---- Overview ----
The Celtic's have came from the 2025 NBA postseason with more negatives than positives, leaving them with an injured co-star, a streaky second option leading the way and a supporting cast that looks overpaid and don't give the same hope as they did not so long ago. All this has lead to trade speculations and an overhaul to their rotation, and that's what they recieve amidst this trade.
The Raptor's have the most uninspiring roster in the league, in my opinion, and a trade like this could assure they make stick to their plan of buy low (Ingram, Quickley trade) and sell high (OG trade) to help the progress into a play-off team consistetly. KP, Marcus Smart and Sam Hauser can really bolster up their roster ensuring that progress is met while meeting the same strategy they impose as I mentioned a moment ago.
The Lakers add a bigman, an out and out center, which they haven't had since their 2020 title run, and a center who posseses quality they haven't had since Lebron played there years ago. Losing Rui is an L, but his contract means he is really their only tradable asset.
The Nets finally sell, even though they have been bailed out on their relaunctance to sell by Cam Johnson's improvement season on season. This is great for them as he is by far their most valuable asset and one they should be trading.
The Wizards add Rj Barret which give them a nice core off wings and guards, allowing the front office to now just focus on adding bigman pieces, all this while gettig off an unfavourable contract in Marcus Smart.
---- The C's short term future ----
Boston would have a nice starting 5 admist Payton Pritchard, DWhite, JBrown, Cam J and Nic Claxton. With Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh and Luke Kornet have shown they could contribute well to the rotation in small examples of recieving playtime.
The Celtics go into the season without Jason Tatum, who at WORST is a top 8 player in the league, meaning their expectation now one early exit removed from the championship season is not as high as it's been in some years. From a finals win in only 2 appearances since their first in 2022 as well as two unfortunate exits in the ECF and now the ECSF, it's safe to say that even if they 'under perform' next season, I don't believe the critics will be too harsh.
They'll have two first round picks in the draft according the trade, ontop of two SRP which fall 32 and 39. This could see them land 2 of; Noa Essengue, Asa Newell or Walter Claytor Jr in the first round and in the second, thye can take two of Noa Penda, Adou Thiero or Labaron Philon. These are all players that could benifet massively from their very nice G-League programme, going 15-3 in the G-League regular season and losing to the OKC Blue in the finals, but they have the skills to contribute in the regular season for Boston.
In terms of free agency, they have their 'taxpayer mid-level exception' as they become a First apron team. This is giving them about $6 million, which could give them roster filler.
Overall, I don't see them being regarded as a contender next season. However, they shed salary which is what the new ownership will want, they'd still be a great team in the East (same tier as maybe the TWolves or Pacers) and this will keep the Celtics positivley competitive during and after the JT injury, which is all they can really ask for after such a defeating championship defense.
---- Over the border ----
Let me just say it again, I think this team is unispiring and their fans don't deserve mid.
Scottie Barnes 3ball? MID. Brandon Ingram $38 mil a year? HORRIFICALLY MID. Their uniforms? MID.
That aside and some real high-quality Fanspo talk, the Raptors hurt my head a lot, and while this goes away from their rebuid, I don't think it's ever been like that.
2010s onwards they've REALLY done well to buy low and sell high, something teams seem to look past to instead retool and rebuild trough years of misused draft picks. They can continue this way of roster construction as an incredibly good, 7'2, stretch big is available for very cheap.
You're now able to tell Scottie to relax on the 29% from 3 and instead allow the spacing the comes from Gradey, KP and Sam Hauser to generate shots naturally for BI, IQ and himself and all he has to do is make smart basketball plays, which he has the tools to do.
Another season of Jonathan Mogbo, Jamal Shead and Ja'Kobe Walter can give the Raptors some very nice depth and at least push them from the 12th seed to a play-in team as Orlando, Chicago, Atlanta and Milwaukee all have to figure things out.
Marcus Smart isn't the most appeaing basketballer in the league no more, but we've saw the resurgence of Davion Mitchell keep him the league as a very good perimeter defender.
With the off-chance they move off from IQ, with pick #9 in the NBA draft, Kasparas Jakucionis or Jeremiah Fears could be very nice players to take.
I love RJ Barret for sure, yet that said he's just the most moveable piece within all this because he's a wing in a team full of them, and he is the only one that would interest a team like Washington due to his younger profile and great scoring. Jakob Poetl is amazing and I love him but KP is undoubetedly an upgrade in both quality and fit, which is the main reason I brung them into this mad idea of a trade.
They'd have their MLE which could make them address their light bigman depth. Get Clint Capela in Toronto ASAP.
Overall they fix my issue with them, that being their current roster gives me the heeby jeebys, and yet despite that they make a sensible basketball decision that alligns with what has worked consistently.
---- Lakeshow in 🤚 ----
The Lakers need a few things around Luka and Bron Bron; a guy that provides incredible off ball scoring/ play finishing while being able to playmake and provide good shot creation on ball (AR15 gives them that), 3&D players and if not they should have a player that excels at one or the other (DFS, Gabe; Vando, Shake Milton).
An extra kind of player both HOFers had success with is a great rim protecter, a bigman with solid passing skills alongside a great screen setter/roller and Mr. Poetl is all them things with a nice contract.
What makes him different to other suggestions that people have thrown out there, Claxton or Turner for example, is his fit within the already exisiting Lakers playbook, one JJ Reddick had success with with AD and then further adapted once Luka arrived.
Essentially he is great in DHO situations and when it comes to screen setting & rolling, perfect for generating Luka space and mis-matches he thrives upon. His rim protection is better for the Lakers compared to a Nic Claxton as he is much better in space and when there is less versatility around him, which is good for Los Angeles as they only really have Vando to roam within the arc besides Jakob.
It all depends on Bron Bron in free agency, he ain't gonna retire but how long and how expensive is his contract going to be. The team does get weaker from the bench with the loss of Rui and they probably won't have a great amount of money in free agency meaning their FO will have to be proactive instead of reactive within the trade market.
Either that or it's LeNut's time to play.
In the draft they'll have only have pick number 55 only meaning they can trade for an all-star and not a Luka type of player. Jokes and NBA conspiracies aside, my favourite pick from this position is Kenucky PF Andrew Carr. The forward can shoot and rebound a little bit, but it's his overall ability to do a lot of things good.
Overall, the Lakers reduce their needs to just a good offball scorer from the bench, which is almost every NBA player at this point, but they have to find an affordable one. That alongside one or, at best, two back up bigs can really have them contending.
---- Basketball nerd, 3&D KING, Devin Booker's best teammate, Cam Johnson is for sale ----
Oh and Nic Claxton fosho.
The Nets sold low on Dennis Schroder, at the time that's how it was regarded, and they did this in a desperate attempt to get worse after a suprisingly competitive start to last year's NBA season.
This is a mistake they can't make again surely. Jrue Holiday is still a good player and not much worse than Cam Johnson, despite how overrated Cam has became and Jrue has regressed. The HOFer coming in gives Net's head coach, Jordi Fernandez, a very good locker room presence with both his expirience and his great attitude.
No, I'm no describing how Deandre Jordan and how he's only in the league because of good vibes and vet experience. Jrue is still a very good basketballer, maybe not as good or valuable as Cam, but if the Nets find themselves an exciting rookie, everything about Jrue will translate, mimicing Jordi's want for a positive player environment within his teams and coaching staff.
This sort of addition for any rebuilding team is great for buiding culture amongst the rebuild, something much overlooked. Memphis and OKC where much overlooked until they had aura and Houston were until they became known as a hard working defensive team.
Dalton Knecht gives them a young player of a higher quality, to the ones they already have, to fit into the rotation and get much important NBA reps. While Rui gives them control over $18 million as they can either let him expire or trade him down the line. The Celtics first is a nice thing to hold onto, similar to Dallas having LAL's 2029 FRP, and the Lakers 2031 FRP is a swap. This is again something nice to hold onto.
Saying goodbye to Claxton is a shame because I'm sure Net's fans are sick of him being photoshopped into every other team's jerseys. Him leaving was soon to happen so I suppose it's not an awful return.
Dariq Whithead's team option may not be picked up after adding another young wing in Knecht.
They have 4 FRPs and a second, including the 8th overall pick. Besides that pick there's a lot of unkwn regarding to the ceilings of the other 4 rookies they could be potentially drafting.
Overall, these moves were bound to happen sooner or later and it's maybe not the return they could have gotten if they'd had traded them earlier. At least they can be forming a good culture early into the Jordi era.
---- Ochai is handsome don't worry Wizard Fans ----
Face of your franchise just like a young Kelly Oubre Jr.
RJ Barret is not the best fit in the back court with Jordan Poole, but certaintly one that can work. RJ is one of my favourite NBA players despite my little to no affiliation to him or anything to do with his career but I believe.
They should use their abundance of wings to get themselves another center if they were to do anything else this offseason, this culd be addressed as soon as the draft with a lot of high ceiling centers potentially going mid-to-late lottery.
Derick Queen would be a nice fit pre-RJ but if this was a trade to actually happen, I think Duke center Khaman Maluach would not be reach at pick 6 and him next to Alex Sarr would be delicious.
Getting off Marcus Smart's contract for RJ's is out of belief that it works out as they'd still have Khris Middleton's and Richaun Holmes annoying contracts on their books until 2026.
Overall for Washington, Ochai is a risk that you can take given the fact he's done more than a lot of the wings amongst the roster, RJ may be a litte doubtful but it's a nice piece for them.
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Anyway that's about that. Tell me what you like and don't in concerns to this trade.