If this is true (which I'm not convinced it is) & we plan on keeping Haliburton), that pretty much removes Simmons & Sabonis as targets for us, and leaves us with the following defensive targets that could be available (in order of their current salary):
- Kristaps Porzingis (Ugh/Gulp)
- Al Horford
- Jerami Grant
- Myles Turner
- Christian Wood
- Robert Covington
- Kyle Anderson
- PJ Washington
- Kenrich Williams
Scenario #1
Bagley/Thompson/Mitchell/2022 SAC 1st for Turner/Holiday
Holmes for Washington/Smith
PG - Fox
/ Smith
SG - Haliburton
/ Hield
/ Davis
/ Ramsey
SF - Barnes
/ Holiday
/ Woodard
PF - Washington
/ Metu
/ Harkless
C - Turner
/ Jones
/ Len
1st Rounders - 2023 SAC
/ 2024 SAC
/ 2025 SAC
2nd Rounders - 2022 SAC
/ 2022 CHI/DET
/ 2023 SAC
/ 2024 POR
/ 2025 SAC
/ 2025 POR 2nd
Scenario #2
Bagley/Mitchell/2022 SAC 1st for Wood
Holmes for Washington/Smith
PG - Fox
/ Smith
SG - Haliburton
/ Hield
/ Davis
/ Ramsey
SF - Barnes
/ Harkless
/ Woodard
PF - Washington
/ Metu
C - Wood
/ Jones
/ Len
/ Thompson
1st Rounders - 2023 SAC
/ 2024 SAC
/ 2025 SAC
2nd Rounders - 2022 SAC
/ 2022 CHI/DET
/ 2023 SAC
/ 2024 POR
/ 2025 SAC
/ 2025 POR 2nd
Scenario #3
Hield/Harkless/2022 SAC 2nd/2023 SAC 2nd for Horford/Nesmith/K.Williams
Holmes for Washington/Smith
PG - Fox
/ Mitchell
/ Smith
SG - Haliburton
/ Davis
/ Ramsey
SF - Barnes
/ K. Williams
/ Nesmith
/ Woodard
PF - Washington
/ Bagley
/ Metu
C - Horford
/ Jones
/ Len
/ Thompson
1st Rounders - 2022 SAC
/ 2023 SAC
/ 2024 SAC
/ 2025 SAC
2nd Rounders - 2022 CHI/DET
/ 2024 POR
/ 2025 SAC
/ 2025 POR 2nd
I still think Scenario #3 would be comparable to Scenario #1 & #2 from a "win now" perspective considering how much impact Horford has on the floor compared to guys like Turner & Wood, but Scenario #3 also sets us up better for the future too since...
- We have more young assets than the other options (Fox, Haliburton, Mitchell, Washington, Nesmith, & 2022 SAC 1st)
- Barnes will still likely be attractive to someone in the offseason or next trade deadline (if we want another young asset to add to the rest of the young guys)
- We improved our cap situation by clearing Hield & Holmes salary for the 2023-24 season (Horford's deal expires a year earlier). It would give us around $50 mil in cap space with the following 9 players under contract: Fox, Haliburton, Mitchell, Washington (RFA cap hold), Nesmith, Woodard, 2022 SAC 1st, 2022 CHI/DET 2nd, & 2023 SAC 1st