Instead of making a blockbuster trade, we can tweak around the margins, still boost our team’s capabilities in the short and long term, and keep us somewhat flexible going forward.

Trading IQ is a tall task seeing as we’d need another pg to come back. Losing rj would be a tough blow as we’d lose our most consistent rim attacker and reliable scorer we have. However, RJ isn’t so good that you wouldn’t trade.

The team badly needs shooting if we are gonna exceed to greater heights. Imo the best way to do this is to bring in a great shooter and tweak the offensive scheme to uncover BI’s other unguardable skill: rim finishing.

There are players like Devin Booker (who people have wanted for a long time) or Tyler Herro (an easier sell) who’s a career 38% shooter and whose money matches rj. The issue with Tyler is that he is more effective on-ball than he is off-ball. His best skill outside of shooting and shot creation is his pick and roll playmaking. That just isn’t strength rn, in the past, and probably going forward. His on-ball reps would be nice, but would take the ball out of Scottie and BI’s hands, derails what makes our offensive scheme so unique, and doesn’t maximize our star wings. I also doubt Miami would give him up for RJ.

Instead maybe we go after Jalen Green. Green has a much more volume off-ball than Herro does. Although he isn’t the shooter Herro is, he’s still very serviceable and is just as creative of a shot creator (where IQ for the life of me somehow still lacks). The kicker is Jalen Green adds much more offensively in the ways that make up for losing RJ.

Jalen green isn’t as big or strong as RJ, but has a lightning first step and blow by capabilities that collapses defenses. He’s also athletic enough to finish quickly, finish above the rim, and finish through contact. He would be excellent in transition and can make the extra pass. Jalen and RJ are both in rocky places defensively, but where RJ has the advantage walling up, Jalen Green offers better contests, some blocks, and potentially quicker close outs.

Having an iq and Jalen green backcourt makes us smaller, but significantly faster and significantly stronger at attacking close outs on the perimeter. This would open spaces for Scottie to roll, cut, and pass and BI to space, cut, and pass as well.

Other key points are that Phoenix would much more likely trade green than Miami would herro. With Devin Booker filling that main sg role, Phoenix might look to get off Jalen green’s money. RJ’s two years at a cheaper $27m vs $33m (where he’ll be an expiring after next season) and an expiring in Ochai—this could be a pathway to Phoenix making a significant signing or trade in the near future, maybe for a pg.

Although they lack a quality pg, RJ IN THEORY can play pg at times bc of how natural of a passer he is, especially in the pick and roll. Another strong reason to do this would be pairing up Scottie with a good friend of his. They have had a relationship since high school and I believe green would be receptive to Scottie’s style of play. Jalen Green is also super young at only 23 yr old. His archetype, style of play, highlight appeal, and age make him a more tradable asset than RJ (down the line if the experiment fails) regardless of Jalen Green having three years left on his deal and RJ being a more productive player than he is.

Bc we are ultimately helping Phoenix get cheaper I originally wanted a second rounder, but in good faith, I think going straight up with a team that is lacking in picks only helps this deal get done. This a lateral move in the very short term, but could pay dividends going forward.

That’s it.