Trade & FA 2024-25:

[DanSchwartzgan]

This agent thing with DJJ makes today kind of interesting...and potentially a bit maddening.  I don't see risk on the DJJ side of things because of the agent thing, but I do see the potential for delay.

So, let's say they announce Klay S&T to Dallas.  Is it just announced as a salary number, or does it include outgoing players.    

If Green isn't going to GSW, do they announce a different Green trade immediately?  Or, do they wait?  

Once you have Thompson's salary number and know what is happening with Green, it is pretty easy to figure out DJJ's number.  It if isn't the full NT MLE, does that feel too much like a concluded negotiation?

Is anyone else outgoing (GSW has a TPE large enough to take in Hardy).  Is that the compensation and Green is a straight deal for draft compensation?

[SleepingHero]

Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine)
League sources tell The Stein Line that the ever-ambitious 76ers have explored the feasibility of/cap gymnastics required to try to land both Paul George and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency.

My free agency latest with this and further updates: https://marcstein.substack.com/p/what-we...ree-agency

[Smitty]

Yes the THJ trade, if done alone, generates a 16,193,183 TPE to Dallas.

But if they pivot from that to a trade for Klay with nothing outgoing, they can only pay about 13.9 in starting salary to Klay, not 16.2, as they are further limited by the requirement to stay under the Apron.

If they want to pay Klay more than that, and sign DJJ too with all or most of the big MLE, that takes sending out added salary (Green) and probably also combine the 2 trades (w DET and w GS) into 1.

The DET trade has not happened yet, since it cannot be executed until trades are able to be done in the next NBA year on July 6, and on agreed-but-waiting trades, teams generally cooperate to allow other side deals to be added, as long as their own initial deal is still the same (or they agree to revise what it was going to be).

I’m fine with him at the ~16.2 number you and Dan are working with. The only real complaint I will have is if this is a 4 year 70 million contract instead of the 3/$50m.

[SleepingHero]

Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer)
@YahooSports There does remain the chance Hartenstein stays with New York, sources said, after starting for the Knicks throughout a strong postseason run to Game 7 of the second round.

[SleepingHero]

I’m fine with him at the ~16.2 number you and Dan are working with. The only real complaint I will have is if this is a 4 year 70 million contract instead of the 3/$50m.

That final year will be worth 18mil when the cap should be around 181million. I think it will be a real asset regardless of Klay's output (which should still be really freaking good as a shooter cause that never goes away).

[Smitty]

That final year will be worth 18mil when the cap should be around 181million. I think it will be a real asset regardless of Klay's output (which should still be really freaking good as a shooter cause that never goes away).

True but I’m getting ahead of it so I can complain about something. This is the way.

[SleepingHero]

Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA)
You never know until it’s done but it’s sounding like the Lakers are a pretty distant second place to Dallas to land Klay Thompson. A lot of that cautious optimism has waned significantly since yesterday.

[audiosway]

Monte Poole (@MontePooleNBCS)
Per league source: Mavericks are chasing Klay Thompson EXTREMELY hard.
With Luka and Kyrie orchestrating and PJ Washington draining corner 3s, imagine the spacing created by Klay.

This is my point exactly for all of the guys saying Wiggins is the better fit. The problem Dallas had against Boston was that they couldn't hit a 3 against them from the top of the key. That made it so that Boston could sit in the corner and stop the corner 3s. That also made it more difficult to get lobs going. 

Here is what happens if they add Klay. You now will have Luka in the high post ready to run the P&R. Gafford or Lively come up to set the pick and roll to the basket. You've got PJ sitting in the dunkers spot and where he can fade out to the corner or roll up to set a pin down for Klay to roll around. Klay is a 41.3% 3 point shooter for his career. He also hit 92% from the free throw line last year. (Another Mav need) Klay and Curry are the deadliest 3 point shooters coming of a pin down in NBA history.

You have Kai sitting in the weak side corner for a 3. Or have PJ and Kai switch. Let PJ sit on the weak side 3 while Kai rolls up to set the pin down for Klay. You have 2 pure shooters at the top of the key 3 point line, Luka rolling down hill along with a rim running big and PJ sitting in the corner for a 3 if the D collapses.

You can also run the same action with DJJ in place of PJ since they both can hit corner 3s. Oh and by the way. Grimes is an ELITE corner 3 guy.

That's how you can use Klay to completely unlock the Dallas Offense while not losing much if any on defense. Klay is a great help defender and is still good at POA defense as well. He used to be Elite at that. But, he is still very good.

[SleepingHero]

Watch the first minute of this and imagine Klay doing what Reggie/DFS were doing.

[SleepingHero]

Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes)
B/R Sources: There’s growing optimism the Philadelphia 76ers will land Paul George in free agency.



Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan)
If the Philadelphia 76ers sign Paul George to a maximum contract (starts at $49.3 million), they'd have $13 million cap space + the $8 million room mid-level left.

That won't be enough for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. However, there are multiple ways they'd be able to give him more.

[ThisIStheYear]

This is the same Klay Thompson that thrived off ball for 3 years behind Curry and Durant. 

Yes he will be fine behind Kyrie and Luka.

He’s not the same. Totally different player with age and a severe injury history. Not many 35 year olds are really that good. Klay has always been overrated, lacking even a single season with a 60% TS%. But without the defense, I’d rather hold on to Green for a less one dimensional player.

[audiosway]

Watch the first minute of this and imagine Klay doing what Reggie/DFS were doing.

This is exactly the kind of stuff I'm talking about in my post. You essentially bring a player up out of the dunkers spot like a quasi Spain P&R and you have the option of him setting a pin down for Klay to roll around and hit the open 3 also.

[Smitty]

Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes)
B/R Sources: There’s growing optimism the Philadelphia 76ers will land Paul George in free agency.



Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan)
If the Philadelphia 76ers sign Paul George to a maximum contract (starts at $49.3 million), they'd have $13 million cap space + the $8 million room mid-level left.

That won't be enough for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. However, there are multiple ways they'd be able to give him more.

Sixers are cooking up something. East is trying to compete with the West next season.
C’s, Knicks and 6ers vs Mavs, Thunder and Nugs/Minny.

[SleepingHero]

He’s not the same. Totally different player with age and a severe injury history. Not many 35 year olds are really that good. Klay has always been overrated, lacking even a single season with a 60% TS%. But without the defense, I’d rather hold on to Green for a less one dimensional player.

Its okay to not like Klay as a player but to reduce him down to an "overrated" "one dimensional player" that Green is way better than is kind of silly to me.

[SleepingHero]

[Titans41]

If it does not cost the Mavs DJJ, or the ability to get a comparable player in Naji Marshall, then I think Add Klay is a no brainer.
Still offers tremendous IQ as a team defender and his ability to hit above the break 3’s makes him playable in virtually every iteration of a lineup the Mavs can put on the floor.

[SleepingHero]

If DEN loses KCP. Clippers lose PG, Warriors lose Klay (and replace him with no one), that's 3 teams that potentially can take a big step back. PHX might also not be good enough still. Are we still afraid of Sacramento? Is Houston scary at all? Pelicans now with Murray but no center*?

[Jakeospikez]

I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong with Josh Green on defense. He's both taller & longer than Jrue but Jrue still looked like a PF tank in the finals matchup with his strength and rebounding. Maybe just get Green to bulk up some more? He has so much speed he can afford to get bigger and play stronger. Jrue has strength and BBIQ/experience over him on defense, plus whatever Boston's defensive system gave him.
On offense he's still one of the team's best shooters. Big problem with inside finishing and handles are just ok but Jrue wasn't doing much on offense in terms of playmaking in the finals either. Pretty much a 3&D guard. He was just abusing the Mavs defensive scheme getting open for those layups with the Mavs bigs on hanging out on the perimeter. Doesn't seem like they should be that far off from each other.
I guess he is expendable with Grimes but would be useful to know why he was having such a tough time here in a 3&D role. Is he even worth trading for an aging out Klay plus higher salary?

[SleepingHero]

If it does not cost the Mavs DJJ, or the ability to get a comparable player in Naji Marshall, then I think Add Klay is a no brainer.
Still offers tremendous IQ as a team defender and his ability to hit above the break 3’s makes him playable in virtually every iteration of a lineup the Mavs can put on the floor.

[SleepingHero]

I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong with Josh Green on defense. He's both taller & longer than Jrue but Jrue still looked like a PF tank in the finals matchup with his strength and rebounding. Maybe just get Green to bulk up some more? He has so much speed he can afford to get bigger and play stronger. Jrue has strength and BBIQ/experience over him on defense, plus whatever Boston's defensive system gave him.
On offense he's still one of the team's best shooters. Big problem with inside finishing and handles are just ok but Jrue wasn't doing much on offense in terms of playmaking in the finals either. Pretty much a 3&D guard. He was just abusing the Mavs defensive scheme getting open for those layups with the Mavs bigs on hanging out on the perimeter. Doesn't seem like they should be that far off from each other.
I guess he is expendable with Grimes but would be useful to know why he was having such a tough time here in a 3&D role. Is he even worth trading for an aging out Klay plus higher salary?

He gets hung up on screens often. Always a step slow. Can get bullied pretty easily by bigger guards like we saw with SGA who just backed him down to his spot and shot over him.

He's highly athletic and can pester smaller guys (like CP3 against PHX). Great team defender and is usually in the right spot for steals which leads to transition buckets. 

I would like to keep Green if it was possible. But with the addition of Grimes who by all metrics is a MUCH better defender in every facet, he's expendable.