11-22-2025, 11:15 AM
(11-22-2025, 09:37 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: Some thoughts…
One good thing about the Exum injury is it makes it easier to balance the body count in trades. Many deals for Davis take 2-3 returning players meaning we need to send someone out or cut someone. Exum can either be cut to accommodate the trade or be included in the trade to make the roster limits stuff work and cut by his new team.
Perkins was on some show with Devon Harris and said his sauces are saying to keep an eye on Philly for Davis. Rich Paul represents Maxey and Davis. Obviously, that means eatIng the Paul George deal, so the trade is mainly based on picks. Yuck.
Issac at Locked On had an interesting thought. He doesn’t see Davis to Charlotte (a sentiment Perkins echoed). His thought was you send AD to Chicago, the Chicago stuff (expirings, White and a pick) we’ve talked about to Charlotte and Ball to Dallas. I’m not the biggest Ball fan (and he’s typically not any healthier than Davis). We probably don’t get a pick in this situation as any Chicago pick probably goes to Charlotte. I’d want something else…maybe Essengue? Essengue and Ayo?
If we are going to do a 3 team swap that involves Charlotte and Ball, I’d rather it be with Detroit. I’m intrigued by Ron Holland. I might do something that had Ball and Holland to add to Flagg, Lively and Max as your young core. That’s a ton of D to put around Ball or Kyrie. Again, I don’t love Ball, but he would make the offense work better when healthy and he does have the size to play next to Kyrie on the rare occasions when both are available.
Rather just keep Essengue. You can easily move Vucevic and White. White will be in high demand with Minnesota (Houston) imho. Minnesota is only beating bad teams, cause they lack a true PG. Conley + Miller/Beringer/Dillingham + Wolves 1st (projected between 18-25) for White. Beringer would obviously be the best prospect.
Moving on Vucevic for a mid to late first might be a more difficult, since Boston would bid against themselves. Don´t see another fit, unless you want to deal with the Lakers again. Maybe an Porzingis injury could help us out for once and we take the Suns pick via Atlanta. That be another first (projected 13 - 20).
Conley + Porzingis expiring completely take Davis´s contract off the board.
Say we turn Klay into Isaac + Howard. Also both expiring, but Howard is at least interesting to have a discussion.
Kyrie 39.5
Washington 19.8
Gafford 17.2
Flagg 14.5
Patterson 13.8
Martin 10.0 unbe-fn-lievable
Marshall 9.5
Christie 8.2
Lively 7.2
Dillingham 6.8
Hardy 6.0
Russell 6.0
Essengue 5.4
Suns pick 4.6
Wolves 3.6
~164M
I think the Bulls trade is the most likely cause the acquired players can be moved on and used to generate additional assets, while creating a very comfortable cap situation moving forward.