TDL Archived: The 2nd Rnd Pick Yankee Swap

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

As you probably know, Maxi can't be traded this season.

I think you are sleeping on another possibility.  The front court could be:

Center   Wood-Powell
Wood    Maxi
Green    THJ
Irving    Reggie
Luka      Irving-Luka

With Luka, Irving and Reggie eating up the remaining backcourt minutes.  Powell could also get squeezed here with Wood getting 24 minutes at PF and 12 or so at center.  It brings players like Turner, Poeltl, Gafford, Olynyk, Hartenstein, Reid and Achiuwa into the conversation.  Some of those are low dollar guys who could be had with a small outgoing salary and a pick(s).  Maybe it is McGee, or Frank (or even expiring Morris can bring back a $3.7mm player).  Remember too, the deal isn't final with the league yet, so there is still a bit of trade matching space (about $2.0mm) left that can still be used if the deal were expanded.  

As a for-instance, McGee isn't typically a match for Poeltl by himself.  But if you redirect Morris to SA and send McGee also (obviously with draft capital), then Poeltl for McGee fits within the Irving deal.  Our outgoing is $38mm and the incoming for Irving and Poeltl is $46.3mm.  Yeah, but they'll just play Poeltl off the floor.  They are going to do that to Wood and Powell too.  At least by adding a defensive center (who consistently adds to winning), you've given yourself a better chance against the Jokic's and Embiid's of the league.  Not saying it will happen, but I think it is just as logical as the PJ's and Vanderbilt's of the world.

Yes, what I meant was we need a starting forward, and keep Maxi as a backup.