The New York Knicks have had exploratory discussions on trading center Nerlens Noel to the Los Angeles Clippers, league sources told HoopsHype. Noel could fit into the Clippers’ $9.7 million trade exception previously generated by the Serge Ibaka trade. The Knicks have a surplus of draft pick compensation (22 picks total over the next seven years) to dangle.
According to our HoopsHype salary cap expert, Yossi Gozlan, if the Knicks can trade Noel without taking any salary back in a deal, New York could generate a total of $24.5 million in cap space. That figure would help the Knicks make an aggressive run at Jalen Brunson in free agency. The $24.5 million would include waiving Taj Gibson, as previously reported on the last HoopsHype intel report, and keeping Mitchell Robinson’s cap hold so they can re-sign him.
If the Clippers acquire Noel, it could mean Clippers backup center Isaiah Hartenstein may have priced himself out of Los Angeles with unrestricted free agency approaching. The Clippers can only re-sign Hartenstein for up to the $6.4 million taxpayer mid-level exception. That exception, however, could be used to sign John Wall.
Noel is owed $9.24 million next season and has a $9.68 million team option for the 2023-24 season.
Transaction Discussion Part 4 (Trades, Free-Agency, News, Rumors & Ideas)
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I am pretty sure if we trade for Noel he comes with a 1st rounder, like when we got lucky with Harkless. It will probably be one of the protected picks that might roll over next season, but still good to refill a 1st round pick. We obviously decided to make a big bet on the PG/Kawhi window, but even when that window ends our cupboards won't be completely bare.
Get Noel with a 1st, and Wall and I'm happy calling it a day on the offseason. The main problem will be finding minutes for some of the bench guys, but maybe this would be a great opportunity to really keep PG and Kawhi fresh all year long while not having to give up on any games during the season. The best thing I think we can do to assure their playoff health is to really lean on our bench during the regular season.
Get Noel with a 1st, and Wall and I'm happy calling it a day on the offseason. The main problem will be finding minutes for some of the bench guys, but maybe this would be a great opportunity to really keep PG and Kawhi fresh all year long while not having to give up on any games during the season. The best thing I think we can do to assure their playoff health is to really lean on our bench during the regular season.
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Noel and Burks to Detroit with cash and second round picks.
Confident they keep Hartenstein or another avenue for a backup center?
Confident they keep Hartenstein or another avenue for a backup center?
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super contingent on what wall's gonna ask from us. if wall asks for the entire bag, not confident. and i'd bet money he wants it all.
if he doesn't then i'd feel reasonably about keeping hart. that said, literally anyone with a sliver of understanding of basketball could see his impact, and imo he's gonna be offered a fairly decent contract - which he deserves.
if he doesn't then i'd feel reasonably about keeping hart. that said, literally anyone with a sliver of understanding of basketball could see his impact, and imo he's gonna be offered a fairly decent contract - which he deserves.
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Hart was at the Clippers' practice facility today, just saying.

Prepare To Face The Past
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Prepare To Face The Past
Beating the Clipper Curse starts with defeating someone you once truly loved. Clippers are 0-1 in playoff series vs. teams that featured a significant former Clipper, in this case Suns with Chris Paul. If you want to be called a title contender, you have to face your past. It could require Clippers pulling off a Herculean feat like coming back from down 3-0, someone scoring 100 PTS like Wilt Chamberlain, someone achieving a quintuple double, or some other ridiculous accomplishment. After all, Clippers were the first team to come back from down 2-0 twice to make their first ever conference finals. Perhaps a more daring accomplishment en route to defeating Lakers in a playoff series will end the curse once and for all. As the inventor of Cheetos Flamin' Hot once said...
"Greatness comes in a ridiculous form" - Ricardo Montanez
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MartinToVaught wrote:Hart was at the Clippers' practice facility today, just saying.
You still miss your guy?

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Just like with Amir, I hope that if Hart lands somewhere else, at least he's going to make significantly more money than what we'd be able to offer him. He even said that if the two figures are close, he's willing to turn down the larger offer to stick with us.
And I'm still holding on to a shred of hope that Wall takes the minimum.
And I'm still holding on to a shred of hope that Wall takes the minimum.
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Dynamix wrote:Just like with Amir, I hope that if Hart lands somewhere else, at least he's going to make significantly more money than what we'd be able to offer him. He even said that if the two figures are close, he's willing to turn down the larger offer to stick with us.
And I'm still holding on to a shred of hope that Wall takes the minimum.
I could see a few teams that are short on wings make an offer to Coffey. There's no way he would turn down a chance at more money and playing time just to stay with us
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Clemenza wrote:Dynamix wrote:Just like with Amir, I hope that if Hart lands somewhere else, at least he's going to make significantly more money than what we'd be able to offer him. He even said that if the two figures are close, he's willing to turn down the larger offer to stick with us.
And I'm still holding on to a shred of hope that Wall takes the minimum.
I could see a few teams that are short on wings make an offer to Coffey. There's no way he would turn down a chance at more money and playing time just to stay with us
I am really happy for his progress last season, and was hoping he'd stick around in the long run as a really nice role player. But yeah, if another team offers both the money and the PT that would obviously be best for him. If we do make a consolidation trade involving say Morris, there might be more PT and he might better fit into our long-term roster- maybe.
I also wonder about Kennard. Obviously we can more or less keep everyone and run it next year with a full roster, you never know about injuries, rest games, etc. But what if we could get say a future 1st for Kennard, that we might either use or trade for an upgrade next offseason? Just brainstorming...
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Dynamix wrote:Just like with Amir, I hope that if Hart lands somewhere else, at least he's going to make significantly more money than what we'd be able to offer him. He even said that if the two figures are close, he's willing to turn down the larger offer to stick with us.
And I'm still holding on to a shred of hope that Wall takes the minimum.
I love watching Hart play. He plays like the coach's son he is--always in the right place on D, good passer, can hit the three. He's just turned 24 and I'd love to see him finally cash in.
That said, he just doesn't give us much that Zubac doesn't, which is why Hart played only 14 minutes combined in the two disappointing [DISASTROUS!] play-in losses. If it's a bad matchup for Zu, it probably is for Hart too. They are not complementary players.
I love the big lug but Hart is only worth the minimum to the Clippers. I hope he gets big money and big minutes somewhere else. If not, it appears he's always welcome here.

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ok how about this. We take Noel + 2nd rounder for TPE. Knicks sign whoever they want with cap sapce, then sign Hart to 3-year $24M deal using part of their non-taxpayer MLE. After the restrictions expire in February, we trade Noel + 2 2nd rounders to Knicks for Hart 

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I know he's got haters on here, but if you honestly wouldn't take Blake on the roster over Rodney Hood, you're blinded by hate. BG in a Lakers jersey would be all kinds of wrong.

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MartinToVaught wrote:
I know he's got haters on here, but if you honestly wouldn't take Blake on the roster over Rodney Hood, you're blinded by hate. BG in a Lakers jersey would be all kinds of wrong.
I'm torn on this. On one side, he's the reason why I started watching the NBA/Clippers. On the other, it would be pretty tough seeing him on a nightly basis as a shell of his former self, mostly riding the bench and getting garbage minutes. I know some people think he still has enough left in the tank to be somewhat useful, but I believe that ship has quietly sailed.
Having said all that, I definitely wouldn't want to see him in a Lakers uniform, so if it's just between us or them, then let it be us.
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i'd be happy to have him back.
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