Knicks did all that work just to end up 8th...lmao, Knicks fans might as well start thinking about rooting for another team there is powerful wizardry at work when it comes to that franchise...they have been cursed
Warriors winning rings getting a #2, Knicks trash for a decade without a single top 5 pick on their roster. Edit - forgot about Barrett, Knicks better hope he blossoms.
Their top target is likely Beal or Booker. I don’t know if they can get it done with 2nd overall, but the league is f*cked if they can pull off a blockbuster move this offseason.
Ok I love to try to think of hypothetical trade scenarios and try to put some serious thought into it to make it make sense for both sides. @D-rock @Air Canada I’ve grown to appreciate your opinions so let me know what you think of this hypothetical. IF Milwaukee flame out these playoffs, say they lose to Miami in the second round and Giannis shows frustration in his play and says all the wrong things, because he’s probably staying put if they reach the finals let alone win it. But say that happens, what do you think of the following trade: Golden State offers Klay, Draymond, 2nd overall pick this year, Minnesota’s first round pick next year (only 1-3 protected), and a few more future first rounders or sweeteners FOR Giannis and Khris Middleton Knee jerk “Stupid post” reactions would be: A) Golden State would never trade Klay. I truly believe they would in this case. They know they can’t pass the opportunity of pairing Giannis with Steph, and adding a player as good as Middleton to the mix is enough to mitigate the doubt of breaking up the Splash brothers B) Why would Milwaukee ever do this? Trading Giannis AND adding Middleton to the trade? First off we’re making the assumption they risk losing Giannis in a year for nothing which a city like Milwaukee can’t afford. They are getting Klay who is maybe not Showtime but is a better element for a franchise than Middleton, and Green, which can be flipped for something else later. Those two will keep them competitive with their current roster, and they’re adding loads of future firsts. Kind of like an OKC makeover only instead of CP3 replacing Russ you have Klay replacing Middleton and instead of PG13 for the young Shai and the vet Gallo it’s Giannis for the 2nd pick this year and Draymond with the future firsts. Yes I’m not speaking much about Giannis who is obviously the biggest piece but if management is feeling they’re losing him and Giannis tells them I’d like to be traded to the Warriors (which I truly think he would), I think this could be good for them.
I hope Warriors do it. Steph and Giannis are not a championship duo. Giannis is a worse 3 point threat than Draymond, so spacing gets tighter for GSW. Middleton is younger, but Klay is more consistent and the better system fit. This trade eliminates Bucks from championship contention immediately. And that 2nd overall pick is fools gold in what is universally known as a bad draft. GSW is reloaded with Steph, Giannis, Middleton, Wiggins but the chemistry is going to be a problem. Can Giannis play 2nd fiddle to Steph, a lesser and oft injured talent? Durant could only stomach it for 3 seasons.
It definitely eliminates them from championship contention but there is no way they’re staying in contention if they’re trading him anyway I find it hard to believe Steph and Giannis wouldn’t work beautifully together
Steph owns the bay area. Giannis is very prickly and sensitive to criticism. If team does not win or win big enough, media will not blame Steph OR Kerr. Think a more immature, thinner skinned Durant. But dont get me wrong, I love this trade. I hope both GSW and the Bucks do it. It is WIN-win, a bit more WIN for GSW. Klay would hate GSW for doing this though.
I agree with what you’re saying about Giannis. I just think him and Steph both seem to have man crushes on one another he’d be super excited to have him be the first real star he pairs up with. I also agree that it’s more of a win for Warriors. But at the end of the day Milwaukee management have to not worry about that and enjoy the fact that they probably also win. Worked out great for OKC this season. They knew Paul’s age and contract but accepted to move on from Russ and make the most of it. Klay would not be happy about it for sure. He’ll feel betrayed without a doubt, as he should. But you know what hasn’t sunk in to anyone just yet (literally just sunk in for me); it’s not out of the question that next season will also be in some sort of a bubble which would mean he may not actually have to move to Milwaukee haha EDIT: Nevermind actually no way they can have a whole season in a bubble. Actually after this I should say nothing is impossible but just can’t have anything close to a regular length season keeping the players away from their families like that
I don't know if Milwaukee would do this. I'm sure there'd be better deals later on. Middleton is a great player in his own right, and can probably be the second best player on a championship team. I don't think Klay can create his own shot consistently and with all of Draymond's bbIQ, he's less of a threat on offense than Giannis is. Let's say they get a guard like Ball or Edwards with #2. You'd have Bledsoe / Ball / Klay / Draymond / Lopez as your starting 5, a bunch of meh and lots of future picks. I personally don't think that's competitive at all, even in the top-heavy East. It'd be easy for Golden State to do this, provided Giannis can adopt a Dwight-with-Harden role; that is, the offense should run through Curry. Giannis should just set screens for Curry and roll to the basket. Giannis can put up 30/15 on a nightly basis. But will he adhere to this? I doubt it. But besides that, Golden State replacing Klay with Middleton isn't like falling off a cliff. You're just replacing a sniper with a scorer. You do lose Draymond though, and he's the swiss army knife.
I get feeling Milwaukee would never. But I’m more thinking it’s a situation like AD saying he only wants to go to the Lakers. Other teams would be pretty hesitant to offer everything, not that there would be many packages where a team is offering enough to entice all the while contending. Taking the futures out of the equation, AD netted Ingram Ball Hart and the 8th pick I believe. There is no young star like Ingram in the equation but Klay is still the best player in the package, Draymond and say Paschall instead of Lonzo and Hart is a wash. Draft maybe sketchey but #2 pick still a #2 pick rather than #8. Milwaukee will get to do their diligence. I am no fan of Giannis; but the whole will it work, will he adhere with this is a tad (no disrespect) delusional. If he’s done with Milwaukee no way Golden State isn’t his number 1 option. Come on, we may dislike Giannis, Steph and the Warriors, but no doubt he would be going to one of the best organizations to play with the greatest shooter of all time who is most definitely the opposite of a selfish player. Plus Draymond won’t be there to be annoying. EDIT: and yeah Milwaukee is not making the finals but they could be as good as an Indiana team, only instead of Indy they could be getting the rookie of the year or future star plus several future firsts (Minnesota’s next year is pretty attractive, they won’t be bad enough for it likely to be top 3 protected, but they could still be back in the lottery.) Most likely actually cuz they’re still probably worst than all current playoff teams and Golden State
I don't think this is a bad trade, but if Klay is still Klay I don't see the Warriors trading him and Draymond for Giannis/Middleton... I definitely think they'd trade Draymond, the 2nd pick, future firsts, and just about anyone else for filler though for Giannis and if the Bucks really are gonna lose him they may do it, but this years draft isn't that great imo so idk.... I'm doubtful also because Steph has sway and influence in things like this and I don't see them making such a decision without his input especially because of the chemistry he has with Klay... I don't think he'd be down unless there was a way to keep Klay. Ultimately I don't think Giannis would do this either because I think he wants to win it on HIS own team... The Leastern Conference is still significantly easier than the West to get through and accolades are easier to acquire out there as well. He's the kind of player I could see staying in a place like Milwaukee and resigning OR if he chooses to leave... I think he does it in a KD kinda way where he doesn't make his decision till FA.
Great job Rosas. Another 2nd tier star might be enough for a future championship core if the coach knows how to give these kids good habits. Russell must have picked up better habits under Atkinson. He would be a great coach for them btw.
It's not a deep or awesome draft so the 1st pick wouldn't have mattered that much either. Minny is prolly getting an Allstar, I do not think a superstar..... If GSW can't get an Allstar, could perhaps get Oubre and another versatile big/defensive ballhandler. Strengthen the rotation with borderline very good players, the depth they lacked in previous years. Bob Myers is a fabulous GM, he'll do something.
Lol I dun trust DLo Russell at all. And Kat's D isn't exactly stifling. The Nets quickly compensated for Russell's production sans KD and Kyrie.
Trading Klay is definitely the toughest decision an organization would have to make. It’s mainly why I feel the only way a trade like this happens is if Golden State gets Middleton as well. There is no package they could put together for Giannis without including Klay realistically, so at least adding another all star in Middleton helps with the optics, on top of the fact the opportunity to acquire a player like Giannis at age 25 is once in a lifetime opportunity. It would still be a tough pill to swallow but it would be a no brainer getting Giannis and Middleton back. Time will tell about Giannis. I do think if this playoffs is a disaster (2nd round loss) things will unfold rather quickly. Players are too impatient to wait one more year and frankly they have so much leverage these days they don’t have to. If he knows he wants to get to Golden State (which I personally think he does if he decides to move on from Milwaukee, and obviously I’m just guessing, who knows what his preferred destination is), he’d rather get there sooner than later. It’ll be AD all over again, “I only want to go to the Warriors, or I’ll sign there next year” and then as weird as it sounds Milwaukee gets all the leverage from the Warriors by insisting they include Klay. Warriors will have no choice. A chance to get arguably the best player in the league in his prime without giving up your best player? I know Klay is on a completely different level then the examples I’m about to give but they didn’t hesitate dumping Bogut and Barnes after a championship and then a finals appearance, and they dumped Iggy last summer just to gain an asset in DLo. I don’t know where I stand with if Milwaukee beat Miami but lose to the Raps in the conference finals. I personally think a conversation will still be had, not sure if any demands are made. Oddly enough I think those are the two teams on Giannis’ radar if he’s leaving Milwaukee, Golden State and Toronto.
Because it’s the reality of the situation. The Warriors organization want to win more championships, not show fans what Curry can (can’t) do on his own.
Thompson/Curry/both clearly heading to Houston in exchange for Westbrook and the Rockets first round picks in 2026, 2028 and 2030, plus swap rights in 2040, top 17 protected for even-numbers only, not sure why everybody doesn't see this coming a million miles away.
