Official Trade Thread Part XLVI

[payitforward]

Agreed. If all Kuzma is worth is one middle-to-late FRP, then keep him. ...

I don't understand this....

Perhaps you mean if that's all he's worth now -- i.e. that he is likely to be worth more in the future. In that case... sure. But, I don't see what would support that calculation, so if that's what you're thinking I hope you'll explain the thinking behind that conclusion.

His contract supports that calculation

Yep... a dense moment on my part.

Note that this is not 100% -- but a smaller salary ought to make him more attractive....

[gesa2]

I don't understand this....

Perhaps you mean if that's all he's worth now -- i.e. that he is likely to be worth more in the future. In that case... sure. But, I don't see what would support that calculation, so if that's what you're thinking I hope you'll explain the thinking behind that conclusion.

His contract supports that calculation

Yep... a dense moment on my part.

Note that this is not 100% -- but a smaller salary ought to make him more attractive....

Right! It’s not as like his contract isn’t public. A team that needs another piece but is concerned about the second apron should like him. I think his value is just not that high( my guess is one late first, or more if we’re eating a worse contract), and won’t be in the Summer either. The only downside of his descending contract for a buying team is that it’s slightly less usable as salary ballast for a bigger trade later.

[penbeast0]

you trade Kuzma for a first and young player, not only for the return, but to get out from under his contract and give his minutes to younger player like Bagley. Who, in turn, can then have the opportunity to build up his own trade value or God forbid, solidify his status as a viable starter at a much better salary. Adding young talent and actually playing and developing that talent is priority #1, not wins. We actually have some pretty compelling pieces. No #1 or maybe even #2 guys but that's what the draft picks are for, to either draft that person or use them to acquire one via trade. Poole should never have happened. Even as a tank commander he does more harm than good. Best case scenario is he's trade fodder salary used to acquire a disgruntled or underutilized vet that can actually help us win games come 2025.

In hindsight, Poole was a disastrous deal. At the time, we wanted a young player who might be valuable for Chris Paul who would only hurt the tank while giving us no future. No one is going to trade that kind of player for an aging expiring Paul unless there were major risks attached. He'd been a 20 ppg scorer above or near league average efficiency since his rookie year; we didn't expect him to become significantly less efficient at that. He was available because he was a type (small scoring guard who doesn't create much for others or play defense) that is relatively less valuable, because of the Draymond Green situation, and because of his overpriced contract. He was Anfernee Simon. Now, he looks a lot worse because of his poor play this year but at the time, he seemed a reasonable risk to take.

[pcbothwel]

F it... Send Kuz and Poole to the Bulls for Lonzo, Lavine, Terry, picks
We sit Lonzo and Lavine this year, and hope either/both can recover value for us on the back end. Terry is a nice young guy to usher along. Picks will be interesting.

Bulls save money and make a run for the playoffs.
White / Dosunmu
Caruso / Poole
Derozan / Craig
Kuz / Pat Will
Vuc / Drummond

[payitforward]

you trade Kuzma for a first and young player, not only for the return, but to get out from under his contract and give his minutes to younger player like Bagley. Who, in turn, can then have the opportunity to build up his own trade value or God forbid, solidify his status as a viable starter at a much better salary. Adding young talent and actually playing and developing that talent is priority #1, not wins. We actually have some pretty compelling pieces. No #1 or maybe even #2 guys but that's what the draft picks are for, to either draft that person or use them to acquire one via trade. Poole should never have happened. Even as a tank commander he does more harm than good. Best case scenario is he's trade fodder salary used to acquire a disgruntled or underutilized vet that can actually help us win games come 2025.

In hindsight, Poole was a disastrous deal... but at the time, he seemed a reasonable risk to take.

Exactly. In a nutshell, this is it. & for that matter there was even a fair amount of excitement about the move on this board.

[payitforward]

F it... Send Kuz and Poole to the Bulls for Lonzo, Lavine, Terry, picks
We sit Lonzo and Lavine this year, and hope either/both can recover value for us on the back end. Terry is a nice young guy to usher along. Picks will be interesting.

Bulls save money and make a run for the playoffs.
White / Dosunmu
Caruso / Poole
Derozan / Craig
Kuz / Pat Will
Vuc / Drummond

Well done! If something like this was possible I'd jump on it!

[nate33]

F it... Send Kuz and Poole to the Bulls for Lonzo, Lavine, Terry, picks
We sit Lonzo and Lavine this year, and hope either/both can recover value for us on the back end. Terry is a nice young guy to usher along. Picks will be interesting.

Bulls save money and make a run for the playoffs.
White / Dosunmu
Caruso / Poole
Derozan / Craig
Kuz / Pat Will
Vuc / Drummond

Well done! If something like this was possible I'd jump on it!

There would have to be a minimally protected FRP involved to convince me.

I think Poole is roughly comparable to Lonzo in value, but Kuzma is considerably more valuable than Lavine because of his contract and durability. They need to pay for that value differential.

[pcbothwel]

F it... Send Kuz and Poole to the Bulls for Lonzo, Lavine, Terry, picks
We sit Lonzo and Lavine this year, and hope either/both can recover value for us on the back end. Terry is a nice young guy to usher along. Picks will be interesting.

Bulls save money and make a run for the playoffs.
White / Dosunmu
Caruso / Poole
Derozan / Craig
Kuz / Pat Will
Vuc / Drummond

Well done! If something like this was possible I'd jump on it!

There would have to be a minimally protected FRP involved to convince me.

I think Poole is roughly comparable to Lonzo in value, but Kuzma is considerably more valuable than Lavine because of his contract and durability. They need to pay for that value differential.

NO WAY Poole = Lonzo. Lonzo has 1 year @ 20M on his contract, half of which is covered by insurance. I would trade Poole for Lonzo this 2nd and not think twice.

As for the rest of it, I would want the protected POR 1st and the Bulls 2029 1st (Top 10 protected in 29, Top 5 in 30, turning into 2X 2nds in 30 & 31).

TBH...Im just so desperate to get Poole off of this team without picks that I would be interested, but you're not wrong.

[FAH1223]

https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-trade-deadline-intel-lakers-celtics-bulls-cavs-mavs-nets-pistons-wizards-grizzlies-wolves/

The Washington Wizards are among the few potential sellers heading into the trade deadline with Kyle Kuzma considered the top trade asset on the team’s roster by rival executives.

The Wizards would need future first-round picks beyond the 2024 draft with the potential to become lottery picks to consider parting with Kuzma, as HoopsHype previously reported.

Tyus Jones has drawn trade interest from the Magic, Spurs, Nets, Lakers and Timberwolves, league sources told HoopsHype. The Wizards value Jones as a potential piece going forward and are open to re-signing him in free agency this summer. As recently reported by HoopsHype, Washington would covet a future first-round pick to consider parting with Jones.

Delon Wright has drawn trade interest from the Celtics, Kings, and Timberwolves, league sources told HoopsHype. The Nuggets were also mentioned recently by Marc Stein. Wright is expected to command second-round draft pick compensation in trade talks, league sources told HoopsHype.

[nate33]

Delon Wright has drawn trade interest from the Celtics, Kings, and Timberwolves, league sources told HoopsHype. The Nuggets were also mentioned recently by Marc Stein. Wright is expected to command second-round draft pick compensation in trade talks, league sources told HoopsHype.

Neither Denver nor Boston has any capacity to trade for Wright because they lack the corresponding salary filler. They would have to give up a better player just to make the salaries match.

[dckingsfan]

So, the trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 8th - cutoff time for trades is 3 p.m. EST.

Do we see the chance that no Wizard trades happen?

[Rafael122]

So, the trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 8th - cutoff time for trades is 3 p.m. EST.

Do we see the chance that no Wizard trades happen?

My guess will be 1 of Wright/Shamet/Jones will be gone. They gotta see what they have with Davis before it's too late, and clearing Wright and his 12-15 minutes, or Shamet and his 8-10 minutes would help us see what Davis can provide.

[doclinkin]

So, the trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 8th - cutoff time for trades is 3 p.m. EST.

Do we see the chance that no Wizard trades happen?

My guess will be 1 of Wright/Shamet/Jones will be gone. They gotta see what they have with Davis before it's too late, and clearing Wright and his 12-15 minutes, or Shamet and his 8-10 minutes would help us see what Davis can provide.

I think Kuzma's phantom shoulder might be aching because there's a crossfire of phone calls coming in about his price. The bidding war may reach a point that the team needs to do it.

Other front offices seem confident that Jones is the player that is both gettable and has a role on multiple playoff teams. Vultures circling, they seem to think the Wiz have no leverage and will settle for less on any trade. If we were not playing Poole so many useless minutes I think Tyus' value would be higher. We'd have won a few games. Jones would look like a better floor leader on a winning squad.

[NatP4]

So, the trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 8th - cutoff time for trades is 3 p.m. EST.

Do we see the chance that no Wizard trades happen?

Jones, Kuzma, and Wright are all moved would be my guess.

Some slightly disappointing combination of future 1st and 2nd round picks in return.

[tontoz]

So, the trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 8th - cutoff time for trades is 3 p.m. EST.

Do we see the chance that no Wizard trades happen?

Jones, Kuzma, and Wright are all moved would be my guess.

Some slightly disappointing combination of future 1st and 2nd round picks in return.

I just want Kuzma gone. I don't care about the other guys but it would be nice to get a 1st for Jones. Minny could definitely use him.

[NatP4]

I’d guess that Kuzma is gone for a 24 1st, Jones goes for a protected future 1st, and Wright goes for a couple 2nds.

[tontoz]

I’d guess that Kuzma is gone for a 24 1st, Jones goes for a protected future 1st, and Wright goes for a couple 2nds.

Hope you are right.

[nate33]

Zach Lowe made an interesting point in his podcast today about the trade deadline. There are a bunch of teams, including the Lakers, Milwaukee, Denver and others who have zero or only 1 available unencumbered FRP to trade right now, but will have 3 or 4 FRP's to trade this summer. (Teams that traded last 2023 pick can't trade their 2024 pick until draft day. And on draft day, the 2031 FRP also becomes eligible to trade.)

Basically, there are very few teams capable of bidding FRP's for guys right now. That pool of bidders will increase substantially this summer. With that in mind, seller teams (like us) with assets under long term contracts (like Kuzma or Caruso) may be inclined to pass on any trades at the trade deadline and instead wait for summer when they think the offers will be better.

Buyers are aware of this and are frustrated that the sellers are driving a hard bargain on long term contracts like Kuzma's, so they are instead looking more carefully at the expiring-contract guys (DeRozan, Tyus, Burks, etc.). Sellers lack the leverage to drive up the price on those guys because it's trade them or let them walk for nothing.

With that dynamic in play, it looks like Tyus and Wright are probably more likely to be traded, whereas guys like Kuzma and Gafford will probably be kept at least until the Summer.

[Frichuela]

I wonder if a Kuzma (+Gafford) trade to OKC is on the cards...

OKC has a lot of future 1sts and they could benefit from acquiring Kuz and Gafford. They lack a starting PF and a good center to replace Chet off the bench.

In this scenario, I'd expect Winger to push for Giddey+fodder (Bertans+Micic or Poku)+MIA 2025 1st+any additional draft capital he can grab..

[tontoz]

I wonder if a Kuzma (+Gafford) trade to OKC is on the cards...

OKC has a lot of future 1sts and they could benefit from acquiring Kuz and Gafford. They lack a starting PF and a good center to replace Chet off the bench.

In this scenario, I'd expect Winger to push for Giddey+fodder (Bertans+Micic or Poku)+MIA 2025 1st+any additional draft capital he can grab..

I think a more likely trade partner is Dallas. A lot of rumors that they are interested in both Kuzma and Gafford. They have several vet min guys in their rotation.

OKC is in first place so they will probably be more reluctant to make changes.