The Trade Thread

[thruthefire]

He's averaged 9.5 points in 22 minutes as a starter, shooting over 61% from the field. We could really use a finisher like that.

[fatlever]

how much of an upgrade is wright compared to warrick?

[Bassman]

i refuse to give up on MKG half way though his first season for anyone in this league not named LBJ or durant. he is untouchable and needs to stay that way.

Trading MKG in a deal to bring us DMC is NOT giving up, it is swapping assets. I would go gaga if we could get Cousins, and give up any player on this roster (so long as we retain enough talent to pair with him). Doesn't matter, as there is no way Cousins is getting dealt. He is too valuable to the Kings (and to the new ownership group planning to bring them to Seattle).

Thompson should be our target (or Hickson).

[MasterIchiro]

I could not give up Kemba for Cousins. Kemba is a more marketable player, fan friendly, media savvy and loved by coaches, fans and teammates. Plus he's a bedrock point guard. Ownership likely considers him a keeper for the sole fact that he's entertaining and he sells tickets! He's about to put up 30 against the Houston Rockets. He continues to improve every year - I saw it at UConn (my college team). He's addicted to winning and he's going to make everyone around him better. I like that MKG is a high quality guy in the same mold but I would trade him for Cousins. And I hope the new ownership group wants someone with a better image as their face man in Seattle. The city that drafted Kevin Durant? Just doesn't seem right with Cousins and Evans. I suspect they're willing to tear down and start all over again, hoping to open shop with Andrew Wiggins, to make up for Durant.

[thruthefire]

What exactly would we be giving up for Thompson? He has a reasonable contract, but he's an average starter at best for his position and isn't going to get any better.

Hickson will be an UFA after this season, so there's no need to trade for him now.

[Bassman]

What exactly would we be giving up for Thompson? He has a reasonable contract, but he's an average starter at best for his position and isn't going to get any better.

Hickson will be an UFA after this season, so there's no need to trade for him now.

I have no idea what it would take to get Thompson, but his value is higher than you think. I know he would never be a star, but he can establish a low-post offensive game, grab rebounds and defend far better than anyone we have now. A lottery pick and a player is too much, unless that player is Tyrus!

[Roll Tide 09]

What would everyone think of Reggie Williams to the Kings for a draft pick?

[Eoghan]

^I would think pretty favorably if it was a first round pick.

[countryboi]

i refuse to give up on MKG half way though his first season for anyone in this league not named LBJ or durant. he is untouchable and needs to stay that way.

Trading MKG in a deal to bring us DMC is NOT giving up, it is swapping assets. I would go gaga if we could get Cousins, and give up any player on this roster (so long as we retain enough talent to pair with him). Doesn't matter, as there is no way Cousins is getting dealt. He is too valuable to the Kings (and to the new ownership group planning to bring them to Seattle).

Thompson should be our target (or Hickson).

Lets just say I disagree....the only way i trade for cousins is it they will take draft picks and peanuts. We dont even know what we have in MKG

[HornetJail]

^I would think pretty favorably if it was a first round pick.

I'd be pretty happy with a mid-2nd to be honest.

[Liver_Pooty]

^I would think pretty favorably if it was a first round pick.

I'd be pretty happy with a mid-2nd to be honest.

I say just let him expire.

[JMAC3]

I just do not see management trading Kemba or MKG in any deal. They both have star potential and we have seen what Kemba has been able to do this season and hopefully he will continue to only get better. The improvement with Kemba's shooting in the offseason is incredible and we have seen him start to find the range from three point land. This is extremely encouraging that MKG can make strides just like Kemba did this offseason.

I could see MKG developing into a Dwyane Wade type of player if he can get his jumpshot respectable. It is not like Wade is a great jump shooter, but he makes them respect it. MKG and Wade are similiar in the way they attack the rim and impact the game in other ways then scoring. Would also like to see him work on an effective euro step as well which will make him more dynamic going to rim, he is already an extremely effective finisher going to his right.Being able to counter that with a euro step combined with his athleticism and length will keep defenders off balance.

[JMAC3]

Instead I would look to deal our other assets which consists of Expiring contracts and a plethora of draft picks.

To me this draft class has 4 players at the top that garner our attention with McLemore, Shabazz, Noel, and Bennett. Len and Zeller could also be in the picture, but I really think Zeller is going to stay at this point and Len does not excite me at all. With our current record and roster outlook for the remaining season we are almost guaranteed one of those guys.

It would seem that we would be likely a much improved team after adding yet another top pick and possibly a mid first rounder, depending on Portland's finish. Couple that with an young and improving core and a ton of offseason cap space that should be used to try and bring in an impact player IMO, instead of signing or resigning mediocre players. Which to me means most likely not resigning Mullens and Hendo, but instead looking to spend that money on a better player even if it means slightly overpaying for them. Diop, Reggie, Hendo, Mully, and possibly Warrick(team option) all coming off the books clears up around 20 million, so we count on spending 5 million on draft pick salaries, 2 million in player raises in contracts and that should leave us with 13 million to spend in free agency.

[JMAC3]

To me I would look to round out the roster with more of a Stars and Scrubs strategy. Especially with a young cheap core.

Kemba- Sessions
McLemore- Gordon
MKG- Taylor
Tyrus- Portland pick
Haywood- Biz

That is 10 guys under contract for around 45 million. That would leave us with 13 million to spend and really not a lot of rotation minutes to give out so why not spend the bulk of that money on one guy like a Milsap, Jefferson, OJ Mayo or Josh Smith type player even if it means overpaying.

Honestly how much would a guy like Hendo or Mully help if we already had that core? As long as the guy we pay big bucks is producing like they are now I am fine even if they make 3 million too much, if that is the what it takes to get them to Charlotte. Then add dirt cheap guys to round out roster like Jeff Adrien, Sundiata Gaines, Chris Johnson, and James Anderson type guys who come for half a million a year.

[JMAC3]

Which leads me to my last point. Like I stated earlier after the additions of yet another young talent in the draft this year, the continued progression of Kemba, MKG, Biz and Taylor, possibly the Portland pick and turning 13 million in Cap Space into a good player, we should be much improved and most likely not competing for the worst record in the NBA.

So how good will that 2014 draft pick really be?

To me the 2014 draft class is being overhyped based purely off Andrew Wiggins, who is almost guaranteed to go number one. After that the class seems pretty mediocre to me including Jabari Parker and Julius Randle.

Julius Randle seems like he could be good based off his size and athleticism, but so have so many other players watching them play inferior high school talent who is scared to play against him. He does not seem to have the handles or jump shot to be a superstar from the small forward position in the NBA and I think he projects better as a poor mans Blake Griffin type power forward, who is still a good player.

Jabari Parker I think is living off the hype of winning state titles. Don't get me wrong he is a really good basketball player and supposedly an even better person, but he seems kind of slow and that is watching him play highschool ball. I think he will play power forward at Duke next year and may be better suited for that position in the pros especially if he can grow another inch or two. I think the at the very best he could be a poor mans Carmelo Anthony, but again he doesn't seem to have the quickness to dominate the NBA game.

I honestly think we will be hard pressed to be that bad to land yet another top 3 pick and after these three guys I think the class will be rather shallow with star potential players. Wiggins is the ultimate prize, but I dont like our chances of landing that number one pick.

I think we should consider looking to deal that 2014 pick for an established young player such as a Demarcus Cousins even if means throwing in Detroit pick. Especially with Kings maybe moving to Seattle, they may be looking to start fresh and ditch the problem child Cousins. That may be their best option is starting fresh in 2014 with what they hope to be 2 high draft picks. Dealing the pick now while the pick is considered great value because teams think we will be a top 3 pick and everybody is enamored by Wiggins, could be our most valueable asset. Again landing him while keeping our pick this year and Kemba and MKG would be better to me then the pick.

Kemba
Shabazz or McLemore
MKG
Milsap- just overpay him
Cousins- Biz

If we could have this lineup starting next season I think we would be a team that would compete for a playoffs and only continue to get better as our players mature and gain experience. This is the type of team that you dont mind being the 7th or 8 seed if it means they can eventually be a championship quality team.

Plus this gets us finished with our rebuild a year early and we don't have to pray for a top 3 pick in 2014, which isn't guaranteed, and we avoid another year of being out of playoff contention.

[JMAC3]

Teams in my mind could be in contention for high picks in 2014.

Teams that could go into a rebuild
Atlanta- No star player, tons of cap room, most likely lose Josh Smith.
Dallas- Hard to imagine Cuban rebuilding, but their aren't many major free agents this offseason, so that may be his best bet.
Milwaukee- Jennings and Ellis are both free agents and they do not seem to be going past the first round with that core.
Orlando- What other option do they really have?
Utah- Jefferson and Milsap both free agents. Can't get out of first round, young talent in Favors, Kanter, Burks, and Hayward suggest they should just ditch vets and try and build by giving young guys minutes and high draft picks.
Phoenix- Dragic and Beasley are on longer contracts, but they can't win with those two. I think a rebuild is on the way.
Philadelphia- If they lose Bynum they are looking at core of Jrue, Turner, and Thad.... idk

Teams that rebuilds may still be under way.
Toronto- I can almost guarantee they will tank for Wiggins.
New Orleans- Anthony Davis was a great start, but after him they do not have top talent. and Gordon is iffy to stay.
Cleveland- Kyrie and Waiters seem like a good back court, but they may make one more appearance in lottery.
Washington- Wall, Beal and Nene is a good core, but I could see them not being able to put it together.
Charlotte- A core of Kemba, MKG, a top 3 pick, but will depend on how we handle our cap space
Portland- I think their best bet is to rebuild with Lillard, get value for Aldridge, but it depends on Matthews and Batums development.
Sacremento/Seattle- they just seem like they will never win with this core and Cousins has a foot out the door.

Still like our chances of Wiggins?

[JT2006]

^I would think pretty favorably if it was a first round pick.

I'd be pretty happy with a mid-2nd to be honest.

I say just let him expire.

no, cut him right now

[Radu_Hornets]

Why would you cut Reggie now ? He's a 3M expiring contract...

Diop + Reggie = 10M$ expiring.

That could interest lots of teams in the league.

[Radu_Hornets]

Which leads me to my last point. Like I stated earlier after the additions of yet another young talent in the draft this year, the continued progression of Kemba, MKG, Biz and Taylor, possibly the Portland pick and turning 13 million in Cap Space into a good player, we should be much improved and most likely not competing for the worst record in the NBA.

So how good will that 2014 draft pick really be?

To me the 2014 draft class is being overhyped based purely off Andrew Wiggins, who is almost guaranteed to go number one. After that the class seems pretty mediocre to me including Jabari Parker and Julius Randle.

Julius Randle seems like he could be good based off his size and athleticism, but so have so many other players watching them play inferior high school talent who is scared to play against him. He does not seem to have the handles or jump shot to be a superstar from the small forward position in the NBA and I think he projects better as a poor mans Blake Griffin type power forward, who is still a good player.

Jabari Parker I think is living off the hype of winning state titles. Don't get me wrong he is a really good basketball player and supposedly an even better person, but he seems kind of slow and that is watching him play highschool ball. I think he will play power forward at Duke next year and may be better suited for that position in the pros especially if he can grow another inch or two. I think the at the very best he could be a poor mans Carmelo Anthony, but again he doesn't seem to have the quickness to dominate the NBA game.

I honestly think we will be hard pressed to be that bad to land yet another top 3 pick and after these three guys I think the class will be rather shallow with star potential players. Wiggins is the ultimate prize, but I dont like our chances of landing that number one pick.

I think we should consider looking to deal that 2014 pick for an established young player such as a Demarcus Cousins even if means throwing in Detroit pick. Especially with Kings maybe moving to Seattle, they may be looking to start fresh and ditch the problem child Cousins. That may be their best option is starting fresh in 2014 with what they hope to be 2 high draft picks. Dealing the pick now while the pick is considered great value because teams think we will be a top 3 pick and everybody is enamored by Wiggins, could be our most valueable asset. Again landing him while keeping our pick this year and Kemba and MKG would be better to me then the pick.

Kemba
Shabazz or McLemore
MKG
Milsap- just overpay him
Cousins- Biz

If we could have this lineup starting next season I think we would be a team that would compete for a playoffs and only continue to get better as our players mature and gain experience. This is the type of team that you dont mind being the 7th or 8 seed if it means they can eventually be a championship quality team.

Plus this gets us finished with our rebuild a year early and we don't have to pray for a top 3 pick in 2014, which isn't guaranteed, and we avoid another year of being out of playoff contention.

That's a nice paper you've written here, I actualy like the idea of finishing our "development mode" in 2013. But it seems unlikely to me that we could lend cousins...

[Radu_Hornets]

CHA IN : Pau Gasol + jodie meeks
CHA OUT : ben Gordon + Hakim warrick + Det or Por 1st Pick

LAL IN: ben Gordon + warrick + first Pick (det or por)
LAL OUT : Pau gasol+ meeks

-----------------------------------
CHA IN : Rudy Gay + Hamed haddadi
CHA OUT: reggie + Diop + hendo + det or por 1st Pick

MEM IN :reggie + Diop + hendo + det or por 1st Pick
MEM OUT : Rudy gay + Hamed haddadi.

Finish season 2012/2013 with
Walker - sessions
Gay - meeks
Mkg - Taylor
Gasol - Adrien
Biyombo - Mullens

Draft prospect with our top 10 draft Pick.
And that's it.