Early Season Trade Questions

[LarsV8]

If Devin Booker asked out... would anyone beat the Spurs offer?

Does Booker even have value anymore?

Serious teams will scoff at the contract.

[jayjaysee]

I do believe Dallas will adjust rotations and the team will look a lot better, I am just hoping for a tank or a win now move.

Flagg at PG is step 1 of tanking .

I have posted the same thing a few times and I understand it’s obviously can not be true… But it is what I believe..

[jayjaysee]

If Devin Booker asked out... would anyone beat the Spurs offer?

I don’t see Booker asking out*

By January, when Booker is trade eligible/could ask out.. we should have a better idea of what teams could be interested in that monster contract.

Guessing that if Castle/Harper keep up their level of play, SAS won’t be interested at all. They’ll use assets to upgrade a forward spot and trust in their three guards?

Really can’t see a reason to put two 30% guards in front of Harper though and Fox can’t be traded this year iirc.

If Booker does ask out.. I still like a Trae/Booker swap. maybe my favorite idea?

Atlanta can afford most of Booker’s massive deal thanks to their cheap starting line up.. Dyson works near to Booker similar to Trae..

Phoenix takes the risk of Trae leaving, but they will be able to offer him the most money. Or if Phoenix is willing to be terrible, despite not owning picks for 10 years, they can take Trae’s trade return from a third team..

(Atlanta has assets to add if Booker is valued higher than Trae, but it shouldn’t be the 2026 NOP first imo)

At some point in the season Dumars could offer Poole, Queen, Fears, with some extra minor salary.. Phoenix would at least be getting two good prospects, while Dumars could pitch that starting line up being worth looking at for a few years so he can keep getting checks.

[tcheco]

If Devin Booker asked out... would anyone beat the Spurs offer?

I don’t see Booker asking out*

By January, when Booker is trade eligible/could ask out.. we should have a better idea of what teams could be interested in that monster contract.

Guessing that if Castle/Harper keep up their level of play, SAS won’t be interested at all. They’ll use assets to upgrade a forward spot and trust in their three guards?

Really can’t see a reason to put two 30% guards in front of Harper though and Fox can’t be traded this year iirc.

If Booker does ask out.. I still like a Trae/Booker swap. maybe my favorite idea?

Atlanta can afford most of Booker’s massive deal thanks to their cheap starting line up.. Dyson works near to Booker similar to Trae..

Phoenix takes the risk of Trae leaving, but they will be able to offer him the most money. Or if Phoenix is willing to be terrible, despite not owning picks for 10 years, they can take Trae’s trade return from a third team..

(Atlanta has assets to add if Booker is valued higher than Trae, but it shouldn’t be the 2026 NOP first imo)

At some point in the season Dumars could offer Poole, Queen, Fears, with some extra minor salary.. Phoenix would at least be getting two good prospects, while Dumars could pitch that starting line up being worth looking at for a few years so he can keep getting checks.

I can't imagine Phoenix taking any risks of trading for Young with him being able to walk free honestly. It would be the biggest implosion of a franchise that went to the finals to having 0 picks and 0 franchise players.

[jayjaysee]

If Devin Booker asked out... would anyone beat the Spurs offer?

I don’t see Booker asking out*

By January, when Booker is trade eligible/could ask out.. we should have a better idea of what teams could be interested in that monster contract.

Guessing that if Castle/Harper keep up their level of play, SAS won’t be interested at all. They’ll use assets to upgrade a forward spot and trust in their three guards?

Really can’t see a reason to put two 30% guards in front of Harper though and Fox can’t be traded this year iirc.

If Booker does ask out.. I still like a Trae/Booker swap. maybe my favorite idea?

Atlanta can afford most of Booker’s massive deal thanks to their cheap starting line up.. Dyson works near to Booker similar to Trae..

Phoenix takes the risk of Trae leaving, but they will be able to offer him the most money. Or if Phoenix is willing to be terrible, despite not owning picks for 10 years, they can take Trae’s trade return from a third team..

(Atlanta has assets to add if Booker is valued higher than Trae, but it shouldn’t be the 2026 NOP first imo)

At some point in the season Dumars could offer Poole, Queen, Fears, with some extra minor salary.. Phoenix would at least be getting two good prospects, while Dumars could pitch that starting line up being worth looking at for a few years so he can keep getting checks.

I can't imagine Phoenix taking any risks of trading for Young with him being able to walk free honestly. It would be the biggest implosion of a franchise that went to the finals to having 0 picks and 0 franchise players.

I just don’t see Trae leaving a 5yr 8% max offer on the table. He is not worth that contract, but it would give Phoenix a star locked up through their pick debt.

But it could easily be some three team deal with Trae going somewhere more comfortable with his contract situation.

Realistically, I don’t see Booker asking out anyways.. Maybe in a year or two if Phoenix can’t retool successfully.

[tcheco]

I don’t see Booker asking out*

By January, when Booker is trade eligible/could ask out.. we should have a better idea of what teams could be interested in that monster contract.

Guessing that if Castle/Harper keep up their level of play, SAS won’t be interested at all. They’ll use assets to upgrade a forward spot and trust in their three guards?

Really can’t see a reason to put two 30% guards in front of Harper though and Fox can’t be traded this year iirc.

If Booker does ask out.. I still like a Trae/Booker swap. maybe my favorite idea?

Atlanta can afford most of Booker’s massive deal thanks to their cheap starting line up.. Dyson works near to Booker similar to Trae..

Phoenix takes the risk of Trae leaving, but they will be able to offer him the most money. Or if Phoenix is willing to be terrible, despite not owning picks for 10 years, they can take Trae’s trade return from a third team..

(Atlanta has assets to add if Booker is valued higher than Trae, but it shouldn’t be the 2026 NOP first imo)

At some point in the season Dumars could offer Poole, Queen, Fears, with some extra minor salary.. Phoenix would at least be getting two good prospects, while Dumars could pitch that starting line up being worth looking at for a few years so he can keep getting checks.

I can't imagine Phoenix taking any risks of trading for Young with him being able to walk free honestly. It would be the biggest implosion of a franchise that went to the finals to having 0 picks and 0 franchise players.

I just don’t see Trae leaving a 5yr 8% max offer on the table. He is not worth that contract, but it would give Phoenix a star locked up through their pick debt.

But it could easily be some three team deal with Trae going somewhere more comfortable with his contract situation.

Realistically, I don’t see Booker asking out anyways.. Maybe in a year or two if Phoenix can’t retool successfully.

Can't any other team offer him the same contract as well? After being traded from Atlanta? or his bird rights allow him to get the 5 year from Phoenix?

Coming to think about it, shouldn't we expect Trae to get a 2+1 max contract to get the 10 year veteran max then? would probably give him the most guaranteed money, right?

[jayjaysee]

I can't imagine Phoenix taking any risks of trading for Young with him being able to walk free honestly. It would be the biggest implosion of a franchise that went to the finals to having 0 picks and 0 franchise players.

I just don’t see Trae leaving a 5yr 8% max offer on the table. He is not worth that contract, but it would give Phoenix a star locked up through their pick debt.

But it could easily be some three team deal with Trae going somewhere more comfortable with his contract situation.

Realistically, I don’t see Booker asking out anyways.. Maybe in a year or two if Phoenix can’t retool successfully.

Can't any other team offer him the same contract as well? After being traded from Atlanta? or his bird rights allow him to get the 5 year from Phoenix?

Coming to think about it, shouldn't we expect Trae to get a 2+1 max contract to get the 10 year veteran max then? would probably give him the most guaranteed money, right?

Pretty sure, whoever he finishes the season with will be able to offer him the 5th year and the extra raises

I can’t see Trae ever being worth that 10 year max and think he should take the guaranteed money now if it were offered..

[kobe_vs_jordan]

AD been semi disappointing to me. Gained weight and has another leg injury. Looks amazing offensively when he isn’t shooting 3s. Not playing with the same energy or pace on either end of the floor.

Think he could still raise a contender ceiling. But his value has sunk over the last year.

[NYG]

3. Which players will request trades?

Who are some good options for just that question?

[tcheco]

I just don’t see Trae leaving a 5yr 8% max offer on the table. He is not worth that contract, but it would give Phoenix a star locked up through their pick debt.

But it could easily be some three team deal with Trae going somewhere more comfortable with his contract situation.

Realistically, I don’t see Booker asking out anyways.. Maybe in a year or two if Phoenix can’t retool successfully.

Can't any other team offer him the same contract as well? After being traded from Atlanta? or his bird rights allow him to get the 5 year from Phoenix?

Coming to think about it, shouldn't we expect Trae to get a 2+1 max contract to get the 10 year veteran max then? would probably give him the most guaranteed money, right?

Pretty sure, whoever he finishes the season with will be able to offer him the 5th year and the extra raises

I can’t see Trae ever being worth that 10 year max and think he should take the guaranteed money now if it were offered..

I think he is not worth it, but if he goes to a good situation he might play well enough to get it, his ego might not allow him to forfeit this chance.
2+1 max is still a lot of money

[cucad8]

If Devin Booker asked out... would anyone beat the Spurs offer?

Don't know about beating SA's offer, but as a Portland fan, depending on how the season progresses, I would be interested in seeing what a Booker to PDX deal might look like. Could see it being a little too rich to go all in on, but he'd be the go to scorer the rest of the defensive lineup would love to add.

[gswhoops]

3. Which players will request trades?

Who are some good options for just that question?

Just some random thoughts looking across the league...

Giannis - been discussed to death OTB
Trae - Atlanta seems reluctant to give him the full max extension; if this season goes south a "mutual parting of ways" might be on the table at the deadline
Kuminga - things look good so far but his history with GS is up and down to say the least
Booker - PHX looks like a long-term project and he decides he doesn't want to stick around for it
AD - see above

[theBigLip]

I think Max contracts are being viewed differently now w the new CBA. If you can’t carry a team, are you really worth a Max? Booker, Jaylen Brown got them, but probably not worth them. Should Trae get one? It just seems trade values for some of these guys shouldn’t be that high.

[wemby]

If Devin Booker asked out... would anyone beat the Spurs offer?

What Spurs offer, Booker is signed for 35% of the cap for the next 5 years (until age 34), that means Spurs would have 95% of the cap tied to Wemby, Fox and him while both Castle's and Harper's extensions kick in, they can't afford all three and more likely than not will need to part with serious capital just to get themselves off the hook, and I don't even think Booker is the piece to get them over the hump in the meantime. Doesn't make any sense for the Spurs to go after him regardless of price.

[LarsV8]

I think Max contracts are being viewed differently now w the new CBA. If you can’t carry a team, are you really worth a Max? Booker, Jaylen Brown got them, but probably not worth them. Should Trae get one? It just seems trade values for some of these guys shouldn’t be that high.

New CBA made a lot of new bad contracts imo

Fox
Booker
Kat
Brown
Lavine
Lauri
Bam
Herro
Beal
KMurray
JMurray
Banchero
Quickly
Ingram
Barnes

Off the top of my head.

[NYG]

3. Which players will request trades?

Who are some good options for just that question?

Just some random thoughts looking across the league...

Giannis - been discussed to death OTB
Trae - Atlanta seems reluctant to give him the full max extension; if this season goes south a "mutual parting of ways" might be on the table at the deadline
Kuminga - things look good so far but his history with GS is up and down to say the least
Booker - PHX looks like a long-term project and he decides he doesn't want to stick around for it
AD - see above

Giannis feels like an after-the-season thing to me, if at all, but I like Trae and AD becoming realistic options by February. Which teams would have interest, you think? For AD, I could see a lot of teams in the middle of the pack in the East around the trade deadline selling themselves on AD.

[mlloyd10]

AD been semi disappointing to me. Gained weight and has another leg injury. Looks amazing offensively when he isn’t shooting 3s. Not playing with the same energy or pace on either end of the floor.

Think he could still raise a contender ceiling. But his value has sunk over the last year.

Spurs get: AD
Mavs get: Salary Fillers ( Barnes/JOhnson/Olynak) ATL 2027 1st / 2028 BOS Swap 1st

[gswhoops]

Who are some good options for just that question?

Just some random thoughts looking across the league...

Giannis - been discussed to death OTB
Trae - Atlanta seems reluctant to give him the full max extension; if this season goes south a "mutual parting of ways" might be on the table at the deadline
Kuminga - things look good so far but his history with GS is up and down to say the least
Booker - PHX looks like a long-term project and he decides he doesn't want to stick around for it
AD - see above

Giannis feels like an after-the-season thing to me, if at all, but I like Trae and AD becoming realistic options by February. Which teams would have interest, you think? For AD, I could see a lot of teams in the middle of the pack in the East around the trade deadline selling themselves on AD.

Feels like a lot of teams would have interest in AD as an elite #2 guy to a star/superstar they already have in place.

Trae feels like a tougher nut to crack. He needs to have the ball in his hands on offense to be worth the kind of contract he's seeking, but it's an open question whether he's that kind of true #1 guy on a contender or if you're dooming yourself to 6-10 seed purgatory.

[kobe_vs_jordan]

I think Max contracts are being viewed differently now w the new CBA. If you can’t carry a team, are you really worth a Max? Booker, Jaylen Brown got them, but probably not worth them. Should Trae get one? It just seems trade values for some of these guys shouldn’t be that high.

If you don’t max them another team will. Think we falsely equate being worth the max means you can carry a team.

Their historically only been like 3 to 5 players a year that can carry a teams vs 32 teams that can offer one.

[ProcessDoctor]

Pelicans at 0-4. Will they hold onto everyone if they keep this up? They might have to since they traded their pick.

Edit: damn I just scrolled down to see there's already a thread.