There are like 12 teams that were expected to tank at the beginning of the season, but the reality is there's too much talent around the league for some of them to be successful.
Why the Pels do this? This would sign & trade at the end of the season, which is why the Pels are getting basically no value for Ingram. Rather than him leaving for nothing, they get back Coby and Pwill.
You can gamble with the firsts in hopes of finding two players that end up being as good as they are, or just trade for them and get guarantees.
Get a young Coby White to complete the back court of the future with Jordan Hawkins. Lean into the young core and trade Dejounte Murray and Zion for a bunch of picks that you can then use to maybe trade for an all star to lead your young team or trade up in the drat to add Cooper flagg to the bunch.
Coby, Jordan, Pwill, Trey, Herb jones and Yves Missi is a solid group. Draft up to get Flagg with this group and it will be between this team and the Heat for who comes out of this with the best young team.
Sidenote: crazy that Zion is only 24
Why the Bulls do this? Bulls keep winning games against good teams and almost gave the cavs they’re first loss, Zach and Vuc are playing like all-stars, Vuc is the #3 best scoring center this year behind Joker and KAT. As someone who definitely predicted they’d tank, it’s time to consider the possibility that the team might be closer to competing than tanking.
Losing Coby is a gut punch, and losing both he and Pwill for a Brandon Ingram who can leave for nothing in a few months is a huge risk. But it clears up space and gets you draft capital to for the subsequent trade. Your 10-man roster is the following:
PG: Giddey
SG: Zach
SF: Ingram
PF: Bam
C: Vuc
Guard Rotation: Ayo, Dalen Terry
Wing Rotation: Julian Philips
Big Rotation: Jalen Smith/Ware
Draft: there are a couple of 7 footers projected to go in the 2nd round, use the 2025 SAC pick on one of them.
I don’t love the lack of defense, so maybe start Ayo and bring Giddey off the bench. But this is a roster that can compete.
Why the Heat do it? In addition to the better cap space and draft capital, your roster after these trades include:
PG: Lonzo
SG: Herro/Sheppard
SF: Jaquez
PF: Jovic/Buzelis
C: Sengun
The rare “blow it up” trade that basically allows you completely allows you to dodge the tanking part of the rebuild. Package a few of these picks to trade up in the draft for Dylan Harper or Nolan Traore to be your PG of the future. Now you have a young team to be the next OKC or Boston ahead of you with a few vets, cap space, and picks left.
Why the Rockets do this? They want to compete. This is a better use of the money to accomplish that goal, they’re a better team with better fits, vets (which is great for Ime who is not going to play those young players much anyway lol) and still have plenty of picks/young guys left over after the trade.
Why the Nets do this? Get off a vet to get back a promising young player.