Pacers:
They go buying!
Yes you might think im dumb, but this is my hot take of the trade window
Can we all agree that they're quite solid this season, when everyone thought they will be bottom of the league (not me), when everyone thinks they should trade Turner (not me), they're actually in playoff talk. Haliburton became like the new CP3, Turner's return boost their defense up. They got a strike for picking Mathurin, with successful trades last season, this team looks great
It will be dumb if they suddenly sell once again, i think this young core, when comes playoff time they can cause huge upsets, it's always the young team who does it.
The 2 trades, they're not buying for veterans, they're actually getting young talents, inc. Collins and Bey.
Let's take a look at their lineup now:
PG: Haliburton
SG: Mathurin
SF: Bey
PF: Collins
C: Turner
hold up this is just the starters
Bench: Nembhard, Durate, Kendall Brown, Jalen Smith, Isaiah Jackson, Goga Bitadze, Brissett, Nunn, Bertans, Taylor
See their young core? Just the starter team, it's a super super well mixed team, with ball handlers, scoring options, defense, shooting, just everything you need basically.
And the bench with guys like Nembhard rising, and solid young players like Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson, this team should be a threat in few years
And in these 3 trades, they gave away the Celtics pick and the Cavs pick, >20th pick, also their 2025 frp, but by trading Hield and eating the contract, they get back an unprotected frp by the Mavs 2 years later, when their future is still very unclear, they still can't find how can they take the team to next level
So technically pick-wise they lost just 1 frp, but got back Saddiq Bey and John Collins, this is just crazy basically
It will be a master move if the Pacers do sth like this, i predict that they can be top 4 seed if they do these trades
Heat:
This team don't look bright this season, but i don't think they hv choice on blowing up, they still need to be buying, with Jimmy and Bam on the squad, and when they just reach ECF last year and is one shot away from a Finals appearance
Lowry contract is hurting them, it's too big, same with Duncan Robinson, these 2 contracts limits Heat's future. With guys like Vincent and Strus requiring extension this offseason, I think it's best for them to break up these contracts asap so they can hv the cap flexibility for the offseason.
And these moves, they earned depth too, none of these players getting back are on super bad contracts like Duncan Robinson
Let's see their depth chart now:
PG: Conley
SG: Herro
SF: Jimmy
PF: PJ
C: Bam
Bench: Vincent, Oladipo, Strus, Oubre, Martin, Gay, Dedmon, Yurtseven, Jovic, Highsmith, and ofc, Haslem
They got at least 12 deep when everyone's healthy, and playing just the better players.
With more spacing added into the team, i think this team can definitely improve on what they hv currently
Jazz:
So much of these trades, i made it base on, SPACING, yes, this is just the biggest theme
This team is unclear now, i rlly dk are they trying to sell a bit, or are they just regrping and still trying to go back to playoffs.
Anyway, trades i made here does benefit them, no matter what directions they going.
Vucevic trade, getting a better player and clear cap sooner
Lowry trade, getting the better player and get a srp
Fournier trade, just paying 3M more compare to Beasley, but adding Immanuel Quickley into the squad
Time to see depth chart again:
PG: Lowry
SG: Clarkson
SF: Markannen
PF: Vando
C: Vucevic
Bench: Sexton, Quickley, Agbaji, Simone, Olynyk, Kessler (others they gonna need to sign some)
they just hv 11 man in the squad now lol, but this allows them to sign some young guys that hvn't been picked up, maybe getting Jared Butler back? maybe get some guy from the G-League? idk, but more chance for them to discover young talents
These trades also forces them to play their young players lol, they playin way too much of Clarkson and Conley in the start of the season
Also theme of SPACING: lemme give you a ultra spacing frontcourt: Markannen, Olynyk, Vucevic. lololololol
yea overall, i think the Jazz now will be more flexible, clearing the cap and control their future by themselves is always better for new look teams
PLS LIKE ⬆️ AND COMMENT 🗣️ THX A LOT
can't believe i rlly typed an article out when my 1st language is Cantonese lol