So Utah has decided to Blow it up & Danny Ainge just robbed Minnesota Timberwolves at Gun Point. There is no other reason to explain what Minnesota Timberwolves just did. OFC, its the Timberwolves...
Just when Minnesota is turning the corner & building something special, they just Traded All Their Depth & 4x Fut 1st Rd Picks all unprotected except last one which has top 5 protection I believe.
All for what? Rudy Gorbert who is now 30yrs old & come playoffs time, he can't stay on the floor bc he can't make FTs.
Other teams go small & stretch the big man out & he is a liability to small ball lineups & gets exposed every year in playoffs bc He can't make FTs.
Not only is Goebert over 30 now, but The Frenchman is in year 1 of a 5yr Supermax that Basically other teams viewed as a negative aspect.
No other team would give up what Minnesota just did. They got Robbed. 4x 1sts All unprotected basically. Plus 1st Rd Ncaa Def Player of the year Walker Kessler who avg 4.5 blocks per gm is a Dominant Defender w huge upside as a Rookie. Minnesota had Rim Protection there on a Rookie Contract.
Danny Ainge knows what he's doing. In NBA, you want players who are great at something.
Walker Kessler is Elite at blocking & Def.
Vanderbilt is modern day Dennis Rodman & Elite Rebounder.
P Beverly was heart & soul in Minnesota & he is Elite Defender on ball. Professional Pest...
Then Malik Beasley is only 25! With Huge Upside..
Plus 4x fut picks 1sts w 1x being a swap all unprotected but last one which is top 5 protected.
Minnesota now has 2x Super MAX Cs on the books. Towns shoots like a 4.
Utah with all these assets, do have a play now. His name is D. Ayton!
If Utah turns these Assets into Ayton, that is a huge possibility.
More likely though, Phx moves Ayton as a piece to go get Durant.
Which means D Ainge is NOT done.
Ofc he is saying they are rebuilding around D Mitchell.
He is keeping the value high as possible.
He is not going to say, we are doing a firewall.
He is going to want teams calling making offers to Overpay!
Ofc KD is holding up everything here.
Now why would Danny Ainge move Mitchell & finish the blowup...
IF UTAH CAN NOT GET A SIGN & TRADE DONE TO GET AYTON...
UTAH COMPLETES THE BLOWUP FOR NOW FOR ONE REASON...
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA...
Also other top prospects in next years draft are seen as generational talent by NBA teams & scouts.
Jazz own their 1st in 2023 & by blowing up the roster now & seeing the haul they got for Goebert, Utah will blow it all up now to get young assets & fut 1sts...
Enter the Cle Cavs.. RFA C. Sexton is 23 & is elite 3 level Scorer. He is very similar to D Mitchell who is 2yrs older at 25 & on a max deal at 30mil + per year. Both are listed at 6 1 & both have Def liability.
Personally I would prefer to keep Sexton & the young assets.
But Cle getting a chance to get a Star, plus Conley & Bogdanovic..
It just would make alot of sense.
Cle has Loves 30mil expiring Deal & a 3rd team gets involved in LAL .
Cle trades -
Collin Sexton Kevin Love Caris Levert Isaac Okoro 2025 1st - top 5 protected 2027 1st - top 5 protected
Cle gets back -
Donovan Mitchell Bojan Bogdanovic Mike Conley
LAL sends out -
Russell Westbrook 2027 1st unprotected 2029 1st unprotected
LAL gets -
Kevin Love Caris Levert
Jazz gets -
Collin Sexton Isaac Okoro Russell Westbrook 4x 1st Rd Picks (2x unprotected + 2x Light protections at top 5) 2x 2nd Rd Picks
Jazz Take on Russ $$ bc it's 47mil off books & LAL give up 2x 1sts for Levert & Love ❤️.
Utah Will tank in 2023 & get a new cornerstone, plus have a bunch of young Studs & Assets in Sexton, Okoro, Beasley, Vanderbilt, Clarkson, Kessler, etc + 10 extra 1st Rd Picks incl all of their own.
Utah Basically will retool & be competing in 2-3 yrs.
Plus they will have All that cap space also...
That is a great plan B, I'd they can't do a sign & trade for Ayton.
I think Danny Ainge wants to blow it all up & by trading Royce O'Neal, it's spoken volumes.
LAL pov..
They miss out on KD obviously & Nets are so mad at KY, they do him no favors..
LA can get off Russ & get back Levert & Love & some depth.. it will cost 2x fut 2sts unprotected. LeBron pressures LAL to make move. If not both.. At least 1x is involved.
With Cle, this deal seems great at 1st.. but it's giving up ALOT..
Sexton is younger & cheaper than Mitchell. I think there very similar players.
But getting Bogdan & Conley would help this young team grow.
Those are bad $ w Conley at 36.
W Rubio back, it don't make alot of sense but it could happen.
I'd love to add Bogdan at SF. I feel Cle still has not addressed the POS.
Also ppl 4get I Okoro is only 21 - 22 yrs old.
Ppl 4 get how young he is.
He is Cle best on ball Defender.
His 3pt shot last yr greatly improved I'm 2nd half too w low volume. And in playoff playing gms, the confidence disappeared.
But he's got loft on his shot now & his upside is still huge.
Be patient Cle..
I love Mitchell but Sexton is a 3x level scorer ,& both listed at 6 1 &.both need work on Def.
I can see Cle though making this move though but I would be reluctant.
Mitchell is not a #1 guy..
I think he would fit in Cle nicely.
Also Love is getting shipped out & love could extend to stay in Cle on a discount if he truly wants to stay. If Kev don't extend for a home town discount then..
Ultimately I think Cle should run it back w Sexton & Now Rubio is back. 1x thing I'd try to make happen is Tj Warren. Do sign n trade on Rubio & give full MLE to Warren.
Cle still don't have that SF. Tho Cedi showed signs on off last year, Cle needs that Wing Defender!
Markkanen I love, & he made strides at SF but still tough on him vs Small quick 3s. But love the Big lineup.
And now teams are copying.
Look at Magic. Wendell + Bambang back..
Look at Minn w Goebert & Towns. Teams are going back to bigs who can switch & or play drop coverage.
Thoughts on this Blockbuster?
Who says yes?
Who says no?
And Why?