Trade Talk (Part 16): Early Season Anxiety Edition

[TimberKat]

Given our salary situation, I think the only way to improve this team is trade Randle with one or two of JMcD, Naz, NAW, or DDV to upgrade for a better player. I am not interested in Randle for more players or role players. We don't need more but better players. This will also open up more play time for Dilly or Minott. Gobert and Conley aren't movable for good returns.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

I agree with you. The difficulties will be to get rid of Randle + another player for a real upgrade. Not much choice actually.

[minimus]

As an armchair basketball manager, I’m absolutely convinced I could do a better job than Tim Connelly—especially in this alternate universe where Ballmer lets PG13 walk, Denver refuses to help Jokic in his prime, and Grousbeck decides to sell the championship-winning Celtics just to save a few bucks

You see that as a bad move?

George is 34 years-old and has already missed half of Philly's games. And when he has played, he's looked like a shadow of his former self - shooting 41% overall and 31% from 3.

And he's in the first year of a 4/211M contract.

I see this as a ‘cost-saving’ move from one of the NBA’s richest team owners. But the whole situation with the CBA reminds me of what’s happening in the automotive industry: cars are getting cheaper in quality, infotainment systems look like 10-year-old iPads slapped onto the center console, and touch buttons are replacing reliable mechanical ones. Sure, I can (and do) blame VW, Audi, and Mercedes, but it’s hard not to see this as an industry-wide crisis—or perhaps the beginning of the German automotive industry’s downfall.

[frankenwolf]

No matter what salvage trade he makes he didn’t get close to half of Karl’s value.

OK W4L, prove it. Show me a verifiable source that says they would have "paid" more for KAT than the Knicks did. I love KAT and wanted him here forever and I despise Randle and was not in favor of this trade at all, but do you have definite knowledge of a better deal? The only other deal I've heard about was with NO for Brandon Ingram. I don't think that would have been fair value either.

[shrink]

Given our salary situation, I think the only way to improve this team is trade Randle with one or two of JMcD, Naz, NAW, or DDV to upgrade for a better player.

I love a good trade, but I think we will automatically see a lot of improvement without a trade, through the growth of our young players (especially Ant), and the improvement of the entire team as they develop chemistry after the KAT trade.

[winforlose]

No matter what salvage trade he makes he didn’t get close to half of Karl’s value.

OK W4L, prove it. Show me a verifiable source that says they would have "paid" more for KAT than the Knicks did. I love KAT and wanted him here forever and I despise Randle and was not in favor of this trade at all, but do you have definite knowledge of a better deal? The only other deal I've heard about was with NO for Brandon Ingram. I don't think that would have been fair value either.

The only way to prove it is with comparable deals. Murray got 2 firsts and some players. The value of the players is up to you to compare. I think KAT is more valuable than Murray, but that is up for debate. End of the day, making a trade to make a trade is not always advisable. For a player of KAT’s level to move for this return is unusual and the thing speaks for itself.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/dejounte-murray-trade-details-pelicans-dyson-daniels/41fcd2a77cbedebe82ccffdd

[Klomp]

No matter what salvage trade he makes he didn’t get close to half of Karl’s value.

OK W4L, prove it. Show me a verifiable source that says they would have "paid" more for KAT than the Knicks did. I love KAT and wanted him here forever and I despise Randle and was not in favor of this trade at all, but do you have definite knowledge of a better deal? The only other deal I've heard about was with NO for Brandon Ingram. I don't think that would have been fair value either.

The only way to prove it is with comparable deals. Murray got 2 firsts and some players. The value of the players is up to you to compare. I think KAT is more valuable than Murray, but that is up for debate. End of the day, making a trade to make a trade is not always advisable. For a player of KAT’s level to move for this return is unusual and the thing speaks for itself.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/dejounte-murray-trade-details-pelicans-dyson-daniels/41fcd2a77cbedebe82ccffdd

Towns is more valuable than Murray, but he also makes twice as much.

[winforlose]

OK W4L, prove it. Show me a verifiable source that says they would have "paid" more for KAT than the Knicks did. I love KAT and wanted him here forever and I despise Randle and was not in favor of this trade at all, but do you have definite knowledge of a better deal? The only other deal I've heard about was with NO for Brandon Ingram. I don't think that would have been fair value either.

The only way to prove it is with comparable deals. Murray got 2 firsts and some players. The value of the players is up to you to compare. I think KAT is more valuable than Murray, but that is up for debate. End of the day, making a trade to make a trade is not always advisable. For a player of KAT’s level to move for this return is unusual and the thing speaks for itself.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/dejounte-murray-trade-details-pelicans-dyson-daniels/41fcd2a77cbedebe82ccffdd

Towns is more valuable than Murray, but he also makes twice as much.

True, but that doesn’t preclude getting a positive return. Instead we settled for a negative one. Keeping KAT this year and selling for more even value with one less year on the deal was an option. But TC wanted DDV more than he wanted to win. Just like he wanted Dozier more than a backup C or a PG3. TC is not trustworthy at this point.

[Klomp]

The Athletic: Each team’s biggest need with NBA trade season on the horizon

Another rim protector: The Timberwolves defense is starting to come around after a terrible start, but they could still use another big off the bench who can protect the rim. When Rudy Gobert sits, the opposing team attacks the paint at will, exploiting the Naz Reid–Julius Randle pairing that so often is there. Reid does have some rim-protecting capability, but he is undersized, and rebounding can be a challenge when he is playing minutes at center. Randle has not played with consistent energy and intensity on that end of the floor. The Wolves need a guy who can lock down the paint and prevent opponents from running layup lines. — Jon Krawczynski

[Klomp]

A name with Minnesota FO connections who would fill a need and should not be overly difficult to acquire:

Mo Bamba

[cmoss84]

Time for my Four-Team-Friday-Trade-Madness (laugh, criticize, etc.):

Chi: Get's size and shooting. Semi-rebuild while making a playoff push. They would be 1st apron hard-capped.
in: Randle, DD, Olynyk, Clarkson, Sensabaugh
out: Williams, White, Giddey, Dosunmu, Buzelis, '25 FRP, '27 FRP (Cle)
Rotation: Ball/DD/Lavine/Clarkson/THT/Olynyk/Randle/Smith/Vucevic

Tor: Toronto appears to be a tanking dumpster fire. They get a chance to look at a few nice pieces and a few nice draft picks. They would also be 1st apron hard-capped.
in: Jaden, Giddey, Dosunmu, Miller, Kessler, '25 FRP (MN), '25 FRP (Cle), '25 FRP (Chi), '25 FRP (DET),'27 FRP (Cle), '29 FRP (Chi), '30 FRP (SAS)
out: Barnes, Olynyk, Boucher, Agbaji, Shead
Rotation: Quickly/Dosunmu/Mitchell/Dick/Giddey/Jaden/Barrett/Brown/Miller/Poeltl/Kessler

Utah: If Clarkson is not part of long term plans-they find a home. They get a few nice players to look at. Facilitator of this trade, Utah is under the 1st apron.
in: White, Buzelis, Boucher, Shead, TSJ, Minott (separate trade)
out: Clarkson, Kessler, Sensabaugh,'25 FRP (Cle), '25 FRP (MN)
Rotation: Sexton/White/Buzelis/George/Juzang/KF/Collins/Sexton/Lauri/Boucher/Eubanks/everyone else

MN: We give up to get a lot. Roll some dice. We would also be under the 1st apron. We resign NAW and NAZ.
in: Barnes, Williams, Agbaji
out: Randle, Jaden, DD, Miller, TSJ, Minott (separate trade) '25 FRP (DET), '30 FRP (SAS)
Rotation: Mike/RD/ANT/NAW/Agabji/NAZ/Barnes/Williams/Rudy/Garza
Mike-ANT-NAZ-Barnes-Rudy
RD-NAW-Agbaji-Williams-Garza

[BlacJacMac]

As an armchair basketball manager, I’m absolutely convinced I could do a better job than Tim Connelly—especially in this alternate universe where Ballmer lets PG13 walk, Denver refuses to help Jokic in his prime, and Grousbeck decides to sell the championship-winning Celtics just to save a few bucks

You see that as a bad move?

George is 34 years-old and has already missed half of Philly's games. And when he has played, he's looked like a shadow of his former self - shooting 41% overall and 31% from 3.

And he's in the first year of a 4/211M contract.

I see this as a ‘cost-saving’ move from one of the NBA’s richest team owners. But the whole situation with the CBA reminds me of what’s happening in the automotive industry: cars are getting cheaper in quality, infotainment systems look like 10-year-old iPads slapped onto the center console, and touch buttons are replacing reliable mechanical ones. Sure, I can (and do) blame VW, Audi, and Mercedes, but it’s hard not to see this as an industry-wide crisis—or perhaps the beginning of the German automotive industry’s downfall.

And I see it as a smart move. George has been breaking down for years and its been getting worse. I wouldn't be surprised if as soon as this offseason, he's seen as one of the most toxic contracts in the game.

[minimus]

You see that as a bad move?

George is 34 years-old and has already missed half of Philly's games. And when he has played, he's looked like a shadow of his former self - shooting 41% overall and 31% from 3.

And he's in the first year of a 4/211M contract.

I see this as a ‘cost-saving’ move from one of the NBA’s richest team owners. But the whole situation with the CBA reminds me of what’s happening in the automotive industry: cars are getting cheaper in quality, infotainment systems look like 10-year-old iPads slapped onto the center console, and touch buttons are replacing reliable mechanical ones. Sure, I can (and do) blame VW, Audi, and Mercedes, but it’s hard not to see this as an industry-wide crisis—or perhaps the beginning of the German automotive industry’s downfall.

And I see it as a smart move. George has been breaking down for years and its been getting worse. I wouldn't be surprised if as soon as this offseason, he's seen as one of the most toxic contracts in the game.

From this point trading Towns (and his supermax contract) who had multiple injuries in last years might be considered as a smart move as well.

[winforlose]

I see this as a ‘cost-saving’ move from one of the NBA’s richest team owners. But the whole situation with the CBA reminds me of what’s happening in the automotive industry: cars are getting cheaper in quality, infotainment systems look like 10-year-old iPads slapped onto the center console, and touch buttons are replacing reliable mechanical ones. Sure, I can (and do) blame VW, Audi, and Mercedes, but it’s hard not to see this as an industry-wide crisis—or perhaps the beginning of the German automotive industry’s downfall.

And I see it as a smart move. George has been breaking down for years and its been getting worse. I wouldn't be surprised if as soon as this offseason, he's seen as one of the most toxic contracts in the game.

From this point trading Towns (and his supermax contract) who had multiple injuries in last years might be considered as a smart move as well.

Of course, and the fact that we got the TC wanted is a coincidence. I mean he held out for him past the normal trade window and made the deal just before camp. It blindsided everyone including the players involved and their teammates. Now to get DDV we had to settle for less back than most inferior players with fewer years of control got. But why not right.

[TimberKat]

If Ingram going to sign for 50mil a year, that is going to make Towns contract look cheap. I won't be surprised that happens. I think NOP still own their pick this year so they will do a reset and hope Zion gets over his injuries next year and ready to roll again with Murray, draft pick, and the current roster.

[Norseman79]

The Athletic: Each team’s biggest need with NBA trade season on the horizon

Another rim protector: The Timberwolves defense is starting to come around after a terrible start, but they could still use another big off the bench who can protect the rim. When Rudy Gobert sits, the opposing team attacks the paint at will, exploiting the Naz Reid–Julius Randle pairing that so often is there. Reid does have some rim-protecting capability, but he is undersized, and rebounding can be a challenge when he is playing minutes at center. Randle has not played with consistent energy and intensity on that end of the floor. The Wolves need a guy who can lock down the paint and prevent opponents from running layup lines. — Jon Krawczynski

Not like we haven't said it since the playoffs....

Go sign Moses Brown or Ibou Badji . We aren't trading anyone.

[ILC]

Read on Twitter

[winforlose]

Read on Twitter

Goodbye Dozier, hello backup C.

[shrink]

Goodbye Dozier, hello backup C.

I hope so, but it will be expensive.

BBall Paul would probably cost about $1.5 mil if we signed him for the rest of the season, but that’s about $6.4 mil in lux taxes.

$8 mil is a lot for a guy that another team just waived, but our need for a back up center might be great enough to warrant it.

[m2002brian]

If we could swing Randle and Det 1st for Vucevic and add a third team to take White to get a backup pf

We could run
Rudy / Vucevic - Center
Reid / Third team PF - Power Forward

Maybe we could cut some salary in the process also.