2025-26 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

He's good enough. Rui is an awesome 3-level offensive player. Ellis is just a catch and shooter basically, but hits a good percentage and volume is good too. For his career, 70% of Ellis's shots come are 3-pointers, and 10% are at the rim. That's efficient. He doesn't try to do too much, which is good.

 

Luka would be a full-fledged point guard on offense, not a point-forward. He would just guard the opposing small forwards, which is preferable.

 

If Rui is traded, I prefer it’s for a big body returning who is better defensively and most likely would be less of an offensive threat. I don’t like Luka ever having to guard fours and if LeBron moves on this summer, we would need to replace BOTH Rui’s and LeBron’s size.
Our biggest problem is not scoring, it’s on the defensive end. Currently, we are ranked middle of the pack defensively and we need to shift much closer to being in the top ten to have a better chance at making a deep run.

 

i misread. yeah, no on rui going out in such a deal. if they asked for that, i'd ask to just pull rui and monk out and see what they wanted draft-capital wise.

 

Would Knecht + 2028 swap + 2030 swap + 2032 swap + 2031 1st + 2032 2nd get it done? Maybe it would.

 

No Rui on the Ellis trade.

They're trying to get off Monk's contract that goes for 2 more years after this one. Gabe & Kleber are both expiring contracts, which solves their problem there. I admit neither Gabe or Kleber is really playable for them.

They gain a first for Ellis - a player that they aren't playing much and will likely see walk in free agency. So they gain a first. They also get Knecht in return, who is a player they can develop as a microwave scorer or shooter.

We can include some swaps. But this isn't a deal that we need to sweeten, they're going to lose this guy for nothing in the summer. If they can find a better package, go for it. But Ellis is a 20 min bench player that isn't seeing any time on a losing team (regardless if it's due to their negligence or not).

I also wouldn't resign Ellis to anything over 20m. Offer him a 4 year 80m contract starting at 17m in year one.

 

Don't get me wrong, getting Ellis while keeping Rui would be ideal, but this is the optimistic perspective. I like to put "this is up to what I would pay". I'm pretty sure Rob could make it happen, but just don't want to puy hopes too high.

 

If we can't get it done for the Kleber, Gabe, Dalton & a 1st package - then we can't get it done. No point in overpaying for a 20 min bench player who isn't being played by his team.

We would be sacrificing Rui who is one of the better shooters in the league - from across the field - and who can defend 5's credibly for an improvement at POA. Rui's also useful as offensive cover for Lebron or Luka going down.

As much as I love Ellis, I don't think he and Monk get us over the hump in a way that it's a no brainer - especially when we lose Rui.