TDL Archived: The 2nd Rnd Pick Yankee Swap

[chaparral]

I happened to stumble across the Athletic’s Top 125 and found it interesting where some of the Utah players ranked.  Here is the current rank and prior year rank for Bojan, Conley, Beverley and similarly ranked Mav rotational players.

Bojan.         5A.   4B
Conley.        5A.   3B
Beverley.     5A.   5A
Maxi.           5A.   NR
Wood.          NR.  4B
Hardaway.    NR.  5C
Dinwiddie.    5A.   4B
Bertans.       NR.   5A

DFS.             4A.   NR
Brunson.       4A.   NR

As a frame of reference, a player in the 4’s is ranked between 41-84 and a player in the 5’s is ranked 85-125.  Roughly speaking, 3rd starters and 4th starters.  This isn’t about the lack of another top 20 player next to Luka.  That is well documented.  This is about how transient and situationally dependent players are once you get past the top 40 or so.

Interestingly, heading into 2021/22 Bertans was ranked higher than THJ (and that was before Hardaway’s injury).  Wood and Bojan were both 4B’s and DFS, Maxi and Brunson weren’t ranked a year ago.  I can certainly see adding someone at the level of Bogdanovic to this group (BTW, the only two 2nd rounders we have in the next six seasons are in 25 and 27).  

The projected starters are a 3&D role player, a Roll&D role player, Luka and two players who have been ranked in the 4’s one of the last two seasons (two third starters).  The strength of the team would be bench guys at four positions whose highest ranks have been 4B, 5A, 4B, 5C and 5A in Wood, Maxi, Bojan, THJ and Bertans (but one of Bertans or THJ would be gone if Bogdanovic is here).  If Bertans were the outgoing, you’d have a C, PF, SF and SG coming off the bench who are all ranked as 4th starters at some point in the last two years.  The lineup flexibility would be incredible.  The same would be true if the trade brought in Conley instead of Bojan.  BTW, Conley is owed almost the same amount of guaranteed money at $37mm as Bertans at $38mm.  NBA teams often look at total salary owed rather than year by year salary in evaluating trades.  

I know the article said we were interested in Bojan.  Similarly ranked Beverley yielded a prospect rather than a pick, but that prospect was a trade match and our prospects don’t get there even if Powell is included.  I think it would be much easier to deal the similar money of Bertans with prospect Green for Conley and lesser prospect Butler (who can play the Burke role), but I’d be happy with either Conley or Bogdanovic.  My preference would be to substitute Frank going out instead of Green.  Not sure that works for Utah though.

I'm finding it hard to believe that Wood is not ranked this year.  Also, you said you stumbled on to the top 125 list. Is there a way to see that list without paying to join the Athletic?