Early (but not too early) 2023 off-season wishlist

[Gray Mule]

13 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Charlotte as 3 tall boys: Mark Williams (7'-1") @Gray Mule favorite and least available, Kai Jones (6'-11") and Nick Richards (7'-0")....I wonder if we can get Jones or Richards in a smaller deal.

Yep.  I would love to pry Mark Williams away from the Hornets!  

[sturt]

 

 

 

[sturt]

[sturt]

 

 

 

[sturt]

On 5/14/2023 at 1:44 PM, sturt said:

On 5/14/2023 at 10:58 AM, JayBirdHawk said:

CC ($21)  for Garuba ($2.5) and #20.

 

No way. No how.

Garuba and #20 do not make us a better 23-24 team.

 

Edit... that said... if we're willing to spend that new-found space beneath the tax line to use our MLE on a significant asset... maybe.

 

 

On 5/14/2023 at 10:54 PM, sturt said:

On 5/14/2023 at 9:08 PM, sturt said:

Just did the math. If the projected MLE of $11,368,000 is accurate, and if you trade Capela only for the draft pick, you're going to be able to use the full MLE on a free agent.

That's worth some further consideration.

Hard to figure just yet what FAs would be plausible candidates at that number, but Brook Lopez at age 35 seems like he might fit that bill... seems like his name came up a week or so ago (maybe AHF?).

 

More reading has led to the conclusion that there's no real chance to land Brook Lopez.

While I feel strongly that the team's fortunes would be better, then, to just keep Clint... obviously, Jay's right, until we actually see this owner pay tax, it's more reasonable than not to suspect the status quo will hold... and for that to happen, a major piece of our payroll will have to exit stage left.

And/but, having said that.... here's the thing....

There's fewer teams that have cap space... and... less cap space on those fewer teams to work with.

Sooooo... as a practical matter... there might not be any legit opportunity to make such a payroll-saving deal, and the owner might have his hand forced.

 

Really, if HOU has the hots for bringing Clint back, that's the one team and the one player that could make some sense. I've come around on Jay's trade proposal above, now that I've realized just how many decent-to-good players are going to be left out of big money contracts, and instead, seeking MLE money. Still, it's going to be more about neutralizing losing Clint than it is about making the team better for 2023... and my priority is on making the team better for 2023.

The main modification I make to the trade proposed is that I want, instead of this year's #20, for HOU to give us a protected 1st in 2025 that, if unsatisfied, widens to be less protected in 2027. (Why those years? Those are the years we gave up our picks to SAS.)

If we have to do this trade, I've set my sight on Mo Wagner--someone I've come to think would be getting a lot more attention for this off-season's free agency circus if not for the commotion that Naz Reid has caused. Naz is the "highly underrated" big on the market. That may be, but Mo's not far behind him. And it's conceivable that Mo ultimately will prove a few years from now to have been the better value since Naz' contract seems likely to be a premium one.

So, you end up with Yeka moving into the starting line-up, and then, a pretty solid tandem of offense-first Wagner and defense-first Garuba backing him up.

Then, you conceivably still have some payroll savings with which to sign some other decent assets at minimum deals for the end of the bench. Georges Niang is a candidate to be reunited with Quin. I also have made no secret of my affection for Darius Bazley, assuming the Suns decide not to extend a QO to him... and there are reasons to suspect they, indeed, might not. And here's a name sure to create some controversy... Josh Primo. Is it too soon for him to come back to the NBA? A lot of people will probably say so, no matter when he eventually does. But just conjecture here... it's easy for me to imagine that the lead dog of his former team, Dejounte, would be a great help to him if that were to happen for 2022-23 in ATL.

 

[sturt]

[JayBirdHawk]

Trade proposals for the Rockets’ fourth pick in the 2023 NBA Draft

 

Atlanta Hawks

Rockets receive: Dejounte Murray and John Collins

Hawks receive: Kevin Porter Jr., Jae’Sean Tate, K.J. Martin, the No. 4 pick in 2023, 2025 and 2027 first-round picks

Why Houston does this: This looks like a lot, and it is. It’s only contingent on the Hawks deciding to blow things up rather than wade in the Eastern Conference water. Murray is the prize here, adding a tenacious two-way guard who immediately raises the floor and ceiling of a young team. In Collins, the Rockets get their hands on a player Atlanta clearly wants to move, someone they’ve been interested in and who can be a quality rim protector and lob threat. The Hawks gave up quite a bit in the Murray deal a year ago and would be recouping some of their lost assets. But in reality, do the Rockets even see a combination of Murray and Collins as the way to go, considering how much of their cap space both players would consume?

Jeff Schultz (Atlanta columnist): It’s a nice package and there are some elements of the deal I like, notably the No. 4 pick and the two other first-rounders. Draft picks potentially help the Hawks cut some salary, which is needed. Porter also probably would fit well with Trae Young. The problem is I don’t think the Hawks are in the mode of trading Dejounte Murray. They really like what he brings to the team and they gave up a lot to get him. The persistent question is whether Murray and Young can play together, and that question could be answered early next season. If it doesn’t work, I could see the Hawks using Murray as a valuable trade asset at the deadline, especially since he’ll become a free agent after the season

https://theathletic.com/4550522/2023/05/25/rockets-nba-draft-pick-trade-2023/?source=weeklyemail&campaign=602288

[JayBirdHawk]

The Wiz may finally trade Beal and rebuild: Hawks should target Delon and Gafford.

 

Quote

WASHINGTON — With the Washington Wizards underperforming and lacking a clear path back to national relevance, Ted Leonsis has decided to hire LA Clippers general manager Michael Winger, a lawyer by training who has experience dealing with superstar players, high-powered agents and the nuances of the collective bargaining agreement and salary cap.

Leonsis plans to give Winger wide latitude to expand and revamp the Wizards’ infrastructure — and potentially launch a full rebuild of the roster — said league sources who were granted anonymity because Winger’s hiring, though agreed to in principle, has not been made official yet.

@Diesel

[sturt]

12 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Trade proposals for the Rockets’ fourth pick in the 2023 NBA Draft

 

Atlanta Hawks

Rockets receive: Dejounte Murray and John Collins

Hawks receive: Kevin Porter Jr., Jae’Sean Tate, K.J. Martin, the No. 4 pick in 2023, 2025 and 2027 first-round picks

Why Houston does this: This looks like a lot, and it is. It’s only contingent on the Hawks deciding to blow things up rather than wade in the Eastern Conference water. Murray is the prize here, adding a tenacious two-way guard who immediately raises the floor and ceiling of a young team. In Collins, the Rockets get their hands on a player Atlanta clearly wants to move, someone they’ve been interested in and who can be a quality rim protector and lob threat. The Hawks gave up quite a bit in the Murray deal a year ago and would be recouping some of their lost assets. But in reality, do the Rockets even see a combination of Murray and Collins as the way to go, considering how much of their cap space both players would consume?

Jeff Schultz (Atlanta columnist): It’s a nice package and there are some elements of the deal I like, notably the No. 4 pick and the two other first-rounders. Draft picks potentially help the Hawks cut some salary, which is needed. Porter also probably would fit well with Trae Young. The problem is I don’t think the Hawks are in the mode of trading Dejounte Murray. They really like what he brings to the team and they gave up a lot to get him. The persistent question is whether Murray and Young can play together, and that question could be answered early next season. If it doesn’t work, I could see the Hawks using Murray as a valuable trade asset at the deadline, especially since he’ll become a free agent after the season

https://theathletic.com/4550522/2023/05/25/rockets-nba-draft-pick-trade-2023/?source=weeklyemail&campaign=602288

Fail.

While the return package ordinarily might be attractive, not so for a team in win-now mode.

And. They're not giving up on DJM so fast.

And. Are they ready to move JC? It's the easy assumption. Never say never. But it's a movie we've obviously seen, and seen, and seen... and ends the same way.

 

But compliments that, at least, they're talking about the one team in the league that would be a genuine option for that kind of deal--ie, two major salaries in return.

[kg01]

Kevin Porter is not a prize acquisition of any kind, in any scenario.  He'll be lucky to last in the league another year or two. 

[sturt]

Ya know... there are highlights packages that make you say "Yeah, he looks great when he looks great, but what about all the other time he's on the floor?"

This is one of those.

P-Dub is the quintessential flasher. He does some head-turning things from game to game, but hasn't yet emerged as a guy who is going to go win a game for you.

But then again, he's only going to be 22 this season, and has spent his first 3 seasons on a team where the first three options are automatically going to be the first three options (LaVine, Vuc and DeRozan).

If we have an opportunity to go get him, seems to me he's also the quintessential example of what camp has reported that Quin is looking for in a player.

 

[h4wkfan]

19 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Trade proposals for the Rockets’ fourth pick in the 2023 NBA Draft

 

Atlanta Hawks

Rockets receive: Dejounte Murray and John Collins

Hawks receive: Kevin Porter Jr., Jae’Sean Tate, K.J. Martin, the No. 4 pick in 2023, 2025 and 2027 first-round picks

https://theathletic.com/4550522/2023/05/25/rockets-nba-draft-pick-trade-2023/?source=weeklyemail&campaign=602288

 

Looks loosely like something I mentioned a week or so ago, but that Houston package was getting routed to BKN for Bridges.  

[sturt]

On 5/21/2023 at 12:10 AM, sturt said:

 

 

More reading has led to the conclusion that there's no real chance to land Brook Lopez.

While I feel strongly that the team's fortunes would be better, then, to just keep Clint... obviously, Jay's right, until we actually see this owner pay tax, it's more reasonable than not to suspect the status quo will hold... and for that to happen, a major piece of our payroll will have to exit stage left.

And/but, having said that.... here's the thing....

There's fewer teams that have cap space... and... less cap space on those fewer teams to work with.

Sooooo... as a practical matter... there might not be any legit opportunity to make such a payroll-saving deal, and the owner might have his hand forced.

 

Really, if HOU has the hots for bringing Clint back, that's the one team and the one player that could make some sense. I've come around on Jay's trade proposal above, now that I've realized just how many decent-to-good players are going to be left out of big money contracts, and instead, seeking MLE money. Still, it's going to be more about neutralizing losing Clint than it is about making the team better for 2023... and my priority is on making the team better for 2023.

The main modification I make to the trade proposed is that I want, instead of this year's #20, for HOU to give us a protected 1st in 2025 that, if unsatisfied, widens to be less protected in 2027. (Why those years? Those are the years we gave up our picks to SAS.)

If we have to do this trade, I've set my sight on Mo Wagner--someone I've come to think would be getting a lot more attention for this off-season's free agency circus if not for the commotion that Naz Reid has caused. Naz is the "highly underrated" big on the market. That may be, but Mo's not far behind him. And it's conceivable that Mo ultimately will prove a few years from now to have been the better value since Naz' contract seems likely to be a premium one.

So, you end up with Yeka moving into the starting line-up, and then, a pretty solid tandem of offense-first Wagner and defense-first Garuba backing him up.

Then, you conceivably still have some payroll savings with which to sign some other decent assets at minimum deals for the end of the bench. Georges Niang is a candidate to be reunited with Quin. I also have made no secret of my affection for Darius Bazley, assuming the Suns decide not to extend a QO to him... and there are reasons to suspect they, indeed, might not. And here's a name sure to create some controversy... Josh Primo. Is it too soon for him to come back to the NBA? A lot of people will probably say so, no matter when he eventually does. But just conjecture here... it's easy for me to imagine that the lead dog of his former team, Dejounte, would be a great help to him if that were to happen for 2022-23 in ATL.

 

If it turns out the taxpaying skepticism is merited, then under the scenario above, we would end up with this roster...

 

[sturt]

On 5/19/2023 at 8:13 AM, sturt said:

Bulls fans discussing my Hawks target...

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2238223&start=1240

 

[kg01]

Bigger bust?  Patrick Williams or Issac Okoro.  I got Okoro but a nose. 

[Spud2nique]

46 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Patrick Williams or Issac Okoro.

Patrick Williams is coming. He’s got nice moves and a ceiling much higher than Okoro to me. Pat Will is kinda stuck with Der Der and Zach attack, I mean comon @kg01 those foos wouldn’t kick it out to a wide open Spud from downtown! And you know dis.

On 5/27/2023 at 6:37 PM, kg01 said:

Kevin Porter is not a prize acquisition of any kind, in any scenario.  He'll be lucky to last in the league another year or two. 

He’s trash. I told my fan he’s the weakest link, they need a pg but I don’t think it’s gonna be Amen.

[Spud2nique]

2 hours ago, sturt said:

Bulls fans discussing my Hawks target...

@kg01 nevermind Pat is a bum  I’m sorry I just saw this and why you even asked the question I knew something triggered it.

[kg01]

1 minute ago, Spud2nique said:

Patrick Williams is coming. He’s got nice moves and a ceiling much higher than Okoro to me. Pat Will is kinda stuck with Der Der and Zach attack, I mean comon @kg01 those foos wouldn’t kick it out to a wide open Spud from downtown! And you know dis.

It's time to pay him now, bruv.  No more time to wait.  He is what he is and that's an imminently replaceable player.  Wanna give him 8 figures?  I don't. 

[Spud2nique]

Just now, kg01 said:

It's time to pay him now, bruv.  No more time to wait.  He is what he is and that's an imminently replaceable player.  Wanna give him 8 figures?  I don't. 

NO I DONT! I DO NOT! In fact, I may start hating his guts now!… #spudagendas #ihatethicksoups

[sturt]

3 hours ago, kg01 said:

It's time to pay him now, bruv.  No more time to wait.  He is what he is and that's an imminently replaceable player.  Wanna give him 8 figures?  I don't. 

He's 21... birthday in August.

His first season was complicated by no training camp and all the other ripple effects of covid.

His second season was complicated by injury.

His third season he posted a .072 WS/48, not great, but decent, and trending the way you want to see it trend. Posted a 0.4 VORP... so, not great, but not average (0.0) either.

 

Here's the thing.

 

P-Dub is in that pool. It's not a large pool.

My proposal is Bey and #15 and salary filler in the form of Bruno and Mathews (ends up almost the same to the dollar).

No guarantees, but any deal you make is a calculated risk regardless.