Luka + Kyrie + KPJ is a match made in hell and I'd love to see those three ball-dominant guards try to get enough possessions, lol. Cuban is the type of guy who I could see buying in on KPJ's stats too.
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2023/6/19/23765863/2023-nba-draft-trades-rumors-bradley-beal Trading Ayton is the key to filling out the rest of the roster. In an ideal world, the Suns would send him to a team with cap space for draft picks and cheap players. Then they could use the midlevel exception ($12 million) on a wing such as Kyle Kuzma, who would fill a need as a versatile defender and rebounder. Some candidates with cap space in need of a big are: Houston ($59.1 million), San Antonio ($36.8M), and Oklahoma City ($32.2M). The Rockets want a roller to fit Ime Udoka’s offense. The Spurs and Thunder could use a beefy big like Ayton next to their lanky centers.
Lol didn't see this one coming. Rockets for sure making the call and bias aside to disliking Ayton... it makes sense. Maybe it takes sending out #20 pick, Tate, Nix or something like that. Having that cap space to eat the contract is a luxury right now.
All the reporting says the Wizards preferred receiving CP3's expiring contract to Ayton's in the Beal trade. That means the Wizards surveyed the league and found Ayton's $34M/yr, 3 years remaining contract was a negative asset on the market, since the Wizards are probably just going to waive CP3's expiring $30M. Phoenix would have to send us something to take Ayton into our space, and Phoenix has literally nothing to send.
Picks wouldn't work? I'm all for adding him into our space if we can still acquire one of Harden or FVV and keep the #4.
Portland has the opportunity to start a nice rebuild if they traded Lillard for a pick/young player haul, but instead want to trade the good assets they have to bring in players that at the end of the day won’t make them a contender. The only way Portland becomes a legit contender is if they somehow finesse Giannis, Luka, or a player on that level and even then I wouldn’t be sold on them beating Denver, Boston, Lakers, Philly, or Suns.
Phoenix has traded all their tradeable first round picks, all their swaps, and all their second round picks. I think Ayton gets moved to someone like Dallas to diversify them into a few other underwater contracts and giving Phoenix depth. Like some combination of THJ, Bertans, Kleber, and Bullock.
It's going to be a very competitive off season and we will have to overpay in some places while using our vast collection of rookie scale contracts to consolidate into vets under 30 and future FRP. In this scenario: We trade our late 2023 FRP for a future late FRP Draft Amen and allow him to play off the bench until he is ready Consolidate KPJ + a couple players into a SNT for Kuzma Overpay Kuzma on a 3 year contract Extend KMJ to a 3 year contract Consolidate lower tier assets into Covington Greatly overpay Cam Johnson for his shooting Green KMJ Kuzma Cam Johnson Jabari TyTy Amen Covington Tari Sengun I think that would be a good starting base and the bolded would be getting most of the minutes. I firmly believe this is just the first salvo of "phase 2". We hold onto our assets for future moves and can evaluate our players under the new coaching regime. We will certainly have to prune our collection of players/picks again next season.
At this point I'm just hoping for a "normal" draft (BPA) and sign a couple of FAs. Trading 4 and 20 for 6 and 11 and then sign some FAs would leave me giddy. But sadly I'm afraid they will do some dumb trade and jack it all up. I've been a fan too long and I've seen this movie many times before.
Id like for TF and Stone to go to CP3 and apologize and convince him to come back. Find a home for him in February or the offseason where he can win. Let him play 25 minutes a game, rest as needed and etc.
Trade #20/KMJ/Christopher for #9. #4-Amen #9-Ausar (Whitmore, Black, Wallace, Hendricks go 5-8). Tate and Garuba go to Washington. CP3 to Houston. Brooks 2 years 16 million per with 3rd year team option. Lopez 2 years 48 million Sengun/Lopez Smith/Eason Brooks/KPJ Green/Ausar CP3/Amen/Ty
