Trade Talk (Part 17): Early Offseason Planning

[Klomp]

I think Duren is an interesting target, but yeah I don't think that trade is constructed anywhere close to what we need to see.

[Klomp]

Would you trade Julius Randle for Dejounte Murray during the season?

Reminder: Murray strained his Achilles in late January, and I assume he will not be healthy to start the year, and may not be his full self until the following year.

[Norseman79]

Would you trade Julius Randle for Dejounte Murray during the season?

Reminder: Murray strained his Achilles in late January, and I assume he will not be healthy to start the year, and may not be his full self until the following year.

I would. But, I would only do so after extensive testing and evidence that he is healthy. I know others don't like him or his efficiency,

[Klomp]

Would you trade Julius Randle for Dejounte Murray during the season?

Reminder: Murray strained his Achilles in late January, and I assume he will not be healthy to start the year, and may not be his full self until the following year.

I would. But, I would only do so after extensive testing and evidence that he is healthy. I know others don't like him or his efficiency,

I am very much on the fence about the idea. But I think it's an opportunity that could present itself.

With Randle's new contract, I think it signals that he will not be traded as a salary dump. The team acquiring him has to believe in his ability to help the team. Either as a core piece or because they think he will outperform his contract.

New Orleans seems like an odd choice at first, but they have zero incentive to tank. Slow-playing Murray's recovery does not help them this season. You could also point to the fact that they upgraded the guard positions and may be trying to phase out Murray. Randle isn't a perfect positional fit but he provides on-court value for a team that doesn't have much and probably needs more of it.

Now Murray's recovery time doesn't help us either, which is my personal hesitance about the idea. It's not so much about the PG position this year, as nothing much really changes. But can they afford losing the team's second option without guaranteeing much on-court replacement this year? Personally, I don't think so, which is why I think I would try to get some extra incentive in the deal before accepting.

[KGdaBom]

Would you trade Julius Randle for Dejounte Murray during the season?

Reminder: Murray strained his Achilles in late January, and I assume he will not be healthy to start the year, and may not be his full self until the following year.

I was always a huge Dejounte fan, but it's doubtful he will ever return to form.

[Domejandro]

I've built out the argument against DeJounte Murray a million times, but the TL;DR is that he is an inefficient scorer and mediocre to poor defensive player, despite his reputation. His impact stats are consistently neutral to negative, and he is extremely ball-dominant offensively. I genuinely do not understand why people want to trade for the dude, it just doesn't make sense. It was a questionable/bad idea PRIOR to him blowing out his Achilles' tendon. The value and impact gaps between the two players is significant, from my perspective.

If it can be completed as a way to retool asset-wise, it is worth consideration (to an extent). That said, it would have to be a three-team framework, given that the fit of Julius Randle alongside Zion Williamson seems questionable.

[Wolveswin]

Would you trade Julius Randle for Dejounte Murray during the season?

Reminder: Murray strained his Achilles in late January, and I assume he will not be healthy to start the year, and may not be his full self until the following year.

No. Easy answer. Move on.

[Klomp]

Trying to think of some different frameworks. What do you think about this?

Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo for CJ McCollum and Alex Sarr (and maybe extra compensation?). Obviously, to pull the trigger you would have to be a significant believer in the young guy.

[Wolveswin]

Wolves defense would be next level…even after trading Gobert.

To Hawks: Gobert/DDV

To Nets: Porzingis/Dilly

To Wolves: Daniels/Claxton/Mann/NOP 1st (via Hawks)

Claxton/Reid/Beringer
Randle/Reid/McDaniels
McDaniels/Edwards/Mann
Edwards/Mann/TSJ
Daniels/Conley/Bones

^And this lineup matches up REALLY well vs OKC. Daniels to shut down SGA with help from McDaniels (two man rotation). Edwards v. Jalen. Claxton v. Chet with Randle/Reid when needed. Mann off the bench with 6 fouls to shut down SGA or Jalen.

[Klomp]

Where is the value gap here:

Donte DiVincenzo and Rob Dillingham
for
Jose Alvarado, Jordan Hawkins, and Saddiq Bey

I think it's probably selling low, but by how much?

[BlacJacMac]

Where is the value gap here:

Donte DiVincenzo and Rob Dillingham
for
Jose Alvarado, Jordan Hawkins, and Saddiq Bey

I think it's probably selling low, but by how much?

I think by a lot.

I really do like Alvarado. I think he's a top-tier back-up PG. Probably a decent spot starter. Would love to have him.

Hawkins is terrible. A SG that can't shoot and is a trainwreck on defense.

Bey is kind of interesting. He may have peaked as a rookie, isn't a defender and is a streaky scorer. And missed all last year with an ACL.

[Norseman79]

Where is the value gap here:

Donte DiVincenzo and Rob Dillingham
for
Jose Alvarado, Jordan Hawkins, and Saddiq Bey

I think it's probably selling low, but by how much?

DD, RD and Miller
For
Jones and Alvarado perhaps better? Doesn't solve starting PG though so would need a secondary move ready.

PG - Conley, Alvarado
SG - Ant, Shannon Jr
SF - McDaniels, Jones
PF - Randle, Reid
C - Gobert,Berringer

Fun second five though

[shrink]

If the Rockets struggle without VanVleet, and Kevin Durant decides he’d rather contend with the hot Wolves and sign an extension, would you consider him? Or are you out on him completely?

Any deal would likely include Julius Randle going out, and I have kind of come to really like the guy. I expect a big season from a happy Julius, and he could look like a legit #2, as he did for the last third of the season and two playoff series.

That said, OKC is the team we need to get past to win a ring, and they were able to shut down the hot Randle pretty convincingly in the playoffs. The other thing about Randle is that he is simply our #2, not Ant’s role model or favorite player. There are plenty of reasons to dislike Durant’s personality. He is very introverted, doesn’t make friends easily, and can get depressed, especially if he hears negative comments about him. However, the reason he is a HOF player is that he has devoted his entire existence to basketball, which is something Ant admires. In the middle of road back to backs, Durant will often rent out a basketball court to get in extra work from 12:00-2:00 am, while the rest of the team goes to the hotel! I am not sure KD would guarantee us a championship over the next three years. But I think his influence on Ant, for the rest of Ant’s career, could be profound. And if the team acquired Ant’s favorite player and role model, I think it would help cement his loyalty to the Wolves, while many other American superstars look at other cities in free agency.

[Klomp]

If the Rockets struggle without VanVleet, and Kevin Durant decides he’d rather contend with the hot Wolves and sign an extension, would you consider him? Or are you out on him completely?

Any deal would likely include Julius Randle going out, and I have kind of come to really like the guy. I expect a big season from a happy Julius, and he could look like a legit #2, as he did for the last third of the season and two playoff series.

That said, OKC is the team we need to get past to win a ring, and they were able to shut down the hot Randle pretty convincingly in the playoffs. The other thing about Randle is that he is simply our #2, not Ant’s role model or favorite player. There are plenty of reasons to dislike Durant’s personality. He is very introverted, doesn’t make friends easily, and can get depressed, especially if he hears negative comments about him. However, the reason he is a HOF player is that he has devoted his entire existence to basketball, which is something Ant admires. In the middle of road back to backs, Durant will often rent out a basketball court to get in extra work from 12:00-2:00 am, while the rest of the team goes to the hotel! I am not sure KD would guarantee us a championship over the next three years. But I think his influence on Ant, for the rest of Ant’s career, could be profound. And if the team acquired Ant’s favorite player and role model, I think it would help cement his loyalty to the Wolves, while many other American superstars look at other cities in free agency.

I've been trying to think a lot about "next moves" myself. I think one of the main guys I'm centering on is Bam Adebayo.

[shrink]

“Centering” on

[Klomp]

“Centering” on

Unintentional

[Domejandro]

The answer is clearly yes from my perspective, but I highly doubt anyone has budged from the conversations earlier this summer. Being honest, it just isn’t happening either. Kevin Durant wanted to go back to Texas.

If anything, I really just don’t want the thread to get nuked by that can of worms.

[frankenwolf]

If the Rockets struggle without VanVleet, and Kevin Durant decides he’d rather contend with the hot Wolves and sign an extension, would you consider him? Or are you out on him completely?

Any deal would likely include Julius Randle going out, and I have kind of come to really like the guy. I expect a big season from a happy Julius, and he could look like a legit #2, as he did for the last third of the season and two playoff series.

That said, OKC is the team we need to get past to win a ring, and they were able to shut down the hot Randle pretty convincingly in the playoffs. The other thing about Randle is that he is simply our #2, not Ant’s role model or favorite player. There are plenty of reasons to dislike Durant’s personality. He is very introverted, doesn’t make friends easily, and can get depressed, especially if he hears negative comments about him. However, the reason he is a HOF player is that he has devoted his entire existence to basketball, which is something Ant admires. In the middle of road back to backs, Durant will often rent out a basketball court to get in extra work from 12:00-2:00 am, while the rest of the team goes to the hotel! I am not sure KD would guarantee us a championship over the next three years. But I think his influence on Ant, for the rest of Ant’s career, could be profound. And if the team acquired Ant’s favorite player and role model, I think it would help cement his loyalty to the Wolves, while many other American superstars look at other cities in free agency.

Shrink, in my mind that is a pretty big "IF". He ruled out Minnesota when the trade talk started and as much as it seems that he & Ant get along, I do not think he would be happy here. Julius is happy here and I believe that the Julius we saw in the playoffs vs OKC is not who he will be this year. Based on preseason interviews, I think the Wolves, as a team, will be stylistically different from the one that faced OKC last year.

[Klomp]

The answer is clearly yes from my perspective, but I highly doubt anyone has budged from the conversations earlier this summer. Being honest, it just isn’t happening either. Kevin Durant wanted to go back to Texas.

If anything, I really just don’t want the thread to get nuked by that can of worms.

Yeah I would agree with this. I've pretty much moved on from the idea, unless Kevin shows a real interest in coming....which is probably unlikely.

[shrink]

Well, Durant is very concerned about his public image, and regularly fights with internet trolls. If he wants to change his image and legacy, he does not have a lot of time to do it. If HOU isn’t a contender, he might want to go somewhere (maybe not MIN), where his only ring isn’t as an add on to the loaded Warriors.