2020-21 Transaction Thread

[ProfessaPackMan]

2020-21 Transaction Thread

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[cima]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

He'll end up on one of the LA teams or BK.

[Majingir]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

Lakers would be best fit for him.

Cousins at C while Gasol moves to the bench, that's much needed.

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

Lakers now rumored to have interest in PJ Tucker, my guess is they would like to make a trade for he and Boogie before Boogie has finalized a buy-out and has a chance to sign elsewhere.

Supposedly Houston wants a player back in return and the only players the Lakers can really make a trade work without killing depth would be Schroder, KCP, or Trez... They don't win the chip last year without KCP but he's back to looking horrible again and is the most tradable asset the Lakers have. Keeping him means hoping that he flips a playoff switch again. Trading him means maybe losing your 3rd best playoff performer if he can indeed turn it on it again.

Trade would only make sense if the Lakers could add a 3rd team to bring in another guard. Off the top of my head Austin Rivers was the affordable guy I could think of but I don't know that the Knicks would include him in a trade.

Alternative idea was
Lakers Get: PJ Tucker, Boogie, Wayne Ellington
Rockets Get: KCP maybe a pick if that's what it takes
Pistons Get: McKinnie and cash considerations or a 2nd round pick.

Not a perfect move but probably better than sending out all of Caruso, Mathews, Morris, for PJ and Boogie, unless they thought they would strike big with the buyout market or trust Cook with minutes.

Perhaps LAL would rather trade Caruso, Mathews, Morris, but with Caruso being the best player in the return does Houston ask for that first round pick they can now trade? Or would a 2nd do it. This would give the Lakers two roster spots they could maybe fill with a defensive big come buyout time like JaVale/Dedmon/Whiteside, and maybe a guard like GHill/Rondo. With Tucker, Kuz, Trez, Bron AD all on the team I'm not sure it makes sense to keep Morris anyways. Lakers could still explore a trade like McKinnie and cash/2nd rounder for a player like Ellington in a separate move. They would need something to replace losing both Caruso and Mathews.

The risk in all this is that Tucker is having maybe the worst year of his career, and defensive IQ or not at his age I don't know that he's even an upgrade over Bron and Kuz at this point on that end. No doubt an upgrade to Morris because they are similar, but at the expense of losing guard depth and Tucker struggling to find minutes behind AD/Bron/Kuz/Trez?.. On top of that even if Boogie ends up being a surprisingly good fit/contributor he doesn't really fix any of their weaknesses. They would be trading for two "bigs" and likely still be searching for someone like JaVale to protect the rim come buyout time.

[georgiafan]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

If i am LA I don’t send out KCP, Kuz or Caruso for Tucker. KCP and Kuzma are the only mid tier salaries they have going forward so I keep them around for a better/younger player then him. They can get a boogie like player in the buyout market or FA.

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

If i am LA I don’t send out KCP, Kuz or Caruso for Tucker. KCP and Kuzma are the only mid tier salaries they have going forward so I keep them around for a better/younger player then him. They can get a boogie like player in the buyout market or FA.

There’s only a select few teams that can trade for Kuzma because of his contract anyways, and Houston isn’t one of them.

I don’t know what type of money Caruso will command this off-season but part of me wonders if they would explore trading him knowing it’s going to be difficult to resign him. Logic would say they would keep THT over him because his potential is higher and he’s 6 years younger, also likely cheaper.

Lakers also have the upper hand in keeping THT because they can offer more than anyone else, they can do the same with Caruso. But they also have to resign Schroder. I’m sure the Lakers are willing to go into the tax, but not sure they are willing to go into the tax where they are paying an extra 100+ million in tax because they wanted all of Harrell, THT, Caruso, Schroder.

Lakers will be over the tax after this year regardless, the only free money they will have the 5mil or so tax payer MLE and then min deals. But if Caruso would be paid 10 mil and Tucker would resign using bird rights for something more like 3 mil they would be saving tens of millions in Luxury tax money plus the 7 in contract difference. Let’s just say the Lakers are in that top tier tax level after using the tax MLE, keeping Harrell, THT, Schroder, the difference in Caruso’s 10 mil and Tucker’s 3 mil would save them over 30 million in salary/tax.

Again Lakers being the Lakers I expect them to be fine with paying tax so long as LeBron is there with AD and that’s enough to contend for rings. But I don’t know that they would be willing to go an extra 30 mil for a player like Caruso if they felt like they could land someone like Rondo, George Hill, Ellington, Redick in the buyout market. Even more likely if adding Rose means they could get someone like Rivers who contract isn’t even fully guaranteed after this year but is only 3 mil anyways. Again likely 20+ million cheaper than Caruso after tax.

It’s tough to really say if it’s worth it or not. At the surface level Caruso for Tucker isn’t a good trade. Especially with the Lakers not having many picks to add youth. But we don’t know if Schroder is going to re-sign, we don’t know what the buyout market will be, we don’t know that other moves the Lakers have up their sleeves. Caruso for Tucker might not be a good move, but if they feel THT can replace Caruso, Schroder is staying, they can add another guard via buyout/trade, Tucker will be better than Morris, and they get Boogie back which makes AD happy, AND they save 20+ million in tax money next season then it’s a pretty good trade for them.


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[cima]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

Caruso is far too valuable but I don't think they can keep THT without going into luxury tax hell. Great potential but he doesn't fit LeBron's timeline so he's more likely to be shipped out IMO

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

I think they would keep THT over Caruso personally. I think he has more potential, klutch guy, he would be a bigger trade chip going forward, far more versatile, younger, etc..

That said in the proposed example they wouldn’t even have to make a choice between the two of them because Caruso would be traded. His slightly higher salary also makes him easier to trade, example being you can’t even make that same trade if you were to swap Caruso for THT.

I also think THT is just a better “glue” type of guy. Caruso is too, but he’s a SG and basically only a shooting guard. I feel Talen has better natural lead guard instincts, he can play the 2, the 3, defend most 4s, and his length/hands is just as rare as somebody like Kawhi. As much as I like AC he’s simply more replaceable that THT is. Caruso is a better outside shooter, but as of now while they are splitting minutes neither shoot enough of them for it to matter. Caruso makes less than 1 three a game. THT is a more confident offensive player, he gets to the rim, he draws fouls, if his outside shot were to improve what would Caruso do that makes him more valuable in your eyes?


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[cima]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

Caruso's defense and intangibles are far better than THT's at the moment. Caruso is a winning player and fits really well with a championship team...he started Game 6 for a reason.


Idk...I'm neutral on a PJ Tucker trade. I'd rather see a KCP package instead of Caruso or THT...KCP isn't some elite defender and his scoring (which is only like 10 PPG) isn't as needed with THT and Schroder on the squad.

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

All that said, if the Rockets would be fine with getting back a 2nd round pick all the Lakers have to send out for Tucker would be Morris, Matthew’s, McKinnie to match salary. They would just have to be able to still sign some players to get to the minimum roster number.

There is also this trade online, trade machine says it doesn’t work but trade machine is a bit glitchy with teams who have used their MLE and also with players who are on a 2-way deal like Cacok.

Throw in an extra 2nd rounder for a “wink” deal that Boogie will be released to sign with the Lakers and the Lakers would still have 1 roster spot open for the buyout market.




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[ojandpizza]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

Caruso's defense and intangibles are far better than THT's at the moment. Caruso is a winning player and fits really well with a championship team...he started Game 6 for a reason.


Idk...I'm neutral on a PJ Tucker trade. I'd rather see a KCP package instead of Caruso or THT...KCP isn't some elite defender and his scoring (which is only like 10 PPG) isn't as needed with THT and Schroder on the squad.

PJ Tucker move is only a good move if that’s basically the only trade they can make. I don’t like it because I don’t think they need him. I didn’t think they needed him back when you mentioned him, only brought it up because it seems there is legitimate interest.


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[cima]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

I like him on a buyout but that might be it. Still though, thinking of the lineups they cna do


Schroder
Kuzma/THT/Caruso
LeBron
Tucker
AD


I like the thought of that

[georgiafan]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

I feel like someone is going to be able to make a better offer for Tucker then the lakers own you mentioned. Like Philly they have salaries for younger type guys like Bradley/Ferguson and several 2nds in this upcoming draft. They also have Mike Scott’s expiring.


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[ojandpizza]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

I feel like someone is going to be able to make a better offer for Tucker then the lakers own you mentioned. Like Philly they have salaries for younger type guys like Bradley/Ferguson and several 2nds in this upcoming draft. They also have Mike Scott’s expiring.


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But does Philly want to trade that for PJ? I don’t feel like he’s the guy for them. I think teams like Miami or Milwaukee would be more in the hunt. Maybe even the Nets but I don’t think they can get close to matching salaries without Dinwiddie and lol @ that.




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[ojandpizza]

Re: 2020-21 Transaction Thread

Lakers waive Cook, so something is coming. Likely just adding Boogie?


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