I'd prefer Meyers, Davis, Napier, and a Future 2nd for Lee and O'Quinn. We'd get under the tax, that'd make us better and shed Meyers contract. Plus we'd keep our TPE to use later.
New York are not going to give us two good players AND take on Meyers terrible deal for a future 2nd and Davis (Napier has very little value). If you replace Napier, Davis or both in that deal with Harkless you might get a conversation.
I think that New York would value Napier. They have no PGs. O'Quinn and Davis are very much alike, so it comes down to Meyers, Napier and a 2nd vs. Lee. I don't see why they would want Lee over Napier and a 2nd, and Lee is making more than Meyers.
MIL pays a steeper price to get rid of big contracts to create max cap space next summer to go after an all-star big man.
They're set at point guard. They have Nkitilina and just signed Sessions. And in what world is a second round pick and shabazz Napier more valuable than a proven vet like Courtney Lee (besides yours?)
So is LeBron James. Basketball ability is also an important factor, not just price tag. Lee can play, Meyers can't.
New York wants a top pick though, not to compete. And Lee isn't a great player, and he's older, so he's not worth keeping for New York.
Sure, but because Lee can play, he's a tradeable contract while Leonard is much less of a one. Trading an okay contract for a bad one matters even for a team in asset-collection mode and, IMO, the "assets" you're offering New York to make that swap aren't good enough.
Lee's contract is a bad one too, and Napier is an asset I think they'd value. They're desperate for a PG.
My two ideas are about freeing up time for Biggie and Collins - hence why Vonleh is on the move: To Orlando: Noah Vonleh 2018 first-rounder (Top-10 protected) To Portland: Mario Hezonja Next years draft is extremely top-heavy - we wont miss this pick at all.
What do you like about Mario Hezonja? I'd never heard of him before. He's from Croatia and has a nickname similar to Nurkic "the beast". Nothing in his stats stand out though. Except shooting only 40% from 2pt range last year. I noticed he was the #5 overall in 2015. Watching his highlights, he seems to be fairly athletic...but is he an upgrade over Layman?
Noah has arguably shown more (at worst the same) as Hezonja. Don't know why we'd have to add a first.
Of all the Blazers, I think Vonleh is the one who has the best chance of taking his game to another level this year. He's got a lot of tools. Maybe his stock will rise and we can trade him at the deadline.
I disagree that Lee's is a bad one. But if it is, Leonard's is a super nuclear bad one, since Leonard is barely NBA-caliber (if he is at all) while Lee is still a useful player.
I think it bears repeating that Vonleh doesn't turn 22 till near the end of august. He defends the perimeter better than any big not named aminu, and his rebounding percentage is very good. Josef seemed to make things easier for him and it shouldn't surprise. Mason played with heart but was over matched on both ends a lot of the time. looking at noah to be improved at both ends playing next to Nurkic. its a make or break contract year here in Portland for the young man and I bet he delivers as a super solid role player.
Hozenja, while intriguing as a player for a protected second rounder is actually 6 months older than Vonleh and can't sniff any PT on the Magic.
If Vonleh had played in summer league this year, I bet he would have been more impressive than Swanigan. He's the same size as Swanigan, has the 7'4 wingspan, and I think he's a bit more athletic. Yet people seem to be ready to write him off because of Swanigan.
I dont think his ability to earn PT in Orlando is a reasonable measuring stick to his ability. Harkless comes immediately to mind as a success story who was languishing on the Magic bench. Hezoenja can really shoot the rock I think some of his stats are misleading and when I have watched him it has been a situation that looked to me like the coaches didnt like his attitude, so he never played, not that he couldnt play. Noah on the other hand has not shown much to me (outside of some decent defensive chops) that gives me reason to think he has much staying power in the NBA. I'd be willing to swap them for that reason and to take a flyer on a top-5 pick, at a position of need, still on their rookie deal. Sounds to me like a classic shrewd Olshey move.
