Trade & FA 2023-24: OKC The Favorite For Nic Claxton Should He Leave BRK

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I'm not doing anything until Bruce Brown Jr. says no to our MLE offer on Friday.

[SleepingHero]

https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/m...59416.html

According to two sources, the Heat has been giving thought to potentially using the waive-and-stretch provision on Lowry if Miami is unable to trade him, though a firm decision on that has not been made.

In other words, if the Heat goes the waive-and-stretch route, Lowry would have a cap hit of $9.9 million each of the next three seasons instead of $29.7 million next season, which would be his cap hit otherwise.

The upshot of that: Miami’s 2023-24 salary cap commitments would shrink from $178.5 million to $158.5 million, below the $165 million tax line and the $182.5 million second apron, a threshold that carries significant restrictions, including the inability to sign buyout players who were making more than $12 million from the team that released them.

That extra flexibility could allow the Heat to re-sign guard Gabe Vincent in the days ahead without paying an enormous tax.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Probably destined for Phoenix if Miami waives him.

[mvossman]

I'm not doing anything until Bruce Brown Jr. says no to our MLE offer on Friday.

Yeah, signing Kyrie to a number that allows the full MLE and signing Brown would make for a very successful offseason.

[SleepingHero]

https://twitter.com/nickvanexit/status/1...13728?s=46&t=xNHF873rjt7IFVxyn62T2g

Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit)
I will not read into Kyrie Retweeting a "Back in Dallas..." tweet
I will not read into Kyrie Retweeting a "Back in Dallas..." tweet
I will not read into Kyrie Retweeting a "Back in Dallas..." tweet
I will not read into Kyrie Retweeting a "Back in Dallas..." tweet

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Norman Powell????? Y'all want to start 4 small guards and Luka. With Green, WTF would we want Powell?

[SleepingHero]

Norman Powell?????  Y'all want to start 4 small guards and Luka.  With Green, WTF would we want Powell?

In the event they trade THJ, do you not think Norm Powell as a 6th man would be a pretty good get...?

[Bayliss]

Mavs and Cuban in a nutshell.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://sports.yahoo.com/2023-nba-free-a...10087.html




Is Valanciunas on the block?

[Mavs2021]

Something little new:

THJ  to Orlando 
Isaac + Denver 2025 1st round pick + Detroit 2026 2nd round pick (both from Orlando) to Washington
Gafford + Morris to Dallas

If the Harrison Barnes/Rick Carlisle rumours are true, then Jordan Nwora is the clear odd-man out in Indiana. Just a $3M contract, but remember my theory about international one-man team stars like Markkanen or Hachimura. If you can put up 20 PPG in FIBA with all the defensive focus on you, you can score in the NBA.

Well let me introduce you to the Nigerian version. 

Bullock to Indiana
Jalen Smith + Nwora to Dallas

So now we are already here:

Doncic/Morris/
Irving/Hardy/
Green/Nwora/Prosper
Kleber/Smith/
Gafford/Lively/Holmes

Still have the MLE, BAE and our own 2027 pick to improve on this roster.

[Mavs2021]

https://sports.yahoo.com/2023-nba-free-a...10087.html




Is Valanciunas on the block?

Texas barbecue special offer. Pick one, get one free. On the menu: Bullock, Holmes, McGee.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Let's make this easy, here are our 1-3 "ready to contribute now at a championship level" players...
1. Luka, Point Forward, 6'-8", 230lbs ($40m)
2. Kyrie, Combo Guard, 6'-2", 194lbs ($45m est)
3. J.Green, SG, 6'-5", 209lbs ($3m)
4. Hardy, Combo Guard, 6'-3", 198lbs ($1.7m)
5. THJ, SG, 6'-5", 205lbs ($17.8m)
6. Bullock, SG/SF, 6'-6", 205lbs ($10.4)
Six roster spots, $117.9m

Here are our 4-5 "ready to contribute now at a championship level"...
7. Maxi, Forward, 6'-10", 240lbs ($11m)
One roster spot, $11m

See where we need to focus on????? Again, in order to keep Luka from walking out on this franchise, we have to compete now. The hopes that Holmes will do a Lazarus isn't going to do it. Hoping Lively will go from only 20mins in college and games he simply was invisible to what we need out of a championship starter isn't going to do it.

We need a flex PF/C who eventually start with Lively and a flex SF/PF who could start for us right now. The discussion should be around who that is, not what we need.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

In the event they trade THJ, do you not think Norm Powell as a 6th man would be a pretty good get...?

Even if THJ is traded, we still have 4 SGs in Kyrie, Green, Hardy, and Bullock.  We need an actual SF who can rebound, not another SG.  I would much rather Hardy in the 6th man role.

[KillerLeft]

What I LIKE about the proposed Ayton deal:

1) Holmes (and hopefully McGee) are outgoing. If Holmes isn’t outgoing, I flatly don’t bring another 5 onto the roster. Period.

2) Ayton’s body type, athletic profile and ability to play as a pick and roll big make him a good fit here (in theory).

The problems:

1) anyone who calls him “skilled” is off-base, imho. He has no offensive iso game, in the post, or otherwise. That’s FINE with me, because this is a pick and roll team. However, is HE fine with that? He seems like another Porzingis to me - a guy who will want the ball in situations wherein it does not benefit the team for him to have it. Does the way he’s feeling about that sort of thing have an impact on his enthusiasm to run the floor, set good screens and move his feet on defense? Sure looks that way to me.

2) he’s PAID like he DOES have an iso game on offense, that’s for sure. Again, he does not. This is NOT a player who you can tell “go make something happen out there for the next three minutes while Luka sits” and yet his cap number reflects the need for him to be that guy. And again, i think he sees himself in that light, so not ideal.

You know what type of 6’11”, 7’ guy works in the modern NBA? The kind who moves like he’s 6’7”, 6’8”. Ayton COULD be that guy, but has demonstrated time and again that his motor isn’t up to it. He literally just got a coach fired, and now his team is trying to dump him on a sucker. If he comes here, there will be times he’s effective enough to change the complexion of the team and games, for sure. But mark my words: IN THE LAST 5 MINUTES OF AN ELIMINATION PLAYOFF GAME, HIS ASS WILL BE ON THE BENCH. Sorry, not interested in that for anything north of the MLE.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

https://sports.yahoo.com/2023-nba-free-a...10087.html




Is Valanciunas on the block?

Ideal starter until Lively is ready.

---

What I LIKE about the proposed Ayton deal:

1) Holmes (and hopefully McGee) are outgoing. If Holmes isn’t outgoing, I flatly don’t bring another 5 onto the roster. Period.

2) Ayton’s body type, athletic profile and ability to play as a pick and roll big make him a good fit here (in theory).

The problems:

1) anyone who calls him “skilled” is off-base, imho. He has no offensive iso game, in the post, or otherwise. That’s FINE with me, because this is a pick and roll team. However, is HE fine with that? He seems like another Porzingis to me - a guy who will want the ball in situations wherein it does not benefit the team for him to have it. Does the way he’s feeling about that sort of thing have an impact on his enthusiasm to run the floor, set good screens and move his feet on defense? Sure looks that way to me.

2) he’s PAID like he DOES have an iso game on offense, that’s for sure. Again, he does not. This is NOT a player who you can tell “go make something happen out there for the next three minutes while Luka sits” and yet his cap number reflects the need for him to be that guy. And again, i think he sees himself in that light, so not ideal.

You know what type of 6’11”, 7’ guy works in the modern NBA? The kind who moves like he’s 6’7”, 6’8”. Ayton COULD be that guy, but has demonstrated time and again that his motor isn’t up to it. He literally just got a coach fired, and now his team is trying to dump him on a sucker. If he comes here, there will be times he’s effective enough to change the complexion of the team and games, for sure. But mark my words: IN THE LAST 5 MINUTES OF AN ELIMINATION PLAYOFF GAME, HIS ASS WILL BE ON THE BENCH. Sorry, not interested in that for anything north of the MLE.

Excellent analysis.  I completely agree.

We're better off with a flex F/C who could eventually start next to Lively.

[MFFL]

Can Holmes even be part of the deal for Ayton?

That trade doesn't become official until the beginning of the new league year and Phoenix goes into that having blown past the 2nd apron. Can they even deal Ayton with the new restrictions?

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_...-cap-space




Cap space breakdown for teams that have it.

[KillerLeft]

Can Holmes even be part of the deal for Ayton?

That trade doesn't become official until the beginning of the new league year and Phoenix goes into that having blown past the 2nd apron. Can they even deal Ayton with the new restrictions?

Yes, I think so. Seems like all the cap guys around here expect the original deal (Bertans outgoing) to get widened in such a way that involves the Holmes acquisition, despite the reporting about creating and then planning to use the TPE. So, I assume it’s relatively simple to throw a third team into that mix.

[MaxiThreeba]

Something little new:

THJ  to Orlando 
Isaac + Denver 2025 1st round pick + Detroit 2026 2nd round pick (both from Orlando) to Washington
Gafford + Morris to Dallas

If the Harrison Barnes/Rick Carlisle rumours are true, then Jordan Nwora is the clear odd-man out in Indiana. Just a $3M contract, but remember my theory about international one-man team stars like Markkanen or Hachimura. If you can put up 20 PPG in FIBA with all the defensive focus on you, you can score in the NBA.

Well let me introduce you to the Nigerian version. 

Bullock to Indiana
Jalen Smith + Nwora to Dallas

So now we are already here:

Doncic/Morris/
Irving/Hardy/
Green/Nwora/Prosper
Kleber/Smith/
Gafford/Lively/Holmes

Still have the MLE, BAE and our own 2027 pick to improve on this roster.

I would love to find a way to get Nwora in a Mavs uniform.  I have loved him as a target for a few years.  He has the makings of an elite shooter and good size on the wing.  He would be a younger, bigger version of THJ.  Not much of a defender at this point, but big enough to compete against wings.

Unfortunately, I think Indiana may have seen enough from him after the trade to want to hang on to him.  If Bullock for Nwora/Smith was actually on the table, the Mavs should/would jump all over it.

[Chicagojk]

Mavs were busy on draft night, huh? I wonder if Lively would even be the pick if they found a way to get Ayton if this was discussed prior to the draft or when we picked up Holmes? You can make an argument Ayton, Prosper, Whitmore, MLE would be a really nice haul if Lively was not the pick.