Trade Board Cooperative Mock Trade Deadline - Step 2: Trade Destinations

NYG · Post #1 » by **NYG** » Mon Jan 27, 2025 2:01 am

Based on this thread (https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2434270), the following players will be traded pre-deadline. I'll add more to OP as they get to 5 votes in the other thread. Assuming they're 100% traded, Part 2 is to predict which team they end up on...

Jimmy Butler
Bruce Brown
Kyle Kuzma
Brandon Ingram

Considering things like matching salary, tax apron status, assets, etc., which are the 3 most likely destinations for each player?

NYG · Post #2 » by **NYG** » Mon Jan 27, 2025 2:08 am

Jimmy Butler: Suns, Mavericks, Bucks
Kyle Kuzma: Kings, Bulls, Timberwolves
Bruce Brown: Heat, Rockets, Spurs

babyjax13 · Post #3 » by **babyjax13** » Mon Jan 27, 2025 2:12 am

Jimmy Butler: Phoenix, Memphis, Sacramento
The Suns obviously want him and are willing to extend. Memphis has indicated they'd want him, but not to extend him. I think Sacramento is *the* darkhorse. If Miami is willing to accept a small amount of gtd. salary, DeRozan's contract makes a lot of sense. DeRozan + Huerter gets the money most of the way there and I could see Sacramento deciding that they could use a future pick to get Jimmy & if they decide they don't like what it does to the team they can trade him to Phoenix in the offseason for a pick or two with Beal going to a third team with the rest of the picks Phoenix has. Basically, it seems like a team could trade for Jimmy for a run this season then trade him in the offseason to Miami (and maybe that's ultimately what Memphis does).

Bruce Brown: Lakers, Heat, Spurs(?)
The Lakers and Heat both feel obvious here, and any team that might be involved in a Butler to the Suns scenario also makes some sense. But I went with the Spurs for the last team because I could see them deciding to move Keldon Johnson for a stable veteran presence that can be locked up a bit cheaper. Pure speculation, but I like the fit of Brown on that team and in that culture.

Kyle Kuzma: New Orleans, Golden State, Sacramento
Admittedly, I think he is going to be really hard to trade. I've selected New Orleans because they have a clear reason for getting him - to be Zion insurance - and because he makes a lot of sense in an Ingram trade whether Ingram goes to Washington or a third team. I've picked Golden State because they have some matching salary that might make sense (Payton + Anderson + Hield or Looney) and I could see them deciding that a 20ppg scorer might be just enough to have a respectable end to the season ... but it is tenuous logic. Sacramento might decide he makes more positional sense than DeRozan, and I think if you are Washington that flipping Kuzma for any added value (say 2 or 3 seconds) should be worth it. In the offseason they may find similar value for DeRozan, or it may be available from a third team.

NYG · Post #4 » by **NYG** » Tue Jan 28, 2025 1:57 am

Added Brandon Ingram to OP as he now has 5 votes...

Brandon Ingram: Mavericks, Pistons, Grizzlies

Post #5 » by **Texas Chuck** » Tue Jan 28, 2025 2:18 am

NYG wrote:Added Brandon Ingram to OP as he now has 5 votes...

Brandon Ingram: Mavericks, Pistons, Grizzlies

He makes sense as Luka/Kyrie insurance(though he's hurt too) but I think its pretty difficult for Dallas to actually trade for him because they don't have expiring money and New Orleans shouldn't want their matching salary outside of maybe Gafford. But then Dallas can't give up Gafford because they literally have no other centers healthy other than a 27 old 2 way guy making his NBA debut...

YayBasketball · Post #6 » by **YayBasketball** » Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:30 am

NYG wrote:Added Brandon Ingram to OP as he now has 5 votes...

Brandon Ingram: Mavericks, Pistons, Grizzlies

Brandon Ingram: Bulls, Heat, Grizzlies