I was interested in Jordan alongside Aldridge. Lose interest to get him for Aldridge. However, I wonder who Bledsoe would net in a 3 way. I doubt enough to make it worthwhile, but Neil likely roughly knows the value of his old players, or at least some previous offers sent to him where he could likely have a decent idea of who he might be able to flip Bledsoe to if it were those two. Big isse is doing it after the draft, teams like Utah an N.O. filled their PG holes.
After the ideas I've seen on this board this week, I wouldn't mind that either. What I don't understand is trading LMA for Bledsoe/Jordan, specifically because Bledsoe will be due a contract after next season as an RFA, and Jordan expires the same year as LMA. It makes no sense to me, other than it makes the team worse, and with no cap space, for the next two years.
As for any Noah trade, what's to say the Blazers aren't in a similar situation with him after next season (in Imaginary Trade Land, where LMA nets Noah this summer)? He'll have two years left on his contract after next season, has literally no history or connection to the Blazers and the community ... why wouldn't he force his way out, if LMA does it this summer?
I think the chances of a LMA for Noah deal is zero. I don't think the Bulls are giving up Mirotic either. The only rumor I've seen is Deng and the Charlotte pick.
I think the only deal the Bulls would have done for Noah was "pick any two aside from Rose for DHoward." I don't think they'd do that deal now, since Howard's been a bit tender.
One thing people never mention when talking about Jordan is that he has a 15% trade kicker so his contract goes from 11m a year to 13m a year. Goes from a bad almost horrible contract to outright abysmal.
That's not a rumor, that's a wish. Still, I'm sure that would land you Viktor Khryapa and Tyrus Thomas, and that's just as good as Aldridge, right?
And the 20/10 ROY Elton Brand got us the 2nd pick in the draft. You run the risk of LMA getting you nothing. When he's on his last year, teams figure they can sign him as a FA and give up nothing. You might not like Boozer, but he started on an injury riddled team and was a huge part of the 45 wins and defeat of NJ to advance in the playoffs. Maybe it's silly to you, but trading the front court of that 45 win team for half the front court of the 33 win team is an upgrade for the 33 win team.
Look: the only reason for taking Deng would be as a favor to Chicago. Otherwise we'd demand Taj Gibson and you'd have to amnesty Boozer first to absorb the salary. Deng is a good player, but he's overpaid and injury prone, and isn't likely to stay past his soon-expiring contract. He's balast to balance the trade. So don't think of him as an asset. He's an asset to the Bulls, and would be to some other teams, like San Antonio, but not to us. But yes, if it did happen, he would start at PF because we're that shallow. And hey, he's a better version of Harrison Barnes. This whole rumor was cooked up by some agent or other, but if it has any chance of happening then the Bulls are going to have to throw in Mirotic (given that nobody listened to me when I said draft him over Nolan OR Faried) and either accept that we view taking Deng as a favor, or trade Deng to someone else so that you can just absorb Aldridge's salary in a lopsided trade.
