Thoughts in General, Rumors, etc... Take 6

[Mamba4Goat]

I’ve been toying with a Bojan to Denver, Grant to Utah, package of meh+picks/other assets to Detroit, and likely Udoka to OKC for pick flexibility type trade but can’t find the right balance. Anyone want to take a stab at it?

[shangrila]

I’ve been toying with a Bojan to Denver, Grant to Utah, package of meh+picks/other assets to Detroit, and likely Udoka to OKC for pick flexibility type trade but can’t find the right balance. Anyone want to take a stab at it?

Why would Denver want Bojan over Grant? Or even Bojan in general?

[Mamba4Goat]

I’ve been toying with a Bojan to Denver, Grant to Utah, package of meh+picks/other assets to Detroit, and likely Udoka to OKC for pick flexibility type trade but can’t find the right balance. Anyone want to take a stab at it?

Why would Denver want Bojan over Grant? Or even Bojan in general?

I’m figuring you could throw a package of expirings and a pair of seconds together to get Bojan while Grant would cost you a fair bit more. Bojan should be able to offer them a passable 3rd option on offense until MPJ comes back and should be relative cheap to acquire asset wise.

[JMAC3]

Maybe something like Okongwu, #16 and Bogdanovic for Hayward or Rozier and #4? Get you a quality young center, better contract on the wing and still a mid first rounder?

I am starting to feel like Okongwu is overrated. Dude averaged 4.5ppg last year and 8.2 ppg on the 8 seed. Didn't even start when Capela was out this year in playoffs and has never scored double digits in 23 playoff games.

Not saying he sucks, but can we stop acting like he is some hidden talent.

PJ Washington has averaged 12,13, and 10 ppg in his first three years. Not saying PJ is better, but he has been more productive and earned more mins then OO so far.

[zimpy27]

I’ve been toying with a Bojan to Denver, Grant to Utah, package of meh+picks/other assets to Detroit, and likely Udoka to OKC for pick flexibility type trade but can’t find the right balance. Anyone want to take a stab at it?

MPJ+Udoka to DET
Grant+Barton to UTAH
Bojan+Clarkson+Olynyk to DEN

Murray, Clarkson, Bojan, Gordon, Jokic -- Morris, Bones, TaxMLE, Green, Olynyk
Feels like a strong Denver team

Utah run it back with Grant as a defensive PF upgrade

Detroit take a chance on MPJ as a pairing with Cade and Bey.

[giberish]

Who do people think will be tank teams next season? That is, teams not even trying for a play-in spot. Both full-season tank teams and some teams that might be mid-season tank teams with a slow start.

For instance, this season OKC, Houston, Detroit and Orlando were full-season tank teams, with Portland, Indy and Washington as mid-season tank teams (the Spurs were awkwardly kind of trying, but not very hard and took another step back midseason but still ended up in the play-ins by default, not sure where to place them).

Do any of last year's tank teams start trying next year (unlikely an extreme win-now push but a drive to near .500)? Does someone new stop trying?

These are the teams likely to make clear win-later deals without really worrying about how good or how fitting their roster is for next year.

[Ell Curry]

Maybe something like Okongwu, #16 and Bogdanovic for Hayward or Rozier and #4? Get you a quality young center, better contract on the wing and still a mid first rounder?

I am starting to feel like Okongwu is overrated. Dude averaged 4.5ppg last year and 8.2 ppg on the 8 seed. Didn't even start when Capela was out this year in playoffs and has never scored double digits in 23 playoff games.

Not saying he sucks, but can we stop acting like he is some hidden talent.

PJ Washington has averaged 12,13, and 10 ppg in his first three years. Not saying PJ is better, but he has been more productive and earned more mins then OO so far.

Eh, he's 21 and the Hawks best defender, hits his FTs okay. Good athlete. It's possible he's not much better than a Capela type top 10-15 starting center type, but I'd probably bet closer to 10th than 15th.

[DrModesty]

Who do people think will be tank teams next season? That is, teams not even trying for a play-in spot. Both full-season tank teams and some teams that might be mid-season tank teams with a slow start.

For instance, this season OKC, Houston, Detroit and Orlando were full-season tank teams, with Portland, Indy and Washington as mid-season tank teams (the Spurs were awkwardly kind of trying, but not very hard and took another step back midseason but still ended up in the play-ins by default, not sure where to place them).

Do any of last year's tank teams start trying next year (unlikely an extreme win-now push but a drive to near .500)? Does someone new stop trying?

These are the teams likely to make clear win-later deals without really worrying about how good or how fitting their roster is for next year.

I expect Indiana, the Spurs and the Kings to try and win based off of their historical behavior, coaches and ownership mandates. I also expect Portland to try and win but that assumes all stays the same with Dame. If they have a bad first month it could change very rapidly for them.

I think there is a chance that OKC tries to win without spending any assets to get an accurate gauge of what they are working with and then if they are more than a couple of games out of the play in after all star break they will try and tank hard to finish before making actual win now moves next off season. Orlando I think will do something similar. They will have (hopefully) have a healthy roster for the first time in years and they have a lot of good young players so internal improvement could lift them substantially... maybe.

I believe Detroit, and Houston will (should) try to tank this year with the hope that it is the last year before they can make real runs at the playoffs.

[Troubadour]

If the Spurs take Jalen Duren, Mark Williams or move up in the lottery to take Chet Holmgren, Jakob Poeltl would be primed for a trade, right?

[JMAC3]

Eh, he's 21 and the Hawks best defender, hits his FTs okay. Good athlete. It's possible he's not much better than a Capela type top 10-15 starting center type, but I'd probably bet closer to 10th than 15th.

He still only managed to play 21 mpg in the playoffs with Capela banged up. He also is only 6-8 which makes me worry he is too small to play center. Atlanta was playing a hobbled John Collins more than him.

Value has gone down in my eyes at least. See him more like a Nic Claxton type.

[Scoot McGroot]

If the Spurs take Jalen Duren, Mark Williams or move up in the lottery to take Chet Holmgren, Jakob Poeltl would be primed for a trade, right?

Maybe? Maybe not until midseason, though. Poeltl played 29 mpg last season, a career high. He also missed 14 games, so there’s definitely a spot for a guy like Duren/Williams to play around 20 minutes per night right away at center, if they can take minutes from Collins/Landale. Chet plays a ton on the perimeter, so he could easily play PF next to Poeltl for minutes, too. IMO

[Colbinii]

If the Spurs take Jalen Duren, Mark Williams or move up in the lottery to take Chet Holmgren, Jakob Poeltl would be primed for a trade, right?

I think Chet is similar to Mobley in that he is best at the 4.

[Mamba4Goat]

Yeah, Chet is closer to a 4 than a 5. For Duren or Williams the trading Poeltl conversation becomes a lot more interesting. As mentioned above it’s probably more likely to be a midseason trade though.

[MoneyTalks41890]

I definitely think Chet has to start at the 4, or at least be next to a guy that can guard 5s. Hopefully if he fills out he can be a 5 long term, I mean look at AD when he came into the league versus now. But I wouldn't want to David Carr him in his rookie year by having him guard Embiid, Ayton, etc.

[Colbinii]

Poeltl is also a terrific fit next to Chet. Two rim protectors and Chet operates from the perimeter while Poeltl operates inside.

[Ell Curry]

Eh, he's 21 and the Hawks best defender, hits his FTs okay. Good athlete. It's possible he's not much better than a Capela type top 10-15 starting center type, but I'd probably bet closer to 10th than 15th.

He still only managed to play 21 mpg in the playoffs with Capela banged up. He also is only 6-8 which makes me worry he is too small to play center. Atlanta was playing a hobbled John Collins more than him.

Value has gone down in my eyes at least. See him more like a Nic Claxton type.

He's stronger than Claxton, much better FT shooter. I think he'd get 18-20M in free agency and Claxton will get like 6M.

[Troubadour]

Is there any scenario where the Blazers could possibly wind up with Lillard, LaVine and Gobert or Capela?

[psman2]

Is there any scenario where the Blazers could possibly wind up with Lillard, LaVine and Gobert or Capela?

Tough but a Lavine/Capela should be at least possible if you can get around the BYC issue with LaVine. Have to use some combo of Hart/Bledsoe/Winslow with a 3rd team eating a chuck of salary to get around LaVine's BYC. Then Nurk/assets SNT or CJM TPE/asset for Capela works. I think Portland has a higher upside just resigning Nurk and using whatever assets left over from the Lavine trade to add to their TPEs to make other trades than making a move for Capela.

I cannot think of a way to get Gobert with LaVine with out using the TPE on a player and later using that player's salary when it is legal to combine with other contracts later in the season to trade for Gobert too.

[Resistance]

Who do people think will be tank teams next season? That is, teams not even trying for a play-in spot. Both full-season tank teams and some teams that might be mid-season tank teams with a slow start.

For instance, this season OKC, Houston, Detroit and Orlando were full-season tank teams, with Portland, Indy and Washington as mid-season tank teams (the Spurs were awkwardly kind of trying, but not very hard and took another step back midseason but still ended up in the play-ins by default, not sure where to place them).

Do any of last year's tank teams start trying next year (unlikely an extreme win-now push but a drive to near .500)? Does someone new stop trying?

These are the teams likely to make clear win-later deals without really worrying about how good or how fitting their roster is for next year.

OKC -- Yes
Option to swap with Clippers
Ovwed several picks, but all have protections. So the only good first that they will have is their own unlesss the Clippers collapse and then OKC can swap.

Houston --Yes
Obligation to OKC is 2024, so might as well do one more season for high pick.

Detroit -- Maybe yes, maybe no. Probably leaning to one more tank season. Having it depend on how it goes in the draft.

Orlando -- Leaning towards yes for them. Since Isaac might be close to done for health reasons, tank one more season to replace him.

Indiana -- Leaning to yes for them. Have them similar to Detroit.

Portland -- Think that they should, but they might be contrary and try to compete anyway. Don't think that they will be able to acquire enough talent in the offseason to boost them back to contender level. Maybe they try to compete and they decide after a while that it isn't working and tank later in the season.

Sacramento -- Expect that the owner wants them to try and compete. Vlade missing on too many draft picks is going to haunt them for quite a while.

Lakers -- New Orleans has right to swap, so no reason to tank.

San Antonio -- If various combinations of Lakers, Utah, Portland and Sacramento fail to get enough traction, then San Antonio can make the playoffs.

Washington -- No idea. Think that they need more quality youth.

Knicks -- As long as Thibodeau is there, will expect them to try and compete.


Have Utah as a mystery.

[BlazersBroncos]

Chet is a 4 who you put at 5 for stretches of small ball. And his fit next to Poeltl is absolutely prefect.

Chet and Jakob would be the best rim protecting duo in the league outside Mobley and Allen.