Re: Trade Talk (Part Twelve): 2023 Playoff Push Edition

[life_saver]

If we wanna trade Gobert, Mavs seem to be one of the few realistic options.

[BlacJacMac]

If we wanna trade Gobert, Mavs seem to be one of the few realistic options.

What do they even have to trade? Wood? Green? Hardy?

I guess we could get their 25 and 27 picks.

--edit-- Assuming they convey their 23 to NY this year. Otherwise 25 is off the table.

[Note30]

If we wanna trade Gobert, Mavs seem to be one of the few realistic options.

There's NY too.

I do think we're kind of stuck. Outside of trying to buy a pick we're stuck with who we had this year and some random bench signings to improve the team.

[moss_is_1]

Getting back to trades, I think this will be a very quiet trade season for Connelly, after all the tumult last year. We have talent, but with Towns out, the addition of Mike Conley, and now the McDaniels and Naz injuries, I think Tim Connelly will want to see how Finch can fit it together if he has his players together for one full offseason in the gym and several games together. The major holes in the team that were exposed in the playoffs (lack of consistent talent, rebounding and defense at the rim) were addressed with Gobert, veteran leadership and turnovers were addressed with SloMo and Mike Conley. I think the remaining issues are:

1. Are we willing to overpay Naz to keep him? Or do we bring in another bench scorer?

2. Will we add a back up PG of the future, or will SloMo and a developing Ant mean MacLaughlin can be our third string PG?

Our line up looks solid right now. There aren’t any drastic holes. I think the most likely course is to hold, and play these cards.

Conley/(SloMo?)
Ant
Jaden/Prince
Towns/ SloMo/Naz?
Gobert/Towns/Naz?

The free agent market is fairly weak as well, maybe we could look at adding a backup PG. Jevon Carter could be a good fit playing offball with Ant and being an elite defender.

Naz sign and trade doesn't seem too likely, even if it's just for some 2nd round picks+ a tpe or an overpaid role player?

Saw someone mentioned Dallas as a Gobert trade destination if it comes to that. They have some decent chips, #10, Green, Hardy. We'd almost assurdley have to take back Bertans and THJ. Thj at least could provide shooting off the bench to replace Nowell. I doubt we could get green and hardy with #10 though.

[slick21]

If we wanna trade Gobert, Mavs seem to be one of the few realistic options.

I've seen others speculate maybe Atlanta (Snyder connection) or Portland as potential options.

[life_saver]

If we wanna trade Gobert, Mavs seem to be one of the few realistic options.

I've seen others speculate maybe Atlanta (Snyder connection) or Portland as potential options.

not sure about Atlanta tbh...they seem to be ok with Capela/Okongwu. Dallas though have clear weakness at Center position.

[m2002brian]

He doesn't HAVE to be a leader, nor is that his natural vibe. He is a glue guy at heart with an INSANE level of skill and versatility. He makes dumb plays, but his intentions/heart are in the right place (he doesn't have a low BBIQ, he just forces things too much). You can work with that, if it were the other way around it would be different (he'd be Demarcus Cousins).

Let ANT take all the shine and just let KAT be himself, I really don't think he cares about being the top guy, that was put on him (as it is with all #1/top draft picks).

This is so well said! bravo!

Remember how happy KG was to get Cassell and Spree? How the three would do interviews together, and from the way KG talked, he wasn’t Batman - there were three Batmen?

I think people that hate Towns are frustrated because they predicted him to be a superstar that can win regardless of the talent around him. He isn’t that. He isn’t a leader, and he doesn’t seem to have the personality that he really wants to be. He says the right things to the media, but Ant is engaging and draws people in. Another similarity with KG for KAT is that he wants to make the right basketball play. One of the biggest criticisms people have of him is that he’s too willing to pass (remember he was third in FGA’s with Jimmy and Wiggins, and had better stats than both? But a willingness to pass turns into a huge asset if Ant becomes the superstar we hope.

Finally, Towns is probably the second-most talented guy the franchise has ever had. They don’t come here in free agency - we have to get super lucky in the draft to get a KG or KAT. There is an old adage that the team that trades away the best player usually loses a trade, but it’s especially likely here. If we trade KAT, it’s highly doubtful we bring in a player that talented (or loyal) with anything we get back, and cap space here isn’t bring back stars either. I agree - let KAT be KAT, let’s see how he looks with Ant, and go from there.

In order to get Cassell and Spree we gave up players that had gotten us to multiple playoff runs.

Terrell Brandon was an above average PG, we got Spree. Stop and pop shot was automatic.

Anthony Peeler was a good shooter avg defender. Joe smith also a decent shooter avg defender, we got cassell.

Gave up a lot of shooting in those trades.

What we got for what we gave up was moxie. Attitude. Players who would go to war with KG.

KAT isn’t a warrior. You want to compare this now to that then. Surround Ant with guys who will go to war with him. Won’t wilt under the pressure. Guys with Sam cassell sized balls.

If Zion is going to be the oft injured never available guy. I’d look to snatch Ingram and watch as NO blows it up. A guy like Kris Middleton who makes timely shots and fits very well with teammates. Siakam Is another that comes to mind.

Thinking that we can’t surround Ant with great talent without KAT is flawed logic.

[Worm Guts]

Brandon was nothing but a contract when we traded him, he never played another game.

[m2002brian]

Woooosh!

Point missed.

We traded players that took us multiple playoff runs and were decent shooters while doing it…..for….players with more edge and moxie and fight, bbiq.

It’s why Kyle is so vital to this team. He’s smart, competitive and brings an attitude. That’s what Bev did. Guys like that elevate your team. Put that kind of attitude in a starter level player like Sam or Spree and that translates into a tremendous amount of success.

KAT has the talent, maybe the want. He doesn’t have the bbiq, the fight. Some players are not built for the more intense and tightly played pressure cooker called the playoffs. Thats what we need though. Guys who can perform and bring the fight to the other team when the going is tough. As much as we may not like them, those are exactly the kind of guys Memphis has. Bane, Ja, Dillon, JJJ, all those guys bring an edge and fight to their team. Tough, hard nosed players who also just so happen to be starter level players.

[Worm Guts]

I don’t think I missed the point. I just thought there was an implication that wasn’t accurate. Anyway, it’s not important, carry on.

[Mamba4Goat]

Taurean Prince for a Coby White S+T would be a pretty ideal offseason move for the team. Especially if they’re bring NAW back, plan to continue the two bigs lineups, and hopefully plan on opening up a small role for Minott at some point.

[shrink]

Taurean Prince for a Coby White S+T would be a pretty ideal offseason move for the team. Especially if they’re bring NAW back, plan to continue the two bigs lineups, and hopefully plan on opening up a small role for Minott at some point.

Not a bad target with our MLE. I’d prefer to keep Prince because playoff teams can never have too many big wings.

[younggunsmn]

I tend to think people that didn’t like Rudy before are kind of using this as an excuse to trade him. If swinging at a teammate is a good enough reason to trade a guy, then I suppose people wanted to trade KG over punches at Rick Rickert or Wally? Or was he just showing his competitiveness?

I hate to break it to you but Gobert isn't even in the same building as KG much less on the same floor as far as this franchise is concerned.

This is exactly my point.

I’ve been reading this board and the General Board, and I have heard several posters say, “if a guy ever throws a punch, you have to trade him.” One local podcaster said the same thing. Granted, they said that before they got the whole story, but I disagreed with that position immediately.

Players are different. KG‘s value to this team is not the same as Gobert’s. I feel a punch isn’t grounds for an immediate trade in itself, but it is just something for people who want Gobert traded to add to other facts that support their view. My point is that people who say a punch is enough would not hold this same position if we were talking about KG.

The punch is more of a "straw that broke the camel's back" thing for people advocating Gobert be traded.
It was also a cold bucket of water in the face that the trade has not worked out.
Very much the same way a front office would look at it.

That punch was not enough in and of itself, it didn't reach a criminal level of violence and all parties have said they can move on from it. Whether that is able to be accomplished is still an open question.

I didn't like the trade, but that doesn't mean I didn't want it to work out.
I'm sure many others feel the same way.
Nothing that has happened this season has shown any inkling of Gobert being a success here.
If people want him traded it's because we want the Wolves to win, not because we want Gobert to suck.

When you trade 5 years of draft capital and 3 key contributors from a 47 win team for one player, as a fan you have a right to have certain expectations. On a 0-100 scale of negativity to positivity, this season was in the bottom 20% of my expectations.

[younggunsmn]

Taurean Prince for a Coby White S+T would be a pretty ideal offseason move for the team. Especially if they’re bring NAW back, plan to continue the two bigs lineups, and hopefully plan on opening up a small role for Minott at some point.

Taurean Prince + Wendell Moore for a PG/SG is something I could see because we have a severe talent vacuum in the backcourt compared to the frontcourt. TJ McConnell or a scoring combo guard who can run a pick and roll.
As bad as Jmac is, imagine if Conley gets hurt for an extended period.

Also, Sign and Trade would be an interesting route to offload KAT or Gobert contracts.
Porzingis and Irving are 2 examples of unrestricted free agents who might fit a max slot.

Teams might also be willing to give up more picks/take more salary if they feel their player is leaving for nothing.

[younggunsmn]

I certainly want to agree with anyone who wants to say Ant will be the best player on this team, but I don’t think he is better than KAT yet, and I certainly disagree that people on this board give him a pass.

Ant is definitively the best player on this team right now because:
1. He is a legitimate 2 way player. His defense has taken a huge leap while KAT remains a minus defender
2. Other teams are now scheming to take Ant out of the game even when KAT is on the floor.
Other teams certainly think that Ant is the bigger threat, right now.

[TimberKat]

I certainly want to agree with anyone who wants to say Ant will be the best player on this team, but I don’t think he is better than KAT yet, and I certainly disagree that people on this board give him a pass.

Ant is definitively the best player on this team right now because:
1. He is a legitimate 2 way player. His defense has taken a huge leap while KAT remains a minus defender
2. Other teams are now scheming to take Ant out of the game even when KAT is on the floor.
Other teams certainly think that Ant is the bigger threat, right now.

In a way it's a nice argument to have. Is Brown better than Tatum? Towns has been out almost all year. I am trying to think how Towns played last year vs Edwards this year. It's a close call and do see your point. I will go with Towns as better at this moment. I do hope Ant pass him next year.

[TimberKat]

There's been a lot of interesting discussion about trading Towns and/or Gobert. I supposed it all depends on what you get back. If Giannis wants out of Bucks, I would certainly consider trading Towns, Ant or Gobert for him and his brother. I would throw in Connelly too if they want a better GM.

[moss_is_1]

Toronto situation is interesting to monitor. They have a lot of pieces that would help.

[TimberKat]

Toronto situation is interesting to monitor. They have a lot of pieces that would help.

Yes, you mean Nick Nurse for head coach?
I don't know what they would want from us but certainly would be interesting. Maybe JMcD for Siakam?

Heat could use Gobert right now, they got beat up on rebounding today and in the Hawks game.

[younggunsmn]

Toronto situation is interesting to monitor. They have a lot of pieces that would help.

Yes they are certainly interesting.
All of their big contracts are so short term which makes them less appealing/more risky though.

Van Vleet and Trent jr have player options that could make them free agents this offseason.
Poeltl is going to be a free agent.
Anunoby and Siakam can be free agents after next year, and Anunoby only makes 18 million which makes an extension unlikely, even at 140% of that he's probably going to want to hit the open market.
Boucher has a declining 2/22.5 left

Gobert and KAT could both be fits there.
How crazy would a Gobert/van Vleet+poeltl sign and trade be?