I'm not sure you have a good grasp on what players are traded for. Booker isn't a tier 1 superstar and KD is going to be entering his 17th NBA season and will 36 years old before the season starts. First, I wouldn't call our players junk. I'd be fine keeping them. As for Phoenix, They could all be moved later to bring back more value. Second, those aren't just 3 picks. It's their three picks which gives them control over their future and are more valuable to them than any other team in the league. This is what Harden was traded to LA for: Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum, KJ Martin, a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks, a 2029 pick swap and an additional first-round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder And that's with a 33 yr old Harden coming off a year where he shot almost 39% from 3, 44% overall and lead the league in assists.
That's the 2nd harden trade, look at the 1st one, or the kd trade. Booker alone is easily worth that package and KD while old is still awesome. Obviously FVV isn't junk and they could flip him for a solid 1st but the rest are just filler/negative salary. You just saw bridges, someone who is FAR inferior to booker get 5 1sts. Obviously those suns picks are way better but bridges is also just a guy, and booker is a top 15 player.
Stone didn't really have all the cards - he did have a good hand. No, the Nets wouldn't have turned down 5 #1's for Bridges, they'd have made the trade anyway. It's what they do after that trade that affects the Rockets. They sure wouldn't just give up and be bad. Now they have those picks & swaps that Stone acquired along with the 5 picks from the Knicks - they would likely have max cap space and their exceptions (room / bae). So that's 7 picks and 2 swaps, and those later PHX picks were seen as some of the most valuable picks on the market. No reason they couldn't field a playoff team in the East.
The OP package is the ideal. Give them Jalen to replace Booker and control of their picks back. I’d also consider adding Cam or Tari but absolutely not Amen, Sengun, or Bari. What this team needs is that go to Alpha scorer. Adding Booker would be night and day with the rest of the roster. Green could do the same IF he could be the guy he was during that insane month he had last year consistently.
How does Mitchell fit the mold for an Udoka guy when the dude doesnt want to play defense? So just on that Booker fits the mold better than Mitchell because Booker isnt good at defense but tries while Mitchell could be elite at defense but doesn't try. Mitchell kept hinting he wanted to go to NYC but NY had no interest in him because Thibs wants guys who tries on D. Self creation? Since when did Rox have a problem with self creation? In the starting lineup FVV, Sengun, Brooks and JG can all create for themselves and others and in the bench we have Amen, Landale and Reed Sheppard who are all good connective passers. The Rox no 1 need is shooting, and Booker is a much better shooter than Mitchell. Mitchell has good vision but he is also a massive ball hog. Why him and Darius Garland cant coexist when only two of them create for the entire team? Meanwhile Booker had no issues sharing the ball with Cp3, Ayton and Bridges who all had high possessions when they all played together.
If Bridges is just a guy why would he fetch 5 picks? So if we trade FVV now will we get 5 picks? FVV is more than just a guy he was an all star and a champion. You talk both sides of your mouth saying Bridges fetched so much but at the same acting like he's just a scrub.
Brooks does a little bit of everything. He isnt an elite creator but I have seen him make some nice passes. He is averaging 1.7 asts right now in the Olympics which isnt bad for only 24 mpg.
He’s not a scrub, but he’s not a star or a top 20 player like booker is. Plus it was a unique situation with the nova knicks nonsense
I don't want Booker. Unless it's for like, a stupid ass deal that no GM would ever entertain. Just don't buy him as a winning-culture player. I think he's the classic big stats/bad team guy.
Suns picks (and swaps), Jalen, Amen (or Jabari) + filler for salary. Anything less than this, Suns will laugh you out the door. As much as I love Amen's ceiling, I'm very low on his chances of getting a solid jumper. He's just such a bad shooter. Jabari, I just never see him making that leap to all-star so at best he'll be a solid role player. I would swap in Cam or Tari instead of Amen but there's zero chance Suns will take that deal.
Let them laugh then amen, Jabari, and Sengun are off limits. Their picks are what is valuable to them. I could see Jalen, cam and filler. If someone wants to pay more than that more power to them
That's what happens when fans watch a rebuild. Anyone "star" caliber is like water to a desert wanderer. Let's hope our erudite franchise owner Tilman J. Fertitta doesn't feel the same and offers a fair offer.
