2023-24 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

JSM · Dec 18, 2023

So I guess they're keeping him. Cause that's insane.

Not a lot of paths with their salaries. It would almost have to be Barnes, Monk and Huerter and whatever draft stuff.

abeer3 · Dec 18, 2023

okc has three first rounders in 2024 and in 2025. they can't keep all those. they also have at least two each in 26 and 27, i think. plus a gazillion 2nds.

bertans is a salary match with a mostly non-guaranteed number after this year, iirc.

okc could jump into contention this year if they did something like that, imo. they're not far off now, tbh.

52years · Dec 18, 2023

JSM said: ↑

IF Gabe is who they thought they signed you could get away with something like this...

DLO, TP, Wood and Hayes for Capela and Mills.

Hawks run DLO as their 6th man. He and Bogi can cook off the bench.

We move Vincent into the starting group and have a high end backup big with Capela. Mills gives us some coverage at point off the bench. He hasn't played much this year in ATL, but is qualified for insurance purposes.

Again this only works if Vincent is healthy and the team was right in their assessment of his game. We have to find that out first.
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I’m thinking Atlanta would want Rui instead of Dlo for the reasons Abeer gave.Would you still do it if they wanted a Rui,Hayes + pick package?

KuzmoBall17 · Dec 18, 2023

Markkanen is actually very cheap.
When or if Ainge will see this he's going to ask at least 7 picks

JSM · Dec 18, 2023

Stein on the banner with quotes from Ham and AD

The Los Angeles Lakers play host to the New York Knicks and have scheduled a pregame ceremony as part of the evening's program to raise a banner at Crypto.com Arena to commemorate the club's recent triumph in the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament.

So you can expect lots of loud opinion to bubble on all of the league's various comment channels once we get a look at the banner, which the Lakers say will feature a different shape and color from the 17 NBA championship banners that the purple and gold have already hung.

The Lakers, as a franchise, could have hung an additional 50-plus banners by now if they made a fuss over every Pacific Division title (33) or Western Conference championship (19) they've won. Because the Lakers have been so explicit until now about only hanging banners when they win it all, they've naturally been subjected to plenty of external shouting from those who think it is beneath them to greet this achievement with full banner treatment.

I don’t.

The Lakers were realistically always going to treat an In-Season Tournament title with some measure of banner reverence because it would be a major slap in the league's face if they didn't. Lakers owner Jeanie Buss has a strong relationship with NBA commissioner Adam Silver. Knowing how much it means to the league for the In-Season Tournament to succeed, Buss and the Lakers were always a strong bet to support the initiative.

The compromise that the Lakers came up with, beyond the aesthetics that will be different on an IST banner, was to announce that it will add any future cup titles to the same banner rather than, say, hoisting another IST banner if they win it next season.

When the Lakers were in Dallas last week, I had an opportunity to ask Coach Darvin Ham directly to react to the notion that the team is somehow breaking from proud tradition to make a big deal about winning the IST. Ham scoffed.

"I think it's great," Ham said. "We talked about it before we played that championship game. To be able to be first at something ... this tournament is not going anywhere. I think it's only gonna get better once they go back and look at what went well and some things they should change or enhance even more.

"One thing that's a fact is that it was great for the fans. ... It's gonna be here, so it's going to be a part of the fabric of the NBA, which is a great thing. So to be the first team to do it, I think it's awesome. That cup ... it's a big shot in the arm for your group [and] for your franchise."

Lakers big man Anthony Davis will also be honored as part of the ceremony, alongside In-Season Tournament MVP LeBron James, as members of the IST All-Tournament Team which also features Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, Phoenix's Kevin Durant and Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton.

The Lakers, remember, were unable to hold a parade of any kind after winning their last Larry O'Brien Trophy in the Walt Disney World bubble in Orlando in October 2020. No one is suggesting a parade or rings for an IST crown, but Davis echoed Ham in applauding the Lakers' approach to honoring this achievement.

"I think it's pretty cool," Davis said. "Obviously it's not the real thing, but it is something that the league recognizes as happening [and] being champions for. So I think it's cool that they're doing that."
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JSM · Dec 18, 2023

Since we're talking Hawks today, this is relevant... Stein said to add them in the watch mix along with the Bulls, Raptors and Jazz.

...Chicago, Toronto and Utah are three teams generating a considerable amount of curiosity already among rival teams when it comes to operating as sellers leading up to the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

You can go ahead and add the Atlanta Hawks to the same list. The Hawks entered Monday's play at a disappointing 10-15 and appear in need of some shaking up. Their last big swing — hiring Quin Snyder as coach in late February in hopes that Snyder could lift Trae Young to a higher level of consistency — has resulted in a pedestrian 20-26 mark this far. (Atlanta did reach the playoffs via the play-in route last season with an upset of eventual Eastern Conference champions Miami before losing to Boston in six games.)

The recent injury loss of Most Improved Player candidate Jalen Johnson was an undeniable blow, but that alone doesn't explain Atlanta's underachievement. The Hawks made De'Andre Hunter and Clint Capela available in various trade discussions during the off-season and are likely to expand their trade approach in coming weeks.
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In the same piece, he notes that Cuban is keeping 27% of the team in the sale. $3.8 billion for while retaining over 1/4 of the team and staying on as president of basketball ops is one sweet deal.

Mark Cuban's sale of a majority stake in the Mavericks will be voted on at league level Wednesday and is expected to pass comfortably.

League sources tell The Stein Line that Cuban will emerge with a 27% ownership stake in the Mavericks while Las Vegas Sands Corp., which is buying out all of Cuban's previous minority partners, will seize 73% controlling interest.

As I've previously reported, Sands Corp. president and COO Patrick Dumont will be installed as the Mavericks' new governor, with Cuban shifting to alternate governor after nearly 24 years as the Mavericks' majority owner since striking a deal to buy the team from Ross Perot Jr. on Jan. 4, 2000, for $285 million.

Yet the unorthodox sale, remember, calls for Cuban to retain operational control of basketball endeavors for the foreseeable future. And his 27% minority stake is believed to be larger, just to name one example, than Joe Lacob’s controlling interest in the Golden State Warriors
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JSM · Dec 18, 2023

VladeD714 · Dec 19, 2023

Need some changes.

Kenzo · Dec 19, 2023

DLO, Rui/Prince, Wood/Hayes, bye bye.

VincePT · Dec 19, 2023

Kenzo said: ↑

DLO, Rui/Prince, Wood/Hayes, bye bye.
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yes and I would add Vincent, but got to be careful as we easily can get worse if the right trade isn't made.

DLo and Rui are inconsistent but still serviceable players.

sirronstuff · Dec 19, 2023

Or do you just consider changing the coach and schemes? The players we have seem solid enough when used to their strengths.

JSM · Dec 19, 2023

sirronstuff said: ↑

Or do you just consider changing the coach and schemes? The players we have seem solid enough when used to their strengths.
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Even if Ham isn't the right coach, I think he has a long rope. The constant rotation of coaches we've had shows instability at the top and that's not a position Rob or Jeanie want to project. Short of Bron and AD going to management and giving them the ultimatum of him or us, I think Ham is with us for awhile.

We already chose to pair a rookie HC with a team that has a compressed contention window, I think they're in it with him for the long haul.

JSM · Dec 19, 2023

Bron recruiting the gunning point guard?

Wino · Dec 19, 2023

sirronstuff said: ↑

Or do you just consider changing the coach and schemes? The players we have seem solid enough when used to their strengths.
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Yeah, I am beginning to think this way. Might be the coach.

abeer3 · Dec 19, 2023

JSM said: ↑

Bron recruiting the gunning point guard?
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maybe for the agency?

sirronstuff · Dec 19, 2023

JSM said: ↑

Even if Ham isn't the right coach, I think he has a long rope. The constant rotation of coaches we've had shows instability at the top and that's not a position Rob or Jeanie want to project. Short of Bron and AD going to management and giving them the ultimatum of him or us, I think Ham is with us for awhile.

We already chose to pair a rookie HC with a team that has a compressed contention window, I think they're in it with him for the long haul.
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Plus he took them to the WCF in his first year. I agree he has some rope.

I also think there are no obvious upgrades to consider. If so, it may be more of a conversation.

sirronstuff · Dec 19, 2023

abeer3 said: ↑

maybe for the agency?
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I had to look up who this was, and see Ja I’d set to come back.

Bron for President, friend to all. Illunimati to the core.

Khmrp · Dec 19, 2023

JSM said: ↑

So I guess they're keeping him. Cause that's insane.

Not a lot of paths with their salaries. It would almost have to be Barnes, Monk and Huerter and whatever draft stuff.
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Danny Ainge never change!

Slick2021 · Dec 19, 2023

Ja Morant returns in style..34pts and game winning basket.

JSM · Dec 20, 2023

Buha and Mayberry (Bulls beat) got together to discuss the likelihood of a trade

With the Lakers and Bulls playing Wednesday night at the United Center, Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha and Bulls beat writer Darnell Mayberry teamed up for a back-and-forth discussion on the situation.

Here’s what they’re hearing, what a package could look like and what they think will happen.

Jovan Buha: Hey Darnell, thanks for doing this. What’s the latest you’re hearing from the Chicago side on a potential trade with the Lakers?

Darnell Mayberry: All signs are pointing to these teams eventually finding common ground on a deal that works for both sides. The fit as trade partners was apparent before. But as the season has progressed, it seems imperative that they come together on a trade.

From the Bulls’ side, the biggest hurdle is the asking price for LaVine or, as you mentioned, DeRozan or Caruso. LaVine would be their first choice to move. He has a massive contract that will be impossible for him to live up to as long as the Bulls are losing, and with LaVine, the Bulls have been stuck in the mud for the better part of seven seasons.

Now that it’s public knowledge LaVine and the franchise are open to ending their partnership, Chicago doesn’t appear to have a ton of leverage. LaVine’s contract alone — he’s in the second season of a five-year, $215 million deal — will be difficult for most teams to absorb and is expected to limit the Bulls’ available trade offers.

The problem with that is Chicago’s front office has quickly developed a reputation for overvaluing their own in trade discussions. It could be the biggest hurdle to a Bulls-Lakers blockbuster. To this point, Chicago has demanded top value for suboptimal parts. But after three failed seasons, time has run out on the Bulls’ belief in continuity. A trade is imminent. It’s just a matter of how sweet of a deal the Lakers can offer.

A lot of fans like Austin Reaves in Chicago, Jovan. How much do the Lakers want LaVine?

Buha: Not much has changed on the Lakers’ front. They are remaining patient and using the next few weeks to determine the holes in their roster and the magnitude of upgrades they’ll need.

My understanding is that the Lakers continue to prefer DeRozan and/or Caruso given their contracts, as previously reported. The Lakers have preferred year-to-year flexibility over long-term salaries since their championship run in 2020, especially after the catastrophic Russell Westbrook trade. DeRozan is on a $28 million expiring deal. Caruso is making $9.5 million this season and $9.9 million next season, both team-friendly figures given he’s one of the league’s best defensive guards. LaVine, meanwhile, represents a significant commitment for a player who’s been a borderline All-Star at best.

Of course, LaVine is a Klutch Sports client, and that factor can’t be overlooked. The partnership between the Lakers and Klutch, the powerhouse agency headed by LeBron James’ childhood friend Rich Paul, has been mutually beneficial over the past five years. The Lakers have understandably had an affinity for Klutch players during James’ tenure and currently feature four on their roster (James, Anthony Davis, Cam Reddish, Jarred Vanderbilt. James has also long been a fan of LaVine’s, as well as DeRozan’s, for what it’s worth.

For LaVine specifically, I think the Lakers would consider a D’Angelo Russell-centric deal, but I don’t think they’d throw in much more than a combination of salary filler (Rui Hachimura and/or Gabe Vincent), a young prospect (Max Christie or Jalen Hood-Schifino) and a protected pick (2029 or 2030 first rounder). The Lakers would fight to keep Hachimura and Christie, to be clear. But I see that offer on the high end of what they’d be willing to give up.

Even so, I don’t think they’d want to bid against themselves and would need another suitor to up their offer to more than a minimum package. They feel like they would be doing the Bulls a favor by clearing LaVine’s salary off their books and kickstarting a rebuild if the Bulls ultimately go in that direction.

Los Angeles isn’t interested in trading Austin Reaves for LaVine, as I reported. After a rocky start by his standards, which included a move to the bench, Reaves has recaptured his production from last season, scoring 20 or more points in five of the past seven games (including the In-Season Tournament championship).

I could see a similar offer or framework for a DeRozan deal, or a DeRozan-Caruso combo package as well, adjusting the players involved to match salary. The Lakers only have one movable first-round pick.

What do you think Chicago would want from LA? Does something like what I laid out sound realistic?

Mayberry: The lack of interest league-wide in LaVine is shaping up as a rare example of a team stomaching a big contract extension, only to be unable to trade said contract down the line. Most would agree that LaVine earned his maximum allowable contract and that it was smart business for the Bulls to retain him two summers ago. But that came with an understanding that a trade would always be available if things didn’t work out. If the Lakers don’t covet LaVine, the Bulls could be left to figure it out with their frustrated star.

Meanwhile, the Bulls’ strong recent play has demonstrated to the team’s management (and anyone paying attention) how much better Chicago functions without LaVine. The Bulls are 6-3 in their past nine games, own a plus-3.1 net rating and have outscored opponents by 31 points over that span. Whispers are growing louder about whether the Bulls even need LaVine.

As for your potential framework for a deal, the Bulls won’t love it, but it’s the kind they might have to accept. Teams aren’t tripping over one another in a race to trade for LaVine. DeRozan, who continues to perform at a high level, is turning 35 next summer and seeks a significant extension. Again, the Bulls can’t be choosy. Their options are to retool now and collect some assets, even if imperfect, while they can, or stick with the status quo and allow valuable players to walk for nothing — while the team continues to be far from contention.

That dilemma should force the Bulls to be flexible on the players they’ll receive in a trade, though Coby White’s stellar play might make the Bulls think twice about bringing in Russell. A more important issue is the far-out draft pick. To this point, the Bulls haven’t been interested in long-term draft capital (or short-term, for that matter). The Bulls’ front office hasn’t shown much appetite for long-term planning. It’s a win-now management team. The Lakers’ lack of immediate draft capital could be the dealbreaker. But the Bulls don’t have many better options.

With a potential trade of this magnitude, do you envision that the two teams would require a third or even fourth team to satisfy all parties? I get the sense we’ll see some complexity for this deal to get completed.

Buha: We agree. I think that’s where this is likely headed if it happens: a three- or even four-team deal.

Of course, the more teams involved, the more moving pieces and the greater the challenge in satisfying all parties. But I could see Russell being rerouted to a third team that covets a starting backcourt upgrade in exchange for more immediate draft capital. Though Russell has been in a slump recently, he’s still averaging 15.8 points and 6.3 assists to go along with 39.3 percent from 3-point range. His shooting and playmaking can help an up-and-coming offense that needs a boost.

I don’t see a clear team that fits the bill currently, but there is plenty of time — roughly six weeks — between now and the Feb. 8 trade deadline. Teams will suffer injuries and skids and drop in the standings. There are more buyers than sellers right now, but at least a couple more sellers are going to emerge.

Where are the Bulls at with Caruso? I’m not sure NBA Twitter could handle a Caruso-Reaves backcourt, but I’m sure the Lakers would love to reunite with their former guard. It’s been reported the asking price is as high as multiple first-round picks (to your point about the Bulls asking for the moon and overvaluing their players). I’m not quite sure they’ll get that — and certainly not from the Lakers. But are they open to trading him? And could this turn into a fire sale if they trade LaVine first?

Mayberry: The Bulls love everything about Caruso, and rightfully so. He’s not untouchable. But he’s a critically important connector piece for a team hell-bent on winning now.

Trading Caruso would fly in the face of everything the Bulls say they are trying to build as an organization. He’s the type of player who helps a franchise establish and maintain its culture. The fire sale should start in Chicago the moment Caruso, not LaVine, is traded.

The Bulls’ asking price for Caruso sounds exorbitant, but that says all you need to know about what he means to the franchise. There aren’t many Alex Carusos walking around. Add to that the team-friendly contract you mentioned, and Caruso easily ranks as the Bulls’ best acquisition since their new management team arrived in 2020. Suddenly, it becomes easier to understand their infatuation and why the Bulls will be reluctant to let him go.

Two counterarguments worth mentioning are Caruso’s injury history and the Bulls’ mediocrity. Caruso has appeared in only 130 of 193 possible games with the Bulls. It makes sense for the Bulls to get what they can at some point if they’re steadily losing and Caruso can’t stay healthy.

Buha: The counterargument underscores the fundamental issue with a Lakers-Bulls deal: The Bulls don’t have a clear direction yet and the Lakers have relatively limited assets to entice Chicago’s brass to pull the trigger. Whether the Bulls want a win-now package to restart their season or a rebuilding package to help tear it down, the Lakers can be outbid by a rival suitor.

There’s also the question of whether the Lakers need LaVine. The league’s 24th-ranked offense could use LaVine’s offensive dynamism, but a LaVine-Reaves backcourt would pose many of the same issues that have prevented the Lakers from using the Russell-Reaves backcourt together more. The Lakers’ identity is built on size and defense, and they need players who fit into that mold.

Ultimately, I think a deal is less likely to happen than the recent buzz suggests. Unless the Lakers are the only suitor for LaVine, there will be better offers on the table. I also don’t think the Lakers will meet the Bulls’ sky-high price for Caruso — if the Bulls even entertain trading him. DeRozan is the most realistic target, but the LaVine domino likely must fall first before the Bulls would consider moving DeRozan. And I think the haggling over Reaves, pick protections and young assets could prevent the two sides from finding common ground.

I’m skeptical that a deal gets done between these two franchises. I think LaVine ends up staying put or going elsewhere.
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Seems Mayberry thinks a deal is much more likely than Buha does. Interesting.

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