Scottie undergoes Surgery *likely out for season*

[mdenny]

Memphis is going to be interesting. Their team is a win now team that has been crushed by injuries and idiocy. Their drafting has been hit or miss. Their roster is in luxury tax but if they release kennard that solves that problem but then creates another with limited space to fill out roster before entering tax.

I'm curious what they do.

Right. They're an example of a team that might trade a top 3 pick for much cheaper than we've ever seen before. They're probably better off adding two solid role players.

The first overall this year is gonna get paid the same as wemby for 4 seasons. If a team's F0 is mostly ambivalent about the first 10 prospects on their board....(and many reportedly are) they'd much rather trade down to 10 and pay that rookie scale contract rather than the first overall guaranteed cap hit.

This obviously isn't usually an issue. But this draft class is so weak at the top that It might become one.

This is probably one of the main reasons so many teams have been moving their FRPs in the 2024 draft. Not only are they getting a potentially weaker prospect then they would in other draft classes, they are also stuck with committed decent salary room to that pick for at least 2 seasons.

Apparently those numbers are going up with the adjusted salary cap next season. So if I'm not mistaken....the first overall this summer will be a cap hit between 12 and 14 milly per year the first three seasons.

Again....if a FO doesn't sense a tangible difference between the projected 1st and say the projected 7th on their board....you can see the motivation to either trade down or trade out.

[Merit]

It's the kind of year where a top 3 pick could actually hurt you salary cap wise. Imagine having to pay Anthony Bennet +40 million over the next 4 years.

We might see teams trade their picks more than usual.

I hadn’t considered that. I think the teams who are most likely to get a top 5 pick should have no problem with the salary that accompanies it.

Memphis is going to be interesting. Their team is a win now team that has been crushed by injuries and idiocy. Their drafting has been hit or miss. Their roster is in luxury tax but if they release kennard that solves that problem but then creates another with limited space to fill out roster before entering tax.

I'm curious what they do.

I feel they don’t really need kennard. They’ve got inexpensive depth (gg, Vince Williams), Brandon Clarke coming back, plus a top 10 pick.

I really like their starters: Ja/smart/Bane/clarke/jjj

Then their bench: v. Williams/konchar/GG/z. williams/Aldama/top 10

It feels like they can make some moves this offseason too especially if they decide they don’t want their pick.

[ArthurVandelay]

I hadn’t considered that. I think the teams who are most likely to get a top 5 pick should have no problem with the salary that accompanies it.

Memphis is going to be interesting. Their team is a win now team that has been crushed by injuries and idiocy. Their drafting has been hit or miss. Their roster is in luxury tax but if they release kennard that solves that problem but then creates another with limited space to fill out roster before entering tax.

I'm curious what they do.

I feel they don’t really need kennard. They’ve got inexpensive depth (gg, Vince Williams), Brandon Clarke coming back, plus a top 10 pick.

I really like their starters: Ja/smart/Bane/clarke/jjj

Then their bench: v. Williams/konchar/GG/z. williams/Aldama/top 10

It feels like they can make some moves this offseason too especially if they decide they don’t want their pick.

If their plan is to play JJJr full time at C, that solves a lot of their cap crunch issues. But if they are looking for another starter, they are going to face some difficulties.

[Scase]

Memphis is going to be interesting. Their team is a win now team that has been crushed by injuries and idiocy. Their drafting has been hit or miss. Their roster is in luxury tax but if they release kennard that solves that problem but then creates another with limited space to fill out roster before entering tax.

I'm curious what they do.

Right. They're an example of a team that might trade a top 3 pick for much cheaper than we've ever seen before. They're probably better off adding two solid role players.

The first overall this year is gonna get paid the same as wemby for 4 seasons. If a team's F0 is mostly ambivalent about the first 10 prospects on their board....(and many reportedly are) they'd much rather trade down to 10 and pay that rookie scale contract rather than the first overall guaranteed cap hit.

This obviously isn't usually an issue. But this draft class is so weak at the top that It might become one.

This is probably one of the main reasons so many teams have been moving their FRPs in the 2024 draft. Not only are they getting a potentially weaker prospect then they would in other draft classes, they are also stuck with committed decent salary room to that pick for at least 2 seasons.

This is really only a concern for like the top 3 picks, maybe top 5. The criticism about this draft is that it doesn't have clear cut top 3 pick level players, not that the draft is bad.

Getting saddled with a weak 1st OA pick would suck, but outside the top 5, you're shooting yourself in the foot.

[Merit]

Memphis is going to be interesting. Their team is a win now team that has been crushed by injuries and idiocy. Their drafting has been hit or miss. Their roster is in luxury tax but if they release kennard that solves that problem but then creates another with limited space to fill out roster before entering tax.

I'm curious what they do.

I feel they don’t really need kennard. They’ve got inexpensive depth (gg, Vince Williams), Brandon Clarke coming back, plus a top 10 pick.

I really like their starters: Ja/smart/Bane/clarke/jjj

Then their bench: v. Williams/konchar/GG/z. williams/Aldama/top 10

It feels like they can make some moves this offseason too especially if they decide they don’t want their pick.

If their plan is to play JJJr full time at C, that solves a lot of their cap crunch issues. But if they are looking for another starter, they are going to face some difficulties.

My line of reasoning extends from their trading Steven Adams. They kept Santi and I feel their rotational bigs are solid. JJJ/Santi/Clarke/GG. You’re right though - they could probably use a forward, depending on how they view Vince Williams/Marcus Smart.