Fairly In-Depth ————————————————————————

Draft:

• 10th Overall: Taylor Hendricks (PF/SF)

  • 6’9”, Athletic & Versatile 3&D Forward

  • Comparison: Jaden McDaniels

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Trades:

• UTH: JaVale McGee + Cash = Damian Jones

  • Clears ≈$3M this offseason/McGee’s long contact while also getting a younger, more athletic and most likely better fitting big

• Team doesn’t really have the draft picks to make a win-now/all in move alongside Bertans contract

• No upgrades really available from the 6th man offense Hardaway brings and the 3&D Bullock brings

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Free Agency: Resign:

• Kyrie Irving: ≈$138M 4 Years

• Dwight Powell ≈$13M 2 Years (TO)

• Frank Ntlikina = Vet Min

• Theo Pinson = Vet Min (NG)

• They don’t get enough cap room from not signing Kyrie to upgrade the team more then if he were on it

• *It seems very obvious that Wood most likely won’t resign or negotiate S&T

  • The only other FA they have the rights too is Powell who although mainly hated by fans will most likely be back*

Sign:

• Thaddeus Young ≈ $6.4M (TPMLE)

  • Defensive Forward: Replaces defense lost by trading DFS + a Mentor to Hendricks

• Stanley Johnson = 2 Year Vet Min (TO)

  • 3&D Forward: Young forward capable of guarding 1-4

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Team: Starters:

• PG - Luka Doncic (PG/SG)(6’7”)

• SG - Kyrie Irving (SG/PG)(6’2”)

• SF - Josh Green (SF/SG)(6’7”)

• PF - Thaddeus Young (PF/C)(6’8”)

• C - Maxi Kleber (C/PF)(6’10”)

Bench:

• PG - Jaden Hardy (PG/SG)(6’3”)

• SG - Tim Hardaway Jr. (SG/SF)(6’5”)

• SF - Reggie Bullock (SF/SG)(6’6”)

• PF - Taylor Hendricks (PF/SF)(6’9”)

• C - Dwight Powell (C)(6’10”)

Reserves:

• PG - Frank Ntlikina (PG/SG)(6’4”)

• SG - Theo Pinson (SG/SF)(6’7”)

• SF - Stanley Johnson (SF/PF)(6’6”)

• PF - Davis Bertans (PF/SF)(6’10”)

• C - Damian Jones (C)(6’11”)

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👍/👎/✋:

• Defense/Size 👍

• Age 👍

• Depth 👍

• Fit ✋

• Shooting ✋

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≈Predictions:

• 6th Seed / 46W - 36L (From 38W - 44L)

• 8th OFF Rating (From 6th)

  • Luka & Kia will have more time to gel + progression from the young dudes but the more defensive specialist might drag it down

• 18th DEF Rating (From 25th)

  • 4 better defenders + a healthier season should make the defense better but next to Luka and Kia it’ll probably never be great

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Notes:

• (NG) = Non-Guaranteed

• Maxi Kleber starting for spacing next to Thad Young

• Pinson on a NG is for if they’re struggling in the season/have an injury and need to make a quick change

• Hardy & Ntlikina could be switched in the rotation depending if they need more guard defense