What would be the ideal outcome at the trade deadline?
I doubt most will agree with what I wish I'd see (but doubt I will).
1. Kuzma traded -- for picks, 1 good young player, & expirings to make the salaries work in the deal.
2. Delon Wright traded -- again for picks & youth. Wright is a tremendous player & has been his entire career. He's one of the most underrated, underpaid players in the league. But, he turns 31 in April, so he's not really on our timeline...
Given what he's been doing this season, maybe some contender will grasp the fact that he'll be a plus in the playoffs.
3. KP traded -- & once again for picks & expiring salaries. I imagine this will be the most universally disagreed with of my goals. Rather than argue the point, I'll just say that even were Porzingis to become the "all that" many think he already is, looking at our current record & our obvious need to rebuild radically (or face a long string of 34-37 win seasons), we are better off medium to long term if we get some young talent for him while his value is high (not injured, etc....).
Even if you disagree with all of this, consider my overall thinking:
A. Our record is 22-26. To me, therefore, each of these 3 of these players has more value to another team than he has to us. Because of that fact, it's a good time to trade each of them.
B. If our return is heavy in picks & young talent with upside, this may well help with our unintended "tank" -- i.e. increase our chance of landing Wembenyana or Scoot Henderson.
C. Given Tommy's penchant for pixxing in the soup on draft day, it should be a BIG benefit to have a pick where more or less everyone is at least maybe agreed who should be nabbed -- i.e. the higher the better.
Of course, none of this is going to happen. IMO, the most likely move we make will be to give away a young player & a pick for Mike Conley. Oh... crap i wish i hadn't written that: it has "so wizards" all over it!