Deni to Spurs with Bulls

[One_and_Done]

If fans of the trade partners actually had to negotiate transactions, nothing would get done.

When have the Spurs ever made a trade like this though? In this case it feels more like the posters on this forum are (understandably) very keen on making trades happen, and that's just not reading the room. San Antonio doesn't make alot of trades period, and it's because they're a very conservative organisation.

I don't think people against this trade are trying to 'underpay' for Deni, I just think they're not terribly interested in him on the Spurs. He doesn't move the needle much. If he was obtained at low cost sure, but here the Spurs are giving up 2 good picks, 2 prospects, and a guy who some people think might be a better option at the 3 than Deni.

Most teams don't typically make trades involving multiple 1st round picks. We see mostly trades involving 2nd round bundles, or single first round picks.

But the context most relevant to this concept here is Deni fits the Spurs style of play at a time when the Spurs are close to playoff contention and would be making 3 first round selections who won't get the minutes they need to develop. So they will stagnate and lose value.

When is the last time a playoff level team selected 3 rookies in the first round?

I don't think Deni fits more than 100 other guys in the league they could try to trade for.

What are the biggest trades the Spurs have made over the last decade? How about the last 2 decades? Which of those trades resembles this one? They are a team that makes very few trades period, let alone notable ones.

[MasterIchiro]

I think you're focusing too much in terms of phrases like "#2 option" and not enough on what the Spurs need.

The Spurs biggest need, by far, is an elite high PnR player who can shoot. There's a reason so many of these guys (e.g. Trae, Garland, Fox, etc) have been linked to the Spurs. The reason none of these deals have happened is that it's early in Wemby's timeline and the Spurs are not an organisation that makes knee jerk overpay panic trades.

Lauri would be a fine player next to Wemby, most all-stars would be, but he's not the most pressing need. He also plays for a team Danny Ainge manages, so the Spurs are bad trading partners for the aforementioned reasons. I also don't know if Deni is a starter on a contender anymore than Vassell is a #3 option. If they were their teams would be performing better than they are now.

I don't see the Spurs having interest in Deni unless it's for a low price.

So you're going to draft 3 first round picks in 2025 who are going to lose value and that will cost you, because you are hoping to use them on Fox,Trae or Garland types? Who? Because those teams aren't dealing those guys for mid-first or late lottery picks right now.

I'm just trying to bring in Avdija in advance of the draft and set up the Spurs to take just 1 rookie instead of 3. A different Spurs fan said the Spurs need a number 2 scoring option. If you have him at the 4 in Lauri, you don't need Castle to hit threes. Both bigs can roll or pop.

I don't think the Spurs have a roster crunch just yet, but once they do I think they'd either go in for a genuine difference maker, or kick the asset down the road Dillingham style. The Spurs don't throw away picks like this.

Deni Avdija is a high end role player similar to Derek White, who the Spurs also traded for 2 first round picks. Did the Celtics "throw away picks like this"? Or did they see a guy who fits the way they want to play?

[One_and_Done]

So you're going to draft 3 first round picks in 2025 who are going to lose value and that will cost you, because you are hoping to use them on Fox,Trae or Garland types? Who? Because those teams aren't dealing those guys for mid-first or late lottery picks right now.

I'm just trying to bring in Avdija in advance of the draft and set up the Spurs to take just 1 rookie instead of 3. A different Spurs fan said the Spurs need a number 2 scoring option. If you have him at the 4 in Lauri, you don't need Castle to hit threes. Both bigs can roll or pop.

I don't think the Spurs have a roster crunch just yet, but once they do I think they'd either go in for a genuine difference maker, or kick the asset down the road Dillingham style. The Spurs don't throw away picks like this.

Deni Avdija is a high end role player similar to Derek White, who the Spurs also traded for 2 first round picks. Did the Celtics "throw away picks like this"? Or did they see a guy who fits the way they want to play?

Ok, firstly: Deni Avdija is not and has never been Derrick White, who the Spurs clearly loved and were reluctant to trade btw. White is the 3rd or 4th best player on a team who cruised to the title. Deni is unlikely to ever be that good. I don't even know if he starts in a title team.

Secondly, the Spurs and Celtics were in very different positions. The Celtics gave up picks to get what they hoped would push them over the edge to get a title. The Spurs are not a contender right now.

The Celtics also gave up substantially less than this.

[MasterIchiro]

I don't think the Spurs have a roster crunch just yet, but once they do I think they'd either go in for a genuine difference maker, or kick the asset down the road Dillingham style. The Spurs don't throw away picks like this.

Deni Avdija is a high end role player similar to Derek White, who the Spurs also traded for 2 first round picks. Did the Celtics "throw away picks like this"? Or did they see a guy who fits the way they want to play?

Ok, firstly: Deni Avdija is not and has never been Derrick White, who the Spurs clearly loved and were reluctant to trade btw. White is the 3rd or 4th best player on a team who cruised to the title. Deni is unlikely to ever be that good. I don't even know if he starts in a title team.

Secondly, the Spurs and Celtics were in very different positions. The Celtics gave up picks to get what they hoped would push them over the edge to get a title. The Spurs are not a contender right now.

The Celtics also gave up substantially less than this.

Here's Derrick White age 25 & 26 seasons compared to Avdija age 23 & 24 seasons (in progress).

https://stathead.com/tiny/kQcC8

Avdija is worth what Blazers paid, 2 first round picks.

[Blame Rasho]

If he is worth that the Blazers paid… they should keep him.

[MasterIchiro]

If he is worth that the Blazers paid… they should keep him.

Many of their fans want to keep him.

When they made the deal, they probably believed they were exiting a rebuild shortly or else why as a rebuild team would you trade 2 first round picks?

Now, it's clear the rebuild is going to extend deep into Deni's good contract. And they're shopping all their win-now players for draft capital. Why? Because they're still in a rebuild.

[One_and_Done]

Deni Avdija is a high end role player similar to Derek White, who the Spurs also traded for 2 first round picks. Did the Celtics "throw away picks like this"? Or did they see a guy who fits the way they want to play?

Ok, firstly: Deni Avdija is not and has never been Derrick White, who the Spurs clearly loved and were reluctant to trade btw. White is the 3rd or 4th best player on a team who cruised to the title. Deni is unlikely to ever be that good. I don't even know if he starts in a title team.

Secondly, the Spurs and Celtics were in very different positions. The Celtics gave up picks to get what they hoped would push them over the edge to get a title. The Spurs are not a contender right now.

The Celtics also gave up substantially less than this.

Here's Derrick White age 25 & 26 seasons compared to Avdija age 23 & 24 seasons (in progress).

https://stathead.com/tiny/kQcC8

Avdija is worth what Blazers paid, 2 first round picks.

I don't agree with that form of comparison. White had shown much more promise than Deni when he was traded.

This also remains an unhelpful comp for you. The Celtics gave up a 1st that they knew wouldn't be in the lotto, and a future swap way down the road with minimal protection. You have the Spurs giving up two 1sts that could both be in the lotto, 2 prospects, and a guy who might be a better long term starter than Deni.

I don't think the Spurs should be too interested in Deni regardless, but if they are this is a gross overpay and a trade completely out of character for their FO. I won't tell you how to fix the trade, because I don't see it as a sensible direction to go in principle, but if you are trying to improve it my first suggestion would be to take out Champs, Wesley, and Branham. If Branham and Wesley have no value to you that's fine, but clearly the Spurs picked up their options because they value them and still think they might pan out. Even then, the picks here are too good.

[Myth]

I think you're focusing too much in terms of phrases like "#2 option" and not enough on what the Spurs need.

The Spurs biggest need, by far, is an elite high PnR player who can shoot. There's a reason so many of these guys (e.g. Trae, Garland, Fox, etc) have been linked to the Spurs. The reason none of these deals have happened is that it's early in Wemby's timeline and the Spurs are not an organisation that makes knee jerk overpay panic trades.

Lauri would be a fine player next to Wemby, most all-stars would be, but he's not the most pressing need. He also plays for a team Danny Ainge manages, so the Spurs are bad trading partners for the aforementioned reasons. I also don't know if Deni is a starter on a contender anymore than Vassell is a #3 option. If they were their teams would be performing better than they are now.

I don't see the Spurs having interest in Deni unless it's for a low price.

If the Spurs are only interested in Avdija at an admitted underpay, and the Blazers are only interested in trading him at what Blazers fans admit would be an overpay, that kind of seems like a death knell for this concept.

If fans of the trade partners actually had to negotiate transactions, nothing would get done.

I think we actually find more agreeable trades than teams actually complete. Though we likely propose more on here than they do in team life.

[DiegoChara]

If he is worth that the Blazers paid… they should keep him.

We pretty much agree. Hence the “it would have to be an overpay” prevailing opinion from Blazer fans.