It is times like these where I am glad I am NOT the GM of a team. I am not sure I would be able to trade away a gritty role player. My heart says one thing, my brain says another. GMing can be a cold business. It isn't easy.
Ah, just caught up to this ch44 post. If the Lakers are in the driver seat AND the Wolves (Thibs) are willing to accept back YOUNG players then yeah....the Lakers are in the driver seat. Hart and Kuzma feels like the package to me. Lakers aren't giving up Ingram. And the Wolves likely don't want Ball.
For juicy sh.it like this you need to subscribe to his newsletter. Holic was sitting on this info since May of 1998.
You could do it. You know in your gut that Butler > Gordon and Tucker. The Rockets could even go with Ennis at the 4 if they had to..... not to mention that the Rockets could deal Chriss' non guaranteed contract for a solid role playing 4. It comes down to what the Timberwolves want....... do they want veterans or do they want young players? What I do know is that Butler would LOVE to end up in LA.
They're going to have to wait until December to make the trade work. Ironically the albatross contract they need to make the salaries work got bought out and is already on the Wolves roster.
His shift at Duncan Donuts doesn't end until 3 pm.... so he will get back to you after that most likely. Unless he has to meet his parole officer, then it may be tomorrow.
Thx for input. What do you think about @JayZ750 just pointing out the irony in that statement, as Thibs just did the very opposite last year. He *just* did the trade-youth-to-surround-young-star-with-veterans last year. Morey also goes the veteran route when he has a young superstar. That whole "trade for youth to grow with young star" thing always seems overstated, or maybe that's just because Morey never acts that way. Spoiler: Morey surrounds young stars with veterans With both a young Yao and when we got Harden, he goes for veterans immediately, and nearly exclusively ... even trading away his picks to get them. When he wants to tank ... that's when Morey advocates going ultra young (for potential) over better, proven veterans. I think OG Anunoby would be Thibs #1 youth target. If Thibs is going to pull a 180 on his trading approach, put me down as a firm believer that OG Anunoby is the #1 youth asset mentioned in any trades, that I've seen. Better than Kuzma. Kuzma will end up being a containable stretch 4, without much help on defense. OG is in the Covington (peak Ariza) status of 3 & D player, already...just one yr in. OG has a freaking 7'4 wingspan, being assigned Lebron in the playoffs, and is already shooting better than Covington/Ariza....had a 30 game stretch of shooting >45% on 3s after initial Oct adjustment to pro-3, slumped in Jan, then shot a blistering 50% after the all-star break....and 45% in the playoffs in 10 games. OG shot 37% regular season, but if we forgive his October adjustment to NBA 3, and count his 10 playoff games, dude shot 39% as a Rookie 3&D player, and that includes a horrendous January slump. OG is the guy Pops wanted in the Kawhi trade, and Ujiri said no.
Just catching up to that December complication. Yeah, that IS interesting. Especially if the Wolves are determined to make a move sooner rather than later.
I think OG and Danny Green with one or two picks could get it done. KAT Gibson OG Green Teague Wiggins as a 6th man or trade fodder (lol good luck).
I see your points and I don't have to disagree with them to keep my point of view: PJ is core to this team way of playing. You are absolutely right especially on the 3rd point, but that will happen only if we are not destroyed in the paint. Purelly player wise, it is a no brainer to put PJ and EG in a trade for Jimmy. But let us not forget that PJ was our third most important player through the series vs GS, and also made them adjust their offense in the paint. GS is the only team to beat. If MDA finds a way of using Jimmy's talents while finding a piece to defend and space the paint, then yeah, we are good.