NBA Trade Thread #11

[Muzbar]

My little Denver/Bulls idea:

Nuggets receive:

Zach LaVine
Torrey Craig
Jevon Carter

Bulls receive:

Michael Porter Jr.
Zeke Nnaji
Dario Saric
Julian Strawther
Den '31 FRP (or a couple of swaps?)

Just a quick throw together.

[jnrjr79]

I really think the Denver trade idea makes more sense with Porter going to a third team and the Bulls getting some sort of draft comp and expiring.

I think Porter would play well with Giddey and Lonzo, but I'm pretty apprehensive in the long-term just given we don't know if those guys will be around and I'm not sure Porter is good enough that you want to plan your roster around him. I don't totally hate it, but I don't love it, either.

[Infinity2152]

Thinking the probability they trade Pat Will anytime soon is small. So we already have Pat starting and hopefully Matas next year. Where is MPJ going to play? MPJ's contract runs thru 2027, last year $40 mill. I'd rather start Pat at $18 mill, and look for improvement. Be better for us to just keep Lavine, because we'd still need an effective starting SG with that trade.

[sco]

Thinking the probability they trade Pat Will anytime soon is small. So we already have Pat starting and hopefully Matas next year. Where is MPJ going to play? MPJ's contract runs thru 2027, last year $40 mill. I'd rather start Pat at $18 mill, and look for improvement. Be better for us to just keep Lavine.

I'm with you. Either MPJ or Pat need to go in another deal. If Pat, maybe you could combine him with some combo of Coby, Ball, Ayo or Giddey to get a better upside guy.

[jnrjr79]

Thinking the probability they trade Pat Will anytime soon is small. So we already have Pat starting and hopefully Matas next year. Where is MPJ going to play? MPJ's contract runs thru 2027, last year $40 mill. I'd rather start Pat at $18 mill, and look for improvement. Be better for us to just keep Lavine.

I have zero belief in Pat as a long-term starter and would make no plans that cater around his fit, but I agree you'd need to be satisfied you could play MPJ and Matas at the 3/4 together to have interest in MPJ. Pat can then move to his natural role as a 3 & D reserve big.

[Infinity2152]

Guess the thing is you'd have to believe MPJ is better than Lavine for this to even make sense AND you have to pretty much give up on Pat in the first year of his extension. MPJ is guaranteed in 2026, Zach has a player option he may or may not accept, probably would not since it seems like he's fine with leaving now. I don't think MPJ is better than Lavine in the first place. He's slightly younger, about the same injury risk, and I think Matas will be comparable to MPJ when all is said and done, and better defensively. Please don't start this rebuild adding another high cost one-way 2A player making close to 1A money, with a longer contract.

[boundbymusic]

Guess the thing is you'd have to believe MPJ is better than Lavine for this to even make sense AND you have to pretty much give up on Pat in the first year of his extension. MPJ is guaranteed in 2026, Zach has a player option he may or may not accept, probably would not since it seems like he's fine with leaving now. I don't think MPJ is better than Lavine in the first place. He's slightly younger, about the same injury risk, and I think Matas will be comparable to MPJ when all is said and done, and better defensively. Please don't start this rebuild adding another high cost one-way 2A player making close to 1A money, with a longer contract.

Maybe this allows you to trade PW for draft capital.

[Dez]

How the f*** does MPJ affect Williams?

MPJ would play the 3 and Williams continues at the 4.

[ChettheJet]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6002502/2024/12/17/zach-lavine-trade-rumors-nuggets/

Based on a Lavine/MPJ rumor think I have come up with a nice 3 way trade

Bulls trade - Lavine Bulls get - Ingram/Theis
Nuggets trade - MPJ/ Saric Nuggets get - Lavine
Pelicans trade - Ingram/Theis Pelicans get- MPJ/ Saric

I would do this trade
provided three other things fall into place

1) they have a plan for what to do next summer. Maybe that's resigning Ingram but my preference would be a starting PF to trade for into that cap space so they finally play Patrick at the 3. If he can't step up at that position, then they might as well move him at the next deadline.

2) They have a Vucevic trade in the works, don't know where he would go or what he sends back but he's going

3) If AK is still here they have a future plan for Giddey, White and Dosunmu and Ball. How many of them do they want to keep long term, do they have much better FAs in their sights, can they see trading any of them for picks. The Lavine trade above gives them cap space, what exactly does a Vucevic trade yield, hopefully not just more cap space and how do those trades set the path for the other players

[Infinity2152]

How the f*** does MPJ affect Williams?

MPJ would play the 3 and Williams continues at the 4.

We also have Matas, a guy we have a lot of hope for. Most of us expect him to start next year at the 3 or 4. Zach and MPJ being relatively equal, Lavine is a far better fit with Pat and Matas than MPJ. Same thing goes with a Lavine trade for Ingram. Unless either Pat or Matas is coming off the bench for the next few years (unlikely), somebody has to go. Plus, we'd still need a starting SG. Don't think trading for an expensive SF/PF is the best use of our resources, given our current makeup, we have two young guys, one they paid like a starter, the other they drafted like one.

[Dez]

How the f*** does MPJ affect Williams?

MPJ would play the 3 and Williams continues at the 4.

We also have Matas, a guy we have a lot of hope for. Most of us expect him to start next year at the 3 or 4. Zach and MPJ being relatively equal, Lavine is a far better fit with Pat and Matas than MPJ. Same thing goes with a Lavine trade for Ingram. Unless either Pat or Matas is coming off the bench for the next few years (unlikely), somebody has to go. Plus, we'd still need a starting SG. Don't think trading for an expensive SF/PF is the best use of our resources, given our current makeup, we have two young guys, one they paid like a starter, the other they drafted like one.

Matas is still only potential and there's no reason that Williams is a locked in starter.

Giddey/Ball
Ayo/White/Terry
MPJ/Buzelis/Phillips
Williams/Buzelis
Vucevic/Smith

MPJ fits just as well as LaVine does possibly moreso.

Hopefully Vuc gets moved as well.

[leo921]

another variation of the MPJ trade that I like is with Nets

Bulls get Simmons (40m expiring)
Nets get MPJ/Saric
Nuggets get Lavine

Bulls get off Lavine contract and move forward with the tank.
Nuggets get there All Star that can shoot and create his own shot.
Nets get MPJ to help start there rebuild

[jnrjr79]

another variation of the MPJ trade that I like is with Nets

Bulls get Simmons (40m expiring)
Nets get MPJ/Saric
Nuggets get Lavine

Bulls get off Lavine contract and move forward with the tank.
Nuggets get there All Star that can shoot and create his own shot.
Nets get MPJ to help start there rebuild

Send a pick to the Bulls and I like this more than taking on MPJ.

Would Brooklyn have concerns this interferes with the tank this season, is my question.

[Infinity2152]

How the f*** does MPJ affect Williams?

MPJ would play the 3 and Williams continues at the 4.

We also have Matas, a guy we have a lot of hope for. Most of us expect him to start next year at the 3 or 4. Zach and MPJ being relatively equal, Lavine is a far better fit with Pat and Matas than MPJ. Same thing goes with a Lavine trade for Ingram. Unless either Pat or Matas is coming off the bench for the next few years (unlikely), somebody has to go. Plus, we'd still need a starting SG. Don't think trading for an expensive SF/PF is the best use of our resources, given our current makeup, we have two young guys, one they paid like a starter, the other they drafted like one.

Matas is still only potential and there's no reason that Williams is a locked in starter.

Giddey/Ball
Ayo/White/Terry
MPJ/Buzelis/Phillips
Williams/Buzelis
Vucevic/Smith

MPJ fits just as well as LaVine does possibly moreso.

Hopefully Vuc gets moved as well.

Again, that presumes MPJ is better than Lavine, which is highly debatable. Lavine has been a first option most of his career, MPJ a third option. Because you're not really saving any money, MPJ has more guaranteed money left. We're back in the same position, paying $38+ mill to a 2A player without having a 1A. He doesn't fit nearly as well if you want to start Matas more than you want to start Ayo. Ayo plus MPJ together will barely match Lavine's scoring, let alone Lavine/Matas. When Vuc gets moved, you can bet the next center won't be giving us 18-20 a night. Giddey/Ayo/MPJ/Williams/10 pt center would be a low scoring starting lineup.

You can argue that Pat and Matas don't deserve starting spots, but the Bulls clearly intend to start Pat at least, they've done it whole career when they weren't paying him nearly as much. Matas still has a lot of time this season to prove himself a starter for next year. It could be a no-brainer at that point. Add in that Coby and Ayo will both be expiring next year.

[Muzbar]

another variation of the MPJ trade that I like is with Nets

Bulls get Simmons (40m expiring)
Nets get MPJ/Saric
Nuggets get Lavine

Bulls get off Lavine contract and move forward with the tank.
Nuggets get there All Star that can shoot and create his own shot.
Nets get MPJ to help start there rebuild

More money needs to come from Denver to match Zachs salary. So it's just a straight salary dump for Zach? Why would the Nets agree to take on MPJ?

I'm not a fan of this for anyone but Denver.

[Chi town]

another variation of the MPJ trade that I like is with Nets

Bulls get Simmons (40m expiring)
Nets get MPJ/Saric
Nuggets get Lavine

Bulls get off Lavine contract and move forward with the tank.
Nuggets get there All Star that can shoot and create his own shot.
Nets get MPJ to help start there rebuild

Send a pick to the Bulls and I like this more than taking on MPJ.

Would Brooklyn have concerns this interferes with the tank this season, is my question.

Nets have no reason to take on MPJ when they have Cam Johnson who is essentially the same player for cheaper.

[Infinity2152]

Whoever trades for MPJ is going to disappointed. He's been hidden his whole career, playing off two great playmakers, getting a ton of open catch and shoots. He's good, but unless he has a hidden bag he hasn't shown, or he goes to a team like the Warriors, he's going to be exposed. Contract ends at $40 mill, and doesn't look like he'll ever be an All Star.

[Chi town]

Whoever trades for MPJ is going to disappointed. He's been hidden his whole career, playing off two great playmakers, getting a ton of open catch and shoots. He's good, but unless he has a hidden bag he hasn't shown, or he goes to a team like the Warriors, he's going to be exposed. Contract ends at $40 mill, and doesn't look like he'll ever be an All Star.

Meh. I think he will show more offense with more usage in this pace offense.

To your point, DO NOT WANT. Flip him for an asset and expirings.

[Infinity2152]

Is the market for MPJ much better than the market for Lavine? Think he's been on the block most, if not all, of the season. Just seems like a very lateral trade. And if we get him to flip him, add whatever assets we have to spend to get him to whatever we could get in a straight Lavine trade, not sure we're winning that. And that's if he stays healthy.

Guess it would depend on what Denver is sending in addition to MPJ. If we get one of their young guys like Strawther or Braun plus a pick, deal looks better.

[HomoSapien]

The Lakers are on the verge of falling out of the play-in territory. They are traditionally attracted to big names and are open to bold playoff-minded moves. Would they consider:

Knecht & Russell for Vuc & Craig?