Rockets acquire Suns picks, return Nets picks to Brooklyn

Hence longshot, broski... but all these teams have pros so you never knows


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[Windhorst] Phoenix has recently begun discussing trading their 2031 first-round pick in packages to acquire Jimmy Butler.

 

I don't care if they do. At worst, this hurts our pick this year. At best, Butler bolts in the off-season leaving them all the more screwed and assetless.

 

Non-zero chance we face this team the first round this year. That would be fun.

 

Why would you want the Suns to make the playoffs when we are holding their pick?

 

They would love to be able to trade their 2031 draft pick for Butler. They are really all in at this point.

 

I've said this for a while - that pick should be in the early to mid lottery.

These kids coming in the draft now need a lot of development, most of them are just athletes, not basketball players.

Just look at the teams that were in the lottery with the Rockets the last 4 years, most of them are still bad - outside of Orlando & Houston and even those turnarounds took 4 seasons.

This is year one for Brooklyn ....

I can't see FA saving them either, no stars on the market and they can make more staying put. getting their contract & then whining their way out.

 

I don't want them to make it but any playoff series would be fun. Knocking them out would be nice if they make the playoffs. I hope they lose 55 games.

 

I imagine Philly may try to tank if they can't turn it around. The MIA pick is also in the best spot for OKC right now.

Both of these picks convey to OKC currently...

Current 8
PHI
Prot. 1-6
Al Horford, Danny Green trade

Current 15
MIA
Prot. 1-14

 

With the further Embiid knee setback, Philly is essentially done as a competitive team until 2029. Embiid and and Paul George will be making $125M/yr combined, and both are washed. Embiid is completely done.

Morey will be gone within the next 6 months, and they’ll have to bottom out - for the next few years, they owe protected picks they need to keep in order to rebuild.

So HOU’s new potential trade target, IMO: Tyrese Maxey

He’s under a reasonable contract until 2029, the right age, brings elite offensive creation. Can’t think he’ll be OK tanking for 3 years of his prime.

Not probable, but possible.

 

Tyrese, I'm all in. Give them all the picks. Would be nice to be in that position if Philly throws in the towel.

 

As if they ever had a choice lol. Who the hell was going to take Beal on as a favor.

 

Might be the Raps... depends on Beal tho

https://hoopshype.com/2025/01/17/raptors-hope-to-be-facilitators-in-jimmy-butler-trade/

 

IMHO This works as a trade

TOR - PHX - MIA

TOR: Beal (PHX) + Burks (MIA) + Keshad Johnson (MIA) [or Josh Richardson] + 2031 PHX FRP + swap rights on 2032 PHX FRP

PHX: Butler (MIA)

MIA: Olynyk (TOR) + Boucher (TOR) + Brown (TOR)

I could see the Heat routing Olynyk to a 4th team (HOU for Landale?) for a SRP or 2 to try to avoid being over the tax. Would have to take back less than ~$7M.

 

If they are going to axe Morey, they can hire Hinkie back to go through the "process" again.

 

God knows Tyrese always destroys the Rockets.

I attended a Rox-76ers game a season or two ago. Embiid was out. Maxey scored something like 45 and the Rox lost. Maxey would bring the ball up and look around to get his teammates involved; a 76ers assistant coach hopped up to frantically wave him on toward the basket, a "just score, they can't stop you" gesture. And that coach was right.

 

Maxey would be a perfect FVV replacement, assuming his down shooting is just some combo of a fluke + facing too much defensive attention. He's a guy we can be patient on acquiring too. Maybe he doesn't demand a trade this offseason, or next trade deadline. Fine by us--our best trade assets are in 2027 and we need time for our young guys to gain playoff experience. Maxey will be hitting his peak years around the same time they do.

 

They are trying to trade Nurk, I don't think he gets any minutes until after the deadline if at all. They traded for a backup center, but do not have a starting center at this point. Their schedule is relatively easy for the second half of January, so they will likely rise in the rankings a bit, but once Feb comes around their schedule is absolutely brutal. They have the toughest remaining SOS. Spurs and Kings have been trending in the right direction, the Suns are having to run KD and Booker out there for 36-39 minutes a game ($2 and #5 in minutes played in the entire league for those two), it is still best case scenario with this pick right now.

 

I've seen Maxey play over 100+ games. He's a great #2 or possibly #3 but he's more of a SG in a PG's body. He worked great next to Harden. But if he's asked to be the main shot creator his ball handling and passing falls a bit short imo. But surrounded by other good shot creators like Jalen, Amen, and Alperen he'd be a great fit imo.