It’s no secret that Will Dawkins is trying to replicate OKC’s roster-construction model. With that in mind, I think we need to prioritize defensive-oriented players and accumulating draft capital.
- The first trade does exactly that. Assuming the Grizzlies decide to keep their core, they may be looking to clear cap space for the offseason so they can pursue guys like Quentin Grimes, Coby White, etc. In this scenario, they move off KCP’s and Clarke’s contracts, take back Middleton, and can waive him immediately (Khash then signs with a contender like Denver/Detroit/etc). We then flip Clarke to Charlotte for an expiring Connaughton deal and waive him as well (Hornets get a real NBA role player for an expiring vet, also receive a SRP for his injury concerns). This allows us to keep KCP as a defensive veteran off the bench while picking up a FRP.
- In the second trade, we help the Knicks dump Yabusele’s contract. He’s French and fits our roster as a backup big. The Suns wouldn’t want to take on Yabusele’s guaranteed contract after his underwhelming performances, since they’re a playoff team, while we probably wouldn’t mind. In return, we get our protected pick back, which preserves our 2026 and 2027 second-rounders. Instead, we send out worse SRPs (2026 PHX and 2027 CHI).
- Finally, we let Kispert play for a real team. Isaac’s contract is non-guaranteed, so we can simply cut him in the offseason and be done with it. Denver send us two pick swaps (which can be juicy if Jokic is washed by then) for eating Nnaji's bad contract while they get decent bench guys. We also get rid of Cam's cancerous bum ass. Denver seems to love guys who complain about minutes - Bones, Thomas Bryant, and now Cam Whitmore.
- Outside of trades, I’d waive CJ and let him sign with a playoff team (the Rockets, Bucks, Blazers, and Cavs could all use him). We roll with the young guys in the starting lineup and keep veterans off the bench. Not having CJ to fall back on will force our young guys to step up offensively.
Basically, the depth chart after the deadline would be:
PG - Bub, AJ, Riley
SG - Tre, KCP, Watkins
SF - Bilal, Champagnie, Gill
PF - Kyshawn, Isaac, Nnaji
C - Sarr, Yabusele, Holmes
A couple thoughts: Isaac is a defensive monster when healthy. Though, luckily for the tank, he isn’t healthy very often. Also, I would be excited to see Riley play as a point-forward off the bench. I feel like that could really unlock his passing game. Nnaji’s an underrated defender too. We could showcase him and, if he ends up being productive, flip him to a playoff team in the offseason as a bench PF.
No team would give up these levels of assets for Wizards players. Sarr and Kyshawn are the only guys with real value. CJ might fetch one late first if they take back a really bad contract (think 2-3+ years remaining above $40m AAV, significant injuries or old age). Giving up 2 pick swaps for Bagley (career backup) and Whitmore (1 year removed from playing in Europe) makes no sense for Denver.
There's also no reason to trade with NYK. We can tank that pick now and the protections come off this year.
Seeing Kris Middleton being used as a trade piece made me chuckle a bit. You gotta appreciate the effort OP put into this at least
It allows Memphis to get out of KCP $ a year early
My only question: Is Memphis trying to move off the KCP contract? And if they are, why would they want to absorb Middleton's contract?
Currently, I see Khris as a buyout candidate vs a trade asset, even with his expiring contract. Seems hard to believe Khris is going to get traded because he's been really bad this year. Maybe the FOs have a decent relationship and they want to help each out? Idk...just seems unlikely
That’s usually how it works
You trade a deal with 2 years left for one that is expiring
The advantage is freeing up an extra $22M in cap space this summer as opposed to next
Sure. But KCP's contract is actually manageable. You don't need to take on Middleton's to get off KCP's money. This feels 2K vs reality
EDIT: KCP's contract isn't that manageable after review..maybe they do go forward with this but I haven't heard KCP in any trade rumors so far
It’s not a “bad” contract but it is probably a year longer than anyone would pay him $20M in open market rn
He's basically a mummy at this point. Dude can't play anymore.
lmao not you calling him a mummy 😂
Expiring contracts have value. Just last season the Suns gave up a FRP to the Hornets for Cody Martin and Micic's expiring deals
They absolutely do, but Middleton has been very bad. Add that plus his large contract value, I don't know how many teams are going to absorb that contract or can even take on that value. It's a similar situation CJ is finding himself in albeit CJ looks far more competent than Middleton right now
Grizzlies can waive him, he's not a productive player and they wouldn't be trading for his talent in this scenario. The new 33M of cap space in the offseason would be the main prize for them. I initially had four SRPs in the deal instead of the ORL FRP, so I get why the return for Memphis might be seen as questionable
1) The real value for Denver would be dumping Nnaji's contract to stay out of the second apron after Braun's extension (and potentially Watson's new contract). Whitmore and Bagley are throw-ins 2) If our pick lands within its protected range, we would give up our 2026 and 2027 SRPs to the Knicks. In that trade we would be trading two mid SRPs for one high SRP (our own) and one mid SRP (CHI/OKC). WAS's 2026 1st round pick to NYK protected for selections 1-8; if WAS does not convey a 1st round pick to NYK in 2026, then WAS will instead convey its 2026 2nd round pick and 2027 2nd round pick to NYK (via HOU to OKC). If I didn't get this right, please feel free to correct me
Giving up 2 second rounders when we have approximately 100 from various other trades is insignificant. People have speculated about a Knicks trade to get that pick back for years and it has never happened. Doing it now, when they're right at the finish line, is bad value.
Nnaji does suck but 2 first round pick swaps is a ridiculous offloading price. Change it to 2-3 second rounders and it's more realistic.
Denver dumped Reggie Jackson's expiring 5M contract alongside 3 SRPs like a year or two ago. I don't think they'd be able to get rid of a 3Y/24M contract using SRPs
I think firsts are a little more available than that. They got a first for taking on Smart's contract with one year left.
Yeah and that turned out to be a horrible trade for the Grizzlies. They were 2nd in the west on the day of the trade and fell to the play-in by April, eventually giving us the 18th pick. Right now they're projected to pick 13th in this year's draft and their future is uncertain with Ja starting to decline physically. Why would they trade a 2030 first round pick and handicap their flexibility? Nowadays teams know to horde those picks just in case a superstar becomes available, not use them on the corpse of Khris Middleton.
Me too. Especially for Memphis who just traded Desmond Bane and can find his replacement in this year's free agency - Quentin Grimes, Coby White, Bennedict Mathirin are all free agents
I can’t see the Wiz front office taking on money past 2027, even if it nets them a FRP.
I absolutely can see it.
We have been very good at flipping "bad" contracts for assets(Beal, Kuz, Poole). we have tons of Cap Space & very few players to use it on since our rookies are locked up for the next 4 years before we have to pay them. First round picks are gold in the second apron era of the CBA.
We have Cap Space & Young players on team friendly deals. When you add FRPs to that equation it gives you what you need to make blockbuster trades to complete a championship roster (Lakers & AD,Caruso & the Thunder, Drue Holiday & the Bucks/Celtics, Wiggins & Golden State, Aaron Holiday & the Nuggets).
Free agency as it once was doesn't exist. elite players don't make it to free agency. They pick their team & demand a trade or the organization decides to blow it up & get the best deal possible.
We have Sarr, Kyshawn, Tre, & Bub. add in whatever we pick in this upcoming draft & that gives us one of the best foundations in the league. Imagine we can trade for Garland or Sabonis without losing one of them to complement them. Imagine Ja, Lamelo or Zion are available for cheap or another team decides to blow it up. We are perfectly positioned to be able to do whatever we want without impacting our long term flexibility. I have faith that Dawkins has a plan & knows what to do.
Although it’d be awesome, none of these are realistic returns for our guys
Idk if MB3 is that sexy to Denver since the Valančiūnas back-up big stuff is happening.
and Knicks not really getting anything back for giving up the Wizards pick obligation for this year.
I do appreciate the effort however
Bagley is basically a throw in, the main value for Denver in that trade is dumping Nnaji to stay out of the second apron when Braun's extension kicks in. Regarding the Knicks, I've talked to some of their fans and they think that getting another bench bigman is one of their main goals for the deadline
Well reasoned
knicks are never saying yes to that but i’m rocking with the hornets/grizz trade
For the third trade, I wasn't sure if 1 pick swap would be enough to eat Nnaji's salary so decided to be a homer and add one more lol
I like the first two, not sure about the 3rd. (I think Isaac's contract might be more of a problem than Nnaji's, and I'm not sure those swaps will have any value.)
I wonder if the Knicks would be willing to trade Kolek once McBride comes back. Wizards could use a pure PG as an option.
Isaac's contract is non-guaranteed so I don't think it would be an issue going forward. Kolek would be the dream man, but I don't think the Knicks would trade him
While I think it would be very funny for the Grizzlies to do another salary dump and give us another pick, I think it's more likely that they keep their pieces and pray they get healthy. They've done a pretty good job picking contributors no matter their position in the draft so I think they'd rather just take another swing in the 2026 class. A Morant trade is also not out of the question and I think they'd rather use their picks to grease the wheels of a trade of that magnitude.
Middleton can't go to the Nuggets in a buy out because they're in one of the aprons.
Jonathan Isaac is a mental midget
My god the delusion