I like Ayton as much as anyone else but I don’t see a path to getting him here. I would put Mo Bamba at the top of the list. We NEED a rim protector badly and he fits the bill. Plus he’s young enough to grow with our core (age 23) while being experienced enough to contribute right away. He can shoot from deep, provide some vertical spacing and he can actually set a screen. Miles Turner is a decent option too but he’s a bit older and more expensive. As for our backcourt, the one player I have eyes on is Lonzo Ball. I think he would be the PERFECT pg for our team. He is the rare guy who is a pass-first pg without being useless off-ball. He’s a plus defender with size. He’s elite in transition; imagine him running the break with any combination of Green, Christopher or KJ on the wing. In halfcourt offense he can provide spacing for Green to cook or he can run the show to get other guys easy buckets. He is massively undervalued at his contract. I think with Coby White and the surprising effectiveness of Ayo, the Bulls might be willing to move him if the right offer came along. I’d be willing to move off some combination of Wood/Gordon/Tate + a pick to make it happen. KP3 ended the season strong but I’m not sold on him. I don’t like his maturity level at PG and I don't think he has the size the play the SF for us effectively. Plus he dribbles way too much to get his.
Beyond a vet min Delfino type of player I don't see a need to bring in anyone. And honestly Garrison Matthews is already sorta playing that role now. I want to use as many roster spots as I can to bring in guys either through the draft or free agency on rookie or min contracts with length and athleticism. Use your last couple roster spots to take flyers. Save your cap space for 23 for the Jokic sweepstakes or maybe a B level player like Wiggins.
We need a rebounding wing. I'm pretty sure we're drafting a Center so a long and athletic wing please.
Ayton and Rubio for me... Phoenix aint signing that boy to a max deal unless they win the chip... Not a Rubio fan but he's a great compliment to KPJ and Green...
I understand the temptation but from what I've seen most successful teams have a blend of young core and veteran role players. For example, the Warriors added Iguodala and Bogut to Klay / Curry / Draymond. I feel Porter / Green / Jabari? Could be our core. I think they could use guys around them who know what they are doing so the young guys don't develop bad habits... like Harden's night life, Westbrook's ego, or blaming teammates for your issues... I'm looking at veterans and asking how can they make the young guys better... can they space the floor for them? Take on a tougher defensive assignment? Cover the rim if their guy gets by them?
Our target is going to be any 3&D player willing to sign for the MLE. Anyone else needs to be a player in the 25yo range who’s signed long term and wants out of his current situation that we can make a move for involving EGO, Wood and picks. I’m not familiar with any rumblings of who might fit that category. The other option would be to look at teams that may underperform in the play-in or early playoff rounds that might want to do an overhaul, if not a complete rebuild (Atlanta being the first one that comes to mind). And who could we exploit those teams for?
No way. His stats and play are inflated playing with the greatest PG of all time. Here he would be standing in the corner doing nothing.
We will be operating above the cap, an Ayton deal would have to be a S&T. Not sure why the Suns would be interested in facilitating that when they are the best team in the league with him as a core piece. Some good names brought up in Rubio, Jones, Bamba I'll add Satoransky, Delon Wright, G.Dieng, O.Porter, T.Bryant, Dedmon, and Hartenstein I'd also consider bringing back Bruno/Schroder
If Ayton and the Suns fall apart, he might be someone to look at. With MLE, you want to pick up a tradable asset who is willing to mentor for a bit then get traded to location of choice for assets.
I would love to get one of Suggs, Fultz, or Cole Anthony from the Magic. They have a log jam at that spot and would probably bite for future draft picks.
Offer Mitchell Robinson the full non-taxpayer MLE (~$10 million) at 3 years / $30 million and see if he bites. There is only one team with actual cap space that can offer him more than the non-taxpayer MLE and potentially a starting center spot and that's the Blazers, who could still bring back Nurkic. If things don't work out for Houston in terms of nabbing a top 3 pick, having Robinson at center up front with Sengun wouldn't be a bad thing.
A vet point guard who knows they’re getting paid to help tutor KPJ & development our rookies and happy to do it Power forward with our top pick & another 3&D sizable forward with the nets pick If we get a top two pick I see Wood not being traded if he understands he is a role player to KPJ/Green KPJ/Vet Green/Christopher Jabari(or Chet)/KMJ Wood/Tate/Nets pick Sengun/Bruno or vet That would be a tall ass lineup and Jabari & Wood both could help slide over to help Sengun with bigger centers if Wood gets traded KMJ should start at SF
The Rockets seem to have a pretty clear strategy of running 5 out on offense since Stone took over, I'd be pretty surprised if we pay (or draft) a player who can't shoot the 3 at some level. This crosses off a lot of free agent bigs. Maybe we do something like bring Bruno back, but only because it would be for the vet min, and he'd be a 3rd stringer with no guaranteed role/minutes.
Just remember the rockets have no cap space this summer 11 mil? LOL Wall sucking it down. Its probably going all to the #1-4 pick.
