I feel like pascal Siakam would be the closest thing to being equal but that trade with the raptors would be kinda complicated unless they traded Lowry somewhere too
I just don't see Toronto doing it but maybe I'm wrong... Siakam is probably a better fit next to Nurk than the guy I've been pushing (Randle) but I have a new Randle trade. So I always run trades through this checker and through ESPN's trade checker. I don't really care about the projected win increase/decrease but Hollinger's model/algorithm at ESPN says that this trade gives us 7 wins and doesn't help or hurt the Knicks. The Knicks in this trade get two proven commodities that work well together and can play with guys like Toppin, Barrett, Rose, Quickley and Bullock this season but it also lets them keep Toppin, Barrett and Quickley next season, whoever they draft and leaves room for one max player. That's a good mix of young players and established players. We might have to guarantee our pick to Houston and then thrown in our 2023 first rounder to get them to include Robinson due to his youth, price and upside but Nurk is a more sure thing when healthy. For us this trade would mean contending for a chip this season. I really do think that. Rivers is the backup guard we need, this does kind of leave Ant out and if they wanted him as part of the deal that could be done. Randle and Robinson are a really good front court to complement a perimeter of Dame, Gary and RoCo. This off season would be really busy for us because we would need to try and extend Randle, Robinson and RoCo, match whatever Gary gets offered and make decisions on Zach, Hoodie and see if DJ stays. (Ntilikina would be bought out because we do only have one extra roster spot)
Most trade you won't get equal value especially if trading away a player like CJ. But in CJ you got look at we got players to replace him that's already performing well enough for us continue to win. Plus you need take back expiring contract and maybe get a draft choice out of the deal. This give money enough to play in the free agent market.
No CJ trade is going to happen until/unless CJ shows how he played at the start of the season is how he'll be playing long-term. Without that, no team is going to give star value for CJ. So we should wait on all the trade proposals until McCollum is back and we see how he plays. Unlikely, therefore, that a CJ trade happens before the end of the season.
I'm just not seeing a great candidate right now. We need someone of equal value to CJ at either SF or PF. Unfortunately there just aren't that many star wings right now, and they have to be on a team that either has too many star wings and wants to upgrade their guard position, OR they're doing so badly that the star is disgruntled. I don't think anyone fits that bill. Harden was the best option.
fun fact...Nurkic has missed the same games so Portland is averaging 4 less assists without CJ AND Nurkic
We're not better without CJ... I mean this season we are winning more games with him and Nurk gone but the truth is we aren't better. There just is no drop off without him and we're paying him around 1/3 of our salary cap and giving him as many minutes as Dame. Those are some misallocated resources. While we might not be significantly better as a team without CJ, Dame is better without him and our defense is better without him. Maybe we are better without him but that's not really the point. The main thing is, we could get something of worth for him. So if the team is just as good without him and Nurk as they are with him and Nurk, then why not cash him and Nurk in for something that adds to the team that is doing great on the floor right now? That something shouldn't need to be of equal value like we're trading dollars for dollars. It just has to make the team playing right now better than CJ and Nurk returning would.
Watch Myles Turner move, then watch Nurk move... is there a difference? Sabonis is a lumbering PF playing with an athletic C. Nurk and Sabonis would both be lumbering around and that would be a problem. Then there's Nate's point which is very well made.
I agree with a lot of what you said. We are not better without CJ. But I do see the advantage of trading him for an excellent SF or PF who can create their own offense, handle the ball, and play D. That is a no-brainer if you can get that star. Either way, you are paying out about the same amount of salary, but you are adding a player at a position of need AND you are replacing CJ with Gary. So yes this summer I would take a Tatum or a Jimmy Butler for CJ and a couple of young assets (ie Little/Simons) However, I don't think we can get a star, and rather than trade CJ for an average player, I would rather roll with Dame, Trent, Little, Nurk/Kanter, and Covington.....and bring CJ off the bench as our 6th man. I know that some will think he would not accept that role but I think that is bullshit. Vets who have "gotten paid" are less likely to sulk than players who have not. Winning then becomes the most important thing to them. And either way, CJ will get his minutes. And if Dame goes down for a short time, we have CJ there to fill in. So sure if we can get a star that wants out of his current situation I would do it. But I would not give away CJ just to get rid of his salary.
Saw that someone posted this trade. https://tradenba.com/trades/v8b80zTQe and no it's not me. I just happened to see it. Derrick Jones Jr, Zach Collins, Rodney Hood and picks to SA for DeMar DeRozan.
But you’re in favor of getting Julius Randle, right? He’s shorter than Sabonis, but outweighs him by ten pounds or so. Is he any less lumbering?
