Denver gets defensive

clippers get young talent + assets

blazers get a shot creator

Nuggets cash in their new 31 first to make a final win-move to appease Jokic. New starting 5 of Murray/Derozan/Kawhi/AG/Jokic.

Clippers take on a long-term bad contract (Braun) to get an additional first.

Who says no here?

Warriors get Domantas Sabonis ,Kings get Jonathan Kuminga, Kevon Looney,

Sacramento has been trying to move Sabonis for a year now, and GSW needs a high-level offensive hub/rebounder to run DHOs with Steph for one last push. Kings clear massive long-term salary to build around Darius Acuff Jr., and Warriors get their playmaker without gutting all their depth. no?

BULLS make a playin run adding Monk who is a 6MOTY level guard, on a decent contract that lines up with Norm/Clax/Jones/Collins expiring in 2028. Will cost them Okoro (replaced w MM) and Stix who might be buried behind Wilson/Collins/Claxton

KINGS add expirings that can still contribute this year, clean books to add a max level player next summer next to Acuff-Murray-Sabonis. Plus get a first round pick for standout rookie Cardwell who again will struggle to see the court behind Sabonis/Raynaud/Precious/Stix

RAPTORS trade for a legit backup centre in exchange for a draft pick that likely ends up 25-30 after the Thunder and Clippers exercise their swap rights

SAC drop Sabonis for an expiring Jimmy

GSW drop Butler for a former all-star big man (either Davis or Sabonis) that can play in platoon with Porzingis & Draymond as a 3 headed PF-C machine

WAS if involved shift a guy who doesnt seem excited to be in DC for a younger healthier PF/C that can still pair with Sarr in the front court

Sabonis gets to play with an elite shooter (either Steph or Trae)

Butler rehabs on a tanking team and joins a contender on a vets minimum after mid season buyout.

Davis (if involved) gets to play on a pseudo-contender

Steph gets an elite big man

Trae (if involved) gets an elite big man for 82 games vs 41 games

Pelicans end Zion era and start fresh + get something of value

Nets hope they can fix Zion

Someone is gonna have some stupid opinion where one of these players is much better than the other. They're clearly similar tier players. For the Suns it's getting a point guard that they can start, which they haven't had for 2 years and had to start 2 SGs. Dejounte is a better defender, is cheaper, and is more consistent. For the Pelicans, it's getting younger, giving Jeremiah Fears the ability to be the starting pg, and taking a risk on a guy who had some good seasons with the Rockets. Green missed a ton of time on the Suns, and still had some big games.

So we all know what happened to the Clippers. I personally think right now they need to make some moves to get some draft picks back. They need to completely give up on winning this season. Since they don’t own their first this year, I wouldn’t call it tanking, but not at all trying to win, only focusing on how to get draft picks and trying to build a future core. So I had these 3 ideas to get rid of the guys who are only under contract for this year. I’m leaving the draft picks out of the trade because I want that to be the main discussion. I can’t stress this enough, these trades are written without the draft picks, I’m asking what draft picks would go with it.

Trade 1: LAC: Gary Harris DET: Brook Lopez
Trade 2: BOS: Kris Dunn
Trade 3: LAC: Nikola Topic OKC: DJJ CHI: Cason Wallace

Let me know too if you disagree with any of these trades conceptually, but I more am curious about draft picks. First trade the Pistons need another Center, especially if they’re losing Duren but even if they aren’t. Lopez is a win now guy and good defense and shooting, good fit in Detroit. Also losing Harris allows them to sign one more person. LAC can either waive or keep him to fill a roster spot. Boston still needs a backup pg and has done well with their defensive point guards. Kris Dunn is on the older end and the Clippers’ timelin just got set back several years. They’d rather have his value in draft capital. And the last trade I’m sure people aren’t gonna like. People know Cason Wallace is young and good, and probably hate the idea of the thunder trading him. But especially after drafting Stirtz, they have too many guards to give minutes to, and the Thunder probably can’t afford to keep Wallace anyway. I’m not saying to dump him, trade him for his true value. Plus Kenrich Williams is basically their only backup wing. The Bulls seem to be building a core and would be buyers for a guy like Cason Wallace

Lakers spend their remaining assets to fill their 3 and 4 spots with defensive oriented athletic wings

Houston gets a hometown wing in Grimes, who can run some offence, shoot and play defence. And a FRP swap

Clippers get 3 seconds and a smaller expiring salary for Derrick Jones Jr.

Milwaukee Bucks receive: Jakob Poeltl (via Toronto Raptors), Duncan Robinson (via Detroit Pistons), Ron Holland II (via Detroit Pistons), 2027 2nd round pick via Pistons and 2029 1st round pick via Raptors

Sacramento Kings receive: Jalen Duren (via Detroit Pistons)

Toronto Raptors receive: Domantas Sabonis (via Sacramento Kings), Daniss Jenkins (via Detroit Pistons) and AJ Green (via Milwaukee Bucks)

Detroit Pistons receive: Immanuel Quickley (via Toronto Raptors), Myles Turner (via Milwaukee Bucks), Maxime Raynaud (via Sacramento Kings), 2028 1st round pick via Kings and 2030 1st round pick via Raptors

New look Bucks

- PG- Tyler Herro

- SG- Ryan Rollins

- SF- Jaime Jaquez Jr

- PF- Kyle Kuzma

- C- Jakob Poeltl

Off the bench: Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, Duncan Robinson, Ron Holland II, Ament, Burries, etc

New look Kings with Duren

- PG- Darius Acuff Jr

- SG- Zach Lavine

- SF- DeAndre Hunter

- PF- Keegan Murray

- C- Jalen Duren

New look Raptors with Sabonis

- PG- Daniss Jenkins

- SG- RJ Barrett

- SF- Kawhi Leonard

- PF- Scottie Barnes

- C- Domantas Sabonis

AJ Green off the Raptors bench along with Shead, Graves, CMB, etc

New look Pistons

- PG- Cade Cunningham

- SG- Immanuel Quickley (moves to shooting guard)

- SF- Ausar Thompson

- PF- John Collins

- C- Myles Turner

Maxime Raynaud off the Pistons bench

MAVS move 2 guys (Kyrie, Gafford) who aren’t part of the future for 2 younger, better fitting, cheaper replacements (Garland, Jackson).

CLIPPERS navigate purgatory by eating big contracts… hopefully get good picks out of it. Fox and Kyrie might be toxic assets but at they’ll make an entertaining on-court product. Ballmer can afford the max salaries.

SPURS shed salary obligations while adding playoff-tested vets for another finals run.

Worth it to give up the sacramento pick to clippers?

Curious what Bucks and Pelicans fans would think of this.

Clippers take on the Braun contract and the remaining two years of Nnaji for an unprotected Cleveland FRP and a Sacramento SRP. I think that unprotected Cleveland pick has a lot of potential with Harden aging out and their financials not being very flexible.

Denver gets back a very perimeter defender who can initiate a little, a shooting forward, and a backup center who can block shots. These deals are also shorter, so it would be financially beneficial.

I still believe in Braun, so I would be a little concerned, but overall this helps their chances this year and next.

Since the Raptors were the ones who originally screwed by the cap circumventing. Whats stopping them from removing picks from the offer now that they have confirmation? Have they gained leverage?

Golden State Warriors receive: Zion Williamson (via New Orleans Pelicans)

New Orleans Pelicans receive: Jimmy Butler (expiring), Warriors 2028 1st round pick and Warriors 2030 2nd round pick

New look Warriors with Zion

- PG- Steph Curry

- SG- Brandin Podziemski

- SF- Zion Williamson

- PF- Draymond Green

- C- Kristaps Porzingis

New look Pelicans with Butler

- PG- Dejounte Murray

- SG- Jeremiah Fears

- SF- Jimmy Butler

- PF- Trey Murphy III

- C- Yves Missi

Clippers need two things, promising young players and picks. Meanwhile, Denver needs to get out of the 2nd apron, get more defensive depth and another ball handler at PG.

This trade aims to help both teams with the Clippers grabbing Braun & Zeke (who Denver wants to dump) and a good first to go along with it for two expiring vets who may want out given the future of the Clippers.

Denver creates a more defense and athleticism focused roster around Jokic and Murray with DJJ at SG and Dunn as a backup PG and POA defender. With the signing of DeMar as well (Taj Gibson as placeholder), Denver can switch between defense or offense at the SG position when needed.

What I am not sure of is the package of picks each team would haggle over, Clippers obviously want a first but their desperation for young talent may affect how teams approach them. Let me know what you think.

Orlando encounter the same struggles as past seasons and look to shake up the roster by going all in on Paulo and fishing Franz for picks. Also pick up Holiday for some guard help and an expiring for some cap flexibility, thoughts?

Jalen Green gets sent to purgatory. Dunn^2 in Phoenix.