Early Season Trade Questions

[bkohler]

So.. KP and the 2026 Mil/NOP pick for Trey?

If Kp + 2026 NOP was on the table I’d offer Lauri and 27 Lakers pick

[jredsaz]

Queen is looking legit, the process Weaver did to get him will always be dumb, but at least Queen is showing out now.

Vibes and flow and so much better without Zion. Poole has been clunky too, but doubt anyone trades for him. Goal should be developing Fears, Queen and Murphy with Herb and Bey as stabilizing forces.

Play through Zion to get his trade value high as possible, take best offer at the deadline. Kings, Suns, and Bulls are the only teams I can see being realistically interested.

Maluach + Jalen Green (hopefully to 3rd team)
for
Zion (+Missi needed?)

Many see Queen as more of a PF who would be best with a true rim protector. Maluach would be a fun piece to develop with Fears and Queen.

What would you want for Zion in a Suns trade?

[YayBasketball]

What would you want for Zion in a Suns trade?

Maluach would be the main target I would want.
Allen + O'Neale would be preferred matching salary, but that doesn't get to quite enough matching salary with pushing Suns into the 1st apron.
So that leaves J. Green as matching salary (what 3rd team would take him?)- with Maluach as the asset. Matkovic/Jordan could be included to give Suns a 3rd Center.

[jredsaz]

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.

Don’t see any Booker trade until at least next seasons deadline and that’s far fetched. Hypothetically, I think the Suns would require some value back with Trae.

[jredsaz]

What would you want for Zion in a Suns trade?

Maluach would be the main target I would want.
Allen + O'Neale would be preferred matching salary, but that doesn't get to quite enough matching salary with pushing Suns into the 1st apron.
So that leaves J. Green as matching salary (what 3rd team would take him?)- with Maluach as the asset. Matkovic/Jordan could be included to give Suns a 3rd Center.

I mean ManMan, Brooks and ONeale works financially. I just don’t think that’s enough for the Pels.

[YayBasketball]

What would you want for Zion in a Suns trade?

Maluach would be the main target I would want.
Allen + O'Neale would be preferred matching salary, but that doesn't get to quite enough matching salary with pushing Suns into the 1st apron.
So that leaves J. Green as matching salary (what 3rd team would take him?)- with Maluach as the asset. Matkovic/Jordan could be included to give Suns a 3rd Center.

I mean ManMan, Brooks and ONeale works financially. I just don’t think that’s enough for the Pels.

I figured Brooks was essential to their defense, so I left him out. And both him and ONeale out would leave them with just Dunn as their only defensive wing?

I may be low on Zion's trade value after 6 seasons of the Z roller coaster. And I actually think real GMs are, too. I guess all it takes is one team and ambitious owner like Ishbia to take the upside gamble.

[YayBasketball]

I mean ManMan, Brooks and ONeale works financially. I just don’t think that’s enough for the Pels.

Let's replace O'Neale with Allen. Let's Suns keep a starting SF, makes more sense roster balancing wise, although Allen's shooting would help Zion in theory. Would even try to add in a Poole/Green swap, or even DeJounte Murray once he's back by the deadline.

Suns get: Zion, Hawkins, D. Jordan

Pels get: Maluach, Brooks, Allen

Suns:

Mark/ Richards/ Jordan
Zion/ Ighudaro/ Nigel
O'Neale/ Dunn/ Fleming
Green/ Goodwin/ Hawkins
Booker/Gillespie

Pels:

Maluach/ Missi/ Looney
Queen/ Bey/ Karlo
Trey/ Brooks/ Peavey
Herb/ Poole/ Allen
Fears/ Murray/ Jose

[dcstanley]

I know LAL/DAL trades are unlikely but does this framework make sense at all?

Naji/Christie/Hardy for Gabe/Kleber/2028 lightly protected 1st?


Mavs get off some longer term money for two expiring contracts that will help them tank and a 1st, Lakers get guard and wing depth. Really no use for Hardy for the Lakers but I'm sure the Mavs would like to move on from him.

[Texas Chuck]

I know LAL/DAL trades are unlikely but does this framework make sense at all?

Naji/Christie/Hardy for Gabe/Kleber/2028 lightly protected 1st?


Mavs get off some longer term money for two expiring contracts that will help them tank and a 1st, Lakers get a guard and a wing depth. Really no use for Hardy for the Lakers but I'm sure the Mavs would like to move on from him.

This is a really smart deal if you ignore the whole issue of the Luka deal. Lakers pick up two solid rotation wings and Dallas gains flexibility and picks up an asset in a season where the hole is going to be too big for Kyrie to dig them out.

But let's have Harrison do this as his last act before getting fired. I like Christie and he's young and cost controlled, but Dallas is super unlikely to be good enough to take advantage of those cheap years, so I'm cool with dealing him like this.

[Godaddycurse]

I know LAL/DAL trades are unlikely but does this framework make sense at all?

Naji/Christie/Hardy for Gabe/Kleber/2028 lightly protected 1st?


Mavs get off some longer term money for two expiring contracts that will help them tank and a 1st, Lakers get a guard and a wing depth. Really no use for Hardy for the Lakers but I'm sure the Mavs would like to move on from him.

you owe 2027 and 2029 1sts already so you cant trade 2028 1st

[dcstanley]

I know LAL/DAL trades are unlikely but does this framework make sense at all?

Naji/Christie/Hardy for Gabe/Kleber/2028 lightly protected 1st?


Mavs get off some longer term money for two expiring contracts that will help them tank and a 1st, Lakers get a guard and a wing depth. Really no use for Hardy for the Lakers but I'm sure the Mavs would like to move on from him.

you owe 2027 and 2029 1sts already so you cant trade 2028 1st

Whoops, meant 2031 FRP

[shrink]

What kind of PG could MIN get if they offer Naz Reid?

What kind of center?