twslam07
All-Star
I know this post is long, but I had a pretty elaborate idea. There have been many of us who have become frustrated with the construction of this team. It has a lot of talent, but it just seems like that talent isn't meshing the way we want it to. My trade idea tries to address that issue and ultimately help build the team around Cousins. With that being said, here is my trade idea:
Magic Get:
Marcus Thornton
D.J. Augustin
James Johnson
Jimmer Fredette
Miles Plumlee
King's 2013 2nd round pick
Magic Give:
Arron Afflalo
J.J. Redick
Ishmael Smith
Kings Get:
Paul George
Arron Afflalo
David West
Ishmael Smith
Kings Give:
Tyreke Evans
Marcus Thornton
Thomas Robinson
James Johnson
Aaron Brooks
Jimmer Fredette
King's 2013 2nd round pick
Pacers Get:
Tyreke Evans
Thomas Robinson
J.J. Redick
Aaron Brooks
Pacers Give
Paul George
D.J. Augustin
David West
Miles Plumlee
Why the Magic do this trade:
Right now, the Magic are in rebuild mode. They do not have a centerpiece to build around yet and they are locked into some pretty bad contracts for the next few years. It's going to be awhile before this team is back contending in the playoffs.
With that being said, it makes sense to try and collect as many young assets as they can right now. Now I wouldn't call Afflalo (27 years old) and Redick (28 years old) old, but by the time this team gets turned around they will probably be entering their 30s and begin to exit their prime. Redick is an expiring and there is no guarantee they will bring him back. He is a decent SG, but he is definitely not a starter on a good team. Afflalo is a good player, but he is not the type of player you build around. He is the type of player you bring in to compliment your go-to guys.
So what exactly do the Magic need? As of now, a franchise player, go-to scorers, and young assets. In this trade they get many young assets as well as a go-to scorer.
Augustin (25), Johnson (25), Fredette (23), and Plumlee (24) would all be nice young assets on very affordable contracts. All are earning 3.5 mil or below this season. The 2nd round pick, which would would most likely be an early 2nd round pick, would net them a decent young player as well. It makes sense to try and get as many young assets as you can and hope a few pan out so they can be an integral part of your team or so that you can package them in trades and bring back a better player (For example, what the Rockets did).
Augustin would be a great backup PG to Nelson. He is a career 37% 3pt shooter who will continue to help spread the floor, and he is a great playmaker who is a pass first PG. With all of the PG minutes consumed by Nelson and Augustin, they ensure that there will be consistent 3pt shooting, ball handling, and playmaking. He is a free agent after this season, but his contract this year was a very reasonable 3.5 mil which should make him an affordable resigning.
Johnson is a very "under the radar" player. He was recently traded to the Kings where he has claimed the starting SF position. He is a terrific defender with great size, length, strength, and athleticism, and on top of that he has a great defensive motor. He led all SFs in blocked shots last season. He is a good rebounder, ball handler, and passer. He is effective on the block because he is usually able to out muscle his smaller match ups. The only weakness in his game is his shooting. He has yet to show that he can consistently hit from beyond the arc. With good shooters at the 1 (Nelson, Augustin, Fredette), 2 (Thornton, Moore) and even 4 (Davis, Harrington), I'm sure the Magic will continue to spread the floor well.
Fredette is also an interesting piece. He had a tough time transitioning to the NBA last year, but he has shown much improvement this year. These are his per 36 numbers this year: 56.8 FG% 38.5 3PT% 90.0 FT% 27.6 PPG 2.0 RPG 4.9 APG 1.0 SPG 0.0 BPG 2.5 TOPG. He is a great shooter who is capable of becoming one of the best shooters in the game. His range is ridiculous and he has been showing more consistency with his shot lately. His ball handling and defense are what needs improvement, but he has shown improvement in both those areas this season which is promising. He needs to continue to improve them if he wants to be a consistent starter. With his great work ethic, I see no reason why he couldn't become a starter in this league.
Plumlee is a bit of an "unknown" at this time since he has hardly seen the floor while at Indiana. He is a legit 7 footer with superb athleticism for his size (recorded a 40.5" vertical at the combine). In a nut shell, he is a highly athletic big, who is a great rebounder with a high energy motor. I don't really see him becoming a starter in this league but he could be an excellent role-playing big off the bench who brings you energy, rebounding, and defense at center.
Lastly, the Magic receive a go-to scorer in Thornton. At the age of 25, Thornton has made quite a name for himself. He was ranked as the 5th best SG by the NBA last season behind Wade, Bryant, Harden, and Ellis. He is a great scorer who is an 18-20 PPG player. He can score in a variety of ways. He can spot up, create off the dribble, curl off screens, slash and make back door cuts, and finish in the lane. His rebounding and passing are also good for his position. He has a winners mentality and he is a very serious competitor. He wants to be the guy who takes the last shot at the end of a game. He has proven he is able to make that last second shot on a consistent basis. He isn't a lockdown defender, but he gives good effort on that side of the ball and plays the passing lanes very well.
So there you have it. That is my reasoning for why this would be a good trade for the Magic. After this trade their lineup would look like this with everyone healthy:
PG - Nelson/Augustin/Fredette
SG - Thornton/Moore
SF - Johnson/Turkoglu/Harkless/Jones
PF - Davis/Harrington/McRoberts/Nicholson
C - Vucevic/Plumlee/Ayon/O'Quinn
This team has a lot of young pieces to work with and develop. I think this would be a good start for the Magic on their path to rebuild. This is obviously passed the 15 man roster so they would have to make a few cuts. My guess would be two of Ayon, O'Quinn, and Jones.
Why the Pacers do this trade:
The Pacers are struggling right now with Granger out. It is starting to look like they will miss the playoffs this year after having such a promising year last year. However, with Granger healthy, they seem to be stuck in that perpetual "make the playoffs, but will never win a championship" mode. My diagnosis is that they need another go-to option next to Granger. I don't consider George or Hibbert go-to options. I think they both could possibly be third options at best, but neither should help lead a team in scoring next to Granger.
Evans can come right in and be that other go-to guy. He is elite at getting to the rim. There is nobody in this league that he can't get by. His finishing at the rim is also terrific. He is a very good playmaker for a SG and tends to set his teammates up with open looks. His rebounding is very good for a SG too. His size, length, strength, and athleticism are all above average for his position. One thing that he has seemed to improve even more this year is his defense. He is making a name for himself as a defensive stopper. His energy and effort on the defensive side of the ball is the highest it has been his entire career. He can do it all except shoot the ball. He needs to improve his jumper if he hopes to keep defenses honest. He can be effective in the right system, but he needs to be surrounded by shooters that keep the rest of the defense honest when he drives. He didn't have that luxury while in Sacramento, but as a Pacer he would. He would have Hill (37% career 3pt shooter) and Granger (38% career 3pt shooter) next to him. Both are very good 3pt shooters. He would also have Brooks (36% career 3pt shooter), Redick (40% career 3pt shooter), Stephenson (46% 3pt shooter this season), and Green (36% career 3pt shooter) to work with off the bench. All of whom are great 3pt shooters.
With West's contract expiring, adding Robinson as their PF of the future would be a very good move for them. After all, he is a top 5 draft talent. He would compliment Hibbert very well. Robinson will provide the athleticism and face-up game and Hibbert will provide the size, shot-blocking, and post up game. Robinson hasn't gotten much time with the Kings so far, but his per 36 numbers are pretty good: 48.1 FG% 61.5 FT% 12.4 PPG 8.0 RPG 0.4 APG 2.9 SPG 0.4 BPG 3.3 TOPG.
Both Redick and Brooks would come off the bench for the Pacers. They both compliment Evans very well by being able to hit 3pt shots close to a 40% clip. Again, they will help spread the floor for Evans along with their big men.
This is what their lineup would look like after the trade:
PG - Hill/Brooks/Hansbrough
SG - Evans/Redick/Stephenson/Johnson
SF - Granger/Green/Young
PF - Robinson/Hansbrough/Pendergraph
C - Hibbert/Mahinmi
I think this trade puts the Pacers right back into playoff contention with two go-to options (Evans and Granger). This team would also be very tough defensively. Their entire starting lineup are good defenders. All in all, I think this lineup would be very hard to beat especially if Evans is able to develop a jumper.
Magic Get:
Marcus Thornton
D.J. Augustin
James Johnson
Jimmer Fredette
Miles Plumlee
King's 2013 2nd round pick
Magic Give:
Arron Afflalo
J.J. Redick
Ishmael Smith
Kings Get:
Paul George
Arron Afflalo
David West
Ishmael Smith
Kings Give:
Tyreke Evans
Marcus Thornton
Thomas Robinson
James Johnson
Aaron Brooks
Jimmer Fredette
King's 2013 2nd round pick
Pacers Get:
Tyreke Evans
Thomas Robinson
J.J. Redick
Aaron Brooks
Pacers Give
Paul George
D.J. Augustin
David West
Miles Plumlee
Why the Magic do this trade:
Right now, the Magic are in rebuild mode. They do not have a centerpiece to build around yet and they are locked into some pretty bad contracts for the next few years. It's going to be awhile before this team is back contending in the playoffs.
With that being said, it makes sense to try and collect as many young assets as they can right now. Now I wouldn't call Afflalo (27 years old) and Redick (28 years old) old, but by the time this team gets turned around they will probably be entering their 30s and begin to exit their prime. Redick is an expiring and there is no guarantee they will bring him back. He is a decent SG, but he is definitely not a starter on a good team. Afflalo is a good player, but he is not the type of player you build around. He is the type of player you bring in to compliment your go-to guys.
So what exactly do the Magic need? As of now, a franchise player, go-to scorers, and young assets. In this trade they get many young assets as well as a go-to scorer.
Augustin (25), Johnson (25), Fredette (23), and Plumlee (24) would all be nice young assets on very affordable contracts. All are earning 3.5 mil or below this season. The 2nd round pick, which would would most likely be an early 2nd round pick, would net them a decent young player as well. It makes sense to try and get as many young assets as you can and hope a few pan out so they can be an integral part of your team or so that you can package them in trades and bring back a better player (For example, what the Rockets did).
Augustin would be a great backup PG to Nelson. He is a career 37% 3pt shooter who will continue to help spread the floor, and he is a great playmaker who is a pass first PG. With all of the PG minutes consumed by Nelson and Augustin, they ensure that there will be consistent 3pt shooting, ball handling, and playmaking. He is a free agent after this season, but his contract this year was a very reasonable 3.5 mil which should make him an affordable resigning.
Johnson is a very "under the radar" player. He was recently traded to the Kings where he has claimed the starting SF position. He is a terrific defender with great size, length, strength, and athleticism, and on top of that he has a great defensive motor. He led all SFs in blocked shots last season. He is a good rebounder, ball handler, and passer. He is effective on the block because he is usually able to out muscle his smaller match ups. The only weakness in his game is his shooting. He has yet to show that he can consistently hit from beyond the arc. With good shooters at the 1 (Nelson, Augustin, Fredette), 2 (Thornton, Moore) and even 4 (Davis, Harrington), I'm sure the Magic will continue to spread the floor well.
Fredette is also an interesting piece. He had a tough time transitioning to the NBA last year, but he has shown much improvement this year. These are his per 36 numbers this year: 56.8 FG% 38.5 3PT% 90.0 FT% 27.6 PPG 2.0 RPG 4.9 APG 1.0 SPG 0.0 BPG 2.5 TOPG. He is a great shooter who is capable of becoming one of the best shooters in the game. His range is ridiculous and he has been showing more consistency with his shot lately. His ball handling and defense are what needs improvement, but he has shown improvement in both those areas this season which is promising. He needs to continue to improve them if he wants to be a consistent starter. With his great work ethic, I see no reason why he couldn't become a starter in this league.
Plumlee is a bit of an "unknown" at this time since he has hardly seen the floor while at Indiana. He is a legit 7 footer with superb athleticism for his size (recorded a 40.5" vertical at the combine). In a nut shell, he is a highly athletic big, who is a great rebounder with a high energy motor. I don't really see him becoming a starter in this league but he could be an excellent role-playing big off the bench who brings you energy, rebounding, and defense at center.
Lastly, the Magic receive a go-to scorer in Thornton. At the age of 25, Thornton has made quite a name for himself. He was ranked as the 5th best SG by the NBA last season behind Wade, Bryant, Harden, and Ellis. He is a great scorer who is an 18-20 PPG player. He can score in a variety of ways. He can spot up, create off the dribble, curl off screens, slash and make back door cuts, and finish in the lane. His rebounding and passing are also good for his position. He has a winners mentality and he is a very serious competitor. He wants to be the guy who takes the last shot at the end of a game. He has proven he is able to make that last second shot on a consistent basis. He isn't a lockdown defender, but he gives good effort on that side of the ball and plays the passing lanes very well.
So there you have it. That is my reasoning for why this would be a good trade for the Magic. After this trade their lineup would look like this with everyone healthy:
PG - Nelson/Augustin/Fredette
SG - Thornton/Moore
SF - Johnson/Turkoglu/Harkless/Jones
PF - Davis/Harrington/McRoberts/Nicholson
C - Vucevic/Plumlee/Ayon/O'Quinn
This team has a lot of young pieces to work with and develop. I think this would be a good start for the Magic on their path to rebuild. This is obviously passed the 15 man roster so they would have to make a few cuts. My guess would be two of Ayon, O'Quinn, and Jones.
Why the Pacers do this trade:
The Pacers are struggling right now with Granger out. It is starting to look like they will miss the playoffs this year after having such a promising year last year. However, with Granger healthy, they seem to be stuck in that perpetual "make the playoffs, but will never win a championship" mode. My diagnosis is that they need another go-to option next to Granger. I don't consider George or Hibbert go-to options. I think they both could possibly be third options at best, but neither should help lead a team in scoring next to Granger.
Evans can come right in and be that other go-to guy. He is elite at getting to the rim. There is nobody in this league that he can't get by. His finishing at the rim is also terrific. He is a very good playmaker for a SG and tends to set his teammates up with open looks. His rebounding is very good for a SG too. His size, length, strength, and athleticism are all above average for his position. One thing that he has seemed to improve even more this year is his defense. He is making a name for himself as a defensive stopper. His energy and effort on the defensive side of the ball is the highest it has been his entire career. He can do it all except shoot the ball. He needs to improve his jumper if he hopes to keep defenses honest. He can be effective in the right system, but he needs to be surrounded by shooters that keep the rest of the defense honest when he drives. He didn't have that luxury while in Sacramento, but as a Pacer he would. He would have Hill (37% career 3pt shooter) and Granger (38% career 3pt shooter) next to him. Both are very good 3pt shooters. He would also have Brooks (36% career 3pt shooter), Redick (40% career 3pt shooter), Stephenson (46% 3pt shooter this season), and Green (36% career 3pt shooter) to work with off the bench. All of whom are great 3pt shooters.
With West's contract expiring, adding Robinson as their PF of the future would be a very good move for them. After all, he is a top 5 draft talent. He would compliment Hibbert very well. Robinson will provide the athleticism and face-up game and Hibbert will provide the size, shot-blocking, and post up game. Robinson hasn't gotten much time with the Kings so far, but his per 36 numbers are pretty good: 48.1 FG% 61.5 FT% 12.4 PPG 8.0 RPG 0.4 APG 2.9 SPG 0.4 BPG 3.3 TOPG.
Both Redick and Brooks would come off the bench for the Pacers. They both compliment Evans very well by being able to hit 3pt shots close to a 40% clip. Again, they will help spread the floor for Evans along with their big men.
This is what their lineup would look like after the trade:
PG - Hill/Brooks/Hansbrough
SG - Evans/Redick/Stephenson/Johnson
SF - Granger/Green/Young
PF - Robinson/Hansbrough/Pendergraph
C - Hibbert/Mahinmi
I think this trade puts the Pacers right back into playoff contention with two go-to options (Evans and Granger). This team would also be very tough defensively. Their entire starting lineup are good defenders. All in all, I think this lineup would be very hard to beat especially if Evans is able to develop a jumper.
