Trade Talk (Part 16): Early Season Anxiety Edition

[Norseman79]

MIA IN: Randle, Adams, DET FRP, HOU FRP 2025, NAW (separate trade)
MIA OUT: Butler
Why for MIA: get two expiring contracts, get bigger under rim


HOU IN: Butler
HOU OUT: Adams, Brooks, J.Smith, HOU FRP 2025
Why for HOU: pair Butler with young players

MIN IN: Brooks, J.Smith
MIN OUT: Julius Randle, NAW, DET FRP

Gobert/Reid/Garza
J.Smith/Minott/Miller
McDaniels/Brooks/TJ
Edwards/DDV/Clark
Conley/Dilly/Nix

You had me until Brooks...but if we give up all that, I want more back. Seems like an overpay for us. Could we send Brooks and keep Adams instead?

[Klomp]

MIA IN: Randle, Adams, DET FRP, HOU FRP 2025, NAW (separate trade)
MIA OUT: Butler
Why for MIA: get two expiring contracts, get bigger under rim


HOU IN: Butler
HOU OUT: Adams, Brooks, J.Smith, HOU FRP 2025
Why for HOU: pair Butler with young players

MIN IN: Brooks, J.Smith
MIN OUT: Julius Randle, NAW, DET FRP

Gobert/Reid/Garza
J.Smith/Minott/Miller
McDaniels/Brooks/TJ
Edwards/DDV/Clark
Conley/Dilly/Nix

I like the creativity! I don't know that we do it though.

[TimberKat]

Jimmy Butler for Randle Lesser of two evils?

[Shaka_Zulu]

Jimmy Butler for Randle Lesser of two evils?

For non basketball reasons its:







That dude pissed all over and burned down the place on his way out. He should face nothing but boos whenever he comes to play us. Shudder the thought of him ever putting on our shirt again.


Don't care what a huge upgrade he would be on Randle (even if he Kawhi territory of injured now).

[minimus]

MIA IN: Randle, Adams, DET FRP, HOU FRP 2025, NAW (separate trade)
MIA OUT: Butler
Why for MIA: get two expiring contracts, get bigger under rim

HOU IN: Butler
HOU OUT: Adams, Brooks, J.Smith, HOU FRP 2025
Why for HOU: pair Butler with young players

MIN IN: Brooks, J.Smith
MIN OUT: Julius Randle, NAW, DET FRP

Gobert/Reid/Garza
J.Smith/Minott/Miller
McDaniels/Brooks/TJ
Edwards/DDV/Clark
Conley/Dilly/Nix

You had me until Brooks...but if we give up all that, I want more back. Seems like an overpay for us. Could we send Brooks and keep Adams instead?

MIA IN: Randle, Landale, DET FRP, HOU FRP 2025, NAW (separate trade)
MIA OUT: Butler
Why for MIA: get two expiring contracts, get bigger under rim

HOU IN: Butler
HOU OUT: Adams, Landale, Green, J.Smith, HOU FRP 2025
Why for HOU: pair Butler with young players

MIN IN: Adams, Green, J.Smith
MIN OUT: Julius Randle, NAW, DET FRP, PJ Dozier (waive)

[Klomp]

It's important when determining "trade value" to remember that certain player types can look better or worse in certain systems or on rosters with certain hierarchies. These teams often base decisions on familiarity as well as how players have fared in other similar situations in their careers. It is a bit of a guessing game at the end of the day though.

[winforlose]

The suggested Houston trade hits the necessary framework. Any Randle trade will require:

1. A backup center.
2. A young prospect or a value contract (think DDV for an example.) This would either be at PF or C and be focused on the next ramp up for the Ant window.
3.Does not send our picks out.

JSJ is a bust so far. He failed to live up to the expectations of being 3rd overall. The question is whether he is like NAW? Can he turn from a bust into a valuable part of a playoff rotation? I would also want PJ dozier to a third team, send that team Jeff Green, and get us back another PG.

P.S I am not great with 2nd apron stuff as trade machines do not seem to understand it. If possible what we should do is swap Minott for Eason on the back end. This probably requires the Det pick.

Wolves out: Randle, Minott, Dozier, Det first
Wolves in: JSJ, Eason, Adams, PG3, 1 or 2 seconds.

Starting lineup Conley/Ant/MCD/Naz/Rudy
Bench mob NAW/DDV/Eason/JSJ/Adams

Send Dilly to the G for a month or two to rehab the ankle and get some reps. When he comes back post ASB maybe we are stable enough to get him real run in the rotation. Having Eason and TSJ allows you trade NAW for a first to a contender, or maybe we get lucky and can swing Kessler for NAW and Kessler is the C of the future.

[winforlose]

Different thought chain to the one above.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/278337/Warriors-Looking-To-Add-Star-Player-Depth

Randle, Minott, and NAW are all what GSW wants. The question is what do they have to give, or what would they give a third team to get us what we want. The more willing trade partners we can find, in theory the better our return.

[BlacJacMac]

The suggested Houston trade hits the necessary framework. Any Randle trade will require:

1. A backup center.
2. A young prospect or a value contract (think DDV for an example.) This would either be at PF or C and be focused on the next ramp up for the Ant window.
3.Does not send our picks out.

JSJ is a bust so far. He failed to live up to the expectations of being 3rd overall. The question is whether he is like NAW? Can he turn from a bust into a valuable part of a playoff rotation? I would also want PJ dozier to a third team, send that team Jeff Green, and get us back another PG.

P.S I am not great with 2nd apron stuff as trade machines do not seem to understand it. If possible what we should do is swap Minott for Eason on the back end. This probably requires the Det pick.

Wolves out: Randle, Minott, Dozier, Det first
Wolves in: JSJ, Eason, Adams, PG3, 1 or 2 seconds.

Starting lineup Conley/Ant/MCD/Naz/Rudy
Bench mob NAW/DDV/Eason/JSJ/Adams

Send Dilly to the G for a month or two to rehab the ankle and get some reps. When he comes back post ASB maybe we are stable enough to get him real run in the rotation. Having Eason and TSJ allows you trade NAW for a first to a contender, or maybe we get lucky and can swing Kessler for NAW and Kessler is the C of the future.

Not living up to the #3 overall pick does not equal a bust. He's clearly, at worst, a legit rotation player on a good team.

He's starting and playing 30 MPG on the current #3 seed in the West. He can do a bit of everything - decent 3pt shooter, very good FT shooter. Has had some monster rebounding games, but hasn't really put it all together yet - but he's also only 21 years-old.

[Norseman79]

Smith Jr would be a great fit. He's definitely not a bust just not a superstar which we couldn't afford if we want to keep everybody.

[winforlose]

The suggested Houston trade hits the necessary framework. Any Randle trade will require:

1. A backup center.
2. A young prospect or a value contract (think DDV for an example.) This would either be at PF or C and be focused on the next ramp up for the Ant window.
3.Does not send our picks out.

JSJ is a bust so far. He failed to live up to the expectations of being 3rd overall. The question is whether he is like NAW? Can he turn from a bust into a valuable part of a playoff rotation? I would also want PJ dozier to a third team, send that team Jeff Green, and get us back another PG.

P.S I am not great with 2nd apron stuff as trade machines do not seem to understand it. If possible what we should do is swap Minott for Eason on the back end. This probably requires the Det pick.

Wolves out: Randle, Minott, Dozier, Det first
Wolves in: JSJ, Eason, Adams, PG3, 1 or 2 seconds.

Starting lineup Conley/Ant/MCD/Naz/Rudy
Bench mob NAW/DDV/Eason/JSJ/Adams

Send Dilly to the G for a month or two to rehab the ankle and get some reps. When he comes back post ASB maybe we are stable enough to get him real run in the rotation. Having Eason and TSJ allows you trade NAW for a first to a contender, or maybe we get lucky and can swing Kessler for NAW and Kessler is the C of the future.

Not living up to the #3 overall pick does not equal a bust. He's clearly, at worst, a legit rotation player on a good team.

He's starting and playing 30 MPG on the current #3 seed in the West. He can do a bit of everything - decent 3pt shooter, very good FT shooter. Has had some monster rebounding games, but hasn't really put it all together yet - but he's also only 21 years-old.

This is fair. I won’t edit it, but you are correct that he is only a bust in the context of expectations of a #3 overall.

[minimus]

The suggested Houston trade hits the necessary framework. Any Randle trade will require:

1. A backup center.
2. A young prospect or a value contract (think DDV for an example.) This would either be at PF or C and be focused on the next ramp up for the Ant window.
3.Does not send our picks out.

JSJ is a bust so far. He failed to live up to the expectations of being 3rd overall. The question is whether he is like NAW? Can he turn from a bust into a valuable part of a playoff rotation? I would also want PJ dozier to a third team, send that team Jeff Green, and get us back another PG.

P.S I am not great with 2nd apron stuff as trade machines do not seem to understand it. If possible what we should do is swap Minott for Eason on the back end. This probably requires the Det pick.

Wolves out: Randle, Minott, Dozier, Det first
Wolves in: JSJ, Eason, Adams, PG3, 1 or 2 seconds.

Starting lineup Conley/Ant/MCD/Naz/Rudy
Bench mob NAW/DDV/Eason/JSJ/Adams

Send Dilly to the G for a month or two to rehab the ankle and get some reps. When he comes back post ASB maybe we are stable enough to get him real run in the rotation. Having Eason and TSJ allows you trade NAW for a first to a contender, or maybe we get lucky and can swing Kessler for NAW and Kessler is the C of the future.

Not living up to the #3 overall pick does not equal a bust. He's clearly, at worst, a legit rotation player on a good team.

He's starting and playing 30 MPG on the current #3 seed in the West. He can do a bit of everything - decent 3pt shooter, very good FT shooter. Has had some monster rebounding games, but hasn't really put it all together yet - but he's also only 21 years-old.

This is fair. I won’t edit it, but you are correct that he is only a bust in the context of expectations of a #3 overall.

When I think about NAWs scenario I would look for a player that can be a better fit in MIN than in his current team: NAW did not have clear role in tanking UTA, but was kind of ready for 3&D role in MIN defensive minded identity.

I feel like if we replace Randle with Jabari Smith it will bust our defense to another level. Jabari is mobile 6'10" forward with 7'1 wingspan who can guard perimeter at some degree and protect the rim. Gobert-Smith-McDaniles is a very intriguing frontcourt for me. I think they can be special.

[cmoss84]

Nets in: Randle, Jaden, Minott
Nets out: Cameron Johnson, DFS, Day'Ron Sharpe, '25 FRP (Via Mil)
1st apron hard capped

Utah in: DD, Day'Ron Sharpe
Utah out: Kessler, Sensabaugh, '25 FRP (Via MN)
under 1st apron

MN in: Cam Johnson, DFS, Kessler, Sensabaugh, 2 '25 FRP
MN out: Randle, Jaden, Minott
1st apron
Mike, ANT, Johnson, DFS, Rudy
RD, NAW, NAZ, Miller, Kessler
Sensabaugh, TSJ, Garza

[Klomp]

There was some skepticism coming into the season about whether Lonzo Ball would be healthy enough to play – and what sort of impact he’d have – for the Bulls after being sidelined due to knee issues for two-and-a-half years. Ball has only appeared in eight of 25 games, but his multi-week absence was the result of a new wrist injury rather than his surgically repaired knee, which the Bulls guard says has held up just fine so far, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times relays.

“To be honest, I’m a lot better than I thought I was going to be, early on for sure,” Ball said, referring to both his knee and his defense. “There’s still some mishaps, definitely on the ball sometimes. But for the most part I feel comfortable out there. I feel like I haven’t really missed a beat, so I just try and give good minutes when I’m out there.”

As Cowley writes, the positive effect that Ball has on Chicago’s lineup has been apparent even in his limited playing time. The club has a +6.5 net rating in his 134 minutes on the court; the team’s net rating is just -5.4 in the 1,066 minutes he hasn’t played. That’s easily the biggest on/off-court disparity among Bulls players who have logged at least 100 minutes.

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/12/eastern-notes-ball-mobley-heat-k-johnson.html

[BlacJacMac]

When I think about NAWs scenario I would look for a player that can be a better fit in MIN than in his current team: NAW did not have clear role in tanking UTA, but was kind of ready for 3&D role in MIN defensive minded identity.

Agreed. NAW was clearly showing signs in Utah of being the player he is for us. The 3pt shooting was improving, and he had already redefined himself as a defender.

The first problem in Utah is they were asking him to play back-up PG, so his turnovers were way too high.

The second (and much bigger) problem was NAW is a "ceiling raiser" for a good team, but he's not a "floor raiser" for a bad one. He just isn't valuable at all on a rebuilding/tanking team like Utah, but he'd be a godsend in Denver's starting lineup.

[cmoss84]

Last one for the day...I promise!

LAC in: Randle, Jaden, Cody Williams, '25 and '27 FRP
LAC out: Kawhi, Mann, Kobe Brown
(1st apron hard capped)

Utah in: DD, Mann, Minott, Kobe Brown
Utah out: Kessler, Sensabaugh, 3 FRPs
(1st apron)

MN in: Kawhi, Kessler, Sensabaugh, '25 FRP
MN out: Randle, Jaden, DD, Minott
(1st apron)
Want to roll the dice and entice the Clippers for Kawhi?
Mike-ANT-Kawhi-NAZ-Rudy
RD-NAW-TSJ-Miller-Kessler
Nix, Clarke, Garza

[BlacJacMac]

Last one for the day...I promise!

LAC in: Randle, Jaden, Cody Williams, '25 and '27 FRP
LAC out: Kawhi, Mann, Kobe Brown
(1st apron hard capped)

Utah in: DD, Mann, Minott, Kobe Brown
Utah out: Kessler, Sensabaugh, 3 FRPs
(1st apron)

MN in: Kawhi, Kessler, Sensabaugh, '25 FRP
MN out: Randle, Jaden, DD, Minott
(1st apron)
Want to roll the dice and entice the Clippers for Kawhi?
Mike-ANT-Kawhi-NAZ-Rudy
RD-NAW-TSJ-Miller-Kessler
Nix, Clarke, Garza

Utah gives up three 1st round picks and Kessler for 4 bench players*? Do they think they're getting Kobe Bryant?

*I know Donte is probably a legit starter, but he's not a "high-end" one.

[Klomp]

I keep going back to the Chicago Bulls as what I believe to be a realistic trade partner.
-They are safely in play-in contention.
-Their ownership tends to prefer getting to the playoffs over tanking.
-Not much for classic PFs on the roster.
-Not many classic facilitators on the roster, and one of the two is just coming back from a two-year injury.
-Team doesn't really emphasize defense.
-Multiple options that could be combined for a viable trade offer.
-POBO Karnisovas has a longstanding previous relationship with Tim Connelly, as both worked in Denver for many years. Prior relationships never hurt in getting deals done. Connelly's brother is also an assistant GM with the Bulls.

[cmoss84]

Last one for the day...I promise!

LAC in: Randle, Jaden, Cody Williams, '25 and '27 FRP
LAC out: Kawhi, Mann, Kobe Brown
(1st apron hard capped)

Utah in: DD, Mann, Minott, Kobe Brown
Utah out: Kessler, Sensabaugh, 3 FRPs
(1st apron)

MN in: Kawhi, Kessler, Sensabaugh, '25 FRP
MN out: Randle, Jaden, DD, Minott
(1st apron)
Want to roll the dice and entice the Clippers for Kawhi?
Mike-ANT-Kawhi-NAZ-Rudy
RD-NAW-TSJ-Miller-Kessler
Nix, Clarke, Garza

Utah gives up three 1st round picks and Kessler for 4 bench players*? Do they think they're getting Kobe Bryant?

*I know Donte is probably a legit starter, but he's not a "high-end" one.

You're probably right...maybe 1 or 2. They are their less valuable picks also. They have to use their picks at some point right?

[winforlose]

I keep going back to the Chicago Bulls as what I believe to be a realistic trade partner.
-They are safely in play-in contention.
-Their ownership tends to prefer getting to the playoffs over tanking.
-Not much for classic PFs on the roster.
-Not many classic facilitators on the roster, and one of the two is just coming back from a two-year injury.
-Team doesn't really emphasize defense.
-Multiple options that could be combined for a viable trade offer.
-POBO Karnisovas has a longstanding previous relationship with Tim Connelly, as both worked in Denver for many years. Prior relationships never hurt in getting deals done. Connelly's brother is also an assistant GM with the Bulls.

It’s as good a partner as any. The question is what/who for what/who?