Rumors, Random Thoughts, and non-Threadworthy Posts 18.0 Dave Cowens drove a taxi

[Domejandro]

Hey Nico, moron, if that's on the table for KD, switch the K to an A and see what they'd give for Davis.

Reaffirming that I would absolutely sell the farm to pair Rudy Gobert and Anthony Davis together, but would feel nervous about selling the farm alongside Rudy. Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Rob Dillingham, #17, forty garbage pick swaps… take it all!

Obviously Dallas has zero interest without Rudy Gobert’s inclusion, but just for fun…
Tyus Jones (…or NAW/Mike) / Anthony Edwards / Jaden McDaniels / Anthony Davis / Rudy Gobert

Teams would be putting up early 2000’s scores against that squad.

[daoneandonly]

Hey Nico, moron, if that's on the table for KD, switch the K to an A and see what they'd give for Davis.

Reaffirming that I would absolutely sell the farm to pair Rudy Gobert and Anthony Davis together, but would feel nervous about selling the farm alongside Rudy. Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Rob Dillingham, #17, forty garbage pick swaps… take it all!

Obviously Dallas has zero interest without Rudy Gobert’s inclusion, but just for fun…
Tyus Jones (…or NAW/Mike) / Anthony Edwards / Jaden McDaniels / Anthony Davis / Rudy Gobert

Teams would be putting up early 2000’s scores against that squad.

Well I actually wouldnt want Rudy on Dallas, not that he isnt good, but more of a timeline thing. I'd stick with pairing Lively with Flagg with Gaff or someone similar as the reserve. The goal in this hypothetical would be to move Rudy for more assets

[jayjaysee]

Random bad ideas?

Charlotte send a couple future seconds out if they got Brook Lopez on a 3yr68 (only first year guaranteed) and got to send out Nurkic? The first year Charlotte gets a nice upgrade and mentor, then they can decide if he’s worth 20-22 million or not depending on how much further he declines? (unlikely he is worth it, but maybe trade filler or etc)

Or SAS offer Barnes and a future second?

Brook would be agreeing to go to whichever team gave him the biggest one year salary? He already made a lot of money and just wanted to play video games, but get another 22-24 million, most likely get waived after one year and then sign wherever you want for 2026-2027..

Just playing with creating matching salary for Milwaukee. Whether they add their distant first or just look at taking back an overpaid 30-34 dollar-but-talented player adding in Connaughton and vet mins..

[jayjaysee]

More random stuff?

Brooklyn has the cap space to trade for Ja and JJJ? Did we do that?

Claxton/JJJ/Cam/Cam/Ja with the other youth they have now and probably keeping the later firsts from this draft to have a young deep bench? Maybe have to renounce Sharpe? Looks pretty good and young enough?

They traded the Phoenix firsts but can offer 8 and their own/NYK future picks? However many you think? Memphis can take on salary from Boston or LAL or whoever for additional assets?

Probably better for Brooklyn to trade Cam, Claxton and tank. Build a roster next offseason. And Memphis probably isn’t tanking, I know.

[Godaddycurse]

More random stuff?

Brooklyn has the cap space to trade for Ja and JJJ? Did we do that?

Claxton/JJJ/Cam/Cam/Ja with the other youth they have now and probably keeping the later firsts from this draft to have a young deep bench? Maybe have to renounce Sharpe? Looks pretty good and young enough?

They traded the Phoenix firsts but can offer 8 and their own/NYK future picks? However many you think? Memphis can take on salary from Boston or LAL or whoever for additional assets?

Probably better for Brooklyn to trade Cam, Claxton and tank. Build a roster next offseason. And Memphis probably isn’t tanking, I know.

That team is worse than the grizzlies pre bane trade

[jayjaysee]

More random stuff?

Brooklyn has the cap space to trade for Ja and JJJ? Did we do that?

Claxton/JJJ/Cam/Cam/Ja with the other youth they have now and probably keeping the later firsts from this draft to have a young deep bench? Maybe have to renounce Sharpe? Looks pretty good and young enough?

They traded the Phoenix firsts but can offer 8 and their own/NYK future picks? However many you think? Memphis can take on salary from Boston or LAL or whoever for additional assets?

Probably better for Brooklyn to trade Cam, Claxton and tank. Build a roster next offseason. And Memphis probably isn’t tanking, I know.

That team is worse than the grizzlies pre bane trade

I would say similar not worse? They have similar upside youth on the bench, have a better starting center.

[shrink]

Right now, MIN is $16.6 over the second apron. To legally do a Durant trade at the deadline, we would need to send out at least $16.6 PLUS $51.2 or $67.8 mil.

Gobert ($43.8) + DiVincenzo ($11.4) + Shannon ($2.5) + #17 ($0) = $57.7 mil outgoing salary

Gobert ($43.8) + DiVincenzo ($11.4) + Dillingham ($6.3) + #17 ($0) = $61.5 mil outgoing salary

Now, maybe MIN and PHX are sending other contracts to a third team simultaneously, but these deals are illegal

It looks like you are using the '24/'25 salaries instead of '25/'26

Fanspo trade machine says the Dillingham version is legal.
Gobert ($35.0) + DiVincenzo ($11.9) + Dillingham ($6.5) + #17 ($0) = $53.5 mil outgoing salary
Durant: $54.7M

Wolves are going to be under the first apron on July 1 [by ~$900k]
https://www.spotrac.com/nba/minnesota-timberwolves/cap

So it can work as proposed as a 2-team trade.

I agree with you, waiting three weeks for next season makes more sense, but using this year’s numbers was intentional, for several reasons.

Next year makes more sense to me too, but PHX has been adamant that they want Durant traded before the draft, so they can use the picks themselves. There is also a lot of smoke out there that the deal will happen in the next 48 hours. Plus, you’ll note that the pieces MIN put into this trade are all trade eligible right now, while the more logical choice for the trade, Julius Randle (and Naz, and NAW) aren’t in this offer. In fact, if you consider Ant and Jaden untouchable, this offer includes almost all of our currently tradable salary. Maybe that’s random, but I haven’t heard a peep about PHX wanting to wait until next season, if they are okay with an offer in principle.

[Godaddycurse]

More random stuff?

Brooklyn has the cap space to trade for Ja and JJJ? Did we do that?

Claxton/JJJ/Cam/Cam/Ja with the other youth they have now and probably keeping the later firsts from this draft to have a young deep bench? Maybe have to renounce Sharpe? Looks pretty good and young enough?

They traded the Phoenix firsts but can offer 8 and their own/NYK future picks? However many you think? Memphis can take on salary from Boston or LAL or whoever for additional assets?

Probably better for Brooklyn to trade Cam, Claxton and tank. Build a roster next offseason. And Memphis probably isn’t tanking, I know.

That team is worse than the grizzlies pre bane trade

I would say similar not worse? They have similar upside youth on the bench, have a better starting center.

i think memphis' bench was better and Memphis had the better 3rd option/star

[Astaluego]

The Nets receive B. Beal/+ the picks the Suns get from the KD trade + the picks the Suns can still trade for future picks (just a FRP, I think) and send the Suns Cam Johnson + Claxton? Why accept Beal? Well, it seems like basketball isn't his priority, and he'd go live in Brooklyn...
In this scenario, they'd accept an offer from Houston based on FVV + Whitmore + FRP.

Beal+9 +Future FRP(SUNS)+Whitmore NETS
KD HOUSTON
FVV/Johnson/Claxton+27(NETS) SUNS..

FVV/Booker/Cam/Dunn/Claxton
27/Allen/Royce/Oso/Richards+29




Just rambling.

[In-N-Out 247]

I saw the report that the Wolves could trade for Durant now if they wanted, but are hesitant because he supposedly does not want to play there.

Correct me if I am wrong, but for the 24/25 league year they are well above the 2nd apron, so it is literally impossible for them to trade for Durant now (because they can't aggregate salaries, which they will have to do to acquire KD, and stay above the 2nd apron).

They'd have to wait for the 25/26 league year to pull off the deal. And to me it seems like it would be super problematic to announce that trade so far in advance of when it can become final.

[shrink]

I saw the report that the Wolves could trade for Durant now if they wanted, but are hesitant because he supposedly does not want to play there.

Correct me if I am wrong, but for the 24/25 league year they are well above the 2nd apron, so it is literally impossible for them to trade for Durant now (because they can't aggregate salaries, which they will have to do to acquire KD, and stay above the 2nd apron).

They'd have to wait for the 25/26 league year to pull off the deal. And to me it seems like it would be super problematic to announce that trade so far in advance of when it can become final.

You’re right. Scroll back three posts for specifics, if you’re interested.

[In-N-Out 247]

I saw the report that the Wolves could trade for Durant now if they wanted, but are hesitant because he supposedly does not want to play there.

Correct me if I am wrong, but for the 24/25 league year they are well above the 2nd apron, so it is literally impossible for them to trade for Durant now (because they can't aggregate salaries, which they will have to do to acquire KD, and stay above the 2nd apron).

They'd have to wait for the 25/26 league year to pull off the deal. And to me it seems like it would be super problematic to announce that trade so far in advance of when it can become final.

You’re right. Scroll back three posts for specifics, if you’re interested.

LOL

So those reports about a deal with Minnesota happening soon are bunk

[shrink]

I saw the report that the Wolves could trade for Durant now if they wanted, but are hesitant because he supposedly does not want to play there.

Correct me if I am wrong, but for the 24/25 league year they are well above the 2nd apron, so it is literally impossible for them to trade for Durant now (because they can't aggregate salaries, which they will have to do to acquire KD, and stay above the 2nd apron).

They'd have to wait for the 25/26 league year to pull off the deal. And to me it seems like it would be super problematic to announce that trade so far in advance of when it can become final.

You’re right. Scroll back three posts for specifics, if you’re interested.

LOL

So those reports about a deal with Minnesota happening soon are bunk

Probably, but not technically impossible? It would be extremely difficult for MIN and PHX to displace enough salary to make a deal legal before the deadline, with so little payroll flexibility in the NBA before we switch to the next season. The teams could agree to a deal in principle, and wait until July, but there is so much smoke out there about PHX wanting to do this deal soon…?

My guess is that MIN is the only team to make an offer this size, but they couldn’t do it until July. PHX really does want Durant traded by the draft so they can make their own picks, and had their stooge Gambo release the MIN offer publicly, to try to get HOU, SAS or MIA to include the piece they want. There is just so much .. “gamesmanship” .. this time of year, with different teams, opposing teams, players, and agents all putting out info to strengthen their own positions.

[Texas Chuck]

Plenty of deals happen around the draft that don't get executed until after July 1st. Now I can't tell you if KD to Minny is real or bunk, but the fact that the deal would officially happen later has nothing to do with it. That's SOP for the Association.

[Godaddycurse]

personally i think they might be waiting until completion of nba finals out of respect, and for phoenix to give more time for other teams to up their final offer(maybe)

[SkyHook]

Picks can still be traded for "future considerations" such as for deals that can't be executed until after the moratorium ends, right? We hear about them as WojBombs or whatever, but they can't officially be announced until much later.

With all of the back channel discussions that take place—deals that get announced immediately after the start of the negotiation period are agreed to well in advance—the theoretical framework could include sign and trades, but only if all parties (teams and the players) involved are prepared for the deal to collapse. With as often as the league office turns a blind eye, and since they're never officially announced, is it "no harm, no foul"?

[Texas Chuck]

personally i think they might be waiting until completion of nba finals out of respect, and for phoenix to give more time for other teams to up their final offer(maybe)

I agree with all of this.

I also think Phoenix really wants to get KD to one of his preferred destinations. So while I think they will trade him to Minny(or other non-preferred team), I think they hope one of the other teams makes an offer close enough for them to take it instead. But if the Texas teams are too scared of current OKC to up theirs, then I think he's a Wolf.

[Klomp]

They'd have to wait for the 25/26 league year to pull off the deal. And to me it seems like it would be super problematic to announce that trade so far in advance of when it can become final.

It happens all of the time, not problematic at all.

[shrink]

It’s interesting that there was apparent mutual interest between Durant and MIN at the trade deadline (MIN was 27-23), but after reaching the WCF, KD doesn’t want to go to the Timberwolves? I trust the reporting, so what changed?

Also, there was a lot of smoke about that a Durant trade at the deadline. Financially, the deal would have been Randle (who wasn’t playing well yet) and either McDaniels or more likely Naz Reid. Gobert was ineligible. Obviously more compensation would be needed, plus MIN dispersing a lot more salary elsewhere to get under the second apron to be able to combine players.

Now, take this with as much reliability as you want, but an anonymous source close to the Wolves front office said last week that the deadline Durant deal was done! MIN, PHX and KD were all on board, but at the last minute, Phoenix got cold feet!

[jscott]

It’s interesting that there was apparent mutual interest between Durant and MIN at the trade deadline (MIN was 27-23), but after reaching the WCF, KD doesn’t want to go to the Timberwolves? I trust the reporting, what I don’t understand is what changed?

Maybe he assumed at the deadline he’d get an extension in Minnesota and now maybe the Wolves FO has indicated that it’s not set in stone and maybe they’d like to see it work together first.