Season Speculation, Trade Ideas & Discussion 3: About Last Knight

[AtheJ415]

Man... I been saying to trade Knight for Okafor since the beginning of the season. Recently I been saying to do this three team trade (with some variation) so I'll post a revised idea!
Suns get-
Jimmy Butler

Bulls get-
Warren
Okafor
Miami picks
possibly our 2018 or 2019 pick

Sixers get -
Brandon Knight

The really cool part about trading Knight in the above package is we don't have to involve PJ Tucker going anywhere. Or, again we can trade him for a late 1st and package that to the Bulls if necessary and possibly keep all future Suns picks.

That's a tempting deal, but I'm also not convinced that Jackson/Tatum (I know some of you feel confident to throw Isaac in there) don't become Jimmy Butler tier, which would allow us to keep Warren and maintain a better timeline for contention (Late/Post-Golden State). Again, Booker is 20. Next season he'll be 21 - the same age LeBron was when he first made the playoffs. As good as Booker is, he's not LeBron - but LeBron also didn't have the supporting cast Booker could have after this draft. I don't think it's unrealistic that we are a playoff team next season without making a trade.

That being said, this deal is a pretty great value, and we still might nab a top talent if we do keep our pick - the question is how much does Butler elevate us this season? I doubt it's the playoffs, but are we outside the top 10? There tends to be an adjustment period for newly acquired players. Swapping Knight and Warren + a pick for Butler while adding a top 10 talent in the draft this season... That is enticing.

I want to beat GS next year. Not in 8 years. Not in 5. Not in 3. Next year.

Great teams are built brick by brick. Bledsoe moved us up a bit. Booker moved us up another bit. Butler or PG would move us up a bit more. Then another trade happens. Then a FA comes. Then u're there.

You will not get what you want for so many reasons. First, it's not possible. Second, to get Butler or George requires giving up so much that "then another trade" doesn't happen--not for a star, not unless Vlade is GM'ing other teams as well. GS, for instance, did not build their team by trading for superstars. They would have never been able to build it that way. They built by drafting guys, waiting for them to get in their primes, and then signing Durant. Free agency is a different ball game because you don't lose assets in the process.

[MrMiyagi]

I want to beat GS next year. Not in 8 years. Not in 5. Not in 3. Next year.

Great teams are built brick by brick. Bledsoe moved us up a bit. Booker moved us up another bit. Butler or PG would move us up a bit more. Then another trade happens. Then a FA comes. Then u're there.

That is just unrealistic.

As good as George and Butler are, they aren't making Golden State worried. We'd basically be trying to beat them at their own game with Bledsoe having to match or better Curry, Booker having to match or better Klay, Butler/George having to match or better KD, Chriss/Bender having to match or better Draymond.... four times. and that's not even getting into their bench vs. our bench, which they have a pretty clear advantage IMO. Sure we have Warren, Chriss/Bender (whoever isn't starting) and Len (if we resign him), but they're not going to be better than Golden State's vets next season. It's a likely 2-3 year wait until we can beat them anyway, and Paul George and Jimmy Butler are on a similar rate of decline as they are. Wouldn't you rather have Josh Jackson/Jayson Tatum/Lonzo Ball/Markelle Fultz to ascend with Booker/Bender/Chriss/etc. as Golden State declines?

And there are multiple ways to build brick by brick and building through the draft is. Hell, look at the Warriors. They drafted the main guys of their championship team - Steph, Klay, Draymond, Barnes. The same "move us up a bit" is true for every player on our roster. Adding a Josh Jackson/Jayson Tatum/Lonzo Ball/Markelle Fultz does as well. Maybe not with the immediacy of George or Butler, but progress nonetheless.

[DRK]

If Jahlil ends up here, i'm done.

Why? Shed Knights contract, and add a young piece. Whats not to like

[JohnWillow]

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[MrMiyagi]

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That is a hell of a name.

Does this dude have a reliable history? I tend to distrust reports on McD's inquiries because his deals seem to not be talked about prior to happening. Sounds like the Knicks are using the Suns to drum up interest for their guy.

[Stix]

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[DrSublime]

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ew.

[Fo-Real]

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What tha.... WHO

[Qwigglez]

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Thought that was some fake player... he's real.

Watch on YouTube

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[MathiasPW]

I want to beat GS next year. Not in 8 years. Not in 5. Not in 3. Next year.

Great teams are built brick by brick. Bledsoe moved us up a bit. Booker moved us up another bit. Butler or PG would move us up a bit more. Then another trade happens. Then a FA comes. Then u're there.

That is just unrealistic.

As good as George and Butler are, they aren't making Golden State worried. We'd basically be trying to beat them at their own game with Bledsoe having to match or better Curry, Booker having to match or better Klay, Butler/George having to match or better KD, Chriss/Bender having to match or better Draymond.... four times. and that's not even getting into their bench vs. our bench, which they have a pretty clear advantage IMO. Sure we have Warren, Chriss/Bender (whoever isn't starting) and Len (if we resign him), but they're not going to be better than Golden State's vets next season. It's a likely 2-3 year wait until we can beat them anyway, and Paul George and Jimmy Butler are on a similar rate of decline as they are. Wouldn't you rather have Josh Jackson/Jayson Tatum/Lonzo Ball/Markelle Fultz to ascend with Booker/Bender/Chriss/etc. as Golden State declines?

And there are multiple ways to build brick by brick and building through the draft is. Hell, look at the Warriors. They drafted the main guys of their championship team - Steph, Klay, Draymond, Barnes. The same "move us up a bit" is true for every player on our roster. Adding a Josh Jackson/Jayson Tatum/Lonzo Ball/Markelle Fultz does as well. Maybe not with the immediacy of George or Butler, but progress nonetheless.

I always think that in team sports the better team might beat the better players. That's what makes it beautiful. Dallas beat Miami after all few years ago

[jredsaz]

That's a tempting deal, but I'm also not convinced that Jackson/Tatum (I know some of you feel confident to throw Isaac in there) don't become Jimmy Butler tier, which would allow us to keep Warren and maintain a better timeline for contention (Late/Post-Golden State). Again, Booker is 20. Next season he'll be 21 - the same age LeBron was when he first made the playoffs. As good as Booker is, he's not LeBron - but LeBron also didn't have the supporting cast Booker could have after this draft. I don't think it's unrealistic that we are a playoff team next season without making a trade.

That being said, this deal is a pretty great value, and we still might nab a top talent if we do keep our pick - the question is how much does Butler elevate us this season? I doubt it's the playoffs, but are we outside the top 10? There tends to be an adjustment period for newly acquired players. Swapping Knight and Warren + a pick for Butler while adding a top 10 talent in the draft this season... That is enticing.

I want to beat GS next year. Not in 8 years. Not in 5. Not in 3. Next year.

Great teams are built brick by brick. Bledsoe moved us up a bit. Booker moved us up another bit. Butler or PG would move us up a bit more. Then another trade happens. Then a FA comes. Then u're there.

You will not get what you want for so many reasons. First, it's not possible. Second, to get Butler or George requires giving up so much that "then another trade" doesn't happen--not for a star, not unless Vlade is GM'ing other teams as well. GS, for instance, did not build their team by trading for superstars. They would have never been able to build it that way. They built by drafting guys, waiting for them to get in their primes, and then signing Durant. Free agency is a different ball game because you don't lose assets in the process.

Had they got Boogie for what was reported, simply taking Knight out of the deal, they could have built exactly that way. Watched the pitch sail by.

Sent from my SM-N920V using RealGM mobile app

[AtheJ415]

If Jahlil ends up here, i'm done.

Why? Shed Knights contract, and add a young piece. Whats not to like

I'm no fan of Okafor's, but I agree. This is an obvious trade if available, and I could see us getting him because I don't believe Chicago has much to offer with Mirotic expiring and likely to get overpaid. Knight isn't great, but I could see Philly, who has too much cap space, willing to gamble that on a guy with some upside who is still young enough. We'll see. Of the Knight trades proposed, this is the one I think makes the most sense for both sides. But if I'm Philly I am still playing Knight off the bench. McConnell is legit, and I was wanting Phx to trade for him all of last year. His contract is beyond underpaid.

[JohnWillow]

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Thought that was some fake player... he's real.

Watch on YouTube

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[AtheJ415]

I want to beat GS next year. Not in 8 years. Not in 5. Not in 3. Next year.

Great teams are built brick by brick. Bledsoe moved us up a bit. Booker moved us up another bit. Butler or PG would move us up a bit more. Then another trade happens. Then a FA comes. Then u're there.

You will not get what you want for so many reasons. First, it's not possible. Second, to get Butler or George requires giving up so much that "then another trade" doesn't happen--not for a star, not unless Vlade is GM'ing other teams as well. GS, for instance, did not build their team by trading for superstars. They would have never been able to build it that way. They built by drafting guys, waiting for them to get in their primes, and then signing Durant. Free agency is a different ball game because you don't lose assets in the process.

Had they got Boogie for what was reported, simply taking Knight out of the deal, they could have built exactly that way. Watched the pitch sail by.

Sent from my SM-N920V using RealGM mobile app

And what is the "nother trade" that occurs? I'm assuming you mean Butler, who wouldn't bring us anywhere close to beating GS. And then who, with these supposed 2 maxed out new guys, are we signing in FA? Because then we are paying Cousins a brand new super max and Butler is maxed, with Bledsoe becoming an FA in a couple years. We're looking at guys like PJ Tucker to fill out the roster, not the KD's of the world. We weren't blessed with Steph Curry at $11 mil.

[Qwigglez]

Would actually like to get that guy just so we can call him M-Kay... and yell Kuuuuuuuuuuz like we used to yell for Lou Amundson.

[OGBAH]

That's the same guy I was getting in trouble for fake news twitter posting last night.

[TeamTragic]

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Smokescreen

[AtheJ415]

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Thought that was some fake player... he's real.

Watch on YouTube

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He's 27. Makes no sense unless it's for Tucker.

[MrMiyagi]

I want to beat GS next year. Not in 8 years. Not in 5. Not in 3. Next year.

Great teams are built brick by brick. Bledsoe moved us up a bit. Booker moved us up another bit. Butler or PG would move us up a bit more. Then another trade happens. Then a FA comes. Then u're there.

That is just unrealistic.

As good as George and Butler are, they aren't making Golden State worried. We'd basically be trying to beat them at their own game with Bledsoe having to match or better Curry, Booker having to match or better Klay, Butler/George having to match or better KD, Chriss/Bender having to match or better Draymond.... four times. and that's not even getting into their bench vs. our bench, which they have a pretty clear advantage IMO. Sure we have Warren, Chriss/Bender (whoever isn't starting) and Len (if we resign him), but they're not going to be better than Golden State's vets next season. It's a likely 2-3 year wait until we can beat them anyway, and Paul George and Jimmy Butler are on a similar rate of decline as they are. Wouldn't you rather have Josh Jackson/Jayson Tatum/Lonzo Ball/Markelle Fultz to ascend with Booker/Bender/Chriss/etc. as Golden State declines?

And there are multiple ways to build brick by brick and building through the draft is. Hell, look at the Warriors. They drafted the main guys of their championship team - Steph, Klay, Draymond, Barnes. The same "move us up a bit" is true for every player on our roster. Adding a Josh Jackson/Jayson Tatum/Lonzo Ball/Markelle Fultz does as well. Maybe not with the immediacy of George or Butler, but progress nonetheless.

I always think that in team sports the better team might beat the better players. That's what makes it beautiful. Dallas beat Miami after all few years ago

I agree, but again, you can't know for sure the egos of Butler and George mesh with the egos on our squad. I think that with drafting a rookie, there is an element of awe they have that they made it, and now it's a matter of sticking. Any of those rookies are more likely to concede to the established veterans and "fall in line". George and Butler may think highly of Booker as a competitor, but how comfortable are they with conceding shots to him? And it can take a year or two to establish on-floor chemistry any ways (Like that Miami squad).

It cuts the other way too. Maybe Phoenix is exactly to Butler/George's liking and they mesh perfectly, quickly. Again, we find another problem of Golden State being one of the most unselfish teams in the NBA. It's a tough task to top from a player by player stand point and a group stand point.

[schnakenpopanz]

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