good team. He doesn't fit with Luka at all either.

Yeah, I’m proposing this for the Lakers to improve depth drastically. Vucevic off the bench, specially with Luka resting and Lebron missing 4 weeks already this start of the season, can help the team much more than Hayes, and with Luka he can space the floor much better than Ayton. Ayo defense helps keeping Luka or Reaves fresher

I think they'd rather save that pick for a bigger swing in a bigger trade.

[SlimShady83]

Just want the season to start already lol

Yeh I know we all do LOL ...

I'd just ask if exchanging Ayo for Coby White makes sense, but he and Reaves are redundant a bit, so not point

Nah you've answered your own question .

[Dr Aki]

Don't want Vuc, Lakers say no

[SlimShady83]

Don't want Vuc, Lakers say no

Not for that offer... But I would do Gabe/Maxi maybe and I state maybe SRP, this also would open a roster spot too.

[QMemphis]

Why wouldn’t the Lakers just send the expiring contracts and a pick for Claxton? Warriors in their place probably makes motes sense and is a better basketball fit.