Agreed. If he were signed for 4 or 5 years, I’d still have to take a long look and that and would probably still need to be persuaded.
The Ringer suggested trading #3 to the Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons, #7, and #14. That seems unrealistic. But how about... #3 and Brooks for Simons and #14? Use #14 to draft a backup big like Filipowski. Eventual starting lineup will be something like... Simons / Green or Whitmore / Amen / Smith / Sengun. Or Amen / Simons / Whitmore / Smith / Sengun. Filipowski eventually replaces Adams as our backup big. Simons fills a big hole and we keep our draft assets and core 6.
The rebuild is not over. We NEED to draft our way out of mediocrity. That said, we also need to be able to retain what we cultivate. Four years of very high picks that will take near maximum salaries to maintain just the top pick players after they come off their rookie contract is not looking for a long term solution. Remember we have been drafting more than just the one top pick every year. Some of which seem like maximum salary types, too. If we can’t afford to retain them, then why develop them? Drafting teenagers developing them for their maximum pay days that will come from other teams doesn’t help our franchise and chances of future successful longevity. Trade the players but keep the picks so we can have rookie scale players to round out our roster in the future. We don’t need for every position to be an all star because we couldn’t afford it. The salary cap is hard to manipulate when the numbers of the rookie extensions are set.
Let's say Shep is gone by 3 (knock on wood)... Trade #1: HOU - MEM #3 + Tate + #44 to MEM for #9 + 2026 MEM FRP (top 3 protected) + #39 + Kennard Grizz trying to move up for Cingan Trade #2: HOU - TOR #9 + Brooks to TOR for #19 + Bruce Brown + 2026 IND FRP (via TOR) Raptors trying to get into lottery for... somebody? Trade #3: HOU - ORL Landale + 2026 FRP (via IND / TOR) + 2026 FRP (via MEM) to ORL for Jonathan Isaac Magic acquiring draft capital to send to Bulls to get Lavine (those 2026 picks will likely be mid/late 20's) Hope Kal'el Ware lasts until pick 19 Give whole NT-MLE to Jalen Smith (IND) (4 years, ~$52M) FVV - BB - AJJ (#39) Thrilla - Amen - Kennard Isaac - Cam - Uncle Jeff Bari - Tari - Jalen Smith Sengawd - Adams - Ware (#19) playoffs with 1st or 2nd round exit + 10 players 6'7 or taller Next season (cap goes up + BB$$ + Adams $$ + Kennard $$ + FVV traded or option declined) Amen - AJJ Thrilla (re-signed) - Cam Isaac (re-signed) - Tari Bari - Jalen Smith Sengawd (re-signed) - Ware with 2 2025 FRPs picks WCF! 2 years later Amen - AJJ Thrilla - Cam Isaac - Tari (re-signed) Bari (re-signed) - Jalen Smith Sengawd - Ware Ship! with mostly "home grown" talent
this team has enough assets to turn into a contender overnight in the off-season, if the gm is creative/smart and got the balls to make something big. #1 4-teams trade: Atl. gets: #3 pick, L.Markkanen, D.Brooks, D.Schroder (Hawks traded #1+Murray for #3+Markkanen, Markkanen is a much better running mate to Trae, and rumors are they want trade down to draft Clingan. Lineup: Clingan/Markkanen/JJ/Brooks/Trae. Backup: Capela/Okongwu/Bey/Bogdanovic/Schroder) Uta. gets: #1 pick, Jabari Smith jr., K.Bufkin, #44 (Hou.) (Markkanen is in last year but hasn't been extended yet, Jazz traded Markkanen for the #1 pick plus J.Smith Jr. and K.Bufkin) Bro. gets: D.Hunter, Jeff Green, 27'FRP Swap (Hou.) (Nets, who just learned a lesson how valuable their own un-protected FRP is, traded C.Johnson for D.Hunter and gets their 27' un-protected FRP swap right back, also got rid of Schroder's $13mil. with Uncle Jeff's team option contract) Hou. get: D.Murray, C.Johnson, AJ.Griffin, #32 (Uta.) (Rockets wants to compete right now and looking for a Star player, Dejounte Murray is the most realistic shot and easier to keep with his contract; this team don't need Brooks with Tari coming back and Amen emerging; C.Johnson is the elite shooter the team covets) #2 4-teams trade: OKC. gets: Jalen Green, S.Adams, (OKC MUST trade Giddey this off-season, and J.Green is a good replacement. the Thunders front court are extremely small/thin, 6'3 Lu Dort at SF, 6'5 J.Williams at PF, toothpick Chet at C, they'll gladly welcome a reunion with fan favorite S.Adams) Orl. gets: J.Giddey, L.Dort., (Giddey gives the Magics a play-making big guard they like. Lu Dort is perfect backup to Wagner/Suggs) Chi. gets: A.Black, #12(OKC),(Bulls traded Caruso for a young talent in A.Black plus #12 pick) Hou. get: J.Isaac, A.Caruso (2 of the best 3/D players in this league, will be Jrue/White or KCP/Gordon role on a championship team) Split the NT-MLE on Jalen Smith ($10mil.) and D.Saric ($3mil.) Re-Sign A.Holiday to a fair contract Sengun, J.Smith, Landale J.Isaac, T.Eason, D.Saric C.Johnson, Whitmore, J.Tate D.Murray, Amen, AJ.Griffin VanVleet, Caruso, A.Holiday if you compare this lineup to the Nuggets you can tell this is a championship level team (right now, not in the future). Sengun is no Jokic, yet, but the rest of the team more than enough makes up and maybe better. Now, if we have this lineup MAYBE Paul George will be willing to join. in this case, PG can force a opt-in-trade-extend to Houston IF he wants (like Porzingis did with Was/Bos). i'll offer FVV + Tate + #32 in a 3-way: N.O. gets: FVV, Tate LAC. gets: Ingram, L.Nance jr., #32 (Hou. via Uta.) Hou. get: P.George LAC didn't get enough value in return for PG, but this is what you get when your FA star player wants to leave. try to sign Torrey Craig to Vet.min. or re-sign Bullock Sengun, J.Smith, Landale J.Isaac, T.Eason, D.Saric C.Johnson, Whitmore, T.Craig P.George, Amen, AJ.Griffin D.Murray, Caruso, A.Holiday 2025-2027 3-peat NBA Champion!! The only concern is if PG/Johnson/Isaac can stay healthy, but the depth of this lineup will allow them for some needed "load management" during regular season, also gives minutes to the youngsters Amen/Whitmore/Tari/Smith/Griffin. there might be a few more draft picks throwing here there depends on everyone's own opinion on the value of assets. the Rockets still have Bro.25' swap, Bro.26' FRP, its own 27/28/29/30' FRP to use. some fans might want keep waiting their favorite youngsters (Green/Bari/#3 prospect) to develop into the star players they dreaming, fine. just saying the assets capital is there and are enough to turn this team into a contender instantly, much like the Celtics did in 2007-08' season. it's all up to the management and ownership, how bad they really want to compete now
He’ll yah bro. Have 4 years of top 4 picks and don’t start a single solitary one of them. That’s the way to if you don’t win it all go right back quickly into salary cap hell with aging players within about 3 seasons. Then you can watch one of the rockets top 4 picks win a championship on another team. I’m being sarcastic but truthfully I would never do this though. Wait until you see your own players emerge then deviate with a needed trade(s) to create and fill in the team around your own drafted players while building long term continuity.
I've said it before, but I think FVV + #3 for Young makes a lot of sense for both sides. The Hawks get the #1 and #3 picks, and they are probably still decent with FVV / Murray / Bog / Johnson / Okongwu. Basically allows them to retool without bottoming out since the Spurs have their picks. We create a potentially incredible offensive duo between Young and Sengun without giving up any of our major assets.
A lot of research and effort there Hard Rock. Well done sir. A while back while the villagers were in a frenzy to burn down the Jalen Green village. I proposed another trade with ATL. I do see the moving on from Green point of view. So, move Green and the #3 to ATL for D Murray and Okongwu. HR you would have a much better understanding on how this might work from a $ match stand point. Also would be willing to switch out Okongwu for your suggestion of AJ Griffin. Thinking the Hawks value Okongwu over AJ. Add what ever minor assets needed to get the deal done. Also try and trade back into the 1st round and draft Collier out of USC.
Huh, I had figured the talk of the Hawks moving down to pick Clingan was their attempt to get frontcourt help for Young, like the Wolves did for Edwards. If they're keeping the top pick, I'd guess they see something special in Sarr.
if the Hawks are keeping Trae Young that means they're not going a total rebuild yet and will be hoping to replace Murray with another star player who's better compliment to Trae to improve the team's chance at play-offs, i doubt J.Green will do better than Murray to help them with that. the only way that make sense for both teams is we sending a young talent (Bari) plus the #1/#3 to a 3rd team for the star player for the Hawks, I think Utah/Markkanen is a perfect fit. AJ.Griffin is in Quin Snyder'd dog house, he was out of the Hawks rotation toward 2nd half of the season, could be a throw in here, i doubt they'd give up Okongwu in this deal. D.Hunter also lost his starting job half way into the season, one of the few options you can trade Brooks for who's available and has a matching salary. Rockets then flip D.Hunter to the Nets for Cameron Johnson to get the elite shooter this team much needed.
Sengun, currently, is the best of "your own players" emerged so he stay and starting. Amen/Whitmore/Tari all has potential to be starter on a championship team, in a few years, not right now. Green and Alpy both are extension eligible this summer, Bari & Tari next summer. there's no way you can wait for all "your own players" emerge into the championship team with "long term continuity". you keep your core 6+1(24') for "long term continuity" only to lose some of them in free agency because Tilman Fertitta is not the owner who pays whatever it takes to keep his young players just to "wait". I didn't propose to trade Amen, the #4 pick of last summer who still has 3yr. on his rookie contract. And yes i rather bet on Sengun plus the players i proposed (Murray/PG or FVV/J.Isaac/C.Johnson/Caruso/J.Smith along with development of Amen/Tari/Whitmore) than watch Green/Bari/#3(Sheppard/Clingan) "winning a championship on another team"
I don’t know the answer to this but I would recommend we look to OKC. They seem to have figured it out. They remain full of high picks and I don’t recall them selling their picks for pennies on the dollar. Stay at three and draft the prospect with the best potential if you are not getting the same return you should be for that draft pick.
Yet, Sengun is a Rocket? The Thunder are going to have to sell off something because they more butts then seats. Every FRP takes a roster spot. 4 next year alone. Real question, can a FRP be signed to a 2way contract? It does make a difference 4/15 vs 4/18
No, the two-way contract was designed specifically for undrafted players. The contract for anyone drafted in the first round is guaranteed for the predetermined rate assigned to their draft position.
My concern with this is can this team play defense? Sengun Jabari Brooks Green Trae It might take more than a year of development to get this team to play top 10 defense. Offensively however we would catapult ourselves up the standings. The other 4 would benefit a lot I think it all comes down to: can Udoka convince Trae Young to play the most defense and most unselfish basketball of his career? Many good coaches have tried to improve him in these areas and I’m worried it’s not really possible. So then you have to probably swap/trade Jalen or Jabari for a major defensive upgrade to give the team a chance defensively. I think Tari becomes an interesting PF option if he’s outdefending Jabari. Amen too if Sengun has improved his 3PT shot. Really interesting option to consider. If Udoka believes in that team defensively I’d be 100% on board.
Man I would rather Cam Whitmore take ANY shot we would give to Simons. Whitmore is shooting league average at age 18/19 years old on a very high number of attempts per minute. Do not want Simons. I’ve heard he’s an unsalvageable defender. Excellent shooter but not worth the price tag. Also Jalen Green is going to be a higher impact player than Simons next season. We’ll end up hoping to dump him for a second rounder. Take the safe route, tell them to send him to a 3rd team for whatever draft capital and an expiring contract.
