hugepatsfan wrote:BOS gives: Derrick White, Anfernee Simons
BOS gets: Markannen, maybe some change from HOU?
HOU gives: contracts/assets
HOU gets: White
Utah gives: Markannen
Utah gets: Simons, contracts/assets from HOU
I'm basing this on what seems to be the sentiment that White is more valuable than Markannen so BOS could get some leftover change from what HOU sends Utah out of their total package for White. BOS sheds more salary (within $3M of ducking the lux tax which they can get the rest of the way by moving spare parts for pro rated minimums). When Tatum comes back they can move him to SF so he has more size advantage against matchups and give him less of a scoring load.
BOS would love to shave off more 2025-26 salary to duck under the 2nd apron even further (how far are they from 1st apron post trade?). Lauri gives them a high quality role player/fringle all-star big to trio up with the Js next season, ala Bosh to Lebron/DWade. White hasnt had a good season yet, but BOS is in a rough spot without Tatum.
HOU would 100% be game to give White a shot, especially with FVV out, if contracts/assets outgoing arent much (im talking DFS or Jabari Smith Jr + spare parts + draft capital that isnt too extreme)
UTA is where it fall apart. Simons's expiring is a good start (i'm still salty at how POR bailed BOS out of being in 2nd apron cap hell), but i dont see whatever assets HOU forks out will be considered attractive enough. Maybe Jabari Smith Jr + picks, but those picks are likely to be very late unless theyre super far out (short term with KD+White+HOU core theyre gonna be very solid), and i dont see HOU mortgaging their future. Utah has been holding Lauri for so long, if they dont get their HR Ainge take the other GM behind the woodshed style of offer, i just dont see it.