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

Right now we have a bit of a hole at center and to a lesser extent a reliable POA defender that can hit the 3. But as you try to plug one hole, you inadvertently open up another one. Trade Gabe for a C and we're missing a reliable backup guard. Trade Rui for one and now you're relying on Vando - offensively limited and injury prone - to backup Lebron.

Roster construction is a difficult thing and it's a matter of trade offs. I'm happy to trade size at the 5 in this current league, to get a switchable defence and some decent shooting. I'm also happy to focus in more on defensive players while we have Luka, Reaves and Lebron on the team. We have the potential to bring back the following team:

Luka 6'7 - (46 m)
Reaves 6'5 - (13.9 m)
Rui 6'8 - (18.3 m)
Lebron 6'9 - (52.6 m PO)
Hayes 6'11 - (UFA)

Gabe 6'2 - (11.5 m)
Bronny 6'2 - (1.95 m)
Goodwin 6'3 - (UFA)
Shake 6'5 - (3 m)
Knecht 6'6 - (4 m)
DFS 6'7 - (15.4 m PO)
Vanderbilt 6'8 - (11.6 m)
Kleber 6'10 - (11 m)
Jemison 6'11 - (UFA)

TPMLE - (5.7 m)

This is the current figures give or take - which is around $189.23 million without using the TPMLE and without signing Hayes, Goodwin & Jemison. The salary cap is projected to be about $154.6 million, with the first apron at $195.9 million and the second apron around $207.8 million. We want to be below that second apron.

For next season I would do the following (assuming an ideal world):

• Sign Goodwin & Jemison to minimum's. As third stringers, they're decent and play with effort (+ 4 m cap)
• Renegotiate DFS' contract to 3y/42m with a PO in the third year starting at 12 m (- 3.4 m from cap)
• Renegotiate Lebron's contract to 3y/150m with a PO in the third year starting at 45 m (- 7.6 m from cap)
• Package Gabe & Shake + 1st (14.5 m combined) and look at a 8-12 m POA - eg: Donte Divincenzo (- 2.5 m from cap)
• Kleber recovers and regains enough form to be 20min backup C that can hit a 3 and switch on defence
• Split the full MLE between Hayes (7 m per) and best player available (7 m per) - this move hard caps us

We'd be right around that first apron if we sign another rookie.

Luka / Donte / Bronny
Reaves / Knecht / Goodwin
Rui / DFS
Lebron / Vando
Hayes / Kleber / Jemison

+ best available ring chaser at 7 m, potential targets off contract next season:

Bigs: Brook Lopez, Larry Nance, Capela, Adams, Boucher, Horford, Looney
Guards & Wings: Bruce Brown, Brogdon, Bojan Bogdanovic, Tim Hardaway Jr, Schroder, Melton, GP2, Beasley, Jalen McDaniels, NAW

 

Or you package Gabe and Vando and go after Myles Turner or Claxton with the first instead in a S&T. And use the full MLE to sign a wing or large guard to replace Vando. Maybe NAW?

Luka / Shake / Bronny
Reaves / NAW / Goodwin
Rui / Knecht
Lebron / DFS
Claxton / Kleber / Jemison

 

Flagg isn't theirs