2024-25 Season: Draft, Trades, and FA Ideas Thread V1.0

[CazOnReal]

If you think our defense is bad now, adding Trae would be...woof.

[Tripod]

Indy isn't going to blow it up. They still have lots of young pieces and pics. They can trade one to get another C if they move on from Turner.

I don't see us making any big move going into next year except adding our pick, and finding a backup C.

Orlando is likely moving a big.
Isaac has term and is at 15 mill
M Wagner 1 year at 11
Goga 3 years at 8
WJC is at 10 next year, then new contract starting at 19

Grabbing Goga or Isaac would be ideal, but it's most likely WCJ they try and move to get off of the longer term, bigger money. He has shown he can be a 15-10 guy with outside shooting...but is having a bad shooting year...and health is always an issue.

Dallas of course is the other one. But Gafford only has 1 more year then UFA so Dallas likely keeps him.

Of course that backup C spot could be filled via the draft if we don't win it. I think we see who we get in the draft, then reassess.

[Rapsfan07]

RJ on an expiring contract isn't likely to garner much, which is why he should have been on the block this year, especially if you were targeting Ingram. We can definitely take on some contract term for 2027 as cap space is def gone and we can squeeze a smaller than RJ salary potentially, unless Ochai's deal ends up being a problem.

The Nadji/bad contract deals for picks become more palatable with that situation. Only way to recoup lost asset value now.

Not sure what to do about Agbaji. He's a solid wing defender and I see a poor man's Norman Powell possible but he's already in year 5 and by the time Powell was this age, he was a lot better. Add to the fact that we have Walter on an expiring contract and Dick who has already proven he's an NBA player and I see no point in wasting much needed future capspace on an Agbaji extension.

Depending on how the rest of the season goes and the draft, I'd probaly attach him to a Quickley package and see what that gets us.

Amazing how people make up facts to further own points.

Ochai is season 3 not 5.

And rj has 2 years left after this.

I stand corrected. You're right, he's in year 3

[Mr Swagtastic]

Hypothetical:
Trae asks out after Hawks decide to pivot to Dyson/Johnson/Zach this offseason

Do you trade IQ/Dick + future picks and/or swaps to get him?

Trae/Shead
RJ/Walter
BI/Ochai
SB/Mogbo
JP/Robinson

+ 2025 FRP and SRP

Assuming we go for Malauch we get another big that can possibly anchor the defense behind Trae. We'd also have 2 all stars that are younger than 30 to pair with Scottie. Both also top 5 picks from their respective drafts

Teams will outbid you easily. Orlando and New Orleans come to mind. New Orleans probably offers one of CJ or Murray to a third team plus their pick this year the Pacers pick plus. Orlando could offer Black or Suggs plus

Honestly I would prefer Lamelo Ball he's younger and a better fit

[Jim Todd Jr.]

I am obsessed with adding Kasparas to this core

KJ / Quickley / Shead
Barrett / Walter / Agbaji
Ingram / Dick / Battle
Barnes / Mogbo / SRP
Poeltl / MLE Center / Chomche

Just watching him operate I can tell hes special.

[Mr Swagtastic]

I am obsessed with adding Kasparas to this core

KJ / Quickley / Shead
Barrett / Walter / Agbaji
Ingram / Dick / Battle
Barnes / Mogbo / SRP
Poeltl / MLE Center / Chomche

Just watching him operate I can tell hes special.

So your obsessed on drafting a guy to make Quickley a $40+ million a year backup seems like a great move

[Jim Todd Jr.]

I am obsessed with adding Kasparas to this core

KJ / Quickley / Shead
Barrett / Walter / Agbaji
Ingram / Dick / Battle
Barnes / Mogbo / SRP
Poeltl / MLE Center / Chomche

Just watching him operate I can tell hes special.

So your obsessed on drafting a guy to make Quickley a $40+ million a year backup seems like a great move

No matter what position you pick there will be that issue now. You want to force a C? Pick another wing?

[tecumseh18]

I am obsessed with adding Kasparas to this core

KJ / Quickley / Shead
Barrett / Walter / Agbaji
Ingram / Dick / Battle
Barnes / Mogbo / SRP
Poeltl / MLE Center / Chomche

Just watching him operate I can tell hes special.

So your obsessed on drafting a guy to make Quickley a $40+ million a year backup seems like a great move

It galls me that guys like you (and Trump btw) just pull numbers out of your ass and treat them like they're factual - even using them as an excuse to be sarcastic/impudent. Especially when you're not even talking about the 5th year of his contract. Quickley's $32.5 mill per is fixed through his term.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/70667/immanuel-quickley

Draft the BPA. If that turns out to be KJ or VJ or Harper, then so be it.

[ArthurVandelay]

I am obsessed with adding Kasparas to this core

KJ / Quickley / Shead
Barrett / Walter / Agbaji
Ingram / Dick / Battle
Barnes / Mogbo / SRP
Poeltl / MLE Center / Chomche

Just watching him operate I can tell hes special.

So your obsessed on drafting a guy to make Quickley a $40+ million a year backup seems like a great move

$32.5m backup

[UnbelievablyRAW]

Hypothetical:
Trae asks out after Hawks decide to pivot to Dyson/Johnson/Zach this offseason

Do you trade IQ/Dick + future picks and/or swaps to get him?

Trae/Shead
RJ/Walter
BI/Ochai
SB/Mogbo
JP/Robinson

+ 2025 FRP and SRP

Assuming we go for Malauch we get another big that can possibly anchor the defense behind Trae. We'd also have 2 all stars that are younger than 30 to pair with Scottie. Both also top 5 picks from their respective drafts

Teams will outbid you easily. Orlando and New Orleans come to mind. New Orleans probably offers one of CJ or Murray to a third team plus their pick this year the Pacers pick plus. Orlando could offer Black or Suggs plus

Honestly I would prefer Lamelo Ball he's younger and a better fit

I feel like Trae was on the table last summer and none of those offers came about. I don’t think he’ll get more than what SAS had to give for Fox given his rep. Pelicans already passed on him and opted for Murray, no way they move a top 4 pick in this draft for him when they have a chance at Harper or Kasp.

I honestly doubt Orlando moves Suggs for him.

I think he’ll be a sneaky buy low target unless he demands a specific team

[UnbelievablyRAW]

I am obsessed with adding Kasparas to this core

KJ / Quickley / Shead
Barrett / Walter / Agbaji
Ingram / Dick / Battle
Barnes / Mogbo / SRP
Poeltl / MLE Center / Chomche

Just watching him operate I can tell hes special.

So your obsessed on drafting a guy to make Quickley a $40+ million a year backup seems like a great move

Sunk cost theory

If we have a chance at Harper or Kasp is the BpA I’m not passing for “Immanuel Quickley”

If anything it makes it easier to package him for a star in a position of need or the next star that opts out.

[Thaddy]

I am obsessed with adding Kasparas to this core

KJ / Quickley / Shead
Barrett / Walter / Agbaji
Ingram / Dick / Battle
Barnes / Mogbo / SRP
Poeltl / MLE Center / Chomche

Just watching him operate I can tell hes special.

So your obsessed on drafting a guy to make Quickley a $40+ million a year backup seems like a great move

Sunk cost theory

If we have a chance at Harper or Kasp is the BpA I’m not passing for “Immanuel Quickley”

If anything it makes it easier to package him for a star in a position of need or the next star that opts out.

Changing league wide perception of IQs contract is an uphil battle. No one is viewing him as a positive contract right now. The Knicks were guessing he'd get ~20M AAV if he stuck around with them.

[sidsid]

So your obsessed on drafting a guy to make Quickley a $40+ million a year backup seems like a great move

Sunk cost theory

If we have a chance at Harper or Kasp is the BpA I’m not passing for “Immanuel Quickley”

If anything it makes it easier to package him for a star in a position of need or the next star that opts out.

Changing league wide perception of IQs contract is an uphil battle. No one is viewing him as a positive contract right now. The Knicks were guessing he'd get ~20M AAV if he stuck around with them.

Yes, the assumption that Quickley isn't an expensive negative asset at this point is likely wrong. That's why the Trae scenarios I think will have to cost more unless he changes that perception over the rest of this season.

[UnbelievablyRAW]

If you think our defense is bad now, adding Trae would be...woof.

To be fair I don’t think IQ is that great either and the substantial upgrade on offense would offset whatever defensive disparity imo. It’s part of the reason we looked great defensively for stretches only when he’s out.

I think Trae’s defense is a lot better than his reputation and IQs is a lot worse than his. Assuming we’re not trading multiple unprotected firsts I would think it would be a positive move for us even if it’s only able to last a year or 2 for financial reasons

What do you think of this sample offseason offer as a start?



ATL gets a new starting PG with more size that can play off ball in IQ next to Dyson. Replace Capela with a better C on a cheaper per year deal, and get another depth wing in Ochai. Raps also send a 2026 first (because we assume we’re going to be good) and a swap in 2028.

Doing this deal for Toronto actually saves us about ~4.2 million this offseason and gives us about 43.9 to offer Ingram without going over the first apron (this is also factoring in us getting the 5th pick and paying them 9 million and assuming Ingram isn’t looking for a max). We would then have the MLE to go after Capela, Brook Lopez, Mo Wagner, Nance etc or take fliers on C’s through the draft.

Raptors

Trae/Shead
RJ/Walter
Ingram/Dick/Battle
Scottie/Mogbo/Niang
?/Robinson/Chomche

+ 2025 FRP, POR SRP


I’m not even sure if do it but if we were able to get Lopez I think we might make a huge leap in one offseason

[UnbelievablyRAW]

Sunk cost theory

If we have a chance at Harper or Kasp is the BpA I’m not passing for “Immanuel Quickley”

If anything it makes it easier to package him for a star in a position of need or the next star that opts out.

Changing league wide perception of IQs contract is an uphil battle. No one is viewing him as a positive contract right now. The Knicks were guessing he'd get ~20M AAV if he stuck around with them.

Yes, the assumption that Quickley isn't an expensive negative asset at this point is likely wrong. That's why the Trae scenarios I think will have to cost more unless he changes that perception over the rest of this season.

As backwards as it is I think Trae is viewed the same way. He was on the market last offseason with no buyers so ATL trades Murray who got them more positive assets than Trae would have.

I do get the IQ point. I feel some of it can be explained away by the injuries because he looked a lot better last season in the last third of the year

[Rapsfan07]

Having taken a look around the league, there aren't any PGs that I can reasonably see becoming available that are better than and will be available for a package centered around Quickley. If we're looking for an upgrade, Young is probably our best bet.

That being said, if we think the defense is bad now, just wait until we get Young. Yes he's much better offensively but a Young/Barrett/Ingram/Barnes/Poeltl lineup probably gets picked apart in the playoffs and is even more expensive than what we have now.

Young was being shopped last year and ATL ended up moving Murray instead due to Murray getting the better offers. I don't advise we do it but if we did, I wouldn't offer more than Quickley + Walter/Agbaji and a protected 1st.

Ultimately, the draft will have a lot to do with how we proceed.

[agkagk]

Hypothetical:
Trae asks out after Hawks decide to pivot to Dyson/Johnson/Zach this offseason

Do you trade IQ/Dick + future picks and/or swaps to get him?

Trae/Shead
RJ/Walter
BI/Ochai
SB/Mogbo
JP/Robinson

+ 2025 FRP and SRP

Assuming we go for Malauch we get another big that can possibly anchor the defense behind Trae. We'd also have 2 all stars that are younger than 30 to pair with Scottie. Both also top 5 picks from their respective drafts

Teams will outbid you easily. Orlando and New Orleans come to mind. New Orleans probably offers one of CJ or Murray to a third team plus their pick this year the Pacers pick plus. Orlando could offer Black or Suggs plus

Honestly I would prefer Lamelo Ball he's younger and a better fit

Charlotte might fluke their way into being amazing.

I think a white boy named cooper flag is a marketable my godsend for the NBA and the sad sack Washington wizards.

Anyways, lamelo, miller and one of the other big three prospects and charlotte might max out on their 20 years of incompetence.

Tanking!

[bobbyp3588]

Hypothetical:
Trae asks out after Hawks decide to pivot to Dyson/Johnson/Zach this offseason

Do you trade IQ/Dick + future picks and/or swaps to get him?

Trae/Shead
RJ/Walter
BI/Ochai
SB/Mogbo
JP/Robinson

+ 2025 FRP and SRP

Assuming we go for Malauch we get another big that can possibly anchor the defense behind Trae. We'd also have 2 all stars that are younger than 30 to pair with Scottie. Both also top 5 picks from their respective drafts

Teams will outbid you easily. Orlando and New Orleans come to mind. New Orleans probably offers one of CJ or Murray to a third team plus their pick this year the Pacers pick plus. Orlando could offer Black or Suggs plus

Honestly I would prefer Lamelo Ball he's younger and a better fit

I feel like Trae was on the table last summer and none of those offers came about. I don’t think he’ll get more than what SAS had to give for Fox given his rep. Pelicans already passed on him and opted for Murray, no way they move a top 4 pick in this draft for him when they have a chance at Harper or Kasp.

I honestly doubt Orlando moves Suggs for him.

I think he’ll be a sneaky buy low target unless he demands a specific team

Yuck. Trae is a total Do Not Want from my perspective. Like at all. Not even for a few SRP’s. He’s paid as if he’s really really good but seems like such a net negative player. Sure he can score, but so can any and everyone attacking him.

Maybe I’ll be wrong one day but I don’t imagine a Trae led team ever goes on a deep run. He screams LOSER. He’s certainly not of the quality to demand a certain team. lol. If he does, I pity that team.

[bobbyp3588]

If you think our defense is bad now, adding Trae would be...woof.

To be fair I don’t think IQ is that great either and the substantial upgrade on offense would offset whatever defensive disparity imo. It’s part of the reason we looked great defensively for stretches only when he’s out.

I think Trae’s defense is a lot better than his reputation and IQs is a lot worse than his. Assuming we’re not trading multiple unprotected firsts I would think it would be a positive move for us even if it’s only able to last a year or 2 for financial reasons

What do you think of this sample offseason offer as a start?



ATL gets a new starting PG with more size that can play off ball in IQ next to Dyson. Replace Capela with a better C on a cheaper per year deal, and get another depth wing in Ochai. Raps also send a 2026 first (because we assume we’re going to be good) and a swap in 2028.

Doing this deal for Toronto actually saves us about ~4.2 million this offseason and gives us about 43.9 to offer Ingram without going over the first apron (this is also factoring in us getting the 5th pick and paying them 9 million and assuming Ingram isn’t looking for a max). We would then have the MLE to go after Capela, Brook Lopez, Mo Wagner, Nance etc or take fliers on C’s through the draft.

Raptors

Trae/Shead
RJ/Walter
Ingram/Dick/Battle
Scottie/Mogbo/Niang
?/Robinson/Chomche

+ 2025 FRP, POR SRP


I’m not even sure if do it but if we were able to get Lopez I think we might make a huge leap in one offseason

At all costs, stay away from Trae. Dude is hot garbage. He has the mental make-up of a pillow. Soft, soft, soft. No thank-you.

[UnbelievablyRAW]

Teams will outbid you easily. Orlando and New Orleans come to mind. New Orleans probably offers one of CJ or Murray to a third team plus their pick this year the Pacers pick plus. Orlando could offer Black or Suggs plus

Honestly I would prefer Lamelo Ball he's younger and a better fit

I feel like Trae was on the table last summer and none of those offers came about. I don’t think he’ll get more than what SAS had to give for Fox given his rep. Pelicans already passed on him and opted for Murray, no way they move a top 4 pick in this draft for him when they have a chance at Harper or Kasp.

I honestly doubt Orlando moves Suggs for him.

I think he’ll be a sneaky buy low target unless he demands a specific team

Yuck. Trae is a total Do Not Want from my perspective. Like at all. Not even for a few SRP’s. He’s paid as if he’s really really good but seems like such a net negative player. Sure he can score, but so can any and everyone attacking him.

Maybe I’ll be wrong one day but I don’t imagine a Trae led team ever goes on a deep run. He screams LOSER. He’s certainly not of the quality to demand a certain team. lol. If he does, I pity that team.

I feel you’re being hyperbolic. He certainly isn’t without faults but he’s still the assist leader and raises the floor of any offense he’s a part of. He also wouldn’t be “the guy” if traded to our team

This is still Scottie’s team in spirit. In the hypothetical scenario we would be adding 2 all star players younger than 30 while not completely breaking the bank to pair with Scottie.


Trae would have 2 years left if traded in the coming offseason. This aligns with RJ’s contract as well which means if it doesn’t work we can sell off both as expirings.

Assuming Scottie’s reduced offensive load could help his defense, I think the team would be one defensive big away from being a top 5 seed with room for internal improvement from Scottie, Walter, Dick, our 2025 pick and even RJ

I liken how Trae is viewed now to Karl Towns before Ant Edwards got there and they traded for Rudy. See how his rep has made a 180 since he started playing with good teams? Before that he was a “negative” contract and a “losing player”. Dude is killing it for the Knicks right now playing with other stars now that he can’t be doubled