I think this would be a good allocation of resources for both teams. However, I bet the Rockets would rather have an established veteran at the position.
I'm too lazy to look it up, but how much would it save them? From their standpoint, I might be worried that KJ could just walk for nothing in a year. Wonder if they'd prefer another cheap young talent with at least another year or two on their contract. They might prefer Tari over KJ perhaps? I'm also not super high on Kuminga personally, especially if Rockets draft and/or sign a SF. If Rockets could somehow get a pick out of KJ, might prefer that more, though if that falls through, this could be a decent backup option (especially if Rockets don't play on keeping KJ). Better than my John Collins idea though.
It’s about $6m difference in actual salary, and I know that their luxury tax bill is higher than their actual payroll. So, $6m less in salary should save them at least $13m in savings. I mention KJM because he is dirt cheap and is a decent player. They will not find a better way to cut $13m off their payroll. Tari makes about $4m, so not nearly the savings for them. Rockets may prefer a pick, but I doubt it will be a lottery pick. While he hasn’t lived up to #7, I think Kuminga still has lottery pick potential.
Gotcha, yeah that would be a good chunk of money to save. I do kinda feel that if they retain Draymond (and thus plan on keeping the core together), they might try to make another run in the next few years. Given that, that's why I think they'd prefer someone that might be under contract longer, even if the immediate tax savings wouldn't be there (i.e., they'd save more over time, especially if it keeps them in the playoff picture). Now if they decide to fully break things up, that's another story. As for Kuminga vs a pick, I'm just worried he won't have much playing time here either. Given that, I'd maybe prefer a future pick, even if lottery protected. Think that might be more valuable, especially as a trade piece (and rockets don't have many picks to trade). I'm not super opposed to Kuminga himself though for the reasons you gave. Not saying I'd support this, but maybe could make this part of a bigger deal where they also give up Poole (maybe Rockets send back KPJ). GSW would need to send a lot of picks in order to make that worth it to me, but that would save them a ton of money and maybe help them stay somewhat competitive (with a guy they can try to rehab or just decide to cut later).
red flags. He has been a locker room problem in Golden State; very entitled and upset about playing time. Immensely talented, but rumors about attitude and work ethic scare me.
I think it's pointless to trade for anyone who isn't an allstar and clear starter. Kuminga is probably a better version of Garuba. Doesn't move the needle much... IF Jabari and Wemby/Miller are the future 3/4 Kuminga is blocked and going to whine...
Not opposed to moving the pick even if Wemby. There's a price for everything. OKC wants to do Chet, Giddey, and 4 #1 picks I would think about it. They want to do 8 first rounders from various teams over many years I would think about it. If it's #2 and Boston wants to move Brown for KPJ and Scoot, I would consider it if Harden is back and Green the 6th man... Lots of options out there...
There are only two scenarios where I would even consider trading away the #1 pick: 1) I'm getting a legitimate top 10 superstar in his prime (Giannis, for example). 2) To move back one (1) pick and take Scoot Henderson, if and only if that team is paying a massive premium to move up. Like, "great young player worth a top 5 pick in the draft" level premium. And even then, that's only because I'm ridiculously high on Scoot and would have taken him #1 in most other draft classes. Even setting aside injury concerns for very tall players, I think there's an actual chance (maybe 25% or so?) he turns out to be better than Wemby.
Great write up. I would just add that BOS, PHI, and MIL also have a lot of big decisions this offseason, and the loser of PHI/BOS could make seismic changes. The league has more parity than I can recall in a long time. Very exciting. If the Rockets land Wemby…we will be a highly sought destination for stars. Players will want to play with Wemby and Ime. I would love stealing Jaylen Brown, he and Tatum are forcing a 600 million question to a BOS team that has had 4 consecutive disappointing playoffs, especially so if they let this PHI series slip away in the way they have so far.
Sorry, didn't get to fully digest this earlier, but reading it now, I think I largely agree. As I noted, I don't think the Rockets would necessarily be directly involved in these big swaps, but I think they can play the role of that 3rd team to help make things work. For example, I don't think this is realistic, but let's say Thibs and KAT mutually want a reunion, and the two teams decide a deal can be done centered around a KAT for Randle swap (technically Randle had a better LEBRON than KAT, plus less money/years, so maybe MIN likes that *shrug*). Problem is that you can't make that deal work just with just those 2, as KAT makes a decent chunk more money. The Knicks need to move out more money. OK, well let's have them throw Evan Fournier to the Rockets. Now the deal works (and both teams end up cutting costs this way). Of course, if I'm the Rockets, I'd want some picks (NYK have some decent ones, including potentially the DAL pick this draft). That's not a great example since NYK could also just complete the deal by throwing in some other guys on their roster that probably don't matter much. The Rockets aren't needed for this deal. But you get the basic idea, and maybe NYK likes the idea of dumping Fournier in the same move. Rockets could possibly throw in KPJ/KJ to help sweeten some deals too (though again, they better get back something really good). It is way too difficult to predict what kind of deal the Rockets could do as the 3rd team (or 4th?), and of course these multi-team deals are exceptionally difficult to pull off. But yeah, if a couple of teams are desperate to get a deal done despite the deal not being possible due to contracts, Stone better have his phone ready to pick up. I think when you factor in all the free agents + all these teams wanting to make deals, there's only so many teams with cap space that could be involved. And there's one team with a ton more cap space than others.
How much success you have with trades so much depends on having players other teams want and you are ok giving up. And the type of guys most mentioned in need are players that put teams that are close, over the top. So what players do we have that fit the above criteria?
I wasn’t aware of that. I understand wanting to play, but you’re on a championship team. That is valuable experience. Sometimes I think players just have the wrong people in their ear.
Suns got eliminated, but Monty was searching deep to his bench for answers. GSW lost to the Lakers, but I looked at the minutes; Kuminga's DNP and minutes more or less mirrored that of Anthony Lamb. That's how much Kerr thought of Kuminga's usefulness. Kuminga started with 9 min per early in the series, then DNP, then it became <5min including one of the garbage time.
Here's your crazy-pants "this will never, ever happen" scenario for trading away the #1 pick: Houston receives: Draft rights to Scoot Henderson Bennedict Mathurin Myles Turner Indiana receives: Draft rights to Victor Wembanyama Kevin Porter Jr.
Rockets wouldn't do this deal. That said, lot of people want KPJ gone. To different degrees. It hurts the fanbase so much. there are those among us willing to use Wemby to get rid of KPJ. ( oh my )
