Trade Talk (Part 16): Early Season Anxiety Edition

[wolves_89]

Right now my biggest concern with Randle is that he picks up his player option for next season and Naz signs somewhere else in order to get a starting spot. Naz deserves to be starting (and if I had a choice he would be right now) and telling him he has to wait another year for Randle's contract to expire may open the door for other franchises in free agency.

[shrink]

Right now my biggest concern with Randle is that he picks up his player option for next season and Naz signs somewhere else in order to get a starting spot. Naz deserves to be starting (and if I had a choice he would be right now) and telling him he has to wait another year for Randle's contract to expire may open the door for other franchises in free agency.

Even if Randle picks up his option (and it decreases to $31 mil), the Wolves could always choose to trade him.

For the record, $31 mil will be only the 58th highest salary in the NBA. That expiring contract on Randle isn’t bad, or untradeable.

[wolves_89]

Right now my biggest concern with Randle is that he picks up his player option for next season and Naz signs somewhere else in order to get a starting spot. Naz deserves to be starting (and if I had a choice he would be right now) and telling him he has to wait another year for Randle's contract to expire may open the door for other franchises in free agency.

Even if Randle picks up his option (and it decreases to $31 mil), the Wolves could always choose to trade him.

For the record, $31 mil will be only the 58th highest salary in the NBA. That expiring contract on Randle isn’t bad, or untradeable.

I would hope that Connelly would move Randle, but I'm a little concerned that Finch would lobby to keep him. I do think that finding a workable trade is much more likely in the offseason than at the trade deadline.

Another possible scenario that I like would be to start Naz after the trade deadline. That gives Naz confidence in his future with the team and also gives Julius more incentive to turn down his player option.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Right now my biggest concern with Randle is that he picks up his player option for next season and Naz signs somewhere else in order to get a starting spot. Naz deserves to be starting (and if I had a choice he would be right now) and telling him he has to wait another year for Randle's contract to expire may open the door for other franchises in free agency.

Even if Randle picks up his option (and it decreases to $31 mil), the Wolves could always choose to trade him.

For the record, $31 mil will be only the 58th highest salary in the NBA. That expiring contract on Randle isn’t bad, or untradeable.

Don't think his contract money may be the issue but his way of playing...

[TheZachAttack]

Right now my biggest concern with Randle is that he picks up his player option for next season and Naz signs somewhere else in order to get a starting spot. Naz deserves to be starting (and if I had a choice he would be right now) and telling him he has to wait another year for Randle's contract to expire may open the door for other franchises in free agency.

Even if Randle picks up his option (and it decreases to $31 mil), the Wolves could always choose to trade him.

It’s both, it’s the way he plays at that

For the record, $31 mil will be only the 58th highest salary in the NBA. That expiring contract on Randle isn’t bad, or untradeable.

Don't think his contract money may be the issue but his way of playing...

It’s both, it’s the way he plays with his contract as well as his age

[Guest84]

The team has shown they're able to keep trades under lock and key during the Connelly regime. However, I'm concerned they'll stand pat until the offseason. I just don't get the sense they're in a rush to trade Randle or anybody. I don't want to see Randle on the team next year simply due to fit and not a personal thing. The player option does worry me as well.

I think the team is content with this being a "throw-away" year, even though they'll argue it's not.

[TheZachAttack]

I would trade Jaden McDaniels for Malik Monk. I think this would get you to a lot better roster construction around Ant.

Starters

Monk
Dante
Ant
Randle
Gobert

Bench

Naz
NAW
Conley
Minott/Rob/Shannon Jr

Next year

Monk
Dante
Ant
Naz
Gobert

Bench

Naw
Rob
Conley
Minott/Shannon Jr

[Note30]

I would trade Jaden McDaniels for Malik Monk. I think this would get you to a lot better roster construction around Ant.

Starters

Monk
Dante
Ant
Randle
Gobert

Bench

Naz
NAW
Conley
Minott/Rob/Shannon Jr

Next year

Monk
Dante
Ant
Naz
Gobert

Bench

Naw
Rob
Conley
Minott/Shannon Jr

Isn't Malik Monk an inconsistent player?

[Neeva]

Nope , Jaden is too close to Ant and too important for playoffs. He aint being traded.

Wolves need to go big or go home. Try for Fox or take a gamble on Zion Or Durant.

[TheZachAttack]

I would trade Jaden McDaniels for Malik Monk. I think this would get you to a lot better roster construction around Ant.

Starters

Monk
Dante
Ant
Randle
Gobert

Bench

Naz
NAW
Conley
Minott/Rob/Shannon Jr

Next year

Monk
Dante
Ant
Naz
Gobert

Bench

Naw
Rob
Conley
Minott/Shannon Jr

Isn't Malik Monk an inconsistent player?

Somewhat as a shooter, but he can create with the ball in his hands and collapse defenses. He's better than Dante at doing those things.

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This is what we need. He's one of the best players that could be available that can do these things and his contract is similar to Jaden. He's also only 26. Historically, he's been a pretty good shooter on a relatively tough 3 point shot diet.

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[TheZachAttack]

Nope , Jaden is too close to Ant and too important for playoffs. He aint being traded.

Wolves need to go big or go home. Try for Fox or take a gamble on Zion Or Durant.

Jaden is not important for the playoffs. Jaden is one of the biggest reasons it's so easy to take Ant out of games. Ant is important for the playoffs.

[Domejandro]

Nope , Jaden is too close to Ant and too important for playoffs. He aint being traded.

Wolves need to go big or go home. Try for Fox or take a gamble on Zion Or Durant.

Minnesota can’t trade for those players for both salary cap and value-related reasons.

[TimberKat]

Nope , Jaden is too close to Ant and too important for playoffs. He aint being traded.

Wolves need to go big or go home. Try for Fox or take a gamble on Zion Or Durant.

Minnesota can’t trade for those players for both salary cap and value-related reasons.

I think Fox and Randle's salary actually matches but don't know why SAC would do that. If we kept Towns, we could had done a Towns for Durant. I think you can also dump Randle to DET or CHA for picks and minimum salary coming back. After that, gut basically everyone for one of them. So, you only have Ant, X, and Gobert.

[BlacJacMac]

Nope , Jaden is too close to Ant and too important for playoffs. He aint being traded.

Wolves need to go big or go home. Try for Fox or take a gamble on Zion Or Durant.

Jaden is not important for the playoffs. Jaden is one of the biggest reasons it's so easy to take Ant out of games. Ant is important for the playoffs.

Wait...what??

Jaden was absolutely vital in the Playoffs last year. Dude stepped up big time.

We do not beat Denver without him. As much as people like to talk about the job NAW did on Murray, it was Jaden absolutely destroying a red hot Porter, Jr. that was the difference.

Jaden shot 51/38 in that series and in the 2 "win or go home games he responded with 21 and 23 points.

Porter was coming off the Lakers series where he torched them for 23 PPG on 55/49 shooting.

Against us (mostly McDaniels) that dropped to 10.5 PPG on 37/33 shooting. He scored 4, 6, 8 and 7 over the Final 4 games.

[BlacJacMac]

Nope , Jaden is too close to Ant and too important for playoffs. He aint being traded.

Wolves need to go big or go home. Try for Fox or take a gamble on Zion Or Durant.

Minnesota can’t trade for those players for both salary cap and value-related reasons.

I think Fox and Randle's salary actually matches but don't know why SAC would do that. If we kept Towns, we could had done a Towns for Durant. I think you can also dump Randle to DET or CHA for picks and minimum salary coming back. After that, gut basically everyone for one of them. So, you only have Ant, X, and Gobert.

They do not. Fox makes 1,774,420.00 more than Randle. A "small" amount, but enough to make it invalid under the 2nd apron.

In fact there is no trade we can make for Fox without involving other teams first. Ant is our only tradable contract that is bigger than Fox's. But its just big enough to make it not work for SAC. Result:

Sacramento is Hard-Capped & over the 1st Apron by $297,861.

We also could not have done Towns for Durant, as KD makes more than KAT and both teams were over the 2nd apron.

[winforlose]

Minnesota can’t trade for those players for both salary cap and value-related reasons.

I think Fox and Randle's salary actually matches but don't know why SAC would do that. If we kept Towns, we could had done a Towns for Durant. I think you can also dump Randle to DET or CHA for picks and minimum salary coming back. After that, gut basically everyone for one of them. So, you only have Ant, X, and Gobert.

They do not. Fox makes 1,774,420.00 more than Randle. A "small" amount, but enough to make it invalid under the 2nd apron.

In fact there is no trade we can make for Fox without involving other teams first. Ant is our only tradable contract that is bigger than Fox's. But its just big enough to make it not work for SAC. Result:

Sacramento is Hard-Capped & over the 1st Apron by $297,861.

We also could not have done Towns for Durant, as KD makes more than KAT and both teams were over the 2nd apron.

Rudy cannot move, Ant will not move and Randle isn’t enough money. This means a separate Randle trade has to be made to get us under the second apron, and then an aggregation trade would be necessary to get up to Fox’s money. Overall I don’t see this happening, and it would involve major roster changes.

[cmoss84]

I'm trying to dissect this situation as realistically as I can.
1) Let's say Jaden is untouchable (or at least no team overpays for him)
2) Let's say we have to choose between trading DD and NAW, and they choose to trade NAW.
3) Mike is going nowhere.
4) Other trade assets include Miller, Minott, Garza, Clark, TSJ, and picks
5) We want to extend Naz

Keeping 1-5 in mind, what are the most realistic trades for getting maximum value for Randle and NAW?
Here are my top 5 Randle trades, leading to the NAW supplemental trade:

5) Doubtful Sac would do this...but you never know. We don't save a whole lot of $ either.
SAC in: Randle, '25 SRP (Utah)
MN in: K. Murray, Huerter, Len

4) Not crazy about this one. But it solidifies our PG play. 3-way trade involving Ingram (or Zion if he wears out his welcome).
Det in: Ingram and Alvarado
NOP in: Randle, Thompson, Holland, Fontecchio, '25 FRP (Det), '25 SRP (Utah)
MN in: D. Murray, Klintman, Matkovic

3) My broken record trade: Randle for Ball and Smith.

2) We improve our size/rebounding with a 3-way trade involving Jimmy B
Dallas in: Butler, Jovic
Miami in: Randle, Thompson, and Dinwiddie
MN in: Washington, Gafford, Morris, Hardy

1) Nets and Tpups try to get jump started.
BKN in: Randle, '25 SRP (Utah)
MN in: Cam Johnson, Zaire Williams, Day'Ron Sharpe

We trade NAW separately, after the Randle trade: possible destinations? Detroit, Atlanta, Philly, GS, Miami
Obviously this depends on our return from Randle, but I'm going with Atlanta: NAW (and a pick/Minott if needed) for Vit Krejci.

Ultimately, if we make that trade with BKN, then ATL, we end up here:
PG: Mike (18), Krejci (16), DD/Ant (10), RD (4)
SG: Ant (25), DD (23), TSJ (garbage time)
SF: Jaden (16), Naz (12), Cam (12), Williams (8), Minott (garbage time)
PF: Naz (17), Cam (17), Jaden (12), Miller (garbage time)
C: Rudy (32), Sharpe (16), Garza (garbage time)

[minimus]

Nope , Jaden is too close to Ant and too important for playoffs. He aint being traded.

Wolves need to go big or go home. Try for Fox or take a gamble on Zion Or Durant.

Jaden is not important for the playoffs. Jaden is one of the biggest reasons it's so easy to take Ant out of games. Ant is important for the playoffs.

And you trade McDaniels to bring another comboguard? I'd rather move Jaden PF position

[TheZachAttack]

Nope , Jaden is too close to Ant and too important for playoffs. He aint being traded.

Wolves need to go big or go home. Try for Fox or take a gamble on Zion Or Durant.

Jaden is not important for the playoffs. Jaden is one of the biggest reasons it's so easy to take Ant out of games. Ant is important for the playoffs.

Wait...what??

Jaden was absolutely vital in the Playoffs last year. Dude stepped up big time.

We do not beat Denver without him. As much as people like to talk about the job NAW did on Murray, it was Jaden absolutely destroying a red hot Porter, Jr. that was the difference.

Jaden shot 51/38 in that series and in the 2 "win or go home games he responded with 21 and 23 points.

Porter was coming off the Lakers series where he torched them for 23 PPG on 55/49 shooting.

Against us (mostly McDaniels) that dropped to 10.5 PPG on 37/33 shooting. He scored 4, 6, 8 and 7 over the Final 4 games.

Yes, and his lack of shooting makes the Wolves reliant on him to win them games because it's easy to double team Ant. Jaden cannot do that over 4 series and 28 games. You either have to trade Gobert or McDaniels

[TheZachAttack]

Nope , Jaden is too close to Ant and too important for playoffs. He aint being traded.

Wolves need to go big or go home. Try for Fox or take a gamble on Zion Or Durant.

Jaden is not important for the playoffs. Jaden is one of the biggest reasons it's so easy to take Ant out of games. Ant is important for the playoffs.

And you trade McDaniels to bring another comboguard? I'd rather move Jaden PF position

Most definitely. Monk would average 20 points and 7 assists for the Wolves. He'd be the best passer on the team.