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

You can have all mine, but only if you change your name to Dave, man!

 

i'm not 100% positive any of them nets a first unless the other team is moving salary past next year, tbh. and maybe utah's in that market--no FA is signing there, and the market isn't strong next year.

if you believe that one guy, utah just wanted one pick from us, which is interesting.

otherwise, i don't know if i'm angry or impressed at the level of disingenuousness it takes to argue we haven't been trying to move russ.

 

Some interesting Conley data for those calling him washed.

 

He should (have been) considered for sure. Lakers seem overly concerned about our cap space for next season, which is why they don't seem to be interested in taking on Conley and the money he is owed for 2023.

I would argue his inclusion likely would have brought the draft compensation down to a single 1st round pick. Lakers want it both ways and that is simply being unrealistic and hence they seem to be in retreat and accepting a fantasy plan with Westbrook instead.

A Conley/Bogdanovich/Gay for Westbrook/Gabriel/2027 1st round pick trade is a near wash salary matching but shaves upwards of 30 million off the Jazz books for next season and gives us much needed size at SF, shooting and a defensive/shooting upgrade at PG.

Another reason Ainge would be interested one would think is because he is able to give PG playing time to his two most recent adds in Colin Sexton and Talen Horton-Tucker and while I am sure he could get perhaps a more favorable deal for Bogdanovich separately, he isn't likely going to be able to move Conley and Gay and save all that cap space in the process.

Lakers would rather not tie up all that cap space I get that, but on expiring deals both of them can be moved later if need be and shouldn't be a deterrent on making this move. Immediately our 3 pt shooting becomes more of a strength:

1. F/G LeBron James
2. F/C Anthony Davis
3. F/G Bojan Bogdanovich (39%, 2.6)
4. G Mike Conley (41%, 2.3)
5. G Patrick Beverley
6. G Austin Reaves
7. C Thomas Bryant
8. G Lonnie Walker V
9. F/G Juan Toscano-Anderson
10. F Rudy Gay (35%, 1.3)
11. G Kendrick Nunn
12. F Troy Brown Jr.

A much better dozen to roll into the season with and I don't know why Pelinka doesn't try to make it happen

 

i've been beating the conley drum since before the media got hold of it. conley/bogdanovic for 1 1st or fewer is a done deal for me.



spurs let russ be russ (and desperately need a pg, tbh, and to get to the salary floor). utah gets a 1st, SA gets a 2nd, we get a TE big enough to absorb another rotation player later in the season.

 

Just get Westbrook off the team. Any deal will do. One picks, two picks, get him off the team and get a couple valuable role players back who won’t take away from what LeBron and AD do as Westbrook does.

Call Indiana - if Buddy and Myles Turner is available, give the 2 picks.

Call Utah - give them 2 picks and take back as many players as possible.

Call San Antonio - Josh Richardson, McDermott. Come on down.

I cannot watch Westbrook wearing this Laker jersey anymore.

 

I think Bogdanovic and JC absolutely get a first each, if sent out separately. Not a lotto first, but several playoff teams would be interested in either.
JC - Dallas, Minny, Memphis, Toronto, and Miami.
Bogdanovic - Boston, Phoenix, Toronto, Memphis, and Dallas

Bogdanovic addresses a smart, veteran shooter who can log 30+ minutes a game. JC is instant offense for not much more then the MLE for a guard who's 30 and can also handle a bit to take pressure off the lead guard.

I think Vanderbilt and Beasley are only getting multiple 2nds. I guess that could be Protected 1st that becomes second(s).

The fact that teams are caving to the leprechaun's demands only reinforces that he'll get his ask for his remaining assets.

I don't think Utah has any interest in being a FA player. I think they'll hold on to the picks like a Boston Gollum. This will buy Ainge job security and they can be players if X superstar wants out in the future.

I'm just curious as to how much value Ainge is putting on a late first. Is it worth more or less than dumping Conley in the process? To a lesser extent, same can be asked about Gay. If he wants one first for each asset, then a deal for Bogdanovic, Conley, and Gay should only cost one first with some protections on the pick. The thought behind that is Bogdanovic is 1st, Conley and Gay are negative assets and since so is Russ, at the very least it's a wash and they get one unprotected 1st from us. I think it may put us slightly in the driver's seat and maybe we can negotiate that into it only converts if it's top 20.

Ramona also said in her convo with Lowe that her understanding of Russ isn't a buy out player. So i think that makes Utah a perfect landing spot. They can tank and he can get all the empty stats he wants. Indy will try to compete. I can't see any Pop team not competing at all.

One (of hundreds) concern I have with going into the season with Russ is if the plan is to try and then move Russ when it doesn't work...10. 15. 20 games in, I think teams will see us being more desperate at that point and the deals with be worse. I don't think it flips in our favor until the deadline and by that point the season is lost.

 

The season is lost the first second of game one if Westbroke is in a Laker Uni.

 

don't fully agree. if bogdanovic was a surefire 1st, he'd be gone already. same with clarkson. this is why we're even talking. it's not as if the utah firesale hasn't been going on all summer.

the teams that want these guys don't have expirings to offer, so utah will have to take on salary to get that 1st for either, and again, maybe they do that. but those teams will be gaining more than bogdanovic in the trade--they'll be getting flexibility.

tl;dr: their value depends on destination, and a 1st isn't guaranteed, imo.

it will be revealed over the course of the next few months, of course. and there's a lot to calculate. is conley a negative asset (i think it's like us with russ--he is for them, even if he's really not).

is vanderbilt a positive asset? he finally emerged last year and will be due to be paid without ever having been very good. what's that worth?

in this regard, i'll abide by slick logic and say that what ainge moves them for will tell us what he actually wanted.

i think pop might see competing with russ as the ultimate troll/challenge.

i agree that we're gambling pretty hard right now, but i'd probably opt that way if i were rob, too. another bad year and flexibility is better than a blah-to-good year and none.

just still really mad that indy, utah (with ainge), and SAS were our best bets. freaking miles bridges killed our offseason, imo.

 

Hyperbole much?

 

Top 8 protected 27 and 29 picks for Turner and Hield. No more. Sorry. The Utah picks aren't worth d*** in any situation.

 

Hey, just joined. First time…Long Time…

Has Mr. Rambis said anything recently?

— I’ve given up hope of a Russ trade, but just curious what our thought processes are, and hoping he might have some insights.

— I continue to think we are trying our best to get out of the repeater tax so that’s why we’re not having good-faith discussions about trading Russ.

— Look forward to posting more…

 

welcome! i think getting under the luxury tax for at least one year is something that would interest ownership for sure.

btw, when dallas fans read they were interested in bogdanovic and/or clarkson, some on a forum there were constructing deals involving us, wherein we give a 1st and russ and take back conley/dwight powell/bertans or conley/thj. they would give a 1st, too, and thus utah gets its 2 1sts, we get rid of russ, get conley, and either get a useful player (thj) or some salary relief (powell expires and is useful, bertans has a small-ish partial guarantee in 24-25).

 

I’ll take 1 Doncic please

 

Hell, I'll take one financial contribution from Cuban to go, as well.

Wonder if Jeanie can go on Shark Tank.

 

in fairness, cuban hasn't paid the luxury tax since the mavs won the title, i think.

sometimes i think cap space plans are a way to fool fans into dreaming big while keeping costs down.

 

I agree with all of this.

 

If Lakers are going to keep Russ for the season, they better hope that either him or AD come in with a much improved three-point shot. There is probably a better chance of AD improving it, which could result in Russ playing primarily in the dunker spot. If AD becomes a 35% + three-point shooter, we could really have something, with him playing on the perimeter and WB playing in the post. AD has the potential to become a very good three-point shooter, and it would benefit him tremendously because he doesn't want to play center, it could mitigate injuries, and could extend his career. Basically it would be in AD's best interest to become a three-point shooter. Yeah, it's kind of going away from his strengths as a post player, but it is what it is.

PG-James/Reeves/Walker
SG-Beverly/Nunn/JTA
SF-Westbrook/Brown/Christie
PF-Davis/Swider/Gabriel
C-Bryant/Jones/Huff

I am not too familiar with Coach Ham's offense. But, you could also look at it like this?

Offensive roles:

1. Initiator: James, Reeves, Walker, Pippen (two-way)

2. Three-point shooter: Beverly, Nunn, Christie

3. Dunker spot: Westbrook, Jones, Gabriel

4. Three-point shooter: Davis, Brown, JTA , free agent?

5. Three-point shooter: Bryant, Swider, Huff

Defensive Roles:

1. Point Guard defender: Beverly, Nunn, Pippen (two-way)

2. Shooting Guard defender: Westbrook, Reeves, Walker

3. Small Forward defender: James, Brown, JTA

4. Power Forward defender: Davis, Swider, Gabrial, free agent?

5. Center defender: Bryant, Jones, Huff

Not sure if this makes sense, but the key is for AD or WB to become at least a 35% shooter. The other would camp out in the dunker spot.