2024-25 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

I don’t know if it’s possible. But I would look at a Reaves Vanderbilt for Towns.

Jokic is no Anthony Davis. Maybe we can win with this.

Doncic LeBron Towns is offensive power. There is spacing on the floor.

you still have Knect and Hachimura. Maybe you sign Clint Capela and Resign Jaxson Hayes for some rim protection.

just something to think about if the Knicks want to move towns.

 

Yes, I’m not the biggest fan of towns, but he just came off a 25/13 seasons. He’s a great shooter and floor spacer and ok at rim protection, certainly an improvement over Rui in that regard.

 

We are lacking the interior post play since Davis left and Davis ability to step back and shoot.

Towns would bring that. Hes done more in the post in the playoffs.

as good as Brunson is he isn’t Luka Doncic. And the Knicks don’t have a LeBron.

meaning a guy who can get you a bucket and bring defenders to him. Bridges and OG don’t offer that.

if we did that. I’d load up on Defense. Simmons Capela Reed resigning Hayes.

 

To match salaries you need Rui, Reaves and Vando. And you’re probably sending a first with them and a swap.

It’s not a great outcome for us. Once LeBron retires you still need lots of defenders around Luka and KAT.

I’d prefer the NO trade in my opinion.

 

Not only is he not a good defender but...


Pass.

 

Gonna be interesting who the Center is.

I’d advise Lakers to sign the Center first Capela Reed so we aren’t desperate in trades.

Claxton

Ayton
Poetel

should be fun.

 

Awww come on all we have to give up is Reaves, Hachimura, Vando, a first and a swap. But we’d finally get that damn Reaves out of here before we give him a chance to show what a Caruso Part Deux mistake it is with his level of play somewhere else next season after this summer of his most intense work ever.

 

Are we seriously talking about pairing KAT of all the centers in the world with Luka. Not only the man with the gigantic contract who is already extension eligible (yikes!!) but the dude who the Pacers relentlessly picked on in drop coverage and pair him with the guy teams loved to attack off isolation. Seems great, no problems at all with that pairing, just perfect.

Hopefully the Lakers do something productive so that this thread doesn't produce vomit like this for the rest of the dogs days of summer.

 

Absolutely against KAT

 

Knect is too valued around the league. I don’t need him ending up on the Denver Nuggets. I put a premium on shooting.

with Luka we need catch and shoot shooters like Klay.

Reaves ain’t that. Never been his game as good as he is. I don’t want to do it.

if Gianiss or Durant isn’t coming.

we will be okay with minor moves.

give me Capela Paul Reed Lopez Wendell Carter George Bitzdae something like that.

give me Ben Simmons and Tim Hardaway Jr. and I’ll call it a day.

And let me sign Deandre Jordan As a OG vet. Well draft a young Center.


I don’t want to trade core players for sub players. Just for need.


Maybe make a play for Valenchuenes Brook Lopez or Zach Collins Nikola Vuccevic any of those guys.

if we can get away with 2031 pick Vanderbilt Gabe Vincent Jr.


I don’t want to give away Knect And Hachimura. These are two of our best shooters. Who are we putting around Luka Shooter wise? Lebron ain’t no catch and shoot.

What does Utah want for John Collins jr. Can we get away with a 2031 pick for him and a salary to make it work. Gives us the pick and roll Center Luka wants and add a vet like Capela. Collins jr. Was balling when he played.

 

Had a look around contracts in the league and names that popped out that are under 10M (meaning we can trade expirings for them and keep our main trade assets for bigger moves) and are potential underrated role players based on eye test:

Josh Green (at 13M but I really like him)
Caleb Martin
O'Neale
Ron Holland
Fontecchio
KJ Martin
Anthony Black
Dosumnu
Saddiq Bey
Highsmith
Jalen McDaniels
Nick Richards

Some of these guys are kind of unknown or lost in bad teams that can really develop as strong role players.
My favourites are Dosumnu (which Chicago never unleashed for wtv reason), Caleb Martin (is in a controlled long contract) and Josh Green (lost in Charlotte, played with Luka already)

I would have to run some deeper analysis on them though. We basically need to get def ratings and corner/wide open shooting %s and see who's better at that

 

ESPN: Offer No. 2: Cavs form new star trio in Flagg, Mobley and Garland

Dallas Mavericks get: Guard Donovan Mitchell, 2031 first-round pick (via Lakers), 2028 first-round swap (via Lakers), 2030 first-round swap (via Lakers)

Cleveland Cavaliers get: 2025 No. 1 pick, guards Jevon Carter and Gabe Vincent, forwards Maxi Kleber and P.J. Washington, center Daniel Gafford

Los Angeles Lakers get: Center Jarrett Allen

Chicago Bulls get: Forwards Dalton Knecht and Caleb Martin, 2026 second-round pick (via Cavaliers), 2027 second-round pick (via Nuggets), 2028 second-round pick (via Cavaliers)

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...-draft-pick-cooper-flagg-dallas-mavericks#cle

 

i like the spirit here, but i think all the attainable players are ones i don't like:

Josh Green--already failed next to luka and has basically trended the wrong way for a while now. his defense has always been theoretical.
Caleb Martin--not super fast, not super great at anything. no idea why dallas traded grimes for him, tbh (well, i do--but it was a bad reason).
O'Neale--interested, but he's trending down, too. can't get him by dealing directly with phx, either, as we'd save them no immediate money.
Ron Holland--no chance.
Fontecchio--never really understood how he keeps being employed. the shake milton of forwards.
KJ Martin--barely a vet min guy, imo.
Anthony Black--no way he's available for expirings and picks, imo.
Dosumnu--good target, as i think he's still improving and fills a need (perimeter defense), but chicago always overvalues its guys, and they want players. this is one that i think knecht could be moved for, though.
Saddiq Bey--don't think he fills a need, consistently not a defender.
Highsmith--we already have vando
Jalen McDaniels--vet min candidate. he was injured all year? he was really bad the previous year, but interesting as a reclamation attempt.
Nick Richards--still like him, but like oneale, just not sure there's a simple path here.

if i get some time this week, i'll do some scouring, though i think i've done most of it. my hope continues to be that there's as much movement as the pundits suggest, and we can swoop in and peel off guys that nobody expects to move that end up being victims of the salaries needed to match on durant, giannis, etc.

like the trade lakeshow posted--except i don't see dallas moving flagg. feel like ownership will step in this time before harrison burns it all to the ground.

 

I don't strongly disagree with anything you said, but I would say that the trick of role players is the actual role. Some guys suck in different teams and then hit in a specific context because their role is limited to exactly their skill set.
My rule of thumb to analyze these guys is if at some point they've shown flashes of being better than they usually are, which may happen because of injuries or something that puts them in their best role window. Which is why they have not been consistent.

But again, this was a very raw exercise during my lunch time and no data backup, purely eye test. For example, Fontecchio had a crazy run I think 2 years ago by the end of the season and it stuck with me.

I think to hit in at least 2/3 guys like this, both in low-end trades and Free Agency.

My dream options in both trades and FA so far are: Herb, Trey Murphy, Dosumnu, Bruce Brown and Capela. If we get 2 of these I'll be very happy

On the Flagg trade above, I don't think Cleveland blows it up after winning the East regular season and Tatum expected to miss next season. But it did remind me that we have a huge opportunity to be the 3rd team on a big trade, where you usually can exploit it and get more than you give in return. With an offseason expected to be so active, we must be on the phone everyday

 

Well Zion is most likely avaliable..maybe for the cheap.

https://hoopshype.com/2025/06/03/te...d-contracts-and-no-picks-for-zion-williamson/

 

If that' the kind of return they'd get for Zion, there's really no reason for NO to trade him. Might as well hope (likely in vain) that he and the rest of the team finally manage to stay relatively healthy.

 

they needed to move him at the deadline last year, imo. he had been back on the court and looking something like himself. played that way through part of march before inevitably sitting. now you have a guy who once again missed a ton of time and clearly has a bunch of offcourt issues. and i know you can't assume he's guilty based on just an accusation, but what you can see is a pattern of him making some poor choices. same with morant. i don't know if these are bad guys or not, but why invest so heavily if there's that much smoke?

before we got luka, i was desperate enough to take a look, but not now. some have-not in the east should see if they can snag him cheap. he's from near charlotte. the fanbase would embrace him there. how about miles bridges, josh green and two or three firsts (charlotte has several hanging around)?

 

Charlotte or Atlanta are the two teams I thought of for him. Atlanta is my favorite big-swing to upgrade PF team in general whether it be Giannis, KD or Zion

 

Great read, Charlotte makes a ton of sense. They should do it. I really want to pick up the pieces in NOLA. Even up to Alvarado if we trade Gabe for something else.
Maybe it makes Mark Williams available for less a FRP too

I'm excited for this summer, I think Pelinka will pull another big unexpected move