2025 Off-Season Trade Ideas Thread

[Schrödinger's Gerbil]

Trade Lauri to the Sixers for Paul George, the #3 pick, the 2028 1st via LAC, their own 2029 Sixers swap rights with LAC, and their 2031 1st.

Odds seem good that we can get either Ace Bailey or Tre Johnson at #5. Either would be a win (judging solely by the numerous draft podcasts I've listened to and not because I have any personal insights). Thus, there's no need to trade away Lauri to move up, unless we know who we want and think he'll be gone by 3. George is washed and massively overpaid. I'm content to let Philadelphia or another team pour money down the sewer for the privilege of watching him play 40 games.

 

[KqWIN]

What's your over/under on that type of a team? I'd love to see @KqWIN run his numbers on a team like this and see what the numbers project.

40 is about right from a preliminary look. Would depend a lot on the young guys who would theoretically be getting a lot of minutes. They anchor down the projection a ton, but if they improved greatly and/or some of them were replaced you could be about where MEM was last season. Depends a lot on health ofc.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

We were also really high on Dort, despite drafting Oni, Brantley and JWF instead of him.

One of my favorite lines that Locke kept selling. Then you take like 30 seconds to fact check and its so so dumb.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I'm not a huge JJJ fan.

That's not exactly true, I like his game quite a bit, I just think he's a bit overrated. He's a very good defender, but just not quite as good as he gets credit for. He is a good offensive player, but not a guy that I would trust to go get a bucket when I really need it.

Yeah, he's a weird player, but he would be a great fit with Walker/Tre Young. Not a good fit with Lauri imo.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

By what logic? Trae Young is pretty much one man wrecking crew on offense, and its not like he has had some great group on that end to support him since he arrived in the league.

I dont think Brice belongs in that lineup since you already have a glaring weakness on defense with Trae, but other than that its pretty solid.

Sure, but Brice can shoot and you need shooting next to Trae. With Walker/JJJ you have arguably two of the best ten defenders in the NBA, and you add Jrue, another top defender.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I'm not a huge JJJ fan.

That's not exactly true, I like his game quite a bit, I just think he's a bit overrated. He's a very good defender, but just not quite as good as he gets credit for. He is a good offensive player, but not a guy that I would trust to go get a bucket when I really need it.

We just aren't ready to start buying. I don't think they are actually selling the farm anyway. This move kinda makes sense for Memphis, but it is a "moneyball" type of move that also has a lot to do with some cheap owners.

JJJ would drive me crazy because of the foul stuff he just can't seem to figure out. Loads of talent there.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Not sure if anyone has kinda posted this type of thing but Memphis has a lot of cheap guys that can likely fill in the Bane minutes and they will always likely live and die with how healthy/locked in Ja is while he is there. So getting a big return on Bane and then opening up a little additional time/opportunity for Wells, Jackson, Vince Williams... and seeing if KCP can revitalize his trade value. I think they are definitely a worse team today but likely in the same tier of team... depending on what they do.

I also think there is a chance if Ja doesn't get it together this year they move on... maybe Sacramento is lining up a dumb offer for Ja right now and they do a full rebuild but I think it may just be a retool type of deal.

 

[HadAnEffectHere]

Walker is not close to a top 10 defender in the NBA.

 

[KqWIN]

Not sure if anyone has kinda posted this type of thing but Memphis has a lot of cheap guys that can likely fill in the Bane minutes and they will always likely live and die with how healthy/locked in Ja is while he is there. So getting a big return on Bane and then opening up a little additional time/opportunity for Wells, Jackson, Vince Williams... and seeing if KCP can revitalize his trade value. I think they are definitely a worse team today but likely in the same tier of team... depending on what they do.

I also think there is a chance if Ja doesn't get it together this year they move on... maybe Sacramento is lining up a dumb offer for Ja right now and they do a full rebuild but I think it may just be a retool type of deal.

I doubt that they trade JJJ and aspire to go to the bottom. They aren't in that much stronger of a tank position if they trade JJJ versus extending him. I think they are going to R+E him this summer and reset around him. Their JJJ+tank is essentially just a much stronger Lauri+tank position. Maybe not as good at tanking, but more concrete players going forward.

Ja, on the other hand, they should be looking to trade him for sure and I think this is their plan.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I doubt that they trade JJJ and aspire to go to the bottom. They aren't in that much stronger of a tank position if they trade JJJ versus extending him. I think they are going to R+E him this summer and reset around him. Their JJJ+tank is essentially just a much stronger Lauri+tank position. Maybe not as good at tanking, but more concrete players going forward.

Ja, on the other hand, they should be looking to trade him for sure and I think this is their plan.

Maybe. He is so popular in the market there and likely has more value to Memphis than other teams in part because of that. I think it opens them up for a year where either Ja stays healthy and locked in and they are a fringe playoff team with future flexibility... or he is hurt or suspended for doing something stupid and they are a tank team. I think they have too much functionality right now depending on what they would get in a Ja trade.

I am sure if Sacramento rolled in with a Ja trade or some other team gave them a big offer they would entertain it though. I'm not sure if the offers would be big for Ja right now... I'd be really worried about what Memphis knows that others don't if they are willing to trade him. He is like the Memphis Steph Curry to that market and that owner is a cheapskate.

I fully agree on the JJJ part of this though. They will re-negotiate and extend him and this gives them more flexibility to do that.

We will see what happens.

 

[Schrödinger's Gerbil]

I can't think of a single available player the Jazz could get that would help them very much.

Jrue Holiday if Austin Ainge is really stupid and doesn't care about the future?

Kawhi Leonard? James Harden?

I'd rather chew ground glass than root for James Harden. No amount of winning is worth it (although with Harden, one thing is assured, you'll never win the big one). Kawhi Leonard is a millstone around the neck of any franchise stupid enough to overpay for his diminishing services and brittle body. There's always some GM somewhere who thinks that a player with a well-established history of injury and unavailability will somehow miraculously turn the corner once signed to a massive contract. Instead, they end up holding the franchise hostage while they rake in the millions to sit on their backsides and podcast.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I doubt that they trade JJJ and aspire to go to the bottom. They aren't in that much stronger of a tank position if they trade JJJ versus extending him. I think they are going to R+E him this summer and reset around him. Their JJJ+tank is essentially just a much stronger Lauri+tank position. Maybe not as good at tanking, but more concrete players going forward.

Ja, on the other hand, they should be looking to trade him for sure and I think this is their plan.

Isnt JJJ expiring? Are they willing to max him? Will he command a max? Interested in the new CBA if we will finally see a pay-scale delineation between top 20 guys and the next 20 in how they get paid, even when they are still young.