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

yeah, i don't complain that much about the front office (below ownership level), but making this mistake two years in a row is bad. not saying you have to throw a ton of cash at the issue, but just pretending like it's not one is weird to me.

i'm ok here. if we took one of those bigs over knecht, i'd have been pissed. i don't believe in drafting for need in general, especially that low. it's not like missi or holmes was likely to be ready for a 20mpg role on a winning team. lively is an exception that proves the rule, imo.

no, mostly because what NO needs is a center, and we've got nothing to offer there.

word is they want jarrett allen, but i'm not sure if cleveland wants ingram. maybe we could jump in there with utah eating some salary to facilitate for both teams, but...as much as i still like ingram, i view him kind of like jerami grant. for rui/gabe/1st i think i do it, but not more than that.

 

Well that’s my point, despite their recognition that backup center is a big need, I think their strategy in both drafting and free agency lately has been to prioritize trying to get the best player available (in their eyes) over fit/need

They probably would have loved if the BPA at #17, or at NTPMLE/BAE last year, was a center. But it wasn’t, so they didn’t want to pass on what they saw as the most valuable additions with JHS, Knecht, Vincent, and Prince. They didn’t want to reach on a rookie center that they didn’t have as high on their board, or overpay a middle tier free agent center who they didn’t see as worthy of the exceptions.

I think they made calculated gambles that they could find an adequate backup center in the veteran’s minimum market or the trade market. But the minimum signings haven’t hit, and the trade market has been too demanding.

 

Even a trade such as Vincent/JHS/Reddish for Stewart would work. It helps Detroit free up a log jam and free up long term salary on a player who may fall on the depth chart. For us, we open up two roster spots, gain a back up center with toughness and even a decent jumper. We get rid of players that we don't even use. Follow up with Russell/Rui/Wood/2029 1st (top 4 protected) /2025 2nd to Brooklyn for Johnson and DFS. Then sign Trent and Dinwiddie.

Rotation (with defensive positions)

PG: Trent/Dinwiddie/Kuhse
SG: Reaves/Christie/Lewis/Bronny
SF: DFS/Johnson/Knecht
PF: James/Vanderbilt
C: Davis/Stewart/Hayes

2-ways
Castleton
Hinson
Traore

 

Tried to do the math and I think those trades would only reduce our salary by ~$2.3 million. So while it might be a good trade in a vacuum to fill our backup center need and clear some spots, we’d still be too close to the second apron to even add a single veteran’s minimum signing (yet alone the TPMLE that we’ll likely need for Trent)

 

After those trades and signings, I have us at $181,102,951. Doesn't it only have to be under $188,931,000?

 

Roster # Player Salary
1 James $ 48,728,365
2 Davis $ 43,219,440
3 Johnson $ 23,625,000
4 Stewart $ 15,000,000
5 Reaves $ 12,976,362
6 Dinwiddie $ 2,019,706
7 Vanderbilt $ 10,714,286
8 Christie $ 7,142,857
9 Kuhse $ 1,157,153
10 Knecht $ 3,819,120
11 Castleton $ 2,019,706
12 Hayes $ 2,463,946
13 Trent $ 5,168,000
14 Lewis $ 1,891,857
15 Bronny $ 1,157,153
$ 181,102,951
under apron $ (7,828,049)

 

Forgot DFS

 

Yeah, you are right.

 

Trade #1

Lakers get: Johnson and DFS

Nets get: Russell, Hachimura, Wood, 2029 1st (top 4 protected)

Trade #2

Lakers get: Stewart and Sasser

Pistons get: Vincent, Vanderbilt, 2025 2nd, 2028 swap, 2031 2nd

Roster # Player Salary
1 James $ 48,728,365
2 Davis $ 43,219,440
3 Johnson $ 23,625,000
4 Stewart $ 15,000,000
5 Reaves $ 12,976,362
6 Sasser $ 2,755,080
7 DFS $ 14,924,167
8 Christie $ 7,142,857
9 Kuhse $ 1,157,153
10 Knecht $ 3,819,120
11 JHS $ 3,879,840
12 Hayes $ 2,463,946
13 Trent $ 5,168,000
14 Lewis $ 1,891,857
15 Bronny $ 1,157,153
$ 187,908,340
under apron $ (1,022,660)

 

I didn’t realize this was possible? I was under the impression that it was no longer allowed to do any trade that combines multiple minimum contracts, regardless of whether you were simply dumping the players or getting back another player in return

Sounds like that might not be the case? If so, yeah the idea of having to do 2 separate trades (each likely requiring a second rounder) to dump Wood/Reddish seemed too pricey for me. But if for example we could dump both of them in a single trade that only sent out one second rounder, and then use the roster spot/freed up salary to sign Trent? Yeah that seems pretty solid

My hope is that we have moves like that lined up, but are waiting on Trent to make his decision. If Trent chooses elsewhere, not quite sure there is anyone else available worth the TPMLE. Honestly not even sure if there are veteran’s minimum players still available in FA that are notably better than our current minimum guys. So in that scenario, don’t really see the value in sending out a second rounder to dump Wood/Reddish

 

How far Wood has fallen .... wow!

 

Wood is not a minimum. He was signed using what was left of the MLE at a little higher than min.

 

I don’t think that’s accurate.

We only had like $1.5 million left on the NTPMLE after signing Vincent last summer.

That is less the minimum and you can’t just add that onto a veteran’s minimum contract to give them slightly more.

You may be mixing this up with Dinwiddie. Since Dinwiddie was a buyout player who we acquired mid-season, at THAT point of the season our remaining $1.5 MLE was more than the veteran’s minimum (since the minimum is pro-rated). So that gave us a slight edge on Dinwiddie and we used the remainder of the MLE on him



Yes Wood’s salary is higher than Hayes/Reddish, but that’s just because Wood has more experience so his veteran’s minimum is higher

 

Hayes and Wood aren't "enough" because I do consider the backup center spot as a weakness of the team, but I don't think sparing AD the discomfort of wrestling with the bigger centers is worth deploying our scarce resources and potentially downgrading in talent. Taking Stewart as an example, I think Rui is just a better player than him. So right off the bat, I'm not really interested in downgrading the overall talent of the team because I don't think we meet the threshold level of collective talent needed to contend in the first place.

On top of that, what would we do with Stewart if we traded Rui or Vando for him? If the point of obtaining Stewart or someone of that mold is to use him against the other big bodies of the league, that means you probably have to start him right? Because the other big bodies around the league that we actually care about countering are starting. So now we're starting LeBron/AD/Stewart together. Do we like LeBron guarding threes? Do we like how slow-footed that frontcourt is, that's something we already didn't like with Rui in that spot. Do we like the spacing? LeBron will probably be closer to 35/36% from three next year, that's a pretty poor shooting frontcourt (I do not trust Stewart's 38% from three at all, last year he was at 33%. Does Stewart banging down low outweigh all those potential concerns? Stewart is now also our 5 when AD is on the bench/injured. It wouldn't really make sense to spend significant resources on a big to only play alongside AD. Given our collection of guards, wings and now Stewart, any lineup with Stewart at the 5 without AD is going to be pretty atrocious defensively. Absolutely no rim protection, which tends to be an issue with all of the other bruising center types discussed for us (Valanciunas, Vucevic, etc.). WCJ is one of the few guys with some strength that can also space the floor and offer some rim protection, which is exactly why the Magic don't want to trade him.

Then you get to the "what are we trading for this guy" portion. As disappointing as Rui was in the playoffs, I think the roles that he and Vando fill are more important than the bruising center role. Prince is gone, we have no other true wing besides Rui that can space the floor next to LeBron and AD (I see Christie and Knect as more toward the guard end of the spectrum. Knecht might have to defend threes out of necessity). Vando is the only guy that can defend on the perimeter at an above average level. Trade either of those two for a bruising center and I think we just open up a more glaring hole on the roster. Valanciunas at the NTPMLE was the best option, maybe when he becomes trade eligible in December we could swap Gabe and some seconds for him.

All that to say, I'm not sure trading for the bruising center makes our team better overall. It's extremely frustrating for me too when AD gets pushed around by lesser players like Sabonis, the Gasol/Bynum/Odom three-headed monster with Artest as the enforcer are my favorite teams of all time. But I think the lack of a second competent, physical big might be a weakness we have to swallow for the moment because I don't see any options out there that would actually make the team better overall.

 

With JJ as the coach I don’t believe Wood is going anywhere because he does what JJ wants…shoot and make 3’s.Unless there’s a trade he’s needed in I believe Hayes would be the odd man out

 

WTF
NBA completed the signing of contracts with ABC / ESPN, NBC and Amazon. The total value of the contracts will be $ 76 billion for 11 seasons.

The next step will be the approval by the league managers of the agreements with ESPN, NBC and Amazon, which is expected to become a formality.
Under the current agreement, ESPN and TNT Sports will pay a total of $ 2.6 billion over nine seasons.
Under the new agreements, starting from the 2025/26 season, NBA matches will be broadcast on national television seven days a week.

Proposed NBA Match Schedule on National Television:

Monday: Peacock

Tuesday: NBC

Wednesday: ESPN

Thursday: Amazon

Friday: ESPN / Amazon

Saturday: ESPN / Amazon

Sunday: NBC / ESPN
So now to watch regular season we need:
League pass,cable subscription, peacock subscription and Amazon prime
f*** that

 

During the entire regular season, Amazon Prime Video is anticipated to have its other games streamed predominantly on Friday nights and Saturdays.

NBC will have games throughout the full NBA season on Tuesdays. Peacock, NBC’s streaming service, is expected to have exclusive telecasts on Mondays. Peacock will also simulcast all the NBC games.

ESPN will slightly cut down on the amount of regular-season games, going from around 100 now to the range of 80. During the NFL season, it will have its games on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, with its Saturday night game being its special ABC window. Later in the year, after the NFL, ESPN will have Friday night action, as well.

All three platforms will have playoff games, while Amazon Prime Video will be the home of the In-Season Tournament. Amazon and NBC will alternate showing conference finals. ESPN will have a conference final and the NBA Finals each season.

 

Great point. I think the ship has sailed on AD starting at 4, so yeah that is a great point regarding Stewart. We would want him to defend Jokic types who are starters. So yeah what's the point. I like the Brooklyn trade though.

 

When we signed Hayes and Wood last summer I thought we would lean heavily into switching when AD was off the court. That wasn't really the case, which was a misuse of Hayes' and Wood's skillset. If AD is on the bench I think we should consider playing Hayes and Wood together, with Vando. We saw it some, but not enough IMO. Keep size across the frontcourt and switch everything. Double post mismatches and immediately rotate. Be aggressive defensively. If we can't bring in a better backup 5 that makes sense for us, we'll need to scheme around that weakness. Hopefully JJ does a better job of it than Ham.

 

yeah, if we can't get a big body, i hope jj has some ideas. one thing we saw last year is that wood is a 4 not a 5, but i think you can work with that on both ends.

if we don't make any trades, it will be very interesting to see how jj takes basically the same pieces ham had and tries to make them work. it's not the worst strategy to check that out before making big moves, and also to wait until the deadline when a few more teams have given up and might become sellers.