As free agency winds down, we are now into the trade portion of the summer. Players like Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Brandon Ingram, Lauri Markkanen and others remain available so I decided to do a fake trades blog. First, here is my DeMar DeRozan to the Kings reaction.
DeRozan to Sacramento
This is a bet on De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis for the Kings. DeRozan remains an elite scorer in the NBA and is one of the best clutch players in the league, he has been a finalist in the Clutch Player of the Year award races for the last 2 seasons. The Kings are betting that they are going to win a lot of close games with DeRozan and Fox, who was the 2022-23 Clutch Player of the Year winner. Their big 3 is really talented, this team is going to score a lot of points and be tough to stop. DeRozan gives the Kings another guy who can score from all 3 areas, primarily the mid range and around the basket, and create for others out of the pick and roll. Barnes is a big loss, they’ll miss his size and toughness but the big loss is the future pick swap in 2031 because who knows where the Kings will be and one would assume the Spurs with Victor Wembanyama will be really good so that is a risk but I don’t hate this bet. It makes them better in a really tough Western Conference but this is a big risk and one that could backfire in a major way.
The Spurs could be pretty good next year. Wembanyama is a monster who is going to take a leap and Chris Paul is going to be awesome next to Wemby and Devin Vassell. Harrison Barnes is going to be a really good pick up for them, his size and toughness will slide into the starting 5 well. This team could be pretty good and challenge for a play-in spot or maybe even a playoff spot next season. The Bulls are a whole different story and I cannot talk about them right now.
Okay, now for the trades.
The Nets trade Dorian Finney-Smith to the Cavaliers for Isaac Okoro and 2nd round picks in 2028 and 2029. Okoro signs a 4yr/$47 million deal as a part of a sign-and-trade.
Why the Cavs do it: This would be a risk for the Cavaliers. Okoro is elite defensively and Finney-Smith can be a free agent next summer but it makes them better in the present and that is all that should matter. Finney-Smith is a really good defensive player and shot 35% on 3s last season. Playing with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland should open up more looks for him as well so that number would likely increase. Okoro also is not a shooter, though he was 39% in the regular season, he shot just 26% in the playoffs last season and is a player that cannot make enough shots to be on the court in the playoffs.
Why the Nets do it: For all the reasons I said this was a risk for the Cavs is a reason the Nets should do this trade. Okoro is just 23-years old and has shown some promise as an elite defensive player and Finney-Smith is not a long term piece in Brooklyn as his age and contract are not something that should be a part of a rebuilding team. This would be a really good trade for Brooklyn. Also 2 future 2nd’s would be nice for Brooklyn to add.
The Wizards trade Kyle Kuzma to the Kings for Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, 2028 top 4 protected first round pick and 2nd round picks in 2025 and 2030.
Why the Kings do it: The Kings reportedly want Kyle Kuzma so here is a deal. The size and length Harrison Barnes has given them in the past few seasons will be missed and this deal would recoup that and more if Kuzma gets back to the way he played defense as a Laker. Kuzma would also give Sacramento another guy who can score off of the dribble and take catch and shoot 3’s in their starting 5. It would weaken their bench but if Kuzma can get back to playing really good basketball on both ends, he will help them a lot. This is probably an overpay but I think an overpay is what it is going to take to get Kuzma out of Washington.
Why the Wizards do it: Washington could flip both Trey Lyles and Kevin Huerter for more stuff if they wanted to as both players are good and though Huerter is coming off a bad year, can help other teams win. However, the big prize in this deal is a lightly protected pick in 2028. The Wizards are already owed a 2029 pick from the Deni Advija trade and this deal would give them another asset that they can add to their chest as they continue their rebuild, now around Alex Sarr.
The Jazz trade Lauri Markkanen to the Warriors in a 3 team trade with the Wizards. Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney, unprotected first round picks in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031 and a pick swap in 2030 to the Jazz and 2nd round picks in 2029, 2030 and 2031 to the Wizards.
Why the Warriors do it: The Warriors have one last shot to win a championship with Stephen Curry and that is right now. Markkanen has broken out since going to Utah in the Donovan Mitchell trade and he would give the Warriors an All-Star level 7-footer, who can dribble, pass and shoot from all 3 levels. Lauri Markkanen is an elite basketball player and, to me, he would make the Warriors a real threat to win the West.
Why the Jazz do it: The 2025 and 2026 drafts are seen as elite drafts and the Jazz should try to make sure they are positioned to pick at the top of both of them. Dealing Markkanen would allow for them to do that and with their owed to the Thunder top 10 protected in 2025 and top 8 protected in 2026, this deal would allow them to position themselves to at least keep their pick in 2025 and likely in 2026. Being stuck in the middle is not a good place to be and this deal would take the Jazz out of that 9 or 10 pick range that they have been in the last 2 years. It also gives the Jazz essentially all of Golden State’s future picks until 2031 and with Curry in the twilight of his career, betting against Golden State is not a horrible bet to make.
Why the Wizards do it: The Warriors owe the Wizards a top 20 protected pick in 2030 from the Jordan Poole-Chris Paul trade and if that pick is inside the top 20, they get one 2nd round pick. This deal allows for them to walk away with 3 potentially valuable 2nd round picks.
The Nets trade Cam Johnson to the Clippers in a 3 team trade with the Nuggets. P.J. Tucker, Terrence Mann, a 2031 top 10 protected first round pick via the Clippers and a 2025 2nd round pick via the Nuggets to the Nets and Russell Westbrook to the Nuggets.
Why the Clippers do it: The Clippers need a 4 who can shoot it and Cam Johnson checks both those boxes. The additions of Derrick Jones Jr., Nic Batum and now Johnson would make Mann expandable so while he would need to go out in the deal to match salaries, the Clippers would be okay with losing him. Johnson is coming off of a bad season but playing with James Harden and Kawhi Leonard could lead to him bouncing back in 2024-25 and taking his game to new heights with the Clippers.
Why the Nets do it: As I mentioned, Johnson is coming off of a bad season and Mann could slide right into the starting 5 for next season, at least until the trade deadline. The big prize in this deal is the Clippers pick in 2031 and while it is top 10 protected, that pick could end up at the end of the lottery and be a big coop for the Nets, they are rebuilding so any sort of future picks will help them. They would likely waive Tucker as a part of this trade.
Why the Nuggets do it: The Nuggets want Russell Westbrook and it seems that is because Nikola Jokic wants the Nuggets to get Russell Westbrook. While Westbrook was unplayable in the playoffs his energy can help them in the regular season so I would not hate this acquisition for Denver.
The Trail Blazers trade Jerami Grant, Robert Williams III and Dalano Banton to the Lakers for Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jaxson Hayes and a 2030 top 10 protected first round pick.
Why the Lakers do it: There are 2 main reasons L.A. does this trade. First to acquire Grant and Williams. Jerami Grant can really score and does a lot of different things for a good basketball team. His defense was a big help for the Nuggets in 2020 and maybe he can find that with the Lakers again. When Rob Williams is on the court he is a real difference maker. His ability to protect the rim on defense is a huge plus for any team and the way he can finish at the rim on lobs and with really good touch along with his passing out of the roll would be a huge help for the Lakers, provided he stays healthy. Banton also flashed some things in Portland after the deadline trade so maybe he could be a hit for the Lakers. Second, it clears Vincent’s and Vanderbilt’s salaries. Vanderbilt was great for the Lakers after the 2023 trade deadline but his lack of spacing really hurt the Lakers offense when he was on the court last season, he was hurt for a lot of the season as well, and Vincent has not been healthy since being signed as a free agent last summer.
Why the Trail Blazers do it: Portland is going to stink next season so they have no reason to keep Grant and his bloated contract and with Deandre Ayton and the 7th pick in the draft Donovan Clingan on the roster they have no space for Rob Williams. This allows them to get a solid young player in Hachimura, take a flier on the 17th pick in last year's draft and, best of all, add another protected pick to their chest of assets. Vanderbilt’s defense will also be helpful to them over the next 4 seasons.
The Pelicans trade Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum to the Heat for Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, and a 2030 unprotected first round pick and unprotected pick swaps in 2029 and 2031.
Why the Heat do it: Miami is not good enough to compete with the top of the Eastern Conference, and with Jimmy Butler nearing the end of his contract, Miami needs to try and win right now. Ingram and McCollum give them that chance. The Celtics, Knicks and 76ers have passed them by and they are worse than the Bucks, Cavs, Magic and Pacers. The time to strike is now and as the Knicks showed, sitting on your hands waiting for the perfect star might not work out. Miami has struggled to score in the half court a lot in recent years and Ingram and McCollum, along with Jimmy and Bam, would create an elite foursome for the Heat who can all really score the basketball. This would be a risk but Miami is stuck in the middle and this deal would make them one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference.
Why the Pelicans do it: I like the Murray trade a lot and this deal allows them to commit to the Murray/Jones/Murphy/Zion foursome in the starting 5. They would likely flip either Herro or Rozier for a big, John Collins or Nikola Vuceivic are two options, but this deal is about the picks they are getting, betting against the Heat in 2029, 2030 and 2031 is not a bad bet and this deal allows them to become a lot more flexible as they try and remake their roster around Zion Williamson. Robinson’s ability to shoot and to shoot off of movement would also be a big help off of New Orleans’ bench.
Well, those are my fake trades. If you have any fake trades, leave them in the comments below!
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