[NBA] 2024 Free Agency mega-thread

If including Carter gets Lauri done, you do it. It's a hell of a risk, with Lauri being a UFA, but I think we're starting to see how important having team control is going to be to keeping your stars and balancing this new CBA. Lauri is worth pushing all your chips in for.
I could be convinced but we’re essentially saying “this is our team” with a move like that as all of our future draft capital would be tied up at that point and we’d have no other young assets to really spare in a trade (we’d want to keep Ellis and Murray for our rotation). And the concern I have with that roster is if we have enough defense to really become a contender? Ellis and Murray would be our only plus defenders and Fox is a plus defender when he turns it on, but guys like Markkanen, Sabonis, Monk, Barnes, and Lyles are all average-ish defenders at best.

However, our offense with Markkanen may be elite enough to overcome not having a ton of great individual defenders.
 
Well crap. Stupid teams should have realized this 2 years ago and given him a full MLE then. Now a powerhouse gets a stud C that's their biggest team weakness.
Yeah, Presti really is running laps around the rest of the league right now. The way he's built these Thunder is just a masterclass in effective asset management and shrewd opportunism. I am, of course, deeply annoyed that the rich continue to get richer in OKC, but it's so hard to find fault in the way Presti has been running things, especially for a small market franchise.
 
That’s a nightmare relationship if I ever saw one. Polar opposite type of player compared to what the Nuggets run on offense. Jokic would chase him out of there before the trade deadline. I’d love to see it from a drama point of view… but could legitimately make them worse.
Funny wrinkle: it seems like Jokic is among those pushing for a Westbrook acquisition. God knows why...

 
Funny wrinkle: it seems like Jokic is among those pushing for a Westbrook acquisition. God knows why...

Desperate times? Jokic is no dummy. If he couldn’t get it done this past season, he’s certainly not making it as far down 2 quality players. Just don’t understand why he thinks Westbrook would be a good solution. A non shooter, old, and prone to dumb mistakes even in the latter stages of his career … seems unlikely that it would work long term. Oh well, not our problem!
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
So is a Naji, Klay, Grimes haul better than the Green, THJ, DJJ, draft picks stuff going out? I though Green had potential in the small spurts where the Mavs let him do something aside from stand in the corner and wait for Luka to pass him the ball
 
Yeah, Presti really is running laps around the rest of the league right now. The way he's built these Thunder is just a masterclass in effective asset management and shrewd opportunism. I am, of course, deeply annoyed that the rich continue to get richer in OKC, but it's so hard to find fault in the way Presti has been running things, especially for a small market franchise.
Yeah he is the model for how it’s done. Commit to the tank. Take assets into cap space for picks and then bat .500 on your draft picks.
 
I loved Slo-Mo 4 years ago, but haven't checked on him much since. I anecdotally recall some comments about he's been trash on D?
His defensive stats still look really good. He's also averaging 6.7 assists per36. Just a hair below Monk's 7.1. Also coming off his worst shooting season, which is not good for a guy who couldn't really shoot much in the first place. Guess it just depends on whether his skills are needed or not.

I feel like they probably aren't with Sabonis, Fox and Monk doing the majority of the ball handling.
 
That would take OKC out of the running for Lauri. Who are the teams that would consider making a push for him?

Ok here is my list

1) Indiana - Jarace Walker or Benn plus picks
2) San Antonio- tons of picks and a young player
3) Golden State - Kuminga and picks
4) Houston- Jabari? Or Eason and picks
5) Sac- Carter, Kev and picks
6) Orlando- just picks really
Nah, Kings would have to throw Keegan in there for sure. All of those teams can beat the Kings. That said, Lauri, good player, but if someone like Grant is a quarter the price just do that. Ainge is really good at polishing his assets. That's how he built the KG, Allen, PP team too. Don't fall for it.
 
Yeah he is the model for how it’s done. Commit to the tank. Take assets into cap space for picks and then bat .500 on your draft picks.
It helps when you get to hold a star hostage like PG over the Clippers and Shai just explodes into a superstar.

But yeah, there's no one better in the game. Not even close
 
His defensive stats still look really good. He's also averaging 6.7 assists per36. Just a hair below Monk's 7.1. Also coming off his worst shooting season, which is not good for a guy who couldn't really shoot much in the first place. Guess it just depends on whether his skills are needed or not.

I feel like they probably aren't with Sabonis, Fox and Monk doing the majority of the ball handling.
If Monte can land a player like Anderson that would be an awesome fit IMO. Then all he has to do is clear a bit of salary with Huerter and Barnes. Then prep to add more next offseason.