Trade & FA 2024-25:

[DanSchwartzgan]

So, some reality checks here...

Naji Marshall is just fine.  He can guard POA just fine (especially on a team with good rim protection).  Between Marshall, Grimes, PJ and our centers, we haven't dropped off on D much if at all (depends on minutes and rotation more than personnel).  Nobody gave a rats ass when DJ was signed.  Total non-event.  Marshall comes in with his latest season being better than anything Jones Jr. ever achieved.  We all liked the devil we knew.  He worked out incredibly well.  But any perceived drop-off from DJJ to Marshall will not likely be our biggest problem (and no, DJJ isn't coming back and we aren't trading for Thybulle...stop it).

Right now Josh Green is our starting 3.  
Starters are Center, PJ, Green, Kyrie, Luka 
Backups are Center, Maxi, Marshall, Grimes, Exum.  
Hardy and OMax will continue to scrap for developmental minutes.

Personally, I'm fine if this is it.  I'm fine if we make a deal to upgrade a starting spot (Green being the obvious choice).  Thompson gets you premium shooting, but not a ton else (self-creation days are largely over).  

I'd also be fine if we dealt Maxi for Tobias.  He can do more with the ball and that is a need for the second unit.  I'd be all about the 6-9 spots being Grimes, Naji, Tobias and Lively with one of our stars.  Really, any of those guys could start instead of Green, but the rotation might make more sense with Tobias as a secondary creator off the bench.  

I'd still be fine with Green for better creators like Bogdan or even Sexton (he'd definitely need to come off the bench).  We have the means for one more move.  Net improvement is still within our reach.  Heck, I'm not sure we haven't achieved it already.  Grimes/Marshall for Jones is all that really matters from a playoff perspective and Jones was losing minutes that last series.  One more move, whether Klay or Tobias or really anyone more valuable than Green or Maxi and we are good to go IMHO.