Fake Trade Thread #6

[Rich4114]

Just to be clear, Zion has played in 21 games this season.

Yeah, easy to love him at his best when he is healthy for the 25 games a year. Not really the time I want be sold into trading for him. It is like shopping hungry at the grocery store, bad decisions will be made.

The problem is, Zion would never even be on the table for a trade candidate without the injury history. It's the games missed that makes him attainable in the first place and it gives us a chance to acquire a top 25 or higher talent at the expense of risk he continues to miss games throughout the rest of his contract. Now the contract has the ability to be voided if he's missing games for poor conditioning, so the risk isn't as high as it seems. The real risk is using assets towards it.

But I'm truly sick of trying to develop our own picks, which mostly have not worked out over the course of a decade. I do not see this as a move to make "once we're winning" I see it as a trade to make to get us to win and then tweak with follow ups from there.

[GoBobs]

Pretty much all the trades we have seen so far have been established players for future picks and decent prospects. They always come just before the trade deadline.

I don't really expect to see much go down this summer. Maybe Mark will be moved. LeMelo, and Miles probably have the first part of next season to show they can be the stars of this team and make the team competative or they could be moved for future picks.

As bad as things are going right now, these guys are actually doing ok. Imagine being the Suns. They don't own any of their own picks until 2033 and they have like no protection on those. They will get a first this year, in 2027 and 2029 and they are all like the worst first of three teams. They are 3-9 in the last 12 games.

We have three extra picks owed to us for the first time ever and almost had four. In a year with a good draft we have a clear direction. How many years have we been in that 29-33 8th spot where the Orlando Magic are now, or worse the 10th spot or whatever

[yosemiteben]

But I'm truly sick of trying to develop our own picks...

More sick than you are of having our best guys miss 50-60 games every season? I very much am ready to get off that ride.

[EmpireFalls]

If the potential trade is choosing between LaMelo Ball and 3 more Tidjane Salauns give me LaMelo Ball.

[JustBuzzin]

If the potential trade is choosing between LaMelo Ball and 3 more Tidjane Salauns give me LaMelo Ball.

[Rich4114]

But I'm truly sick of trying to develop our own picks...

More sick than you are of having our best guys miss 50-60 games every season? I very much am ready to get off that ride.

Actually yes, believe it or not. Because I've been watching draft picks bust or not develop beyond marginal rotation player for 25 years and I've only had to endure our best players missing 50-60 games for two seasons.

[JMAC3]

But I'm truly sick of trying to develop our own picks...

More sick than you are of having our best guys miss 50-60 games every season? I very much am ready to get off that ride.

Trading talent and taking on bad contracts for firsts... but at same time blaming your franchise for player for not being good enough and trading him away for more firsts is not setting the team up for success.

We basically gave Melo an incomplete team on purpose. His value is probably at an all-time low so when we trade him for a Podziemsky and 2 firsts we can secure to being terrible for 3-4 more years.

[luciano-davidwesley]

But I'm truly sick of trying to develop our own picks...

More sick than you are of having our best guys miss 50-60 games every season? I very much am ready to get off that ride.

Actually yes, believe it or not. Because I've been watching draft picks bust or not develop beyond marginal rotation player for 25 years and I've only had to endure our best players missing 50-60 games for two seasons.

Just because our drafting and player development has traditionally sucked doesn't mean we shouldn't keep trying.

We just need to do better in both aspects.

[Rich4114]

But I'm truly sick of trying to develop our own picks...

More sick than you are of having our best guys miss 50-60 games every season? I very much am ready to get off that ride.

Trading talent and taking on bad contracts for firsts... but at same time blaming your franchise for player for not being good enough and trading him away for more firsts is not setting the team up for success.

We basically gave Melo an incomplete team on purpose. His value is probably at an all-time low so when we trade him for a Podziemsky and 2 firsts we can secure to being terrible for 3-4 more years.

lmao tell me about it. He is the one draft pick we've made in the last what, 10 drafts that has panned out and turned into an actual star so let's trade him for more at bats sometime in the future and most likely outside of the lottery too.

We have not once put a team around him and the best talent he did have around him was what he was drafted into because that squad was a 9th seed by themselves who just signed Gordon Hayward. I don't care how injured he's been or how much we've lost, I'm not trading LaMelo Ball unless I'm getting an Ant Edwards caliber player in return and that simply isn't happening.

[JustBuzzin]

More sick than you are of having our best guys miss 50-60 games every season? I very much am ready to get off that ride.

Trading talent and taking on bad contracts for firsts... but at same time blaming your franchise for player for not being good enough and trading him away for more firsts is not setting the team up for success.

We basically gave Melo an incomplete team on purpose. His value is probably at an all-time low so when we trade him for a Podziemsky and 2 firsts we can secure to being terrible for 3-4 more years.

lmao tell me about it. He is the one draft pick we've made in the last what, 10 drafts that has panned out and turned into an actual star so let's trade him for more at bats sometime in the future and most likely outside of the lottery too.

We have not once put a team around him and the best talent he did have around him was what he was drafted into because that squad was a 9th seed by themselves who just signed Gordon Hayward. I don't care how injured he's been or how much we've lost, I'm not trading LaMelo Ball unless I'm getting an Ant Edwards caliber player in return and that simply isn't happening.

The problem is Melo has no relationship with new ownership and the GM. They might simply be looking to tear it down.

It's a real possibility despite what we think. I mean Luka just got traded we would be crazy to think a injury prone LaMelo can't be traded.

[JMAC3]

If I were trading LaMelo I would want at least this level of back. This is assuming we get roughly 3 firsts+ or so back in value.

Heat- Warriors 2025 first, Heat unprotected first, and 2 from this group (Ware, Jacquez, Jovic)
Magic #1- Suggs, 1 unprotected first, Da Silva for LaMelo
Magic #2- Black, Da Silva, 2 unprotected firsts for LaMelo
Chicago- 2025 first (8th), future Bulls first, Coby White.
Nets #1- 2025 Nets first (6th) + Unprotected Knicks pick.
Nets #2 - Late 2025 first + 3 future firsts
Rockets #1- Sheppard, Whitmore + 2 future protected/lesser firsts
Rockets #2- Sheppard, Jabari + 1 lesser future first
Clippers - No assets to make deal happen.
Jazz - 2 firsts plus 2 from this group (Collier, Keyonte, Hendricks, Cody Williams)
Warriors- 2 future unprotected firsts + 1 of Podz/Kuminga

[JMAC3]

My preference if we land a top 3-4 pick would be to add that player to the mix of LaMelo, Miller, Miles and Mark. LaMelo is only 23 yrs old and under contract for 4 more years. Still think we can keep him for 1-2 more years before trading him would make any sense.

[yosemiteben]

For me, the primary goals for this season were to (1) keep Melo and Mark on the court and get them into a steady development program that goes through the end of the season and into the offseason, and (2) prove that we can have a competent defense while still doing step 1. Off the top of my head, I think everything else was secondary from a franchise building perspective to those two goals.

My two biggest questions marks for this season were can we keep those two guys healthy, and can we have a respectable defense if we do. If we finish the season with both of those things being accomplished, I'll feel pretty good about our trajectory as a franchise.

Right now cleaning the glass has our DRTG at 18th in the league, which is the best defense relative to the rest of the league that we've had in 7 years, so I'm feeling good about how that goal is trending. Jury is out on the injury stuff but I'm encouraged by the injury management protocols we have for Melo and Mark and I'm hopeful we can keep them healthy for the rest of the season.

[Rich4114]

For me, the primary goals for this season were to (1) keep Melo and Mark on the court and get them into a steady development program that goes through the end of the season and into the offseason, and (2) prove that we can have a competent defense while still doing step 1. Off the top of my head, I think everything else was secondary from a franchise building perspective to those two goals.

My two biggest questions marks for this season were can we keep those two guys healthy, and can we have a respectable defense if we do. If we finish the season with both of those things being accomplished, I'll feel pretty good about our trajectory as a franchise.

Right now cleaning the glass has our DRTG at 18th in the league, which is the best defense relative to the rest of the league that we've had in 7 years, so I'm feeling good about how that goal is trending. Jury is out on the injury stuff but I'm encouraged by the injury management protocols we have for Melo and Mark and I'm hopeful we can keep them healthy for the rest of the season.

Between the injuries, organizational tanking, "injury management" and zero effort to build a respectable roster around LaMelo and Mark, I have no idea how you can take anything positive away from this season other than confirmation LaMelo can score 30ppg with some semblance of talent around him.

[fatlever]

If I were trading LaMelo I would want at least this level of back. This is assuming we get roughly 3 firsts+ or so back in value.

Heat- Warriors 2025 first, Heat unprotected first, and 2 from this group (Ware, Jacquez, Jovic)
Magic #1- Suggs, 1 unprotected first, Da Silva for LaMelo
Magic #2- Black, Da Silva, 2 unprotected firsts for LaMelo
Chicago- 2025 first (8th), future Bulls first, Coby White.
Nets #1- 2025 Nets first (6th) + Unprotected Knicks pick.
Nets #2 - Late 2025 first + 3 future firsts
Rockets #1- Sheppard, Whitmore + 2 future protected/lesser firsts
Rockets #2- Sheppard, Jabari + 1 lesser future first
Clippers - No assets to make deal happen.
Jazz - 2 firsts plus 2 from this group (Collier, Keyonte, Hendricks, Cody Williams)
Warriors- 2 future unprotected firsts + 1 of Podz/Kuminga

if we were hellbent on moving melo i'd go for the houston deals
i wonder what a melo/franz deal might look like with magic - if magic feel franz/paolo are too redundant and need 3pt shooting - melo/suggs/paolo core would be fun.

[JMAC3]

If I were trading LaMelo I would want at least this level of back. This is assuming we get roughly 3 firsts+ or so back in value.

Heat- Warriors 2025 first, Heat unprotected first, and 2 from this group (Ware, Jacquez, Jovic)
Magic #1- Suggs, 1 unprotected first, Da Silva for LaMelo
Magic #2- Black, Da Silva, 2 unprotected firsts for LaMelo
Chicago- 2025 first (8th), future Bulls first, Coby White.
Nets #1- 2025 Nets first (6th) + Unprotected Knicks pick.
Nets #2 - Late 2025 first + 3 future firsts
Rockets #1- Sheppard, Whitmore + 2 future protected/lesser firsts
Rockets #2- Sheppard, Jabari + 1 lesser future first
Clippers - No assets to make deal happen.
Jazz - 2 firsts plus 2 from this group (Collier, Keyonte, Hendricks, Cody Williams)
Warriors- 2 future unprotected firsts + 1 of Podz/Kuminga

if we were hellbent on moving melo i'd go for the houston deals
i wonder what a melo/franz deal might look like with magic - if magic feel franz/paolo are too redundant and need 3pt shooting - melo/suggs/paolo core would be fun.

I would say 5% chance. Wings in the NBA are too hard to find and Franz is 13th in EPM this year, no way they are willingly shipping him out when they own a surplus of picks and prospects they can use to upgrade roster.

[JMAC3]

Conventional wisdom in the NBA would tell you that if you have 10 future firsts in the next 7 years that it makes sense to at least try to add a big name to the team before completely tearing it down. Most teams rebuild after they push their chips to the middle and lose and they have no way to improve. We would rather just never try.

Peterson seems like he would rather take 5 years to rebuild then attempt to win now at this point. If that is the case we owe it to LaMelo to trade him if we aren't even going to try to win games. Peterson is going to end up trading LaMelo because 13 firsts in the next 7 years just sounds too fun for him, who cares if we suck for another 3 years in his mind.

[KembaWalker]

Offer Dallas their pick back for AD

[JustBuzzin]

If I were trading LaMelo I would want at least this level of back. This is assuming we get roughly 3 firsts+ or so back in value.

Heat- Warriors 2025 first, Heat unprotected first, and 2 from this group (Ware, Jacquez, Jovic)
Magic #1- Suggs, 1 unprotected first, Da Silva for LaMelo
Magic #2- Black, Da Silva, 2 unprotected firsts for LaMelo
Chicago- 2025 first (8th), future Bulls first, Coby White.
Nets #1- 2025 Nets first (6th) + Unprotected Knicks pick.
Nets #2 - Late 2025 first + 3 future firsts
Rockets #1- Sheppard, Whitmore + 2 future protected/lesser firsts
Rockets #2- Sheppard, Jabari + 1 lesser future first
Clippers - No assets to make deal happen.
Jazz - 2 firsts plus 2 from this group (Collier, Keyonte, Hendricks, Cody Williams)
Warriors- 2 future unprotected firsts + 1 of Podz/Kuminga

if we were hellbent on moving melo i'd go for the houston deals
i wonder what a melo/franz deal might look like with magic - if magic feel franz/paolo are too redundant and need 3pt shooting - melo/suggs/paolo core would be fun.

Reed/Whitmore would be nice.

Reed
Miller
Whitmore
Flagg

A nice young core moving forward.

[JMAC3]

If I were trading LaMelo I would want at least this level of back. This is assuming we get roughly 3 firsts+ or so back in value.

Heat- Warriors 2025 first, Heat unprotected first, and 2 from this group (Ware, Jacquez, Jovic)
Magic #1- Suggs, 1 unprotected first, Da Silva for LaMelo
Magic #2- Black, Da Silva, 2 unprotected firsts for LaMelo
Chicago- 2025 first (8th), future Bulls first, Coby White.
Nets #1- 2025 Nets first (6th) + Unprotected Knicks pick.
Nets #2 - Late 2025 first + 3 future firsts
Rockets #1- Sheppard, Whitmore + 2 future protected/lesser firsts
Rockets #2- Sheppard, Jabari + 1 lesser future first
Clippers - No assets to make deal happen.
Jazz - 2 firsts plus 2 from this group (Collier, Keyonte, Hendricks, Cody Williams)
Warriors- 2 future unprotected firsts + 1 of Podz/Kuminga

if we were hellbent on moving melo i'd go for the houston deals
i wonder what a melo/franz deal might look like with magic - if magic feel franz/paolo are too redundant and need 3pt shooting - melo/suggs/paolo core would be fun.

Reed/Whitmore would be nice.

Reed
Miller
Whitmore
Flagg

A nice young core moving forward.

Reed is just a complete dart throw though, I don't think any team is giving up a top 10 pick in this upcoming draft for him.

I would still rather have LaMelo than that package, but if we are committed to sucking for another 3 years then sure might as well because no reason LaMelo should have to wait 8 years into his career to have a chance to play a real playoff series.