The blow it up trades for Mike
Trade Mike, Bogey, and Royce or JC if they want them to the Lakers for Westbrook, THT, and Nunn as well as the laker firsts in 2027 and 2029 unprotected. I love this deal.
Also - Could use Mike to grease the wheels in the Donovan to NY deal. Say they don't want to give you every pick and pick swap they have without taking back Randle... add Conley and take back Randle (no idea how much they value Randle but they should be looking to be rid of that deal).
Dallas might want Mike if the price tag for Brunson gets too high and they are trading for Rudy. You snag an extra pick maybe...IDK.
If Philly is looking to be out of the Tobias business and wants a couple players you could do Harris for Conley and Bogey and get a couple picks (Morey famously gives doesn't value picks as highly as some). Harris is a worse fit for their roster with Harden... he's okay when Embiid isn't there but Mike gives them some backup minutes and Bogey gives them a quick trigger three point threat spacer. Harris could be flipped later.
And finally Memphis... if they think the price tag on Tyus is too high maybe they send Adams and the #29 pick in the draft. Mike backs up and fills in for Ja here and there.
Here's my "win now" move with Conley:
We trade Mike, NAW and Gay to Dallas for Bullock and Bertans.
Why our FO does it:
- It saves $5 in salary next year at the expense of worsening longer term salary. They love these moves.
- We get to win the press conference with getting "long defensive wing who can shoot threes." This will be distilled over the course of a season where he will be taught to be lazy, and he will see his efforts to be active be pointless when everyone else is being lazy, and by the post-season it will be rendered entirely pointless.
- Jazz media get to talk about the value of a true "3 pt sniper," a guy who can throw it up contested, off-balance, whatever. You'll hear more about how we haven't had a true three point threat from everywhere since Korver left, and how our lack of threes falling can be remedied with a guy who can get it off from anywhere.
Why we should do it:
- We could pretend we're moving in the direction of defense.
- It gets rid of some bad salary. Downside is you still have another year on Bertan's deal.
I originally typed this up as a joke. After I went through a justification and it saving some short-term money, I don't hate it. It cuts dead salary while adding on some problematic salary with Bertans.