Bos/NoLa/Mil; Simons/PooleMurray/Kuzma

[nykballa2k4]

Just a concept I like if Boston is trying to remove Simons

Boston trades Hauser, Simons gets Dejounte Murray and Hawkins
rationale: For whatever reason Celtics don't want Simons, maybe due to possible extension, so this adds a 2-way player on a longer/predictable contract, may be better value based on what Celtics want to do. Hawkins is a great shooter, Uconn connection, Ray Allen blah blah, but a great fit for Mazulla's offense. 2M savings also opens up mid-season flexibility. Murray is hurt, but Celtics can afford to wait in this gap year.

Bucks trade Kuzma, Andre Jackson get Poole
Rationale: I just personally hate the fit of Kuzma for the Bucks. He plays 3/4 and really doesn't fit great next to Giannis because he is more of a scorer than a dead-eye shooter. Poole can be a creator and can provide much needed spacing. Both guys are D-ficient, but this makes sense to me.

Pelicans trade Murray, Poole, Hawkins get Simons, Hauser, Kuzma, Jackson
to start things off, after the draft day debacle Pelicans have made this year a must-win season. Yes there is a bit of a sunk cost thing here, and you don't chase bad money with bad money, but end of the day this team CANNOT TANK.

Going to break down this part of the trade into 3 components.

From my POV Simons > Poole. If you have to extend Simons to a contract similar to Poole, he is still by far better to me. Poole is a good shooter, Simons is a GREAT shooter.

Hawkins vs Hauser
I personally love Hawkins. He is sort-of capped where he is, role player on a team with lots of guys who can play a similar role. Hauser is older, on a nice rent-control and will provide that exact role reliably for the next few years at a reasonable price.

Murray vs Kuzma and Jackson
Kuzma will basically fill in as back-up for Zion who is known to miss plenty of games. he has positional versatility which means he can sort of fit in with any unit they go with. Basically a poor-mans Ingram, he will probably be his best self in NoLa. Jackson provides another sort of look for the Pels. Obviously he is more of an all-arounder, defender, hustle, IQ player. Since the Pelicans roster will be stacked with shooters, scorers etc, a Shaun Livington type actually fills a need down here.

[djFan71]

I don't think BOS can pay another guard high $26-30M/year going forward on top of Tatum, Brown and White salaries. They need that money for the frontcourt.

If you make the BOS part Bey and Alvarado for Simons and $17M in savings, I personally would be quite interested. Other BOS fans probably not still.

[Jon1798]

For Simons being a great shooter, Poole was pretty substantially better than him last season.

And Dejounte Murray for Kuzma and Jackson? Come on.

[nykballa2k4]

For Simons being a great shooter, Poole was pretty substantially better than him last season.

And Dejounte Murray for Kuzma and Jackson? Come on.

38% vs 34% is a pretty big difference. better eFG%, better passing numbers. Poole has him in terms of volume, I will give you that.

As for the Murray vs Kuzma part, if Murray were healthy, if he were opening day ready then I am with you. But the reality is that he got hurt in February. Best time-line is he is on the court in November. Pelicans cannot afford to tank.

Looney/Missi/Queen(injury)
Zion/Kuzma/Bey
Murphy/Hauser
Jones/Alvarado
Simons/Fears/Jackson

That team is deep, balanced, and can come out of the gate strong.

[YayBasketball]

Interesting, but like others said, don't see BOS taking on future money right now without picks attached, or unless for a true star. And Weaver/Dumars traded for Poole to keep him, I think he's better than Simons, too. I've toyed around with D. Murray + picks and swaps for D. White, but let's simplify it.

Hauser for Hawkins + 2nd.
(Alvarado to 3rd team into TPE- [DET]).

How attached is BOS to Hauser? Swapping him for Hawkins (and a 2nd if needed) saves them 5.3m this season. Hauser more established, not a slight on defense for Pels. Hawkins cheaper and could pop in C's system.

[cl2117]

Yeah C's just can't afford Murray from a roster construction point of view. Just way too much money tied up amongst their current core of guards/wings to add another one.

You could still make it work financially if you drop Murray/Hauser from the deal, but not sure on value overall then:

NOP: Kuzma, Simons

MIL: Poole

BOS: Bey, Jackson, Matkovic

I can see Milwaukee making a move for Poole or Simons at the expense of Kuz because I really don't like Kuzma or his fit with the Bucks.

The Pelicans are obviously high on Poole otherwise they don't trade for him, so I struggle to see why they would want to swap him for Simons/Kuzma apart from better roster balance maybe. I do agree with the sentiment that they cannot afford to tank this year, so maybe it makes some sense given the cap space they have available and holes on the roster. I don't like Kuzma but he's a passable 3/4 for a fringe playoff team and Simons/Poole is mostly a wash in my eyes.

I think Boston would jump all over this kind of deal without Murray because they can duck the tax and go full tank, but I don't know if they'd pay anything significant in terms of draft capital to make it happen and if I were the Pelicans I'd be pushing for something.

[hugepatsfan]

Boston's interest in moving Simons is about finances. They are about $12M over the tax line which carries a projected $40M tax bill this year and by paying tax they lose out on the payout that goes to non-tax teams (like $10-15M). And this is in a year without Tatum where they might (probably will?) miss the playoffs and that playoff revenue. The salary, the tax on it and the missed payout come out to about $60-65M in cost.

And that's just this year. There's also repeater rate implications. They currently have repeater status. If they duck the tax this year, next year they'll be at regular rates if they go back into the tax. That saves money again. If they duck the tax this year and then go back over next year they'll be back at repeater rates following that one year break but it's still savings. And if they stay under this year AND next then they'll totally reset repeater status and have 4 more years as a non repeater, basically the rest of Tatum's prime. Presumably, they'll go back into the tax for most of Tatum's prime so ducking this year offers real savings to put towards that not just now but in the future.

Trading Simons/Hauser for Murray makes them uneasy to maneuver and duck the tax which is the reason for their trade interest around those guys. So this is just DOA for them on that principle.

[hugepatsfan]

Interesting, but like others said, don't see BOS taking on future money right now without picks attached, or unless for a true star. And Weaver/Dumars traded for Poole to keep him, I think he's better than Simons, too. I've toyed around with D. Murray + picks and swaps for D. White, but let's simplify it.

Hauser for Hawkins + 2nd.
(Alvarado to 3rd team into TPE- [DET]).

How attached is BOS to Hauser? Swapping him for Hawkins (and a 2nd if needed) saves them 5.3m this season. Hauser more established, not a slight on defense for Pels. Hawkins cheaper and could pop in C's system.

I don't think future money is BOS's concern. My guess is they're willing to back into the tax (not 2nd apron though) next year when Tatum is back.

Like, for example to just throw out a name, acquiring a player like Walker Kessler and then extending him (essentially taking on future money) I think they'd be totally game for. My guess is they want to duck the tax this year and then they're cautiously ok going back over next year for the right pieces but if it's not great fit they'd rather stay under next year to totally reset repeater rates.

They're currently $12.1M over this year and $20.4M under next year (they can move Hauser to clear more room next year too). So I have them moderately ok with taking on future money but Murray is more than they'd want.

[brackdan70]

Only one guy with a torn Achilles at a time for Boston. Also not looking at long term big contracts unless it’s a difference maker.

[BK_2020]

Pelicans have no reason to do this trade. Poole is a substantially better player than Simons. 3p shooting is not the be-all-end-all. Poole gets to the paint, gets to the line, and finishes better. Kuzma won't get any time behind Zion and DQ.

Boston doesn't want Dejounte who is kinda not that great at anything.

[BK_2020]

How attached is BOS to Hauser? Swapping him for Hawkins (and a 2nd if needed) saves them 5.3m this season. Hauser more established, not a slight on defense for Pels. Hawkins cheaper and could pop in C's system.

Hawkins is a 6'5 guard who's shot 34.8% from the three in his short career (and 37% from the field). Hauser is 6'8 and 215 lb and has a career 3p% of .420. Hauser's career 2p% is .613. He has over 10 percentage points on Hawkins in terms of career TS%.
Short of Hawkins taking a massive, unexpected leap, plus growing 3 inches and gaining 15 lbs., I don't see how Hawkins swaps into Hauser's spot in the Celtics' system.

[brackdan70]

Just realizing this doesn't save the Celtics money this year. At least not a meaningful amount. Yeah DOA as it handcuffs the future.

[giannis and 1]

Just a concept I like if Boston is trying to remove Simons

Boston trades Hauser, Simons gets Dejounte Murray and Hawkins
rationale: For whatever reason Celtics don't want Simons, maybe due to possible extension, so this adds a 2-way player on a longer/predictable contract, may be better value based on what Celtics want to do. Hawkins is a great shooter, Uconn connection, Ray Allen blah blah, but a great fit for Mazulla's offense. 2M savings also opens up mid-season flexibility. Murray is hurt, but Celtics can afford to wait in this gap year.

Bucks trade Kuzma, Andre Jackson get Poole
Rationale: I just personally hate the fit of Kuzma for the Bucks. He plays 3/4 and really doesn't fit great next to Giannis because he is more of a scorer than a dead-eye shooter. Poole can be a creator and can provide much needed spacing. Both guys are D-ficient, but this makes sense to me.

Pelicans trade Murray, Poole, Hawkins get Simons, Hauser, Kuzma, Jackson
to start things off, after the draft day debacle Pelicans have made this year a must-win season. Yes there is a bit of a sunk cost thing here, and you don't chase bad money with bad money, but end of the day this team CANNOT TANK.

Going to break down this part of the trade into 3 components.

From my POV Simons > Poole. If you have to extend Simons to a contract similar to Poole, he is still by far better to me. Poole is a good shooter, Simons is a GREAT shooter.

Hawkins vs Hauser
I personally love Hawkins. He is sort-of capped where he is, role player on a team with lots of guys who can play a similar role. Hauser is older, on a nice rent-control and will provide that exact role reliably for the next few years at a reasonable price.

Murray vs Kuzma and Jackson
Kuzma will basically fill in as back-up for Zion who is known to miss plenty of games. he has positional versatility which means he can sort of fit in with any unit they go with. Basically a poor-mans Ingram, he will probably be his best self in NoLa. Jackson provides another sort of look for the Pels. Obviously he is more of an all-arounder, defender, hustle, IQ player. Since the Pelicans roster will be stacked with shooters, scorers etc, a Shaun Livington type actually fills a need down here.

Zero interest from the Bucks. We have a trillion guards.