Draft night trade

[nazrmohamed]

I'm just dying to get another pick y'all so check this out, which works on trade checker.

Knicks send Hardaway and Mudiay plus 2 second rounders to Charlotte

For

Nick Batum and pick 11 in the 2018draft.

Charlotte gets rid of an albatross contract in Batum while getting 2 young players who can contribute regularly and done second rounders to sweeten the pot

For the Knicks it gives us a chance at another draft pick in the late lottery and sure we gotta take on Batum, whose contact is about as bad as Noahs(including injury history), however when healthy he sorta fits what we wanna do in terms of being long, athletic and defensive. Lastly maybe he helps Frank continue to adjust.

Now onto my favorite part

Frank/Walker(11)/Mikal(9)/Batum/KP?

Or how bout

Sexton/Frank/Mikal/Batum/KP

Or what about

Frank/Bridges/Bridges/Batum/KP

Oh the possibilities.

[Mike1989]

I'll be honest I don't think I would do that deal in order to get the 11th pick. I just don't see there being enough value in it for us. If we were starting our rebuild this year from the ground up, fair enough I could understand taking on a terrible contract in order to start a rebuild around two young prospects that we rate. However, we aren't rebuilding from the ground up and as such I don't see taking on a bad contract which will likely be on the books for the next three seasons because I very much doubt he will opt out of a $27 million pay day in 2020-21.

What I look at is that in 2019 we will lose $45 million from our current payroll, this could grow if we find a way to get Noah's contract off the books. The last thing I want to do is start taking on bad contracts that last beyond next season because I want to see us maximize our cap space for 2019. The list has some pretty appealing names on it like Kemba Walker and Klay Thompson, both would be ideal partners for Frank in the back court if we haven't filled that vacancy by this time next year. Then there are the player option candidates like Kyrie Irving, Harrison Barnes, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, and Khris Middleton to name a handful of them. Now admittedly Hardaway and Mudiay (if he receives a qualifying offer for 2019/2020) will combine for $24 million compared to Batum's $25.5 million, so a saving of only $1.5 million. However, if we don't extend a qualifying offer to Mudiay (which is possible) then that saving grows by $5.7 million, and while $7.2 million doesn't sound like a lot that can make a big difference when trying to balance the books when attempting to bring big name free agents on board.

I would rather have Tim Hardaway on the roster than Nicolas Batum. For three reasons: one, Hardaway is a better scorer; two, he costs $7-8 million less; and three, he is younger (he'll be 29 when he hits unrestricted free agency in 2021, Batum will be 32. Now working on the basis that Batum has regressed these past two seasons so much so that some Hornets fans wanted him to come off the bench, and if that trend continues there is little to no chance his contract is off the books by 2021 and he will a burden to this team. I'll be the first to admit that Tim Hardaway isn't perfect. He's streaky as a hell. But he has arguably got better each year he's been in the league and perhaps our new head coach can help him get more consistent when shooting from beyond the arc and with his general performances. Even if Tim continues as he is, there is a good chance he can be a secondary scoring option on this team after Porzingis, and in an absolute worst case scenario he could be a fine sixth man - expensive, but he could be a prolific option in that role if we felt the need to shift him from starting to the bench. I would also argue that Hardaway's contract is potentially easier to move than Batum is both players go in the same direction as they have been doing (i.e. Hardaway has been improving, while Batum has been regressing).

Don't get me wrong I can see the appeal of bringing on board two young prospects while sacrificing Hardaway for Batum, but I just have a feeling that we should hold onto Hardaway and see what Fizdale can do with him. Fizdale already commented on Hardaway being a talent and someone that fits what he wants to do offensively, and if that's the case then we should want to hold onto him because maybe Hardaway can still emerge as a future all star. This year we saw Bradley Beal make his first all star game in his sixth season, and Goran Dragic made his first appearance in his twelfth season. Another player that waited a long time was Kyle Lowry, he took ten seasons to become an all star with Toronto. If Hardaway continues to get better and Fizdale helps iron out some of the inconsistency, then there's no reason an all star appearance can't be in his future, and even if he never makes it to the all star game he could still become a borderline all star like Rudy Gay and that can be valuable if the team runs a scheme that makes use of their talents while hiding their flaws.

For me, I think Hardaway is more valuable to us than Nicolas Batum and the #11 pick. With that said if we did do a deal which saw Hardaway leave and us gain another lottery pick because I could see the appeal of coming away from the draft with Sexton and Mikal, or Sexton and Carter (etc).

*Figures used are from Hoopshype

[nazrmohamed]

Awesome detailed reply.

But it is my belief that we won't have enough time to make moves for the 2019 FA. Perhaps some of those lower tier guys you mentioned but not the upper tier. 2020 is more realistic and not saying Batums contract makes 2020 easier but by then we could've shaved Noah, and just about anyone else you see as a large contract now. I guess I just have faith in the two draftees we get with picks 9&11 and then don't forget next year's pick. It is with those picks plus Frank and KP that I plan to build my dynasty.

By 2020 I hope that a star is already on my team and the FAs I'm looking for aren't saviors but rather playoff role players.

But I appreciate your detailed response. Gives me ideas for other moves

[Mike1989]

I do actually agree that 2020 is a more realistic year for free agents because next season is probably going to be a wash if KP misses most of the season if not all the season. Big names tend to avoid losing teams. So a strong 2019/2020 season with a returning KP and a strong young core could be appealing to the right free agents who think their presence will take the team to the next level.

If we look at salaries, Batum will likely take up his $27 million option for 2020/21 and Hardaway might take his near $19 million pay day depending on how his next two seasons go. So potentially by staying put we potentially have less salary on the books and that's especially the case if Hardaway opts out in order to land a long term deal here or elsewhere.

Now upon reflection I can actually see the appeal behind getting that second first round pick because a combination like Collin Sexton and Mikal Bridges, or Collin Sexton and Wendell Carter, or Mikal Bridges and Wendell Carter (etc) can hold real appeal for this team because we could have a strong young quartet to build around.

But would we be better off looking at Denver as possible trading partner?

They will likely want to try and exchange Kenneth Faried and Mason Plumlee for a player that will boost their play off chances next season since both are typically bench players for them. There's a number of deals we could do involving Courtney Lee, Lance Thomas and even Tim Hardaway. Denver do have a need at small forward and a combination of Lee and Thomas gives them two proven veterans to rotate at the SF spot, while Hardaway can give them another scorer to their line up. If we put a package together to acquire the #14 pick in the draft we could still gain that decent young talent to add to our team. Robert Williams PF/C could be there. Lonnie Walker or Zhaire Smith could be ideal acquisitions. So a deal with Denver could be an alternative and potentially better for us because Faried's deal expires in time for 2019 and Plumlee's expires in time for 2020, whereas Batum is likely doesn't come off the books until 2021.

[cragganmor]

I like the idea of getting another 1st rounder but batum' s deal + injury history rivals Noah. A cap/roster flexibility killer for several more years.

I think we can get a pick in the #21-30 range w/o taking on a radioactive deal like NB. Maybe a contender needs guard depth/leadership; Lee might be attractive enough.

A deal doesn't have to materialize on draft night. If Enes or Kyle opt in, then they can be moved in a swap later on in the summer.

There are also a few guys that could go UDFA, so a lot can happen.

[nazrmohamed]

Hmm, not a bad idea. It's about risk reward. For Batum I knew I was risking a bigger albatross so I expected a better pick. But Farried is less of a burden.....which comes with a lesser pick. But still not bad. Not much of a defender and doesn't really stretch the floor but he's a rim runner who can rebound and then you get pick what, 14? Good deal.

Robert Williams would be good there. I know I go against WCJ but it might be different is he were the lower of 2 picks. But there are other options there too.

[Don Che]

um...i would do it but I like Batum...when is his deal over? if its the same as Noah...im doing it.

[cragganmor]

It's ugly:

2018/19 $24,000,000
2019/20 $25,565,217
2020/21 $27,130,434

[Don Che]

oh dam lmao...thats horrible

if it gives us 9/11/36 this year tho...i might still do it.

Batum and Noah still know how to play team ball.

i think the hornets just had to get rid of Dwight Howard...everything would get fixed..hes a cancer of epic proportions lol

[nazrmohamed]

So y'all know I'm not done right?

I wonder and I know it's just one spot but let's say Mikal is available right there at 9. The 76rs who Mikals mother already works for, wants to keep thier Villanova home grown player in thier own backyard.

They got pick 10 and then they got pick 26. One pick back for us but we lose Mikal. Who would offer both pick 9 and 38 for picks 10 and 26? You know my answer but who would I pick?

[nazrmohamed]

Ryan Blackburn
@NBABlackburn
@wojespn during the ESPN Mock Special just now:

"The Nuggets have been trying to get off of Kenneth Faried's contract for a year plus. They're a candidate to use that 14th pick to get off of that salary."

Lines up with what a lot of Nuggets pundits have thought for awhile.

9:33 PM - May 29, 2018

Wow, was this what you were referring to Mike? Please god, let the Knicks did this. Imagine, just imagine having the 14th pick and Miles is still there when we pick.

Ntilikina
Bridges
Bridges
Farried
KP

Shit, I'd sign up to take that contact on and walk away feeling Farried fits anyway in a modern lineup