Another bad one. Simons/Kuzma/Utah

[jayjaysee]

We probably played with this one already? Feel like Milwaukee owes a second or two, but they don’t have one. Not worth a distant swap imo.

Boston: Simons, Niang (separate trade) 2026 first lottery protected (3x)
Boston: fake 2nds and Tyler Smith (separate trade)

Boston ties up a first but gets under the tax.

Utah: fake 2nds (or real ones if you think?)
Utah: Kuzma and Boston’s 2026 first

Utah bets on Jaylen/White making the playoffs and conveying a pick in the teens, but will see the first in 2027 either way.

Milwaukee: Kuzma, Tyler Smith
Milwaukee: Simons and Niang (room MLE separate trade)

Milwaukee gets a better guard and another expiring. They should be able to create real cap space next summer to go after Bridges or Reaves, but get to see if Simons can actually work as a lead guard playing off Giannis..

Niang can be shopped for a different piece if you want to try and continue improving the team. Still can shop swaps or the 2031 first..

[Godaddycurse]

i think milwaukee owes more but they have nothing left to give

[djFan71]

I made a very similar trade on the BOS board. But had 27 lotto protected pick instead, UTA getting Smith, and BOS taking back SloMo.

But I agree with godaddhycurse - MIL owes more, but doesn't have it. Smith was the attempt to bridge that, but they should be sending more somehow. Just can't - not worth a first. I was thinking maybe a secondary 2030 first round swap to BOS - after the POR swap. Doubt it has any value to UTA, but could get BOS a few spots higher in the draft.

[jayjaysee]

i think milwaukee owes more but they have nothing left to give

Worst of 2026 Mil/NOP to Washington
Worst of 2026 Houston/OKC/Lac to Mil
Couple seconds from Washington to Boston

I think seconds is really all Milwaukee owes since they take on 10~ million the first year and give up a meh prospect? Really have no idea if Smith is seen as anything but was an early second..

If Washington prefers keeping pick 30 for some reason, then call OKC and Presti should do the same deal imo.

[JRoy]

MIL sending trash for an upgrade. Where us the incentive?

[SkyHook]

i think milwaukee owes more but they have nothing left to give

Worst of 2026 Mil/NOP to Washington
Worst of 2026 Houston/OKC/Lac to Mil
Couple seconds from Washington to Boston

I think seconds is really all Milwaukee owes since they take on 10~ million the first year and give up a meh prospect? Really have no idea if Smith is seen as anything but was an early second..

If Washington prefers keeping pick 30 for some reason, then call OKC and Presti should do the same deal imo.

How about this variation?
Love to BOS
Simons + George + 2029 SRP (UTA) + 2030 SRP (LAC) + 2031 SRP (MIA) to MIL
Kuzma + Niang + 2026 FRP (BOS) + 2026 FRP (worst of MIL/NOP) to UTA

[Godaddycurse]

i think milwaukee owes more but they have nothing left to give

Worst of 2026 Mil/NOP to Washington
Worst of 2026 Houston/OKC/Lac to Mil
Couple seconds from Washington to Boston

I think seconds is really all Milwaukee owes since they take on 10~ million the first year and give up a meh prospect? Really have no idea if Smith is seen as anything but was an early second..

If Washington prefers keeping pick 30 for some reason, then call OKC and Presti should do the same deal imo.

How about this variation?
Love to BOS
Simons + George + 2029 SRP (UTA) + 2030 SRP (LAC) + 2031 SRP (MIA) to MIL
Kuzma + Niang + 2026 FRP (BOS) + 2026 FRP (worst of MIL/NOP) to UTA

milwaukee cant trade 2026 1st, only a swap

[jayjaysee]

i think milwaukee owes more but they have nothing left to give

Worst of 2026 Mil/NOP to Washington
Worst of 2026 Houston/OKC/Lac to Mil
Couple seconds from Washington to Boston

I think seconds is really all Milwaukee owes since they take on 10~ million the first year and give up a meh prospect? Really have no idea if Smith is seen as anything but was an early second..

If Washington prefers keeping pick 30 for some reason, then call OKC and Presti should do the same deal imo.

How about this variation?
Love to BOS
Simons + George + 2029 SRP (UTA) + 2030 SRP (LAC) + 2031 SRP (MIA) to MIL
Kuzma + Niang + 2026 FRP (BOS) + 2026 FRP (worst of MIL/NOP) to UTA

Value is fine, just can’t be traded.

And Mil doesn’t own their 2031 2nd anymore either..

[SkyHook]

Worst of 2026 Mil/NOP to Washington
Worst of 2026 Houston/OKC/Lac to Mil
Couple seconds from Washington to Boston

I think seconds is really all Milwaukee owes since they take on 10~ million the first year and give up a meh prospect? Really have no idea if Smith is seen as anything but was an early second..

If Washington prefers keeping pick 30 for some reason, then call OKC and Presti should do the same deal imo.

How about this variation?
Love to BOS
Simons + George + 2029 SRP (UTA) + 2030 SRP (LAC) + 2031 SRP (MIA) to MIL
Kuzma + Niang + 2026 FRP (BOS) + 2026 FRP (worst of MIL/NOP) to UTA

Value is fine, just can’t be traded.

And Mil doesn’t own their 2031 2nd anymore either..

Thanks. Understood about 2026, but the SRPs were all going from Utah to MIL in this scenario.

[djFan71]

Even though I came up with one, I actually don't see BOS trading a pick JUST to duck the tax at this point. They may add a pick if they get a good player back like PJ/Gafford/WCJ/etc. But not just to eat salary. They've done the hard work to get under the 2nd apron (basically), so any further moves are to improve the roster going forward, or no-cost type moves to lessen the tax.

Simons might be whittled down (Kuz, etc) in a neutral move or getting 2nds back, but picks won't be added going out to get rid of his salary completely.

[SkyHook]

Even though I came up with one, I actually don't see BOS trading a pick JUST to duck the tax at this point. They may add a pick if they get a good player back like PJ/Gafford/WCJ/etc. But not just to eat salary. They've done the hard work to get under the 2nd apron (basically), so any further moves are to improve the roster going forward, or no-cost type moves to lessen the tax.

Simons might be whittled down (Kuz, etc) in a neutral move or getting 2nds back, but picks won't be added going out to get rid of his salary completely.

You may well be right, but the Celtics (and their new owners) may see that as the value in resetting the repeater tax penalty by getting out of the tax completely.

[djFan71]

Even though I came up with one, I actually don't see BOS trading a pick JUST to duck the tax at this point. They may add a pick if they get a good player back like PJ/Gafford/WCJ/etc. But not just to eat salary. They've done the hard work to get under the 2nd apron (basically), so any further moves are to improve the roster going forward, or no-cost type moves to lessen the tax.

Simons might be whittled down (Kuz, etc) in a neutral move or getting 2nds back, but picks won't be added going out to get rid of his salary completely.

You may well be right, but the Celtics (and their new owners) may see that as the value in resetting the repeater tax penalty by getting out of the tax completely.

Definitely. Stevens just had a press conference today, though, and basically said he knows there's value in resetting it, but it's not their priority right now. Improving the team to compete for titles is. He basically flat out said they aren't gonna use picks for tax reasons, but only to improve the team.

Obviously, take all the comments with a grain of salt. But, it's pretty consistent with everything we've heard/seen.

[brackdan70]

It’s not my money but from the Boston perspective getting under the tax is not worth a first.

I’d pay 2-3 seconds here but not a first.
Simons is the best player in this trade as well, his contract is expiring so I don’t think it costs this much to move him.
I’d rather keep him than trade a first in a great draft.

[daoneandonly]

Think Mil shouldnt be able to get out from under Kuz this easily without some type of incentive

[facothomas22]

The Bucks are stealing value from the Jazz. Nobody is taking on Kyle Kumza contract without significant assets attached to him and a heavily protected 1st round pick from the Celtics isn't going to cut it.

[jayjaysee]

Even though I came up with one, I actually don't see BOS trading a pick JUST to duck the tax at this point. They may add a pick if they get a good player back like PJ/Gafford/WCJ/etc. But not just to eat salary. They've done the hard work to get under the 2nd apron (basically), so any further moves are to improve the roster going forward, or no-cost type moves to lessen the tax.

Simons might be whittled down (Kuz, etc) in a neutral move or getting 2nds back, but picks won't be added going out to get rid of his salary completely.

You may well be right, but the Celtics (and their new owners) may see that as the value in resetting the repeater tax penalty by getting out of the tax completely.

Definitely. Stevens just had a press conference today, though, and basically said he knows there's value in resetting it, but it's not their priority right now. Improving the team to compete for titles is. He basically flat out said they aren't gonna use picks for tax reasons, but only to improve the team.

Obviously, take all the comments with a grain of salt. But, it's pretty consistent with everything we've heard/seen.

How bad is..

Washington: 2-3 seconds
Washington : worse of 2026 OKC/Houston first for worse of 2026 Mil/NOP first

Get upside out of the least valuable first in the league.

Boston: Simons and Niang
Boston: Kuzma, 2-3 seconds

Boston trims 11~ million and gets a few seconds? Kuz gets used as salary filler in 12 months when it’s time to build a roster again.

Mil: Kuzma and a 2026 pick swap
Mil: Simons and Niang

Spend up to the first apron, but get a guard that should be a nice upgrade. Can look to trade Niang for whatever..

Could add Tyler Smith or a 2028 swap to Boston from Mil as extra value if needed? Boston has the worse of their own and SAS that year while Mil has the worse of their own and Portland/Washington.. So not a ton of value there but is something.

[redslastlaugh]

Jazz would want Kuzma. You can play him 2,000 minutes and lose 3 - 5 more games

The Bucks are stealing value from the Jazz. Nobody is taking on Kyle Kumza contract without significant assets attached to him and a heavily protected 1st round pick from the Celtics isn't going to cut it.

[djFan71]

You may well be right, but the Celtics (and their new owners) may see that as the value in resetting the repeater tax penalty by getting out of the tax completely.

Definitely. Stevens just had a press conference today, though, and basically said he knows there's value in resetting it, but it's not their priority right now. Improving the team to compete for titles is. He basically flat out said they aren't gonna use picks for tax reasons, but only to improve the team.

Obviously, take all the comments with a grain of salt. But, it's pretty consistent with everything we've heard/seen.

How bad is..

Washington: 2-3 seconds
Washington : worse of 2026 OKC/Houston first for worse of 2026 Mil/NOP first

Get upside out of the least valuable first in the league.

Boston: Simons and Niang
Boston: Kuzma, 2-3 seconds

Boston trims 11~ million and gets a few seconds? Kuz gets used as salary filler in 12 months when it’s time to build a roster again.

Mil: Kuzma and a 2026 pick swap
Mil: Simons and Niang

Spend up to the first apron, but get a guard that should be a nice upgrade. Can look to trade Niang for whatever..

Could add Tyler Smith or a 2028 swap to Boston from Mil as extra value if needed? Boston has the worse of their own and SAS that year while Mil has the worse of their own and Portland/Washington.. So not a ton of value there but is something.

That works for me. Honestly with or without Niang. I don't mind keeping him around. Don't mind sending him out if need be.

I've been killed on my board for it, so I definitely don't speak for all of BOS fans, but I'd do Simons for Kuz and a couple seconds straight.

I like:
1) moving Simons to free up time for our young wings while saving money and getting picks. Why spend a year making Simons better for someone else? There's a window where he improves enough and resigns for cheap enough to be a future piece in BOS, but I think it's a really, really small one.
2) Having tradeable expiring salary next summer to add a pick to.
3) A playable PF this year. This one is debatable, lol, but I think Kuz has as good a shot of improving on BOS as Simons does. If he still sucks even in that environment, oh well. Play Minott and Niang over him.

[djFan71]

Looking at the numbers more, I like including Niang. That would get us ~$1M below the 1st apron even. Not required, but nice benefit. Plus you're within striking distance of ducking the tax at the deadline.

[jayjaysee]

Looking at the numbers more, I like including Niang. That would get us ~$1M below the 1st apron even. Not required, but nice benefit. Plus you're within striking distance of ducking the tax at the deadline.

Yeah, including Niang is like an extra second or two of back to Boston imo. He’s not terrible, but the money is huge..

And if the team decides to trade Hauser to get under the tax, no one would blame them..