Fake Trade Thread 16/17 pt.1

[Kembastockton]

I wouldn't be adverse to Cho swinging a trade of MKG, Zeller, and a 1st rounder for Demarcus Cousins at all. It's a risk worthy of the possibility of putting Charlotte over the hump to become a contender. I think a trio of Kemba-Batum-Cousins would make the Hornets the second best team in the East with a possibility to trump Cleveland

It's strange. I'm not a Cousins fan at all. I'm really rooting for MKG to make it big on this team. I view this current team's biggest weakness as their overall bad bench play and the trade above would make the bench weaker.

But for all that I think that this is spot on. Kemba + Batum + Cousins could give the East fits.

I agree. I do not understand all of the hate for Cousins. He is by far the best big man in the nba. He looses his temper a little bit in games. So what? He is a passionate kid who is obviously sick and tired of loosing. Give him some time with Marvin, Nic, and the GOAT in his ear and I bet he turns in to smiling choir boy in no time. Then in two years the Hornets are in the finals.

[Braggins]

PG- 2017 Lottery Pick (Markelle Fultz? Lonzo Ball? Dennis Smith? De'Aron Fox?)
SG- Jeremy Lamb
SF- Ben Simmons
PF- Dario Saric
C- Joel Embiid

If healthy I just have a hard time not seeing that group make the postseason in the 2017-18 season

Ive been fascinated by the 76ers ever since I saw Embiid play for the first time in preseason. I always expected him to be crazy good, but I assumed the super long layoff would have a big effect and he would struggle for a year or so. Him looking so good immediately is just mind blowing. I seriously think he is the best prospect in the entire league.

I have any easy time seeing a bad shooting group starting 3 sophomores and an unnamed rookie missing the playoffs. Not to mention Okafor as the backup C (presumably) and few veterans worth salt.....essentially a young core where nearly every player needs the rock but few can actually shoot.

If anything the proposed iteration of the 2017-18 Sixers smells like the 2015-16 Sacramento Kings. Eerily so, in fact.

As for Embiid, I'd classify an 8.5 assist ratio on 35% usage as historically "unique." Or at least you hope it's temporarily unique and not a permanent struggle.

Without question I'd take the younger Giannis over Embiid.

I dont expect a playoff run next season. Im not terribly concerned about the assist ratio. Hes coming off a two year layoff and he was raw and very inexperienced even before the layoff. Hes starting way behind other players his age in terms of development and he still looks great and seems to be an extremely fast learner.

Having said that, im not going to argue against your Giannis preference. Dude is an absolute stud. This is off the top of my head so i could be forgetting someone, but I have Embiid, Giannis, and KAT, as my top 3 prospects (I no longer consider AD a prospect).

[Kembastockton]

I don't see how anyone considers Giannis or Kat prospects. They are both bonafide stars.

[Mystical Apples]

Without question I'd take the younger Giannis over Embiid.

I dont expect a playoff run next season. Im not terribly concerned about the assist ratio. Hes coming off a two year layoff and he was raw and very inexperienced even before the layoff. Hes starting way behind other players his age in terms of development and he still looks great and seems to be an extremely fast learner.

Having said that, im not going to argue against your Giannis preference. Dude is an absolute stud. This is off the top of my head so i could be forgetting someone, but I have Embiid, Giannis, and KAT, as my top 3 prospects (I no longer consider AD a prospect).

Weird to think AD is only 12 months older than Embiid. I'd prefer Porzingas and Jokic too but I'm probably in the minority there. Maybe Simmons pending 40 games or so.

[yosemiteben]

Wow I didn't realize that AD and Embiid were so close in age, that's crazy. Just looked it up and also didn't realize that he turns 23 this season. I guess in my head he's still 20-21.

[Mystical Apples]

I don't see how anyone considers Giannis or Kat prospects. They are both bonafide stars.

Wait, we're penalizing players for being too good, too early, and relatively injury free?

Giannis the prospect - who turned 22 just 3 weeks ago - has a demonstrated arc keeping top 10 all-time in play. Will he get there? No idea but the difference between his current level and his ceiling is >>>>> most 19-year-olds faint hopes of their exaggerated ceilings.

[Braggins]

I dont expect a playoff run next season. Im not terribly concerned about the assist ratio. Hes coming off a two year layoff and he was raw and very inexperienced even before the layoff. Hes starting way behind other players his age in terms of development and he still looks great and seems to be an extremely fast learner.

Having said that, im not going to argue against your Giannis preference. Dude is an absolute stud. This is off the top of my head so i could be forgetting someone, but I have Embiid, Giannis, and KAT, as my top 3 prospects (I no longer consider AD a prospect).

Weird to think AD is only 12 months older than Embiid. I'd prefer Porzingas and Jokic too but I'm probably in the minority there. Maybe Simmons pending 40 games or so.

Maybe I should consider AD a prospect as well, but hes been playing for a while and is a top 5 player, so its hard to really look at him in that light. He seems like hes much closer to the top of his developmental curve than someone like Giannis, even though he isnt a whole lot older, if that makes any sense.

I could see an argument for Porzingas over Embiid., but I'm not personally seeing it with Jokic. I don't judge Embiid too harshly for his BBIQ and feel not being that great for a top prospect his age. I actually feel like its impressive that he is where he is mentally despite only having 4-5 years of experience playing organized basketball before coming into the NBA and then sitting out two years. I guess I just expect him to progress rapidly based on how far he has come in such a short amount of time, but that definitely isn't a certainty.

[Mystical Apples]

Weird to think AD is only 12 months older than Embiid. I'd prefer Porzingas and Jokic too but I'm probably in the minority there. Maybe Simmons pending 40 games or so.

I could see an argument for Porzingas over Embiid., but I'm not personally seeing it with Jokic. I don't judge Embiid too harshly for his BBIQ and feel not being that great for a top prospect his age. I actually feel like its impressive that he is where he is mentally despite only having 4-5 years of experience playing organized basketball before coming into the NBA and then sitting out two years.

Yeah wasn't necessarily alluding to his basketball acumen....I just think high usage C's can be a little tricky. As a personal preference I'd build a roster around a defensive center. If he's a defender with offensive skills I'd assign a passing premium and discount interior scoring usage unless it's attached to elite passing.

Of course that's with everything being equal....Embiid could be so talented it won't even matter.

As an aside, if Noel is moved I'd consider trading Okafor too.

[GimmeDat]

Would you guys be interested in Robin Lopez? He's not on the block or anything, just thought he'd be a good fit for you guys.

He would be a great addition (don't need to talk about his connection with Batum when they were playing with the Blazers), with a nice contract for a defensive big, esp. for his age. Cody is much better than him to defend the pnr or the perimeter, but Lopez is better defensively in the low post. He sets good picks too and has a great personnality.
Not an intimidator at all though, but he would match the building process (instead of having one dominant center, having two more than average centers, including one that could develop a perimeter game).
i still think geting a pf/c from the draft would be better for the hornets, but among all proposals i have seen that's the one i would not mind.

The problem here would be the counterpart though (1st pick or MKG or Cody ?). Hard to figure out what the Bulls are doing though, after all those rebuild talks (and Butler's rumors) last offseason. i really thought they would tank.

Hard to say what the Bulls are doing either We're very up and down, so as fans we like to entertain all options. Lopez is a pivotal piece to the team if we're trying to be competitive, but he'd likely be moved if we either blow it up or trade for one of the younger C's on the market.

He's a legit rim protector and a very serviceable offensive piece, if not a main option.

Fwiw, I've been following the draft pretty intently this year, and the big man prospects are really flawed, especially the C's.

I'd be inclined to let you guys keep both MKG and Zeller, unless you'd prefer moving them. Would Lamb, Hibbert, 1st be of interest?

[HornetJail]

You could talk me into taking Lopez for Hawes + Sessions + 1st.

[Braggins]

Yeah wasn't necessarily alluding to his basketball acumen....I just think high usage C's can be a little tricky. As a personal preference I'd build a roster around a defensive center. If he's a defender with offensive skills I'd assign a passing premium and discount interior scoring usage unless it's attached to elite passing.

Of course that's with everything being equal....Embiid could be so talented it won't even matter.

Ah, gotcha. I tend to agree with your views on centers, but I get the feeling that Embiid might actually be so talented that it won't matter and I've seen some flashes of him having the potential to at least be a reasonable passer. Its going to be interesting to see how he develops if he can stay healthy.

As an aside, if Noel is moved I'd consider trading Okafor too.

Totally agree. I was saying the same thing the other day in the general board thread about Noel. For basketball reasons I think they should try to keep Noel and trade Okafor, but I would trade Okafor either way. I really don't see any point in having him on that roster if Embiid doesn't get derailed by injuries.

[Eoghan]

I would be super hesitant trading mkg for rudy, I know rudys game he doesn't like doin dirty work like picking up the other teams best shooter/wing. Rudy and batum do not really mesh well in my mind, idk bout yall.

Im hesitant to trade MKG in general. Ive been disappointed with MKGs play this season, but i cant help but feel like its too early to judge him that harshly considering all the time he missed. If he can stay healthy and have a full season and offseason to put in work, i kind of expect him to make a decent leap next season to being closer to the level we've always expected him to reach. Seems like trading him now would most likely be selling low.

I'll add to this that MKG will really only approach his actual value now in the playoffs where a lockdown wing defender is still a really big piece to have. MKG is just a luxury now and not really super useful during the regular season since so many teams are copying the GSW whip the ball around for a three style. The playoffs still grind down to a lot of iso matchup baskeball and that's where MKG's defense is really useful.

But the way we're going, we might have to trade MKG for a good player just to avoid a low seed (say against Cleveland) or heaven forbid to make the playoffs at all (I doubt the wheels fall off that hard but you never know, injuries and all).

[bravor]

You could talk me into taking Lopez for Hawes + Sessions + 1st.

I'd definitely support such a move, especially if the Bulls were to agree to get a 2018 1st (instead of 2017).

And i would try to get Scott from Atlanta for a 2nd (from the answer i received from a Hawk fan, he would not necessary be a keeper for them, esp. with the pending court case). To have another good defensive tweener behind Marvin (kinda like Courtney Lee move but for the frontcourt, thinking of the play offs).

Hornets would 'only' need a decent combo guard and decide what to do with the core next season if it does not click.

[esm1885]

Timberwolves fan here. Just curious, how much do you guys value MKG? And what would minny have to give up in a fair deal for him do you think?

[KembaSlice]

Timberwolves fan here. Just curious, how much do you guys value MKG? And what would minny have to give up in a fair deal for him do you think?

MKG wouldn't be a cheap get. Based on our needs,I don't think there's a deal to be made here with him involved. We need another G or a C. Lavine is the only one I'd want in this scenario and I don't know if that'd happen.

[fatlever]

Timberwolves fan here. Just curious, how much do you guys value MKG? And what would minny have to give up in a fair deal for him do you think?

I don't think the Wolves and Hornets make for good trade partners in regards to MKG, but here goes...

Lavine or Dunn or Dieng in that order.

Not sure those trades work for either team however.

MKG for Lavine - Hornets get a legit 2nd option behind Kemba and he'd fit offensively between Kemba and Batum. However, that leaves the Hornets with a gaping hole on the wing on defense. A 2nd trade would have to happen where the Hornets acquired a reliable veteran wing defender. Not sure how the Wolves would function on offense with Rubio, MKG and Wiggins, but he'd certainly give Thibs the wing defender to build his defense around. Not to mention, Lavine will cost probably 50% more than MKG once he gets a new contract.

MKG for Dunn - Only if Hornets decide to do a mini rebuild. Dunn can play next to Kemba (in Theory) and would solve the backup PG problems. Doesn't make the Hornets better in the short term. Steep price for the Wolves to pay for MKG, but fixing that defense comes a steep price.

MKG for Dieng - I doubt I'd do this deal. It would require a 2nd trade to clean out the logjam at PF/C and to restock the wings. We could do worse for MKG however.

My ideal trade for MKG is more along the lines of a 2-for-1 where we add depth in the form of a veteran wing, maybe needing a change of scenery - or on a short deal or bad deal, and a young player with some upside - such as MKG for Wilson Chandler and Gary Harris.

[BigSlam]

Dunn wouldn't help with our "shooting from range from the other wing spot" issue though.

For me it'd be Lavine only - but I'm not overly fond of the way he expresses himself.

How about Shabaz and the Wolves unprotected 2017 1st round pick?


"BBMF'ers"

[Braggins]

What about Monta Ellis as a buy low target for a backup combo guard? Hes not exactly ideal in terms of skillset, but hes a guy who we could bring off our bench to get some buckets and he can play a little SG. Sessions + Hawes/Roy works in terms of salary. Would anyone do Sessions + Hawes/Roy + 2018 2nd for Monta? He has some similar weaknesses to Sessions, but he is better at most of the things they are supposed to be good at. He was also able to play well for Carlisle, which is a good sign. I haven't seen much of him the last two seasons, his stats aren't good this season, and I'm not even sure if hed accept a bench role, but a change in scenery and the chance to be the guy on our second unit might boost him back closer to the level he was playing a couple years ago. Hes far from the first person I'd go after, but we could do worse and he might be pretty cheap. Maybe they really want to get rid of him and value Hawes skillset for a backup and would actually send us a 2nd? Hes also locked up on a reasonable contract for a couple more years.

[chellis]

Timberwolves fan here. Just curious, how much do you guys value MKG? And what would minny have to give up in a fair deal for him do you think?

For me, it goes one of two ways. 1) Competing: Lavine. 2) Rebuilding: Dunn

Not sure how we balance out the contracts and value to make a deal. I personally lean to choice 1.

[BigSlam]

Timberwolves fan here. Just curious, how much do you guys value MKG? And what would minny have to give up in a fair deal for him do you think?

For me, it goes one of two ways. 1) Competing: Lavine. 2) Rebuilding: Dunn

Not sure how we balance out the contracts and value to make a deal. I personally lean to choice 1.

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=zpxow5v

http://basketball.realgm.com/tradechecker/saved_trade/6746405


"BBMF'ers"