Thoughts in General, Rumors, etc 4.0

[NYG]

I'm working on a trade concept...

Kevin Knox for Al-Farouq Aminu

Knicks flip Aminu for $15 Million or less player

Is Kuzma a fit here or would Washington want to keep him?

Can the Magic get Aminu back yet? Terrance Ross?

What would the Knicks need to add in these cases? What other options make sense?

Knicks


Depth Chart*:
PG: Kemba Walker, Derrick Rose, Luca Vildoza, Miles McBride
SG: Evan Fournier, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes
SF: RJ Barrett, Alec Burks, Kevin Knox, Dwayne Bacon (summer contract), MJ Walker (summer contract)
PF: Julius Randle, Obi Toppin, Aamir Simms (summer contract)
C: Nerlens Noel, Mitchell Robinson, Taj Gibson, Jericho Sims (two-way)


Is that Depth Chart reasonably close to right?

If it is, why would the Knicks want to pay Kuzma $13 million to come off the bench?


I have Washington preferring to burn off some time on blah contracts rather than include compensation to move them. If Washington includes acceptable compensation, then that is different.

I was just thinking of the best players realistically available for the restriction of being $15 Million or less. From a pure on the court perspective replacing Knox with Kuzma is an upgrade.

[bondom34]

Read on Twitter

[loserX]

Exactly when are rosters due? Hornets have one player to waive. We all think it's Wes Iwundu.

I hope it's Iwundu, but expect it to be Nick Richards.

Shams just reported the Hornets waived Iwundu.

[Texas Chuck]

Exactly when are rosters due? Hornets have one player to waive. We all think it's Wes Iwundu.

I hope it's Iwundu, but expect it to be Nick Richards.

Shams just reported the Hornets waived Iwundu.

Reminder # 4,328 that wings that can't shoot have no place in the league. Yet every year people talk themselves into wing X who is super athletic, sort of defends if you squint, but can't shoot and breaks offenses. Not Iwundu obviously, nobody talks themselves into him. But Josh Jackson and Winslow and MKG and DJJ and Stanley Johnson and.... and it never ever works out.

[parsnips33]

Read on Twitter

Does Aminu still have anything left in the tank? Feel like he was one of the more underrated role players in the league for a couple seasons

[bondom34]

Read on Twitter

Does Aminu still have anything left in the tank? Feel like he was one of the more underrated role players in the league for a couple seasons

Not sure, I didn't really pay a ton of attention but thought after the injury he maybe struggled getting back? Was thinking he'd be a good flyer for a team with an open roster spot. Lakers, Warriors, not sure if the Blazers have a spot.

[Texas Chuck]

Aminu makes a little sense for the Wolves maybe. A good pairing with Towns if he still has his athleticism and they have enough shooting to let him just rim run on offense. But I think more likely he's got to wait on injury to create opportunity.

[jayu70]

Win for the Grizz:

Included in Jackson’s deal are protections for the Grizzlies in case Jackson gets hurt again, allowing them to save some or all of the money they’d owe him — sources told The Athletic. 

[K_chile22]

I think Aminu is just plain cooked

[bondom34]

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?t=X1Tc6WZ98ozPZMf-3Ssg6Q&s=19

[K_chile22]

I seem to be in the minority in thinking he's just not max extension guy

[HornetJail]

I love Ayton and think he could be an all-star center in the future. But he isn't a max player right now. I don't blame Phoenix at all for not offering a max right now. Let the market dictate his value in 9 months.

[bondom34]

I seem to be in the minority in thinking he's just not max extension guy

I'm not entirely sure either. And think I'd rather Bridges be signed long term than him, it's harder to find good wings.

[Texas Chuck]

I seem to be in the minority in thinking he's just not max extension guy

I think he's not either but I probably would have given in and given it to him. I want him happy and engaged as any year could be Paul's last as a high level player and that's their window.

[shangrila]

I seem to be in the minority in thinking he's just not max extension guy

I think he's not either but I probably would have given in and given it to him. I want him happy and engaged as any year could be Paul's last as a high level player and that's their window.

It's an interesting situation because, really, what do you do?

Their window is incredibly narrow, probably 1-2 years, and then what? A Booker-Ayton-Bridges core isn't competing for championships but there's probably no viable way for them to improve on it to actually reach contention again (and side note, I'm not even sold on them being a lock for contention right now). Unless they can flip Ayton for an improvement, somehow? I dunno.

[K_chile22]

I seem to be in the minority in thinking he's just not max extension guy

I think he's not either but I probably would have given in and given it to him. I want him happy and engaged as any year could be Paul's last as a high level player and that's their window.

I mean, it's not like he's a for sure max next year even if he doesn't pout/not play to his full potential. He's going to show up and play hard and show teams he's worth it. Playing your role and having another deep playoff run is a big part of that. I don't think it matters all that much

[Texas Chuck]

I seem to be in the minority in thinking he's just not max extension guy

I think he's not either but I probably would have given in and given it to him. I want him happy and engaged as any year could be Paul's last as a high level player and that's their window.

I mean, it's not like he's a for sure max next year even if he doesn't pout/not play to his full potential. He's going to show up and play hard and show teams he's worth it. Playing your role and having another deep playoff run is a big part of that. I don't think it matters all that much

Probably not, you are right.

I don't know Ayton well enough to know is he a guy who sees this slight and gets super motivated to go out and prove everyone wrong that he is max guy. Or is he a guy who sulks and pouts and maybe milks an injury a bit because they don't appreciate me?

And when I have a contender I tend to not want to gamble and would rather make the mistake of overpaying and having my guy all in. Of course then there is the risk of him being one of those guys who gets paid and coasts too so....

I just think windows are almost always much shorter than we think and the Suns window looks very short barring an unexpected jump from someone or an aggressive Paul flip for a younger star next off-season or something.

And nobody is more go for it right now than me. I'm team tank if you are bad, but I'm more team go for it if you are good. I still want the Suns turning Saric/Smith into another veteran already.

[Texas Chuck]

Shams has Lakers claiming Bradley. I mean I get it, but man another not great option to add to their pile.

[kalenclayton]

This is something that I haven’t heard of regarding qualifying offers and lotto picks. Has anyone else seen something like this?

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?s=21

[BullyKing]

This is something that I haven’t heard of regarding qualifying offers and lotto picks. Has anyone else seen something like this?

Read on Twitter

?s=21

Yeah, usually you see it phrased as the positive, i.e., [Player] has now reached starters criteria so his new QO is XXXXX.