For HOU: The big fear with Kyrie is availability and sanity. Do you really think KPJ is more likely to be available/sane than Kyrie? No. Is Kyrie better on the court? Yes. Is this the veteran presence I want with my young guys? No. I wouldn't put Kyrie on my team at all. But that's true for KPJ, and maybe Kyrie can thrive in the superstar veteran role as the team grows up around him? Plus, Houston has all these young, cheap guys and can take a risk on A 4 year Max for Kyrie. Maybe start at the Max and decline from there as a compromise? Maybe Kyrie is intrigued by being the man, or at least by getting paid like the man. Plus the PPP still works in this deal. How rare is that? The risk for Hou (besides Kyrie himself), is that they might win some more games and lose out on Wembanyama. So do you risk the lottery or the mercurial All-star?

For BKN: This allows them to keep competing for this year, plus better protect themselves going forward. KPJ is an intriguing player, who could grow around vet leaders, and makes an intriguing fit with KD and Ben. Martin Jr and Tate are talented young players, and Gordon helps this year. It undoes some of the pain of the Harden deal: Hou sends back the 2023 swap (useless, anyway), the 2024 1st (important in case Durant decides to leave, too), and the 2025 swap. An additional roster move would need to be made (maybe package a couple of wings and a protected 1st for help for this year, like Beasley, Poetl, etc.), but it would be a good balance of now and later. Not AS good now, but still interesting. Again, not happening, but it could!