(The original text was published on December 2. The author is Dan Favale in the bleachers. The content of the article does not represent the translator’s point of view)
The trading discussion around The Lakers began again. Multiple sources informed Jovan Buha, a reporter on The Athletic website, that The Lakers were “weighing three different trading methods” to enhance The competitiveness of The existing lineup. The three methods are as follows:
The first one: trade with a few players, add one or two draft tickets and exchange one star or more players;
The second type: pack Beverly, naen and draft tickets (one first round and/or multiple second rounds) to exchange some role players that can better meet the needs of the Lakers or improve the strength of the rotation lineup;
The third type: two separate transactions, with a first round sign of weishao and a first round sign to reach a deal, and then package Beverly, naen and draft sign to reach another deal.
Dan Favale in the bleachers designed a trading scheme for the Lakers for three trading methods.
The first solution: weishao +2 first round signatures
Lakers get: Oxie briissete, Buddy Hilde, Miles Turner, first round sign from the Cavaliers in 2023 (lotto protection, if protected, it will be converted into two round sign)
Pacers get: Damian Jones, Russell Westbrook, the second round sign from the bull in 2023, the first round sign from the Lakers in 2027 (unprotected), and the first round sign from the Lakers in 2029 (unprotected)
The deal about Turner’s trip to the Lakers has been discussed tens of thousands of times, which is not groundless. Turner is the closest star to the Lakers and will almost certainly not be taken away by other teams with higher quotations. In theory, the most valuable selection combination that the Lakers can take out at present is the first round in 2027 and 2029. Other teams will only be willing to offer higher quotations in the trade of players like Bill or Lavin. Maybe the Lakers can try Bill’s offer because Bill has the veto power of trading. However, neither Bill nor the genius has shown any signs of wanting to end the cooperation. Bill can meet the qualification of being traded after January 15 next year.
If we can win Jimmy Butler, the Lakers will also be very interested. The 33-year-old Butler contract still has about $0.1464 billion for 3 years (including the player option worth $52.4 million in the 2020-26 season). For potential suitors, Butler’s age and contract will be propulsive. There may be other teams offering the highest offer over the Lakers, but Butler is still too far away from the Lakers.
Owen is still a little hopeful when trading, but the winning rate of basketable nets has exceeded 50%, and Owen will face the risk of conflicts with Durant when he is sent away basketable nets, after all, Durant is a big killer who can ignore the opponent’s defense on the court, and has already applied for a deal before.
Finally, I have to say back to Turner, who is playing beast-level performance. Turner’s scoring performance has never been as good as this season. Except for the rookie season (21.9 percent of the 2015-16 season), Turner’s back play accounted for the highest (15.8 percent) this season, you can get 1.21 points for each back play, and among all the players whose back play times are no less than Turner, they are tied for the first place with Brook Lopez. At the same time, while Turner kept the appropriate three-point shooting frequency (4.7 shots every 36 minutes), the three-point hit rate reached 37.7%, and even hit some difficult three points. In addition to the bright eyes of the attacking end, Turner continued to destroy the opponent’s attack near rim. This season is his third consecutive season with more than 3 records of cap every 36 minutes, although he can rank in the top 150 in the league on the outside this season, turner’s shooting interference in the basket was ranked third in the league.
Why would the Lakers give up their best trading chips (two first-round signatures) to change a center whose contract is about to expire? The center position is Anthony Davis’s best position, although it is also his least favorite position. This question is reasonable, but given Turner’s outside shooting ability, he and Davis should be a relatively perfect combination on the offensive end. If weishao is traded away, the Lakers can make more room for Turner on the offensive side.
Giving up two first-round signatures at the same time is still unacceptable to the Lakers. Next summer, the Lakers must also face the problem of renewing Turner, provided that he wants to stay with the Lakers. Although Hilde’s shooting ability can bring a little fresh air to the Lakers’ bad attack, his salary of $19.3 million next season will make the Lakers’ salary space in the free agent market more difficult to operate.
It is futile to wait for the Pacers to accept a first-round offer. The closer to next year’s trading deadline, the easier it will be for the walkers to eat the expired contract with 47.1 million dollars less power, but such a big contract will make the walkers unable to do anything next, except to cut off the power or buy out. Even if Wei Shao only temporarily occupies the salary space of walkers, the latter should carefully evaluate the opportunity cost.
It would be a good compromise for the Lakers to add Gabriel and Knight to the first round signing in 2023. If the first round of the Knight’s signature can be cashed, it will be about more than 20 matches, and briisseter’s playing time this season will be less. Pacers should prefer the first round signing of the lakers in the distant future, rather than keeping a draft signing at the end of the first round and a player whose contract is about to expire and is not in the future plan of the team. This is an opportunity for Pacers to increase their future assets. Whether they keep it for their own use or wait until the team has enough strength to trade it, the two first-round signatures of the Lakers are very valuable. Moreover, the walkers also have the Celtics’s first round signature (the first 12 orders are protected). Besides, the first round of Knight’s first round signature in 2023 must be after the walkers themselves first round, giving up this first round visa is a trivial price for them.
If the Lakers make this deal, it is equal to SoHa. What is disturbing is that the deal did not change back to all-star players. However, this trading plan helped the Lakers get a first round visa that can be used for subsequent transactions, and briissete’s three-point hit rate has quietly reached since mid-November, he can also defend multiple positions on the defensive end.
The second solution: pack Beverly, naen, and 1 first round sign
Lakers get: Jacob Peltel, Josh Richardson
Spurs: Patrick Beverly, Kendrick Nunn, 2023 round sign from Bull, 2027 round sign from Lakers (unprotected)
There is no doubt that some Spurs fans will insist that Peltel’s price is more than one first-round visa. This is hard to say. What if we change to two draft tickets at the end of the first round? Maybe you think so, but what about an unprotected first round sign five years later? You don’t think so. It is worth noting that Spurs will not be willing to take over weishao’s contract in this transaction, which is very important, and Spurs will ask for more returns. After getting Beverly and Nunn, Spurs will continue to change hands or buy them out.
The overall value of Peltel is complicated by restrictions on various courses and the free-agent market. His decision-making in the elbow area of the stadium is very smart, with high covering efficiency and excellent basket protection ability. In the existing lineup structure of Spurs, Peltel is obviously overloaded. Because the free throw hit rate is not high (51.8%), the critical moment of Peltel will be a burden to the team. And he will become a free agent next summer, with the risk of leaving directly. At present, he still has injuries to deal.
The Lakers certainly don’t value Peltel as much as Turner, which is right. The adaptability of Peltel’s attacking end and Davis is not so good. Of course, it can still help the Lakers in terms of what he is good, especially when Damian Jones and Thomas Bryant played poorly. At the same time, Richardson will be the key reinforcement of the Lakers’ flank position. He can fight against the defender and the strong front line on the defensive end, and the offensive end can shoot a large number of receive the ball and shoot three points, his three-point hit rate is as high as 40%.
Generally speaking, choosing this scheme is more like a conservative choice. In theory, they can carry out the first and second schemes together (that is, the third scheme), but if they lack enough confidence, they will only choose the second one. If this is what the Lakers management wants, that’s it. This deal can also make them better without sending out all future first-round signatures, and there will be more than 30 million dollars in salary space next summer.
The third solution: two separate transactions
Lakers get: Boran-Bogdanovic, Alec-Burks, Malik-Beasley, Mike Conley, Kelly-ollinick
The piston got: Patrick Beverly, Ruddy guy, and the first round signing from the Lakers in 2029 (unprotected)
Jazz got: Damian Jones, Kendrick Nunn, Russell Westbrook, the second round sign from the bull in 2023, the first round of swap rights from the Lakers in 2026, the first round signing from the Lakers in 2027 (unprotected)
I designed a three-party deal for the third plan, which basically conforms to the plan of the Lakers management. This scheme is of great help to the Lakers. Ollinick and Boyan have increased the size of the front team and the space on the field. Ollinick can partner with Davis or play center when Davis is off. Boyang’s three-point shot percentage has fallen below 30% since the beginning of November, but it has a lot to do with Corning’s absence from the game due to calf injury. Fortunately, James of the Lakers can deliver ammunition to him. Boyang’s arrival also gave the Lakers another single defense candidate, and his figure was not much inferior on the defensive end. Malik Beasley can provide the three-point production and accuracy that the Lakers urgently need. When Beasley shot eight three-point shots, the three-point hit rate exceeded 39%. Although Beasley is most suitable for the pure second position, he can also play for a while in the third position. Beasley’s $16.5 million team option next season increases his trading value. The next step is Conley. When he recovers from a knee injury, he is a plug-and-play player who can organize a half-time attack. Conley was also 35 years old. When he was 36 years old, he still had 14.3 million guaranteed salaries in the contract. All 24.4 million salaries were not a junk contract, but not a trading asset.
Jazz’s attitude towards this deal depends on how they view Beasley and how they plan to digest the Vassy contract. Sir Danny Anji and general manager Justin zanick will find a way to win the first round signing of the Lakers. I don’t think the Jazz has shown the greatest sincerity in this plan. Neither ollinick nor Conley is in jazz’s future plan, nor can they exchange a first-round visa alone. I even suspect that neither olinik nor conley can be exchanged for a first round visa unless the jazz eats a long-term garbage contract at the same time. There is no need for jazz to do this here. It is successful to get rid of the group player options guaranteed by Conley and Guy next season. What’s more, they only took over one expired contract, and the first round of the Lakers’ rights swap in 2026 was enough to make up for the regret of not getting the second first round of signing.
If jazz wants the Lakers to sign the first round in 2029, this trading plan can be modified. No matter which first round the piston gets, it will be happy. They don’t have much first round signing from other teams. Although the piston has recently renewed his contract, it is more just an expedient measure, not necessarily to keep him. If Corning is expected to miss most of the matches this season, Jazz trading Boyang is an unnecessary thing to consider. Even if the piston can exchange a first-round visa from other teams, there won’t be a long time for the Lakers.
For the Lakers who have Conley, Beasley, Bojan, James and Lonnie Walker, the existence of Burks may be a bit redundant. It doesn’t matter. Burks can play for a little time in the third place of the small lineup. It is not a bad thing to have more ability to create shooting opportunities and three-point projection. Whether the Lakers are willing to bear the excessive tax after this deal is another question, they should be willing. If the Lakers want to save money, the trading plan needs to be adjusted slightly to eliminate Burks’s contract.
Original: Dan Favale
Compile: Li Taibai
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