Team Deadline Priorities

[SkyHook]

Thought it would be great to have a thread with perspectives as to what each team's priorities are for the deadline.

[SkyHook]

Utah

•Move Collins, Sexton, and/or Clarkson. Horrible or injured players with contracts not extending past next season are welcome if attached to draft assets.

•Markannen is ineligible to be traded.

•Extremely reluctant, unmotivated seller on Kessler.

•No incentive to move young players, but they're definitely not off limits. I've got Hendricks, Williams, Sensabaugh, and Collier as the first tier of who I value with George, Flip, Juzang, Potter in the second one. (Others' opinions may vary.)

•Eubanks, Patty, & Svi are fillers.

[M-C-G]

Thought it would be great to have a thread with perspectives as to what each team's priorities are for the deadline.

MKE fan base seems torn, but I think either making a big splash at wing or finding a 4/5 versatile defender are at the top of my list. Getting under the second apron also a priority

[BigGargamel]

Nuggets - I don't see any real path towards improving the roster.

ESPN came out with an article recently ranking teams based on the amount of draft capital they have to use and trade, and Denver ranked dead last. Basically, they can't trade first round picks, have no second round picks to trade and are severely limited by the CBA in what they can do. Murray and Gordon have extensions about to kick in, and MPJ is probably worth more to Denver than he is to any other team. They'd be taking back worse players/contracts if they trade him.

They also can't sign a buyout guy for more than the minimum I believe.

They have Nnaji and Saric to offer in a trade, but who on Earth wants to be saddled with those guys.

So basically, nothing they can do.

Great job, Calvin Booth.

[NYG]

Knicks either need Mitchell Robinson back or get some depth specifically up front.

[jredsaz]

Suns
1. Major talent upgrade
2. Move Beal and Nurkic contracts

[shrink]

Good idea for a reference thread before the deadline, SkyHook! Let’s post our trade ideas outside this thread.

MIN needs a back up center and maybe a PG.

Randle and NAW might be available, but I suspect they do nothing major. They need to win now, but also win later and create some financial relief for the future.

Assets: 2025 DET 1st (top 13 prot), 2025 UTA 2nd, Terrence Shannon Jr, Josh Minott, Leonard Miller. Salary matching/Apron issues.

[jayjaysee]

Dallas is in a fun position. Asset-poor, but not out of assets.

The currently healthy big men off the bench can ruin any lead.. The 5th starter is still a question mark. MVP level guy is hurt. Starting center is hurt.. Star guard might have back issues showing..

But you have two stars and good enough roleplayers, so you can’t tank right?

Just need to decide how much a bandaid is worth.

[oldncreaky]

Pistons

We could really use a secondary ball-handler to run the second unit when Cade rests. I think of getting a backup PG, but a combo guard or wing could work too.

We are also looking for a PF of the future

We have a lot of financial room
- $14M under the salary cap, $44M under the tax line
- Can take on bad money that runs into next year (no real consensus among fans on how much) too
- lots of SRPs

What we are not offering: players under 25 years old

[MoneyTalks41890]

OKC

Do nothing due to conservatives philosophies about changing the team mid-season, leaving me with nothing.



If it was up to me, a couple of aggressive moves to get a creator and a 4 who can defend and rebound.

[JRoy]

Blazers

-Move vets who likely have no future with the team for value. As team is under the cap do not send out assets to unload Simons, Ayton or Grant.

-acquire draft assets or youth.

-Maybe look to deal with OKC who may look to consolidate

[BelgradeNugget]

Nuggets - I don't see any real path towards improving the roster.

ESPN came out with an article recently ranking teams based on the amount of draft capital they have to use and trade, and Denver ranked dead last. Basically, they can't trade first round picks, have no second round picks to trade and are severely limited by the CBA in what they can do. Murray and Gordon have extensions about to kick in, and MPJ is probably worth more to Denver than he is to any other team. They'd be taking back worse players/contracts if they trade him.

They also can't sign a buyout guy for more than the minimum I believe.

They have Nnaji and Saric to offer in a trade, but who on Earth wants to be saddled with those guys.

So basically, nothing they can do.

Great job, Calvin Booth.

I agree with most but the thing is what Denver needs. I think it is not much, backup PF/C is first priority and vet wing second. If right player is avilable they can create draft capital. They can offer removing pick protection from 2025 1st to Orlando for their 2nd. With this they can offer that pick and 2026 1st swap in potential trades. Then there is different interpretation of trade avilability of their 2031 first, avilable for trade or avilable for pick swap.

Avilable players for money match could be Dario Saric $10.5M/2y (2026 is PO), Vlatko Cancar (expiring) and Hunter Tyson/Jalen Pickett - (TO on Tyson/Pickett). All in all $10.7M, 2025 2nd from Orl, 2026 1st swap, and 2031 1st (trade or swap). Maybe some combination of it could bring them players like Aldama, Goga, Jalen Smith or Chris Boucher depending who is avilable and who they like.

[nykballa2k4]

Knicks either need Mitchell Robinson back or get some depth specifically up front.

Basically this.
I think Mitch is the highest upside at his cap number, so really can we move Precious for a rim protecting big? Is Deuce expendable and enough positive value to bring back someone relevant?
We used up all of our tradable cash. We have 1 crap FRP left to trade, we have few SRP.
If I could wave a wand, I would be swapping Precious (who I like) for Duran. We have a coach whose defense philosophy is drop coverage and funnel to rim protector and we have one true shot blocking threat.
Think I am looking at Zeller, Plumlee, Theis that sort of thing realistically.

[KuzControl]

Lakers:

- Main need is a backup big, good rebounding skill is a minimum requirement. Also needs to either be 1) at least a solid rim protector; or 2) able to somewhat stretch the floor so they can share the court with AD
- If possible, wouldn't mind adding a bench playmaker to help Bron/Reaves, but this may be difficult to find for the right cost

- Not strapped for assets, but not flush with them either. Sounds like we may want to keep our distant firsts for the 'right' move (which may or may not come up this deadline), so could otherwise use pick swaps and/or our two remaining seconds
- Quite a few smaller expiring deals, as well as Rui/Vincent's deals which end in 2026 (where there is a stronger free agency class)

[MoneyTalks41890]

-Maybe look to deal with OKC who may look to consolidate

Don’t see the Thunder actually shaking it up this much, but I’d basically give most of the tradable stuff (not Cason or the other core guys) for Deni. Ideally along with Williams and Toumani. Though Reath might be more realistic.

Dieng, Topic, Dillon Jones, 2025 prot PHI 1st, prot Utah 1st, 2027 better of OKC/DEN/LAC 1st for Deni, Camara, Reath

[Papi_swav]

Nets- trade any and everybody to acquire assets or young players with potential

[JRoy]

-Maybe look to deal with OKC who may look to consolidate

Don’t see the Thunder actually shaking it up this much, but I’d basically give most of the tradable stuff (not Cason or the other core guys) for Deni. Ideally along with Williams and Toumani. Though Reath might be more realistic.

Dieng, Topic, Dillon Jones, 2025 prot PHI 1st, prot Utah 1st, 2027 better of OKC/DEN/LAC 1st for Deni, Camara, Reath

Pass for POR.

[DaVoiceMaster]

Reath, sure. Deni and Camara? Not a chance.

[wolves_89]

For the Wolves the priorities should be:
- Explore a Randle trade, though I've become doubtful that anything gets done. The Wolves are unlikely to dump Julius and there are very few trade possibilities that make even a little sense. If the team expects Randle to opt out of his player option I think he definitely stays.
- Look for a depth C. Probably looking for a defensive oriented guy who can rebound and has the size/strength to bang with bigger centers. This would be a non-rotation guy who would be the 4th big, so it would be a pretty small deal.
- Make a decision on NAW. I believe the Wolves want to keep NAW longterm, but if Connelly doesn't expect he can be re-signed then exploring the trade market makes sense. Even if there are signability concerns, it would likely take a pretty good offer to pry him loose.

[OxAndFox]

Sacramento:
Need size and length in the worst way. only players that are actually playing at the moment over 6'6 are Keegan, Sabonis, Lyles. That's it. So would need multiple big guys.

Available:
Huerter
McLaughlin
Lyles
Len
Jones
Maybe Carter if the upgrade was legit.
Future 1st
'29 Sac 2nd