NBA TRADE TALK: TDL over

[DanSchwartzgan]

I really like the Toppin idea you proposed.....I agree he would be a great fit next to KP.  Is there any way to sweeten the pot to make this happen?  It seems Toppin is stuck behind Randle so the Knicks should at least listen to offers for him.  Maybe Green (too much?) or a 2nd rounder in some form or fashion?  Curious as to your thoughts.

Sorry I missed this.  

Yeah, I’m a huge fan of Toppin here.  The trick is NY just sold their fan base on him as a high lottery pick and now they are dealing him for a guy they can sign this summer with a little bit of player movement?  So, at its most simple level (JB for Toppin) it is a tough sell in NY.  

For Dallas, you are sending out an important starter from the 5th best team in the west and taking back another big who is probably not ready to be a big contributor to a playoff run.  So, not a win-now move.  If you believe Toppin for JB is a long term winner, you start adding pieces to make this work for 2022.  Maxi (who can play next to Robinson or Randle)?  Send us a PG (either Walker or Rose)?  OK.  Who owes something more if the deal is JB/Maxi for Toppin/Rose (or Walker)?

It probably depends on where you value Toppin versus Brunson as to who has to send what.  If this is already relatively fair, you probably aren’t getting a pick from NY and they aren’t getting Green from us.  If Dallas doesn’t get the NY pick, maybe we lift the protection on 23 and get the right to pick-swap with NY in 22 (presumably giving us a better pick at the draft and the ability to combine it with our 25 and 27 once the 22 pick has been made).  That pushes the bigger move to the summer, but you now have a really good long term piece in Toppin and the ability to include Rose with Powell and/or Hardaway and picks for a bigger fish this summer.