Magic address the backcourt offense, and easily push Boston in the ECF. Nets get a young possible rotation player and duck the tax. Pels get some marginal draft capital (not included) and duck the tax. Nobody is giving up much, it's basically just a reshuffling of the deck to everyone's benefit.

// digging way deeper... //

Magic turn Jett Howard, expiring deals, and Anthony's contract into CJ + Javonte Green. Javonte today (and only today) is better than Jett, and CJ solves the scoring and playmaking problems this year and next. He can play next to KCP or Suggs. Magic would be around $165M BEFORE extending Banchero, and cap is gonna be around $190M, first apron around $200M, second apron $210M. Banchero pushes them to $190, w 11 contracts. If they're really worried, they can put their 2025 first into this (so they aren't required to pay that person) and/or recycle it for a future first or high second. Minimums and two-ways wouldn't even surpass the first apron. Another option is to extend CJ this offseason and even out his deal to something like what KCP is on, easing the cap burden. He's overpaid by about $10M right now, so give him something that overpays by only $3M but over a three period so he isn't actually losing money, that cuts $6-7M annually. And if KCP keeps being garbage, move him at next year's deadline as a large expiring deal. Just focus on wings behind Wagner & Banchero at the end of the bench, maybe 1 more PG. Ditch McClung + Queen for the Martins this year, they're only in here to make sure everyone has the right amount of players. Palyoff rotation becomes: Suggs, CJ, KCP in the backcourt, Franz and Banchero at 3+4, and that sick 4/5 rotation Magic already have. Stack that against Jrue, White, Brown, Tatum, Unicorn, Horford, and Pritchard? I like it!

If Nets let BI walk, they've still turned Simmons into Jett Howard, and can give Caleb Houston a look. Pretty much the definition of something for nothing. Cory Joseph is an expiring for next year. Maybe BI extends for around $35M-$40M, as Klutch is saying they'll do over a 2 year deal, but even if he doesn't they still got something for nothing. If they beat the deadline w this, they might have time to turn BI into rental pieces from someone else.

Pelicans pay the price of a BI + Javonte rentals to move CJ's contract and take on Anthony's expiring-next-year instead. That works if they get some crumbs of draft capital, AND if they can't do any better for BI (I'm a Pels fan, and I don't think they can). That capital is probably whatever you think Jett is worth in a redraft- a late first/ early second? And then something small from Magic-- an upcoming second or a distant first, swap their 2025 first for the Chicago 2027 second, a future swap, w/e, just something to put on the board. Would be interesting to give Simmons a look alongside our current core. He's got to play somewhere next year, if the money made sense maybe it's back in Louisiana where he played his college ball. For the right (LOW) price he low key does kind of fit off the bench. Pels probably try to extend Sharpe. Decline option on Harris next year. Who gives a shit about Watford.

// bottom line... //

CJ is worth $20M not $30M (I'd say he's comparable if not better than KCP, who Magic just gave $22M), and Cole is worth $3M not $13M. Pels and Magic are both overpaying a guard by $10M next year, it's just who wants to dance w the luxury tax to compete (Magic) and who doesn't (Pels). Magic could be in the Finals, Pels are just gonna be reaching for the 5-seed.

I know fans don't always like pushing the chips to the middle, but CJ can put yall over the top for an extremely low price (a young future role player + a meh pick or 2)-- so you push the chips to the middle. Pels & Nets are swapping shit expiring deals for a little bit of future potential.