You guys are a hoot - every other thread is about trading for a star player, every other comments is about not giving up a lot of assets for a player not in our contention window.....and yet here there is discussion of a 25yr old scorer becoming available(one who is a passable defender!!!) and people are comparing Tari and TM3 like how Tari scores as a trash bucket player is any way comparable to how TM3 scores as a feature offensive player. Like, when do we make the move? If you ask me, TM3 is worth anyone on the roster not named Amen or Alpi. A useful vet(maybe Dillon Brooks or Fred), a young player with upside(Jalen or Tari or Bari or maybe the guy rotting away on our bench - Cam!!!), and a few first rounders(maybe some of our later first round picks) seems like a reasonable ask for a 25yr old primary scorer/ball creator. Is he the perfect prospect? Not at all, but we need to consolidate talent anyway because we literally have more players than what we have playing time for and Houston is desperately in need of another creator to move away from Jalen(inefficient) and Fred(not able to do it reliably anymore). Our own future first round picks are also less useful to us in "star hunting" anyway(because they likely aren't going to be lotto picks anymore) - why not unload one or two of them in a "package" where the trade value isn't solely based on the value of the picks? All that said - I'm skeptical this is a legit news source. I agree with @Mathloom that New Orleans has little reason to get rid of TM3 right now - he is probably their only hope out of this mess of building around Zion now that Zion is practically valueless around the league. If TM3 were to be traded, that would just make them even more dependent on Zion and I don't think there is anyone willing to make that bet anymore.
The alleged asking price for Murphy is a veteran that can contribute, a young prospect with potential, and multiple picks. The problem is that unlike Orlando's picks in the Bane trade our picks from Brooklyn ('27 swap), Phoenix, and Dallas have a decent chance of being lotto picks and they are completely unprotected. We already have the #10 pick in this year's draft to offer. The young prospects they might be interested in are Jabari, Reed, and Cam. I'm assuming Amen is completely off the table. I'd offer a veteran and multiple picks. Or a veteran, a young prospect, and one pick. But a veteran, young prospect, and multiple picks is nearly a star package. I like Murphy a lot but that's going all in for him.
I would throw in another late first as well - one of Houston's own future picks. We aren't really a team who needs the 20th pick in a draft a couple of years from now(assuming the team doesn't somehow implode in the next few years).
You realize we have our own picks from 2028 on available to trade as well right? They should be similarly valuable to the picks that Orlando traded.
Depending on the price, I tend to agree that I'd rather be targeting guys like Murphy and Cam Johnson over KD. KD gives you the offensive presence you need right now, but in 2-3 years, we'll be in the exact same boat if no one develops internally into a true No. 1 scorer. Why not target younger, developing offensive players who could become a future go-to No. 1 or No. 2 scorer instead? Obviously the question is how much it would take to get guys like that, but if the difference between a 37-year-old Durant or guys in their mid-20s is like one extra late first and/or 1-2 extra non-core players, why not go the extra mile to add a player who fits our timeline better?
They aren't stupid - they know that the writing is on the wall and that they are going to need to at least re-organize, if not completely rebuild. Zion Williamson has incredible baggage. He has rape allegations against him, weight and motivation issues and in 6 seasons he has played like 200 games. If the Pelicans can get a team to give them a big return for Murphy, and they maximize the asset - they will do it.
I think a lot of you are undervaluing Murphy's trade value. It's going to take at least one Suns pick probably. This is obviously way overvaluing him, but like here's a suggestion from a Pelicans fan site- https://pelicandebrief.com/if-the-p...rey-murphy-this-package-could-soften-the-blow That deal is insane and I'd never do it in a million years, but the actual trade we'd have to do would probably land somewhere in the middle of what people here are arguing. A trade without a premium player asset would have to include at least one of the 3 premium picks (27 with BKN Swap, 27 Suns, 29 Suns) I think maybe you could do Brooks + Cam + #10 + 27 Suns Pick + 28 Rockets Pick (maybe even top 5 protected on this just in case) for Murphy. I don't see a package of much less getting him. You can make the call if he's worth that, personally I'd still consider it. But this like getting away with trading 1 first is not happening, I don't think y'all understand the trade values for guys like this. Desmond Bane is not that much better than Murphy and the package was arguably similar. Solid contract, locked under team control for a while, 3 and D guys who have improved every season and still aren't in their prime aren't exactly a dime a dozen.
Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver are wildcards though - Dumars has a rep for overpaying players to chase contention with marginal teams(Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, and Josh Smith to name a few) and Weaver famously resisted bring in vets in Detroit and continued to try to compete with a roster full of youth until he stepped down. New ownership added a few vets and the Pistons looked like a different team without him this past year. I agree that TM3 is their best asset (now that Zion has completely tanked his value in the league) and New Orleans would be wise to maximize that asset but given Zion is still a dominant player when he plays yet has no value to other teams and Dumars has already seemingly stuck by him publicly, I am not so sure a complete rebuild is the next step. Judging by that - the rumor posted here that New Orleans is looking for a contributing vet player, a young player with upside, AND two picks seems to suggest they are trying to remain competitive while keeping an eye on rebuilding value.
This is a good idea - the high lottery and free agency are often identified as the two ways to really improve an organization when it comes to core players. However - there is something to be said about identifying young players that you feel will improve and trading for them. It is hard to pull off, because usually teams that have the players and see them every day in practice can tell. However, not always. SGA was traded for - and while he had a promising early career in LAC, he blossomed into a star in OKC. Deni Avdija and Zubac both were traded for before they blossomed. Tyrese Haliburton was targeted and traded for, and he really took the next step in Indiana. Derrick White comes to mind - Dyson Daniels....
I honestly don't know if a complete rebuild is the next step either - but I do believe that Dumars and Weaver know there is a good chance that is where this is all headed. As I said, a re-tool or rebuild - essentially a total rebuild or a soft rebuild, through draft picks. As for Zion - right before the rape allegations, he was being discussed as having surprising value around the league. Obviously the civil case really limits his market -- but I could see a team like NY or someone else, maybe Minnesota -- being desperate enough to offer more than obvious value with the idea that he is ready to go in the playoffs.
I'd only take TM if we trade Brooks instead of Jalen. Brooks-Jabari and a couple of draft picks. Fred Jalen Amen TM Sengun
Id give a significant haul for Dyson. Would treat him like a star and gift picks accordingly. #10, bkn swap, both 29, a 28 swap and Cam Trey murphy I would target also but less extreme. #10, bkn swap, cam Keon Ellis i really like but not sure hes worth a quality 1st pick and not sure multple 2nds gets him.
His offense, combined with Jabari's defense and rebounding, was who I was hoping Jabari would be all in one player, smh.
Bari hasn’t really gotten the chance to show anything - he plays his role in the offense and doesn’t complain Ime offensive system is the huge issue and FVV is the next biggest issue…
