Season Speculation, Trade Ideas & Discussion Pt. 5

[bwgood77]

Interesting comparison....stats from a guy we once traded assets for near the deadline. The guy we traded for was a much better 3 pt shooter though. Better defender too.

http://bkref.com/tiny/O2EkN

[BobbieL]

Sham Shot - readon twitter
Cavs might want George Hill

Read on Twitter

my guess
Gambo would be heartbroken
and Shumpert Frye would be going to Sac-town

another 30+ guard
do the Cavs want Canaan

[darealjuice]

Making the move for Kemba now would be a big bet on either internal development or being able to attract another star/high level player in free agency before we sign Kemba and Booker to their max deals. I'm not sure I've seen enough improvement or consistency from anyone outside of Booker and TJ to warrant making either of those bets at this time, and even in that core Booker looks like the only one with a snowball's chance in hell at being an All Star in the West going forward.

It's definitely debatable whether Kemba even takes this <30 win team to a >40 win playoff contender himself, especially if we have to give up any contributing young players, but bringing him in long term really ties up our cap space (i.e. room for external improvement) with over $70M a year going toward Kemba, Booker, and TJ as of the 2019-2020 season. Unless McDonough was able to convince Sarver to go into the Luxury Tax ( ) by chasing hard after another big piece this offseason/before signing Kemba and Booker next offseason, our only hopes on climbing from being a late playoff seed to a real contender would be on the internal development of whatever young players are remaining out of Booker, Warren, Jackson, Bender, Chriss, and this year's draft pick (should we still have it) because we'll have little-to-no room to sign anyone else.

I'm of the opinion that we should hold pat, maintain our cap flexibility, and take the top 5 draft pick that we look to be on track for. We're improving, but not the point where we can feel confident tying up our cap space for the next few years knowing we're going to be a truly competitive team. The train to the playoffs has already left the station in Phoenix this year. Improve however we can this offseason by drafting with our likely top 5 pick and/or making a trade/signing free agents to fill holes, and we can take advantage of next year's annual "good player on team that looks closer to needing rebuilding than competing" by trading our own pick if we're in the position to make the jump.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Sham Shot - readon twitter
Cavs might want George Hill

Read on Twitter

my guess
Gambo would be heartbroken
and Shumpert Frye would be going to Sac-town

another 30+ guard
do the Cavs want Canaan

This tells me the Suns have not offered Monroe for Hill since Sacramento would rather do that than have to pay Shump next season.

I do think the exact deal could go down before the deadline. Makes some sense for both side. I wonder if the Cavs will have to throw in Osman or something to sweeten it for taking Shump.

[BobbieL]

Sham Shot - readon twitter
Cavs might want George Hill

Read on Twitter

my guess
Gambo would be heartbroken
and Shumpert Frye would be going to Sac-town

another 30+ guard
do the Cavs want Canaan

This tells me the Suns have not offered Monroe for Hill since Sacramento would rather do that than have to pay Shump next season.

I do think the exact deal could go down before the deadline. Makes some sense for both side. I wonder if the Cavs will have to throw in Osman or something to sweeten it for taking Shump.

to me, the only deal for Hill that ever made sense was Knight/Monroe for Koufos and Hill - somebody on this site recommended it
granted it added 14m to next years cap but it also took 7m off the 20019/2020 cap

Monroe for Hill just added 20m to next years cap - if I am taking a contract for Monroe - I want it to be used for a long term fit

[bwgood77]

Phoenix Suns
Hornets get: Guard Tyler Ulis, forwards Dragan Bender and Jared Dudley, centers Greg Monroe and Alan Williams

Suns get: Guards Michael Carter-Williams, Julyan Stone and Kemba Walker, centers Dwight Howard and Johnny O'Bryant

Like Indiana, Phoenix could offer Charlotte major cap relief in the form of Monroe's $17.9 million expiring contract and a non-guarantee on Williams' 2018-19 salary. As compared to the Pacers, the Suns have more young talent to sweeten an offer. I've included 2016 No. 4 overall pick Dragan Bender here, but fellow 2016 lottery pick Marquese Chriss would fit too, or Phoenix could offer Miami's 2018 first-round pick.

While Walker and Devin Booker would make an outstanding backcourt, the question is how motivated the Suns would be to acquire a 28-year-old point guard not long after trading Eric Bledsoe to the Milwaukee Bucks.

http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/22153805/best-kemba-walker-trades-charlotte-hornets-nba-contenders

Who are the other 5 trades mentioned? Seems like a number of teams make sense...Detroit, Denver, maybe Utah...maybe Orlando, NY..

[Blackification]

Sham Shot - readon twitter
Cavs might want George Hill

Read on Twitter

my guess
Gambo would be heartbroken
and Shumpert Frye would be going to Sac-town

another 30+ guard
do the Cavs want Canaan

This tells me the Suns have not offered Monroe for Hill since Sacramento would rather do that than have to pay Shump next season.

I do think the exact deal could go down before the deadline. Makes some sense for both side. I wonder if the Cavs will have to throw in Osman or something to sweeten it for taking Shump.

Shows McD is not going to trade for anyone that will improve the team this season

[Blonde]

New York makes the most sense if they were willing to include Frank. They are on the bubble and Kemba could push them into the playoffs. He's a big upgrade from Jarret Jack.

As for us... I'm pretty torn on if we should make the move. I don't really want to sit around pining about missed opportunities for another 2 years. Our core is solid and we'll add to it in this draft. When Kemba expires Dudley and Chandler will be off the books, and the market may not be huge for him. Plus we could get off of Knight. On the other hand, ending up with 2 more years of Batum after Kemba walks sounds like a worst case scenario.

A lot of thinking for McDonough to do. All I know is that our own pick should not be on the table.

[bwgood77]

The timing of them saying Kemba is available is very odd. They just got through the toughest part of the schedule (have played the fourth toughest schedule) and just beat the Pistons on the road by double digits and then crushed the Wizards.

Just strange timing.

And of course he's not a guy who would likely want out...

Read on Twitter

Then the coach and teammates love him:

"He's our best player, he's the face of the franchise and I think it'd be very difficult to find a scenario where he'd get traded," Hornets head coach Steve Clifford said.

When asked whether he could see Walker being dealt, Hornets forward Nic Batum offered an incredulous "Nooooo," all but saying he should be viewed as untouchable.

"He's a captain, the best player, an All-Star. He's our leader," Batum said. "He's everything for us. We go where he goes."

The fan base loves him, and again, he loves it there.

That last point might apply to the Hornets fan base. Charlotte has landed in the bottom third of the league attendance numbers since the franchise returned to the Queen City. The Hornets are 22nd in average home attendance and 26th in home attendance percentage this season. Move Walker now, and you'll hear every command Clifford yells bouncing off the empty seats at Spectrum Center.

Walker is in the process of building a house in Charlotte. In some ways, he considers North Carolina home more than his native New York — and that's something Hornets supporters have noticed and embraced.

"This is where I got my opportunity," Walker said. "Seven years in now, been here for seven years, and I do a lot with the community, of course. I've gotten to know a lot of the fans. A lot of the fans have a lot of love for me, as well as I've got love for them. Of course I'm gonna be tied to this place."

The ultimate fear in any trade scenario isn't fan anger — it's fan apathy. Walker gives the Hornets a face, a brand, a reason to watch.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/nba-trade-rumors-kemba-walker-hornets-news-contract-deadline-nic-batum-dwight-howard/14on60xxbeuhh1ig2rieun5haj

Read on Twitter

[Jarlaxle0204]

I'd like to somehow get involved in facilitating Kemba to NY and picking up French Frank in the process. Seems like the perfect type of PG to pair with Booker.

[jredsaz]

Not selling the farm for Kemba. He isn't a franchise guy or elite at any specific thing.

[bwgood77]

Kemba interview (video) about potentially being traded....

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/scott-fowler/article195598559.html

[WeekapaugGroove]

I'd like to somehow get involved in facilitating Kemba to NY and picking up French Frank in the process. Seems like the perfect type of PG to pair with Booker.

Hell yes.

[lilfishi22]

I'm uneasy with a Kemba trade. I 100% certain that our 1st round pick is off the table. Like BW, I like Kemba OK but I'm not excited about him. If I wasn't fully on board with moving our 2017 1st rounder for Irving, I sure as hell not moving our 2018 1st for Kemba

[JMac1]

I'd like to somehow get involved in facilitating Kemba to NY and picking up French Frank in the process. Seems like the perfect type of PG to pair with Booker.

Hell yes.

French Frank is perfect. Good ball handler, defender, and spot up shooter. Think Derek Fisher type PG for Booker. Our strength needs to be at the 3 and 4 for a Booker led team.

[LukasBMW]

I'd rather wait until summer.

We got a top pick and draft a prospect and use "prospect" + Booker + young talent to try to attract a big name free agent.

We get a nice pick, but not top talents and use the pick to trade for a star and use our cap space to attract another star.

We've got more options on draft day y'all.

Curry, Westbrook, CP3, Irving, Wall, Lillard, etc.

Kemba isn't even top 5 at his position. SMH

[Cutter]

No big time FA star is going to come to Phoenix because we draft Trae Young or Donic this year. If we drafted one of these guys, they played 3 years at a high level and showed a lot of promise, then maybe a star would take notice and sign with the Suns.

tl; dr; NBA stars don't fap over top draft picks like fans do.

[BobbieL]

I'd like to somehow get involved in facilitating Kemba to NY and picking up French Frank in the process. Seems like the perfect type of PG to pair with Booker.

Hell yes.

French Frank is perfect. Good ball handler, defender, and spot up shooter. Think Derek Fisher type PG for Booker. Our strength needs to be at the 3 and 4 for a Booker led team.

I would be all over that right there!

Who needs a 17m expiring, Heat pick

trade Chandler to Minnesota for Aldrich Bjelinca and others and get even expirings to get French Frank

[Christine-In-AZ]

I'd like to somehow get involved in facilitating Kemba to NY and picking up French Frank in the process. Seems like the perfect type of PG to pair with Booker.

Hell yes.

Count me in as interested in that too

...and count me as generally "out" on bringing in Walker.

[Blonde]

I'm not as high on Frank as much of this board is, but conceptually he is a good fit. Would he even go in the lottery of this draft? I'd probably rather have Sexton than him and not have to give anything up.

Something to consider with Kemba is that he has always been the best player on his team. If he came to Phoenix, he would be the second option to Booker. Will he look better or worse playing a lot of time off the ball? In my opinion he would be better. Also, TJ would be a lot better as a third option and have a lot more spacing to make cuts and run in transition. Just food for thought.

I'm open for anything right now.