Trade & FA 2023-24: HOU Targeting Mikal Bridges again!| Mitchell is LAL #1 Target

[SleepingHero]

What do you think it would take to get a Bruce Brown, DFS or Thybulle this offseason?

I am just wondering if Hardaway just may not bring back much...even as expiring.  He is more important to us that what he brings back, but we really need to balance the roster out there.  There are several shooters who may be available either via FA or there teams looking to move them.  Hardaway may just not have value.  In fact, his value to teams may be more of an expiring than anything he does on the court.  He is much better than Fournier but Knicks couldn't find any takers for him....until they found a team who does weird things.

So I wonder if Hardaway plus 4 seconds would be enough for one of those guys above?  I would think Brown and DFS may get better offers.  Thybulle?

I think THJ + 4 2nds is definitely enough for guys like Thybulle alone. DFS and Brown might cost a 1st (but not in addition to those 4 2nds).

My biggest issue right now with trading THJ now is that despite his inefficient shot chucking, and at times incredibly awful shot selection, his scoring is a valued skill. Other than Timmy, who on the bench can go get a bucket? Exum? Hardy? And to be fair, neither of them can reach the same level that Timmy can. 

If we're replacing him, we need to replace him with someone who can do what he does while also playing defense. Donte Divincenzo comes to mind as a guy who fills all of that, but I highly doubt the Knicks are interested in a swap and I'm not really keen on spending draft capital there. 

Bogdan Bogdanovic is another interesting choice, but is his defense any better than Timmy? 

The name I'm really liking is Malcolm Brogdon. He pretty much combines THJ's scoring and Exum's playmaking into 1 player, but his injury history is scary. 

THJ+Powell+Hardy for Brogdon+Thybulle works salary wise but puts us into the first apron by about 3.6 million and about 7 mil from the dreaded 2nd apron. We'd still have an empty roster spot too. Is this roster good enough to go into the 1st apron and it's penalties? We'd still be able to use the T-MLE and stay below the 2nd apron, but just below. 

Luka/Brogdon
Kyrie/Exum
Green/Thybulle
PJ/Maxi/OMax
Lively/Gafford


Brogdon is a 22.5 mil expiring contract, so there shouldn't be a worry about repeater tax. I'm sure Portland would want a 1st as well for Brogdon, as that was what they signalled throughout the deadline. Nico+Lindsay have been pretty creative getting 1sts in deals so I'd imagine THJ would be sent off to a 3rd team on draft night for a single 1st while the Mavs get Brogdon+Thybulle. 

Another downside other than health with this deal is that our entire roster is basically a bunch of 6'5 guys. Brogdon, Exum, Green, and Thybulle all are 6'5. That's not short. But I'd really want at least someone with a bit bigger size on the bench that can be a switch defender. OMax technically fills this. But is he ready for such a jump next year? If so then the roster looks REALLY good imo.