[Izulde]

Seattle Supersonics receive
PF Mike Vines

Miami Heat receive
PF Nate Bonner
Seattle Supersonics 2025 2nd round pick

What this means for the Supersonics
After years of developing a reputation for choosing high-scoring, no defense players, the Sonics acquire one of the league's premiere defenders in Vines, who can still frustrate people at 35 years old. 6'11, 245 lbs is a great size to have at SF, where he'll be starting.

What this means for the Heat
Bonner can still pump in the points at will, even at 35 years old himself. A complete zero on defense, but he's precisely what Miami needs; a legitimate scorer, because right now, the best offensive option the Heat have is rookie Tony Johnson, who hasn't earned a starting spot yet and Zelipe Gama, whose career high points per game is 13.5

Advantage: Draw
A win-win trade for both teams, as they swap expiring contracts of high quality players who fill gaping holes on each roster. It'll help Seattle avoid being the worst team in the league this year and continue Miami's forward progress.

Last year only had one trade in the first month as well and it floodgated the rest of the way. We'll probably see more of the same this season, particularly since I'm not totally sold on our lineup right now after we lost Andy Sola for the year.

The Heat go out and prove just how much better they are this season by whipping us 116-93. Tim Butler's on form with 28 points and 10 rebounds and Mateen Yeaton scores 22, but that's all she wrote. Carlton Goree is displaying signs of Tzvetan Kishishiv-itis, where he's great as a reserve, but awful as a starter.

After a 118-110 loss to Orlando, I've had enough. Sure, Tim Butler scores 33, Clifton Snyder puts up 19 points and 10 rebounds and Mateen Yeaton scores 25, but we're dragging ass out there.

I hit the phones and put together a deal that I'm not wholly thrilled with, but we need to shake things up.

Denver Nuggets receive
PG A.J. Dunkley
SG Hayletts Dennis
Utah Jazz 2025 1st round pick
Utah Jazz 2027 1st round pick

Utah Jazz receive
PF Clifton Snyder
C Marcus McKie
Denver Nuggets 2027 1st round pick
Minnesota Timberwolves 2026 2nd round pick

What this means for the Nuggets
33 year old Dunkley is an excellent pure passer who plays solid defense and can put points up on the board. The rookie Dennis is raw, but has the ability to develop fantastic scoring instincts and good defense, particularly as a ballthief. The two will start at SG and SF respectively while Mateen Yeaton deals with a back injury.

What this means for the Jazz
McKie gives Utah a solid all-around young big man with great potential as an inside scorer and rebounder and solid skills on defense, both as a cover man and a playmaker. Snyder plays very good technical defense and has a nice, accurate shot. While both of them are on the bench, the Jazz now have two youngsters and big man bench depth they sorely lacked. So weak was their bench for bigs, free agent signing Ryan Sweetwyne was the top man there.

Winner: Utah
The first round picks look to be a wash from where we're sitting, but Utah just got some excellent youth and depth in the frontcourt and the opportunity to audition Cedric Caldwell at starting PG. Denver, on the other hand, must now revert to 38 year old Andrew Bynum as the starting C and have just one player on the bench who can play the four or five in Tzvetan Kishishev.

Not as big a problem as it sounds, as I swing another deal.

Denver Nuggets receive
C Dan Jacobson

Washington Wizards receive
PG Darrell James

What this means for the Nuggets
Jacobson, a former Nugget, returns to Denver at 37 to provide rebounding and defensive playmaking help, along with another bench big body.

What this means for the Wizards
James is a much better all-around backup guard than Jameel Williams, though both now sit behind Dwyane DeManby. Not a standout in any one area, James is balanced and gives the Wizards veteran grit.

Winner: Denver
The need was simply bigger for the Nuggets after their blockbuster with the Jazz.

We've some more cap room, which I use to sign Lindsey Williamson as long as we're bringing back old Nuggets. He hasn't played since 2022, the last time he was with us. Then again, it's 2024 and before 2022, the last time he played was 2020, also in a Nuggets uniform, so it's fitting. Great defender and shotblocker still.

That puts us at $9.77 million over the cap and now we've saved maybe $50,000 over last year, but at this point, I don't care.

121-112 loss to open the new lineup, the Wizards gleeful in their beating of us. A.J. Dunkley scores 21, Tim Butler adds 22, [b]Andrew Bynum[b] double-doubles for 16 points and 12 rebounds and Mateen Yeaton comes off the bench for the first time in years for 12 points, Tzvetan Kishishev adding 11 points of his own.

Our fourth straight loss comes 105-78 to the Raptors and we officially have a trainwreck on our hands. Not one single statistical Denver Nugget of note and I've completely butchered what may be Mateen Yeaton's final year.

Tim Butler scores 23 in our next game, but Carlton Goree and Mateen Yeaton have to come off the bench for 13 and 11 points and the Knicks pound us 117-99 for our fifth straight loss.

After three nights of insomnia, I make another trade.

Denver Nuggets receive
C Luke Smith
SG Teddy Harriman
New Orleans Hornets 2026 1st round pick

New Orleans Hornets receive
PG Tyrone Capel
SG Joem Layne
Denver Nuggets 2026 1st round pick

What this means for the Nuggets
Smith is extremely raw, but has promise as a rebounding and defensive specialist. Harriman's improved his shot each year he's been in the league and could be an offensive force by the time he's done developing. He'll tenatively start at SG for the Nuggets.

What this means for the Hornets
Capel's a pretty good offensive, passing and rebounding option, but he's a terrible defender and he has no upside. Despite the fact that he was averaging 8.1 points and 10.5 assists with Denver, New Orleans is going to put him at the SG spot. Layne is a good technical defender and that's it. Average bench player.

Winner: Draw
GM Jestor seems to be in an absolute confusion and just blindly making moves. The Hornets aren't being smart about their use of Capel, either. Call this a lose-lose for both teams, really.

A preposterous pair of back-to-back losses to continue the nightmare. 139-129 to Philadelphia, even as A.J. Dunkley explodes for 36 points and 13 rebounds, Tim Butler scores 27, Mateen Yeaton pipes in with 23 points, Andrew Bynum doubles for 17 points and 11 rebounds and Carlton Goree scores 10 bench points. 112-104 loss the next night in Boston, despite A.J. Dunkley's 26 points and 11 assists, Mateen Yeaton's 21 points, Tim Butler's 19 points and 10 rebounds and Andrew Bynum's 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

After losses to Miami and Orlando I'm admitting defeat. 121-114 to the Heat, Mateen Yeaton (37 points), A.J. Dunkley (16 points, 13 assists), Tim Butler (22 points) and Andrew Bynum (10 points, 13 rebounds benchside) shine, the defense doesn't. 118-92 to the Magic, our bench players our stalwarts with 13 points from Hayletts Dennis and Luke Smith, 12 from Dan Jacobson.

I fire Kurt Thomas, eating $18.3 million and my job prospects in the process and hire Steve Van Gundy.

Daylight dawns for the first time in ages, a blessed 114-99 win over the Suns. Mateen Yeaton scores 20 and Hayletts Dennis and Carlton Goree lead the bench with 13 and 12 points a piece.

We lose 102-99 to the Supersonics two nights later, but I'm stoic about it. Mateen Yeaton and A.J. Dunkley combine for 27 and 26 points a piece, Tim Butler and [b]Andrew Bynum[b] invert double-doubles of 17 points and 10 rebounds and 10 points and 17 rebounds respectively and Luke Smith adds 10 bench points.

It's a miraculous Christmas as we beat Dallas 117-113 on Christmas Eve. Tim Butler explodes for 31 points, Mateen Yeaton scores 20, A.J. Dunkley scores 22 of his own and Carlton Goree contributes 12 bench points. On Christmas Day itself, we edge Golden State 112-105 thanks to Tim Butler's 28 points and 10 rebounds, Mateen Yeaton's 25 points, A.J. Dunkley's 19 points and 11 rebounds and Carlton Goree's 14 bench points.

The sweet breath of a win streak washes over us, Tim Butler the Calmbringer with 25 points in our 95-90 victory over the 76ers. [b]Teddy Harriman[/] is the second man with 20 points, Andrew Bynum pops up with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Carlton Goree leads the reserves with 10 points.

But then we end the year with the sickening, acidic aftertaste of two straight losses. The Lakers beat us 98-88 on New Year's Eve and nevermind Teddy Harriman's 24 points, while 96-78 is the Clippers' margin of victory despite 24 points from A.J. Dunkley and 14 points and 11 rebounds from Tim Butler.

15-16, 3rd place in the Northwest, 1.5 half games behind Minnesota.

I'm too depressed to even write anything else.