Trade & FA 2023-24: OKC The Favorite For Nic Claxton Should He Leave BRK

[loki]

Yeah Hunter is a good name.  He has some Harrison Barnes lite in him to me.  Looks the part but I never feel like he is going to hit the big shot.  He is shooting over 40% from three though.  The contract is bad but he would be someone to consider.  Maybe Bey too but he hasn’t been shooting or defending well.  Atl may look very different next year.  

So I am unsure him yet but he is probably gettable with the assets we have.  With the contract, you are only probably targeting him if you view him as a starter, right?

Well, I was trying to talk myself into him as a backup. The idea being that overpaying might be acceptable if he was viewed as the primary wing off the bench in a shortened playoff rotation. Looking at the defensive assignments it would be something like this:

Irving/Exum
Green/(Exum)
Luka/Hunter
PJ/(Hunter)
Lively/Kleber

But for the price you would pay Hunter I may be reaching too far here. They would have to be really confident he's the perfect fit and he's willing to accept that kind of role. Especially given that Kleber at the 4 and Gafford at the 5 may be more common during the regular season. I suppose there's a shot he could start over PJ which might make this more sensible, but I'm not that down on PJ's shot just yet.

[RGP1981]

Well, I was trying to talk myself into him as a backup. The idea being that overpaying might be acceptable if he was viewed as the primary wing off the bench in a shortened playoff rotation. Looking at the defensive assignments it would be something like this:

Irving/Exum
Green/(Exum)
Luka/Hunter
PJ/(Hunter)
Lively/Kleber

But for the price you would pay Hunter I may be reaching too far here. They would have to be really confident he's the perfect fit and he's willing to accept that kind of role. Especially given that Kleber at the 4 and Gafford at the 5 may be more common during the regular season. I suppose there's a shot he could start over PJ which might make this more sensible, but I'm not that down on PJ's shot just yet.

As you have pointed out, Hunter might be too expensive.

I'm wondering about Simone Fontecchio as backup SF.

Do you think the Mavs could get away with sending THJ to Detroit for Fontecchio + Grimes?

G: Irving................. Exum, Hardy
G: Green................. Grimes, Hardy
F: Luka................... Fontecchio, O-Max
F: PJ....................... Kleber, O-Max
C: Lively.................. Gafford, Kleber

Another interesting option for backup SF is Gordon Hayward, if more play-making is required for when Luke or Kyrie are not on the court.

[loki]

As you have pointed out, Hunter might be too expensive.

I'm wondering about Simone Fontecchio as backup SF.

Do you think the Mavs could get away with sending THJ to Detroit for Fontecchio + Grimes?

G: Irving................. Exum, Hardy
G: Green................. Grimes, Hardy
F: Luka................... Fontecchio, O-Max
F: PJ....................... Kleber, O-Max
C: Lively.................. Gafford, Kleber

Another interesting option for backup SF is Gordon Hayward, if more play-making is required for when Luke or Kyrie are not on the court.

It's hard to imagine the tax MLE being enough for either of those guys. If I'm Detroit I would prefer Fontecchio+Grimes, although Weaver does make some bizarre decisions so you never know.

[Jakeospikez]

Why go through all of those trades to get a 1st to trade for Gafford if he's not gonna be used at all? Could have found a similar deal like Boston did for a backup big like Xavier Tillman and been fine with giving up a couple of 2nds. Trade for Olynyk or something if they're so desperate for 5out.

[Scott41theMavs]

Why go through all of those trades to get a 1st to trade for Gafford if he's not gonna be used at all? Could have found a similar deal like Boston did for a backup big like Xavier Tillman and been fine with giving up a couple of 2nds. Trade for Olynyk or something if they're so desperate for 5out.

Kidd gonna Kidd.

[SleepingHero]

@wojespn
Toronto Raptors center Kelly Olynyk has agreed on a two-year, $26.25 million contract extension, Jeff Schwartz of
@excelbasketball
tells ESPN. Deal is the max that Olynyk was able to extend on.

[Jason Terry]

@wojespn
Toronto Raptors center Kelly Olynyk has agreed on a two-year, $26.25 million contract extension, Jeff Schwartz of
@excelbasketball
tells ESPN. Deal is the max that Olynyk was able to extend on.

I think he can be traded starting july 1? 

People laughed all trade cycle, but Olynyk would’ve been perfect and a better fit than Gafford 

Hardaway + Gafford + 2nds + Hardy for Olynyk and Brown 

Would fix most of our problems

[Jason Terry]

KCP

Tobias Harris

Two names that if they were to somehow become available in sign and trade that would be interesting

[SleepingHero]

Not sure I'm ready to say Gafford doesn't fit. We saw what he could bring and how nice it is. It's obvious he is a luxury and he shouldn't/isn't getting minutes over Lively and Maxi in crunch time.

I just think the coach is failing at utilizing him properly.

[WildArkieBoy]

KCP

Tobias Harris

Two names that if they were to somehow become available in sign and trade that would be interesting

Does it really make a difference who is added to the roster with JKidd still the coach?

[SleepingHero]

@TheDunkCentral
Report: Wizards could’ve traded Kyle Kuzma to Mavs for Grant Williams and unprotected 1st-rounder

[Knutsen]

@TheDunkCentral
Report: Wizards could’ve traded Kyle Kuzma to Mavs for Grant Williams and unprotected 1st-rounder

I‘m happy with Washington instead of Kuzma, simply because of his defensive potential. Kuzma instead of Gafford is a harder call… Depends on how valuable Gafford will be in the playoffs against the likes of Gobert, Davis and Jokic.

[KillerLeft]

Not sure I'm ready to say Gafford doesn't fit. We saw what he could bring and how nice it is. It's obvious he is a luxury and he shouldn't/isn't getting minutes over Lively and Maxi in crunch time.

I just think the coach is failing at utilizing him properly.

He fits great...as a backup center. 

The problem is that backup centers don't actually play much when the rest of the team is healthy, and so they aren't worth $12 Mill per year and an unprotected pick swap from a year down the road when you might be awful. 

For the role that's actually available behind Lively (who's MUCH better) and Kleber (who's MUCH better), is Gafford really that much better than Powell?

[Smitty]

Lively and Kleber (for stretches) are much better than Gafford. Gafford is much better than Powell. There are levels to it. I don’t think it’s fair to diminish what Gafford’s strengths are. He was a starting Center in the NBA and he is a good rebounder and finisher around the rim.

Maxi will inevitably miss time again and we’ll be glad we have Gafford. Gaff should play all of his minutes next to PJW.

The Gafford/Maxi 2-man LU is -26.5 net in 33 minutes.

The Gafford/PJ 2-man LU is -1.3 net in 92 minutes.

[MFFL]

@TheDunkCentral
Report: Wizards could’ve traded Kyle Kuzma to Mavs for Grant Williams and unprotected 1st-rounder

Kuzma didn't want to come to the Mavs so the point is moot

[mvossman]

Lively and Kleber (for stretches) are much better than Gafford. Gafford is much better than Powell. There are levels to it. I don’t think it’s fair to diminish what Gafford’s strengths are. He was a starting Center in the NBA and he is a good rebounder and finisher around the rim.

Maxi will inevitably miss time again and we’ll be glad we have Gafford. Gaff should play all of his minutes next to PJW.

The Gafford/Maxi 2-man LU is -26.5 net in 33 minutes.

The Gafford/PJ 2-man LU is -1.3 net in 92 minutes.

I find it a little ironic that in the same post where you declare Gafford being significantly better than Powell you use net ratings to determine who Gafford should play with.  Meanwhile in a much bigger sample Powell has a significantly better net rating than Gafford.

[Smitty]

I find it a little ironic that in the same post where you declare Gafford being significantly better than Powell you use net ratings to determine who Gafford should play with.  Meanwhile in a much bigger sample Powell has a significantly better net rating than Gafford.

Again, the sample size is small and part of showing the net rating was to show that maybe Maxi isn’t as good as he was for that 4-5 game stretch about 10-12 days ago. You don’t need any stats to know that Powell is not a very good player. That’s probably why he makes 4M/yr and is DNP every night. He’s a great guy and teammate though and I like that he’s still a Mav.

[mvossman]

Again, the sample size is small and part of showing the net rating was to show that maybe Maxi isn’t as good as he was for that 4-5 game stretch about 10-12 days ago. You don’t need any stats to know that Powell is not a very good player. That’s probably why he makes 4M/yr and is DNP every night. He’s a great guy and teammate though and I like that he’s still a Mav.

You realize when you say we can ignore "stats" when they don't fit narrative (Powell sucks) it kind of invalidates any other argument you are making with same said stats?

[Smitty]

You realize when you say we can ignore "stats" when they don't fit narrative (Powell sucks) it kind of invalidates any other argument you are making with same said stats?

With every stat context matters. The teams they’ve played recently has called for more small ball. Where Maxi plays more 5, Lively and Gafford less. The other 3 players in combination with the 2-man data I shared. It’s all nuanced.

As far as the eye test goes. Maxi doesn’t look like he did even a week ago. Is it because he’s playing 25 minutes a night? I shared the Maxi/Gafford and PJ/Gafford net rating because we all assume Maxi is the better player of PJ/Maxi but when paired with Gafford that isn’t the case.

The whole point was that Powell isn’t even in the same league as the other 3 mentioned, as KL alluded to. And that I think we’ll all be glad Gafford is a Mav when Kleber misses games.

[Chicagojk]

@TheDunkCentral
Report: Wizards could’ve traded Kyle Kuzma to Mavs for Grant Williams and unprotected 1st-rounder

Makes sense.  Never believed as some here that Dallas offered multiple picks. Hearing comments from the Wiz GM showed it was a below market offer.

It sounds like Dallas would have preferred Kuzma over PJ.  It is close and I am sure others here would disagree.