Comment Opinions Please. Are The Trades Fair? What Would You Do Differently? Don’t Forget To Check Out The Free Agency Signings, Draft Picks, & Season Goals Down Below.
Financials(Before Moves)
Cut Candidates: None
Total Salary: $167.1M
Cap Space: $-26.1M
Trade Candidates: Anfernee Simons, Deandre Ayton, Malcom Brogdon, Jerami Grant, Mattise Thybulle
FA’s:
Targets: Get off alot of Cap Space to avoid Luxury Tax and have financial freedom. Give room for young players to develop.
Trades
Deandre Ayton & Duop Reath to the Grizzlies for Brandon Clarke, Ziaire Williams, Luke Kennard, 2024 MEM 9th Pick & 2026 PHX, WAS or ORL FRP (Ja Morant - Desmond Bane - Vince Williams - Jaren Jackson - Deandre Ayton)
Jerami Grant, Matisse Thybulle & Kris Murray to the Kings for Harrison Barnes, 2027 SAC FRP & 2029 SAC Top-5 Protected FRP (De'Aaron Fox - Matisse Thybulle - Keegan Murray - Jerami Grant - Domantas Sabonis)
Anfernee Simons, Luke Kennard, 2028(Worse) FRP & 2030(Worse) FRP to the Magic for Joe Ingles, 2026 PHX OR WAS FRP, 2027 ORL FRP, 2028(Better) FRP & 2030(Better) FRP (Jalen Suggs - Anfernee Simons - Franz Wagner - Paolo Banchero - Wendell Carter)
Malcom Brogdon to the 76ers for 2028 LAC FRP (Tyrese Maxey - Malcom Brogdon - Kelly Oubre - Tobias Harris - Joel Embiid)
NBA Draft
Select C Donnovan Clingan With #7 Pick: Projected Salary - $5.7M
Select F Ron Holland with #9 Pick: Projected Salary - $4.8M
Select G Jakobe Walter with #14 Pick: Projected Salary - $3.7M
Select F Justin Edwards with #34 Pick: Projected Salary - $1.8M
Select G Zyon Pullin with #40 Pick: Projected Salary - $1.8M
Free Agency
Sign G Cam Payne to a 2 year Contract Worth $6M(3M-3M)
Sign Undrafted Player F Dillon Jones to a 2-Way Contract
Financials(After Moves)
Total Salary: $88.3M
Luxury Tax: $83M Under
First Apron: $90M Under
Second Apron: $101M Under
Ideal Starting Lineup:
Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Ron Holland, Harrison Barnes, & Robert Williams
Backup Five:
Cam Payne, Jakobe Walter, Ziaire Williams, Toumani Camara 🔄, & Donnovan Clingan
Rest of Bench:
Zyon Pullin, Justin Edwards, Joe Ingles, Jabari Walker 🔄, & Brandon Clarke
2024 Season Goals
Scoot Henderson is back. That rookie season was just an outlier, he was that elite PG that everyone wanted and expected him to be. Averages 20 and 7 with much improved efficiency seen and a lower amount of turnovers.
Shaedon Sharpe also is very good, leads the team in scoring as that high flying, slashing 2 guard. He develops into a much improved jump shooter as well, shooting 38% from 3. Averages 22 points while showing at least a slight improvement as a perimeter defender.
Ron Holland is a dog. Elite defender from the jump as seen with Ausaur Thompson last year. Shows scoring potential as well, as another high-flying slasher to add to this team of pure athleticism. Averages 9 PPG on okay efficiency. Not expecting to have an efficient rookie year so if he can have one where he at least shoots > 40% from the field thats okay.
Donnovan Clingan is a defensive anchor for this team. Shows a lot of maturity in his rookie season, a stout rebounder and shot-blocker and possesses a lot of experience from a rookie after working under Dan Hurley, earns the full time starting role half-way through the season. Him and Harrison Barnes make a very solid front-court with Barnes being the veteran for all these guys.
The other Rookies and Sophmores all show great flashes of potential
The Trailblazers are one of the more fun teams in the league to watch despite their record. Their Scoot, Simons & Holland "Mile-High Club" is really exciting to watch with posters and athleticism everywhere. The Blazers at least finish as the 13th seed in the West, and get a high pick next year for the chance to draft a guy like Flagg or Ace Bailey.