2022/2023 mock Trade/Draft/Free agency thread

I don't know who that is. I can definitely be swayed.

My main goal was to try to improve the team without completely gutting our assets or throwing all of our cap space at one over-the-hill player. The Jaylen Brown and Harden talk just does very little for me.

I would do that in a second because PG is such a big need for us. How they use the cap space depends then on if Amen or Miller is available. You could take Amen and proceed exactly as I approached it above. If they ended up taking Miller, I think they still have to find a PG beyond McConnell either through free agency or trade.

 

it’s about the $$$

 

I guess so. I didn't realize everyone would be so angry about being $10m under the cap.

 

I want Desmond bane

I wonder what it would cost us

 

Jalen Green.

Dude is probably going to get an extension this summer for ~$35m per. I’m sure it starts with Green.

 

I don't think Bane for Green makes much sense for either party TBH. Bane is the better player right now, and fits better with a team trying to contend right away, but Green is younger and has more upside and a chance to have a better peak than Bane's.

The player I want from the Grizz is Tyus Jones (if we don't sign Harden). But Ja possibly missing more time at the beginning of next season complicates any possible trade for Jones. Unless they just really want KPJ for some reason.

 

DWS has it's flaws but if you look at the leaders last year they are all generally thought of highly on defense...

Jaylen Brown 15th among all positions, 3rd among guards (if you call him a 2). Separate issue but helps cover for worse defenders in front court.

Mikal Bridges 3.1
Patrick Williams 3.0
OG Anunoby 3.0
Trey Murphy III 2.8
Scottie Barnes 2.7
Porzingis 2.7
Pascal Siakim 2.6
Grant Williams 2.6
Caleb Martin 2.5
Roy O'Neale 2.5
Dillon Brooks 2.4

Cam Johnson 1.4

 

I can get behind the defensive aspect, but we also need floor spacing. That was as big a problem for me as the defense.

And of the guys listed above, how many are (potentially) free agents? The three I know of are Williams, Brooks and Porzingis. What will it take to sign them? My predictions:
Porzingis -$35m
Brooks -$14m
Williams - $12m

 

I think Grant gets closer to 18. He's only 24 and he seems like a PJ Tucker kind of player.

Good enough to start but bad enough that if Eason becomes something you can bring him off the bench.

I don't care too much as to whether they are free agents. The Rockets have assets they can deal and if you're getting a starter next to Jabari you can give up pieces like KPJ, Martin, or picks....

Sure you lose assets, but you're probably using up less cap space too...

 

I like the idea of trading assets for a player, but it is a more difficult job to convince another GM our players are what they need!

Most fan trades overvalue their own teams players (this is true for all teams!)

 

I’m for trading assets, too. While we have the cap space, I want to add valuable players at reasonable prices. I do not consider Harden or Brown to be in that category. Once we have those players under contract, in a year or two, if a star becomes available and we need to put together a package, it won’t be so hard to do. You’re generally going to need a mix of picks, young players and significant, but not exorbitant, salaries.

Right now, I’m just trying to find the players that fit what we need. I do tend to want to hold onto picks and not give them up if we have the ability to sign similar players in free agency.

 

Fair point... i think picks are an exception because it's whatever the gm wants later and they don't get judged on the deal until the pick develops.

I also think if you're targeting someone like Patrick Williams who is due for an extension and it's not an automatic decision it takes away the problem from the other GM. That does take conviction on your side though...

 

Ok, another random off-season direction we could go

1. Draft Day
#4 = Amen Thompson
#20 = Leonard Miller (assuming Lively is gone)

2. Trade
Sengun/ Eason/ Porter jr/ Tate for Anunoby/ Flynn/ Young (the last 2 are salary dumping for Toronto, my argument is that the players we send represent a good number of FRPs in value and potential)

3. Free Agency
$34mill on Harden (if he wants more, throw the money at VanVleet, whose max possible is 33mill)
$26mill combined on Grant Williams and Lopez
Offer the MLE (ours will be only $7.6) to Jaxson Hayes or Naz Reid [Hayes first, see if Pels match?]

We give up a bit to gain a bit. Effectively tried to bring in support players to the kind of game that will allow Green/ Thompson/ Smith to grow. Thompson would play off the bench to backup both G positions, I'll list him behind Green in the depth chart
Leonard Miller is a nice project who could be anything as a 6'10 SF - he can do the shuttle run up and down between the Rocks and Vipers.

Harden/ Flynn/ Washington
Green/ Thompson/ Christopher
Lopez/ Hayes/ Garuba
Smith/ Williams/ Young
Anunoby/ Martin/ Miller

I think that's a start in terms of building blocks for the future - see what we have in our 3 top picks, and have flexibility to move forward. Should be able to win some games.

 

Yuck

 

I would definitely be all over trying to get Trey Murphy III from the Pellies

I would also be in on Patrick Williams as well.

Both would be hard to obtain, but IMHO would totally be worth it.

 

This is not a good use of your assets. I wouldn't trade Eason or Sengun for OG straight up, much less both.

You want him, sign him in free agency next offseason. Cheaper and less risk.

 

With respect, I hope that Eason one day becomes OG. But I don't consider it very likely... to not trade straight up seems like a degree of lunacy?
OG is one of the best wing defenders in the NBA, and certainly has value due to his consistent 3 point shot.

But you might be right? Trading both for him may be an overpay. My feeling is that we need to 'give to get' this off-season (if the goal is to try and make the playoffs). Any combination of moves that leaves us with all three of our top picks from the last 3 years is a decent result (and we don't even know who our latest top pick is) - if we're sticking with Green, then we need a combination of defensive wings to complement him

 

Step 2 is the dealbreaker for me. Anunoby is a good 2-way player, and I’d prefer him over KPJ. While I don’t think KPJ will ever be as good on the defensive side, I think he could show some improvement. I don’t think the gap overall between the two is so wide that you need to give up Tari and Sengun to fill it.

Probably a case of overvaluing our own players. And it doesn’t help that they are probably my two current favorites.

 

It's not about the players, its about the control.

Eason is three more cheap years, then the option to match a contract for 4 more years, that is 7 years of control.
Sengun is two more cheap years, then the option to match a contract for 4 more years, that is 6 years of control.

That is 13 total years of control, many of which when the Rockets should be very competitive. One of, if not both of these guys, could end up being better than OG.

You are trading that for an expiring contract, which occurs in a year when the Rockets do not even project to be competitive. You then risk losing the guy for nothing. Sure he could resign, but you could just sign him outright in free agency, if you think he is the guy.

You are massively underrating the value of good prospects on rookie deals.

 

Just go for it all and be a mad lad. Toss in the 4th pick and KMJ too.....

Harden
Green
OG
Jabari
Siakam

BUT

Giving up Sengun and Eason for OG as the headliner does seem a bit of an overpay. Eason seems more like a natural swap. I'd rather give up 2 FRP and 1 FRP pickswap in order to give to get. Not super thrilled about the center rotation but it does give a one two punch of competence and potential (injury potential pessimistically).Otherwise, I do like the selection of Amen Thompson with this projected lineup as he doesn't have the pressure to by a "point wing" right away.