7 hours ago
(9 hours ago)Smitty Wrote: I still think the NOP pick lands around 5-6 when it’s all said and done. We have half a season to play out and IND, WAS, BKN, and UTAH will all finish below the Pelicans imo. The Kings are the only wildcard.
The Mavs, depending on what moves they make at the TDL, could finish as high as 7th. A pick swap would give the Mavs two chances at moving up in the lottery drawing or it could just be a move up 1 or 2 spots in the end. I don’t see the Hawks giving that pick outright in any scenario… But I can see a Swap being on the table, maybe it’s protected top 1-2, but I agree with KL and others that Risacher has to be in the deal. I don’t see anyone but maybe FGump being mad with a ZR+NOP FRP Swap return for AD at this point.
Give me the Cavs pick and the #NOPSwap in a KP-Kennard-Risacher deal and I’m good. I’d take a 2027 pick instead of Cavs but like the idea of maybe being in a position to trade that Cavs pick on draft night if a team is in love with a player (like NOP with Queen).
Be fine with looping the Hawks into one of the future swaps too (OKC/SAS) where Mavs get worst of all three if that pushed it through.