2022-23 Team Developments: News / Trades / Free Agents / Rumors

Who do you guys see as someone the team is willing to move both picks for at the deadline who could make us a frontrunner? For me, it's not LaVine, it's not DD (although his clutch ability and competitiveness helps), it's not Beal, Dame ain't leaving. What's the other big fish? OG is too expensive. FVV doesn't do it.

The front office doesn't see multiple starters as worth it, otherwise I think we would've figured it out with Indy earlier this year. I think they only come off both for a big fish. That's why I don't think we move both and might not even move one of them. Listened to Haynes and Stein this morning on the first episode of their new podcast (definitely recommend), Haynes said he spoke with someone in the front office 6 weeks ago and their thinking is they'll be able to get a better deal this summer when they can use three firsts. Not sure how that can work without trade pieces or cap space. This was pre-Rui so maybe the entire approach changed.

My point is, I think a taped up CP3 and stuff (shooter, another wing, and a vet big) gets you to that threshold. I don't see much out there that's even possibly available that does. Do some digging, what do you guys see?

I hate CP3. I'm not advocating for that trade or for getting him (although dumping Russ and Bev on the same day... damn that's attractive), but if you can talk yourself into CP3 making it through the playoffs (he probably can't), a healthy CP3 is a needle mover in ways that a healthy, available _____ (take your pick of any of the rumors we've heard) is not.

With regards to Ibaka, I agree but NBA coaches don't. Lakers hate Huff. Ibaka is an experienced big who a coach would lean on over Huff or Gabriel. Bryant can't play a lick of defense, so a broken down Ibaka gives another look from a big we've had interest in previously. He probably has more left than Boogie or Meyers Leonard.

 

@JSM i guess i would say i agree: i don't see a deal worth spending both picks on, period.

your ibaka take is basically the pro patbev take (coaches like and want to play him)--except bev has been a MUCH better player (and more available) than ibaka of late?

i just think 2 1sts for paul will look way worse than the nash trade ended up looking.

if the market's the way everyone says (1st for plumlee and other bs), we should just sit it out. if there's another rui type deal to be had, i trust we'll make it.

 

Here's the podcast I mentioned above


Stein is the national guy I respect the most. He's pretty good with his sources and he holds himself accountable, being self employed on his substack helps in that regard, I'm sure. Haynes is fairly connected with Klutch, so this should continue to be a good listen.

Couple things they touched on that I wanted to mention:
-Wiz thought the Rui 3 team deal with the Suns and Bucks was complete. Something fell apart on that side of the deal. If I had to guess, squabbles over pick compensation.

-Bojan is one of our top targets. Most around the league kind of balked at their asking price, but they've held firm and with there not being many sellers out there (thanks to the play- in and so many teams in the mix still), so at least for now they can ask a lot. Pistons want an unprotected first or a lightly protected first + an asset.

- everyone is keeping an eye on Toronto. They don't think they blow it up, Trent is the most obtainable.

 

Even the bate is stupid. Who the hell is going to give him a high 2nd pick, let alone a 1st?

 

agree on stein; he's one of the few who doesn't disappoint me. he's like...an actual journalist instead just a mouthpiece.

i don't know why people think toronto's going to sell. they have some talent that people want; why not use it to buy up?

i do think the FVV situation is tough there. i could see them selling there, but not without getting back something interesting--preferably a replacement at pg who's younger. i tried to find a sensible three-way with the knicks where quickly goes to toronto, bev goes to ny, and we get FVV, but i couldn't find anything that worked that well.

 

nobody, but the fact that mitch is still floating that to the press a week out from the deadline means nobody is serious right now.

 

Latest from Shams

Raptors direction still TBD

Bucks given permission to meet with Crowder. Assuming it's to discuss role and extension.

Non-update update on Collins

Plumlee and Oubre are in trade conversations (probably until teams hear the ask for Plumlee)

Jazz are interested in DFS

Poeltl could be in play in the Eastern
Conference

Knicks and Suns are interested in OG and have the draft picks to go get him, if he's made available

 

Latest from the HoopsHype crew

Bojan being told by the front office he's in their plans for next season

Jazz still want a first or its equivalent for each Beasley and Vanderbilt

Turner's extension could bring interest more buyers

https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rum...malik-beasley-jarred-vanderbilt-bones-hyland/

 

while i get that turner is more valuable now due to the extension, i still would find it strange that indy would move him at the deadline, right after signing him to a team-friendly deal. i don't think they're looking to rebuild, and it's not like they have a logjam at center anymore after moving sabonis. i feel like turner is likely to stay there now, even past this summer.

i don't get the DFS rumors. jazz want him, but the mavs want an allstar for him (+). maybe a three-teamer? but who are the available allstars? i'm not seeing them.

there's obviously misinformation about bojan out there, too, as multiple "reports" have him basically gone if they can get a 1st, but these words right from his mouth indicate that he doesn't think the price will be that low (i'm certain someone would pony up a 1st for him if that were all). and det is slated to have a ton of space, but if you look at the names available in FA next summer...do you want that space? do they really believe that the couple players they add to their bottom-dwelling roster is the difference between now and contention? bojan seems to. which is great...but i'm not so sure.

i'm still very interested in burks.

 

his money and stupidity is what you are trading. Lonnie Walker and Bev give you 19 million to unload. Westbrook adds it up to 66 million.

Find three 20 mil per players that teams need to unload that extend beyond 2023 whom can contribute in a positive way and you will give this team a chance.

 

Who are those players?

That package gives us nothing. It's all about context. We are hunting for established players who can produce right now. With the play-in, all but 5 teams have playoff aspirations, so it's a thin market. That's why only Rozier, Burks, Richardson and Bogdanovic are the only players we could possibly get. But not sure Burks/Richardson gives us more than Bev/Lonnie and those are probably not enough for Rozier/Bojan.
Other chance is to find misfits in the teams that are competing like Reddish, LeVert...but if they are not playing well there, they don't actually move the needle at all for us.

It's very easy to say "trade these guys for better players" but the other team needs to get something too. I think the insertion of the play-in have made the trade market more tricky and you have to wait for teams wanting to blow it up.

I'm less and less inclined to trade Bev. I would like Burks but I think I prefer Bev. Maybe for Lonnie, he really seems that can be targeted on defense, although he has the body to be better there. On the other hand, his contract makes him harder to keep him so a trade could make sense on the long term

 

The thing is we are already deep, for some reason. Trading those two gets us even more in trouble in finding rotations.
We have 12 guys that should have minutes everyday but then only LeBron, AD, Reaves and maybe Schroder to finish.

 

Exactly, but that's the thing. We are already complaining that Max and Gabriel don't see minutes, if we add one more to the mix there's another one falling.
And do you think JTA and Jones give us a starting caliber player, better than Bev and Lonnie or Reaves?

 

Somebody wrote this very thing a day or so ago lol