Fake Trade Thread #3

[Diop]

I’d prefer to trade Graham instead of monk, I like monk as the bench microwave while I think Graham could be replaced by a veteran point guard.

[JDR720]

Any Vuc trade would need either Rozier or Cody leaving for money purposes. They're our only mid-sized contracts to get to Vuc's 26m.

The issue with Rozier and Cody is Orlando already have very similar players to them. Fournier, Ross and Bamba. Why would Orlando trade their starting C for a backup, and why would they trade their SG for another similar SG?

The only things we can trade they don't have is Miles, PJ or Monk. I doubt Clifford would want Monk, so that leaves Miles or PJ being the main trade bait.

The biggest trade possible would probably be

Rozier + Cody + PJ + Graham for Vuc and Gordon or Forunier.

Can swap PJ or Graham for Miles or Monk if needed.


Smaller trades would still involve the same players.

[Braggins]

Question to the keep all 4 guards guys, are you comfortable paying probably close to 30 million a year for two back ups playing 18-24 minutes each?

Its hard for me to imagine a 25 year old 2nd round pick who still hasn't managed to break 40% from the field getting more than 10 mil a season. Monk is a bit of a wild card and could potentially play his way into a surprisingly big contract, but I still see him getting closer to around 12 million even if he keeps playing at his current level. I'm guessing we could keep them both, assuming they both want to stay, for closer to 22-25 mil and that doesn't seem like a bad price for basically having the guard rotation set for the foreseeable future (even if they lose Rozier eventually). I don't think it would necessarily be bad to go this route.

One thing to keep in mind is that this upcoming free agent class sucks and there is going to be a lot of money in the market, which means that maybe I'm underestimating the contracts these guys will get, but also we probably aren't going to have many options in free agency and very likely won't be able to make a big splash with our cap space anyways, so I think retaining our young guys and setting up to have a lot of cap space in a few years when Rozier and the Batum stretch come off the books is probably going to be a better long term plan than trying to overpay to land the underwhelming options in the next free agency. LaMelo is 19, so I like the more patient approach.

Also, its looking to me like the best way to maximize the little bit of cap space they will have this offseason is going to be to pick up cap holds for Monk and/or Zeller to put us over the cap and open up the MLE. They'll have about 30 mil in space if they decline all the cap holds, but they need to fill like 4 spots with that money and won't have the MLE. They can go over the cap to resign our own guys if they pick up their cap holds. Zeller is going to get way less than his hold and Monk will probably get a little less or about the same as his hold, so I could see them picking up the cap holds for Graham, Monk, and Zeller, using the MLE on another center, and then resigning those three for about 30 million total. This would leave them slightly over the cap, but still well under the tax line, with a good amount of depth on the roster and a bunch of money coming off the books in 2-3 years.

[Knightro]

Zeller + Monk + one of Washington/Bridges (you guys pick!) + 2021 1st for Vucevic.

[Braggins]

Zeller + Monk + one of Washington/Bridges (you guys pick!) + 2021 1st for Vucevic.

I view a trade like this as the first of a series of decisions that leads to LaMelo demanding a trade at some point after he signs his 2nd contract. We lose three players that fit LaMelo's timeline and still probably wouldnt be good enough to get passed the second round before Hayward and Vuc start to decline (our bench would be Graham/Martin2/Martin1/McDaniels/Biz lol). We'd be capped out for the next couple years after resigning Graham with no 1st round pick and no bench.

I think this is the kind of package it would take to get Vuc, which is why I don't really like him as a trade target. Trading a bunch of young assets for Vuc when LaMelo is 19 is potentially really jumping the gun imo, even if the value is pretty fair.

[penquin11]

Zeller + Monk + one of Washington/Bridges (you guys pick!) + 2021 1st for Vucevic.

Yeah man we aren't going to trade you 2 starters and one of our best two bench players AND a 1st for a player who likely wants out anyways. Thats a hard pass from me.
In this scenario we gain a center (which we need) but lose our current starting center- so we still end up with Biz playing significant minutes- which is why we want to make said trade in the first place. Moreover we then lose a potential 6th man of the year candidate and (potentially) our starting PF, then to add insult to injury we then send over a 1st just to **** ourselves into the ground.

Danny Ainge is that you?

[Knightro]

Zeller + Monk + one of Washington/Bridges (you guys pick!) + 2021 1st for Vucevic.

Yeah man we aren't going to trade you 2 starters and one of our best two bench players AND a 1st for a player who likely wants out anyways. Thats a hard pass from me.
In this scenario we gain a center (which we need) but lose our current starting center- so we still end up with Biz playing significant minutes- which is why we want to make said trade in the first place. Moreover we then lose a potential 6th man of the year candidate and (potentially) our starting PF, then to add insult to injury we then send over a 1st just to **** ourselves into the ground.

Danny Ainge is that you?

If you don’t like the trade, then you don’t like the trade which is fine.

But your point about Biyombo just isn’t accurate. Biyombo’s minutes would decrease *significantly* from where they are now if you guys traded for Vucevic because Vucevic is capable of playing a much heavier minute load than Zeller is.

Zeller only plays 23 MPG. Vucevic plays 34. That extra 11 minutes a night from the starting C are coming at Biyombo’s expense obviously.

[DY_nasty]

giving up what few assets we have for vuc is literally a nightmare scenario

[NCHeels2008]

Is there anything we like or we can find in terms of Philly? I think Graham makes a ton of sense there, I'd want us getting Thybulle back as he would be a great wing to develop next to LaMelo and our young core, but considering his AWFUL shooting this year I'd want a bit more coming back. Idk if a late 1st and Thybulle really does it for me but can't see any other package remotely making sense. Thoughts from other Hornets fans?

[stinger14]

Okay, I doubt this is the plan, but I have to throw it out as an idea just to see opinions. I have seen a lot of proposals so far. This one is different.

Hornets get: Vucevic and Fournier
Magic get: Hayward and Zeller

We know Clifford likes Hayward from years back. This avoids them adding PJ/Miles and further clogging up PF with Isaac and Aaron Gordon.

Fultz, Ross, Hayward, Isaac, Bamba?

Hornets may need to add a little value, but I think this move would make sense. We keep our young guys to develop with LaMelo. Trading away young assets to have 30+ year old Vucevic and Hayward is a good way to hurt the future and drive LaMelo out of town. We get better in this trade, Vucevic has a better contract going forward, and Fournier expires just like Cody would.

Melo, Rozier, Fournier, PJ, Vucevic

[KembaWalker]

Monk Graham and Bridges arent that valuable..all these guys are huge question marks that are gonna want to get paid before really showing what they are in this league. It would not be a bad idea to cash them out for an all star now. They are small assets quickly on the road to even/negative value

[Snidely FC]

Is there anything we like or we can find in terms of Philly? I think Graham makes a ton of sense there, I'd want us getting Thybulle back as he would be a great wing to develop next to LaMelo and our young core, but considering his AWFUL shooting this year I'd want a bit more coming back. Idk if a late 1st and Thybulle really does it for me but can't see any other package remotely making sense. Thoughts from other Hornets fans?

I would trade Graham for Paul Reed. Not sure the logistics of trading for a two way player and I expect people to harumph at the value but Reed is a 6'9 high flying athlete who would be a great addition to the Hornets frontline imo, his shot looks wonky (why he fell in the draft) but like Lamelo it goes in at 44% from 3 on 4a/game, he also averages 2 blocks and 2 steals per game. Last season at Depaul he averaged 15 pts 11 rebs 2.6 blocks and 2 steals, w 18 double-doubles; as a rookie he's surplus to requirements in Philly right now with Doc's eye on the playoffs, but if he keeps averaging double doubles in the G League he's gonna be hard for them to ignore

Watch on YouTube

[Diop]

I can't figure out who we would be giving up for Vuce. Biz and Zeller aren't enough $ and unless are going to cut a lot of players, we can only send so many.

Monk has been good lately, would they offer him? Would we sacrifice Washington? He has had enough solid outings to make me pause.

I guess if Orlando want to cut some cash Vuce for Biz, Zeller and Washington? I'm sure there would be plenty of squabbling over draft compensation.

Richards is back after all star, otherwise we pick up a vet back up centre like Vonleh. Also puts McDaniels the main Pf backup and Miles into the starting lineup. I really do prefer Miles off the bench at the moment. Coach might end up playing Hayward at Pf with Twin 1 at sf to start. At least Vuc gets boards.

Trading for Vuc fits well with Haywards time line, he's 31 and had some injuries though

[amcoolio]

If only we didn't stretch Batum. Vuc and Gordon for Batum, Zeller, Graham, and a 1st works perfectly for both teams. Orlando slashes a ton of money and gets a cheap starting PG and a first rounder.

[LofJ]

Vucevic is a really good player, he would make us better at the things we already do pretty well, but he wouldn't do anything to address our weaknesses. He's not who we need down low, I hope we don't trade for him.

[Rich4114]

So Vuc for us would be a great addition, but I agree with the majority here it is absolutely not worth it if it means we have to give up with that Orlando fan is suggesting. Keep him on Orlando then. We need to add/upgrade the front court and I'm happy to consolidate guards (particularly one of Devonte or Terry) and even a future first if it means it's not a lotto pick.

[predators]

Given how many teams are hovering around .500, people are vastly undervaluing our 2021 1st round pic. This team is only 2 games out of getting 25-30% odds of getting into the top 4.

[Trey24]

Man you guys are underrating Graham again!

[DY_nasty]

Man you guys are underrating Graham again!

volume shooting, a lack of defense, and an approach to offense that means limiting turnovers at the cost of stalling the team out?

he's not only theoretically replaceable but we play better without him. and no one should want to cut a check for a guy who's regressed.

[Diop]

Is there anything we like or we can find in terms of Philly? I think Graham makes a ton of sense there, I'd want us getting Thybulle back as he would be a great wing to develop next to LaMelo and our young core, but considering his AWFUL shooting this year I'd want a bit more coming back. Idk if a late 1st and Thybulle really does it for me but can't see any other package remotely making sense. Thoughts from other Hornets fans?

I would trade Graham for Paul Reed. Not sure the logistics of trading for a two way player and I expect people to harumph at the value but Reed is a 6'9 high flying athlete who would be a great addition to the Hornets frontline imo, his shot looks wonky (why he fell in the draft) but like Lamelo it goes in at 44% from 3 on 4a/game, he also averages 2 blocks and 2 steals per game. Last season at Depaul he averaged 15 pts 11 rebs 2.6 blocks and 2 steals, w 18 double-doubles; as a rookie he's surplus to requirements in Philly right now with Doc's eye on the playoffs, but if he keeps averaging double doubles in the G League he's gonna be hard for them to ignore

Watch on YouTube

He looks good, but I can’t see it happening.