Markkanen would be a great get, but I don’t think we are there yet to make such a major move. For this to make sense, you’d have to combine it with another all-in trade that would make us legitimate contenders. Not sure anything like that realistically exists. Something like the below could work, but doubt that raises our ceiling high enough to justify cashing in all our assets: Trade 1: Green + Jabari for Markkanen Trade 2: Dipo, Jeff, Landale, Tate and all the Nets picks/swaps for Lavine FVV, Lavine, Brooks, Lauri, Sengun Amen, Cam, Eason Best to be patient and let our young talent develop into better players / trade assets. Such a move could work in 2 years time assuming Amen, Cam have developed into solid rotational pieces, and Sengun/Eason have taken another leap.
Jalen Green JaSean Tate Victor Oladipo 2024 BKN 1st Round Pick 2026 BKN 1st Round Pick For Donovan Mitchell Starters: FVV Mitchell Brooks Jabari Sengun Bench: Amen Thompson Aaron Holiday Cam Whitmore Tari Eason Jeff Green
A more extreme version of the above would look like this: FVV, Amen and all 4 remaining Nets picks/swaps for D. Mitchell and LeVert Jabari + Green for Lauri, Olynyk Salary fillers (Dipo, Jeff, Landale, Tate), Cam, ‘28 & ‘30 FRPs for Lavine, Carter We end up with: Mitchell, Lavine, Brooks, Lauri, Sengun as starters, with Carter, LeVert, Eason, Olynyk in playoffs rotation.
The reason I'm okay with paying a fairly high price for Lauri is because he's only 26. Lots of time to continue to build around him plus the guys we already have. If he were any older I would be on the same page as you are.
Donovan Mitchell is too much of a flight risk this summer to include picks and Tate. Jalen would be a nice piece for a Mitchell who is almost certainly leaving them this summer. How about Jalen + Oladipo + Landale?
While a big trade has understandable impediments, replacing Landale seems a no brainer. Whats the hold up?
Green, Oladipo, Tate, Boban, BKN 25 & 27 1st, Rockets 2029 1st to Cavs Mitchell to Rockets - Landale, 3 future 2nds to Jazz Olynyk to Rockets Convert Nate Williams to a standard contract to fill roster minimum Van-Vleet / Holiday Mitchell / Thompson / Williams Brooks / Bullock / Whitmore Smith / Eason Sengun / Olynyk / Green
Who’s on the trading block for the Rockets? far as I can see we have Jock Lamedale - $8 mil Reggie Bullock- $11 mil Victor Oladipo - $9.5 mil maybe Jalen Green - $9.9 mil (could be close $25 mil with extension) Jae’Sean Tate - $6.5 mil
Tate is extremely valuable for teams like the Hawks, Celtics, etc... You could try to get Bogdon (maybe avail) OR Murray (100mil, risky headcase, jabari beef) for Tate + Oladipo.
The other thing about a potential Lauri trade is keeping him off OKC. SGA dishing to Chet and Lauri twin towers for years and years sounds like a nightmare to me. If Lauri is traded, no other team is going to beat OKC's offer, we're the only ones that might be interested who even have a shot
Oladipo, Landale, 2025 1st via OKC/BKN, 2024 2nd via GSW -for- Caruso, Drummond Bulls tear it down and get pretty good value for a defensive guard and a past-prime backup center. About 20m in expiring contracts and a couple picks, I feel that's a pretty solid value. Rockets shore up the weak links and roll out this 10 man rotation: FVV - Green - Brooks - Smith - Sengun Amen - Caruso - Tate - Eason - Drummond/Jeff Tripling down on defense, this squad would be crazy elite. I'm gonna say it. I think this lineup would make the conference finals at minimum.
