Game 19: Oklahoma City Thunder (12-6) vs. Dallas Mavericks (11-7) | 8:00pm CST

[surfpuckmd]

Here is a trade that would provide us with our ideal backup/platoon center.  It would also clear some bad salary off our cap for next year:

Mavericks trade:

Maxi Kleber
Richaun Holmes
2027 1st round pick (top 10 protected, otherwise converts to 2, 2nd-round picks)

to the Wizards i.e.

Daniel Gafford
Danilo Gallinari
Mike Muscala

Gafford is one of the league's best rim protectors and rebounds well.  He's also a good lob threat and an effective finisher at the rim.  He's only 25 so he's the right age to grow with this team.  He corrects our greatest problem which is hopelessness at the backup center position.

Gallinari and Muscala are expiring contracts.  Their value is that we could use them later this season for salary matching in a trade to bring back a decent bigger wing.  Or, we could simply let them expire this coming summer.  My hope is our cap situation would then allow us to have the full MLE in the summer of 2024.  We could use it on a big wing or use part of it to retain DJJ.  

The Wizards might consider this as they have the league's saddest roster.  They will need several years in the high lottery to acquire some talent.