Teams to Watch: Buyers Market

[Immortal Spur]

While I'm typically assured that moves won't be made during the season, it's beginning to be painfully obvious that there is a major defensive deficiency and that the roster is very poorly constructed with the stars we have. It's fair to give PATFO some leeway Imo cause they had no idea what the team would look like after the Leonard situation was taken care of. But now, the roster balance is very off due to injury and as above mentioned lack of defenders. Luckily this year we do have a little wiggle room due to the pick we got in the Leonard trade which looks to be a late first, very expendable. I must admit, that any move we make would likely include Pau or Patty for salary matching abilities and it's unclear if PATFO has any interest in trading them but I think now more than the last few years time has caught up to them. Pau plays good in stretches but we need a better rebounder and rim protector and as for Patty, Bryn's play almost makes him expendable especially when Murray, White, and Walker return. Depending on how White and Walker do this year, I think there is actually a chance he gets moved, albeit very minimal.

Anyways here's some teams to watch as the year progresses and the deadline approaches.

1. Phoenix
Ariza and Chandler are both on one year deals and PHX still has some cap room. Messing around with the trade machine, Pau, Patty, and the Toronto first could probably fetch both. Another scenario is getting Warren instead of Ariza. Warren is on a 4 year deal at about 11 per. I'm not sure where they stand on him but offloading his contract might be attractive. Long story short they are stacked at the forward position and we could desperately use one. Ariza could come in day one and start, really bolstering our front court. Chandler if he has anything left in the tank would be better than Pau and a shot at competing again should help. Why they would take Pau or Patty or both you might ask? Well they have no one to run point and Patty might actually be an upgrade and as for Pau, accepting him for a first and then the 3 mill guaranteed would still allow them to keep flexibility as well as get them what the really want which is stock piling assets. It just depends how much they value a first. A team like this with no attachments to it's veterans may actually do it.

2. Sacramento
Iman Shumpert, Skal, Frank Mason, and Justin Jackson are some names that interest and should be available for a variety of reasons. Iman is on a one year deal at 13 or 11 mill, don't remember and would help with defense and shooting. He's a little injury prone so I'm not sure. Skal is out of the rotation currently, yay or nay?... Frank Mason is someone I would love to have. He's one of the best backup pg's in the game and if you don't agree he will one day. I love his game. He's does a little bit of everything and it doesn't appear the Kings appreciate him cause his minutes fluctuate. Almost like they are doing him like they did Isaiah Thomas. And Justin Jackson may be a stretch but he'd be a perfect fit at three in the future. He's got length, can shoot and has a well rounded game. I'm not sure if they'd have any interest in Patty with all the guards they have but I'm sure they'd take Pau for a first. It's just what would you give up for Pau and a first?

3. Cleveland
They are very likely to be major sellers at the deadline. They are bad. I'm sure anyone but Sexton and Osman could be had... Love, Thompson, Korver, Nwaba, Nance, Clarkson... pupu platter I guess. Would anyone take Love if they took say Pau, Patty, White or Walker, and a couple firsts? I don't think the market will be big at all for Love and should be very easy to win. I'd look for a small move for like a Nwaba, but I don't think anything matches up with numbers and the first pick needed.

All in all, PATFO probably won't make trades, especially to Patty and Pau... It may have to become painfully obvious. It just sucks cause we got a couple really good pieces, they just need some help. It sucks we had to lose our starting PG to start the season and he might of helped a lot but even so there is still a major need for perimeter defenders and a defensive rebounding rim protecting big. Point should be fine when we get White and Walker back, maybe not, but we'll see.

Thoughts.

[SAGirl]

Agreed with the premise in this thread. I hope they are on the lookout for trade opportunities if they don’t want to waste Demar and Lamarcus this year. Trade requests from them aren’t out of the question if the FO appears not to care about making the team better. Demar didn’t choose to come here and Lamarcus called up Lillard 2 seasons ago when he wanted to get traded. They shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Edit: its too early to say where Sacramento and Phoenix stand. Phoenix will be better and they now value the experience their vets provide to develop an interesting young crew. They have looked around at PG help but come out with nothing yet bc they haven’t been willing to squander too much and Paddy has been ghastly bad.

[BWS-1994]

Maybe the apistons, the Nets, the Knicks and the Heat as well?

[ginobilized]

Basically the Eastern Conference except for Toronto, Boston, Philly and Milwaukee could be trade partners. The bottom half of the Western Conference should be viable as well.
More wings available than a family meal from KFC.

[sasaint]

Agreed with the premise in this thread. I hope they are on the lookout for trade opportunities if they don’t want to waste Demar and Lamarcus this year. Trade requests from them aren’t out of the question if the FO appears not to care about making the team better. Demar didn’t choose to come here and Lamarcus called up Lillard 2 seasons ago when he wanted to get traded. They shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Edit: its too early to say where Sacramento and Phoenix stand. Phoenix will be better and they now value the experience their vets provide to develop an interesting young crew. They have looked around at PG help but come out with nothing yet bc they haven’t been willing to squander too much and Paddy has been ghastly bad.

It is a foregone conclusion that we ARE wasting LMA and DeMar this season. But your other point is spot-on: will that compel one or both to request/demand a trade? If so, this franchise could spiral down to a crash landing VERY fast. On top of the previous LMA trade request, the debacle with Number 2 and the poor personnel/contract decisions that PATFO have made, such demands from LMA and DeMar could do damage to the once unassailable Spurs that would put us in Phoenix/Sacto territory.

[Immortal Spur]

It is a foregone conclusion that we ARE wasting LMA and DeMar this season. But your other point is spot-on: will that compel one or both to request/demand a trade? If so, this franchise could spiral down to a crash landing VERY fast. On top of the previous LMA trade request, the debacle with Number 2 and the poor personnel/contract decisions that PATFO have made, such demands from LMA and DeMar could do damage to the once unassailable Spurs that would put us in Phoenix/Sacto territory.

I don't think these are the type of guys to sit around and wait for things to get better. They need help. They are professionals and are gonna give it time, but depending on the amount of help they get offensively and defensively, I believe there could be grumblings at some point in the season. You can't just have guys be leaders who can't play. People respect the best players, not just guys that say the right things. It gets irritating. I suppose it will take losing and losing big for to hit the fan, but there definitely needs to be a paradigm shift. LMA and DD have leverage. We are at a critical point in the franchise. It's like the years before we found Tony and Manu. Stuff needs to pan out. One of our young players need to be a star or really close. This DJ injury hurt us in so many ways. He's was suppose to be the vocal leader and take steps to s om. Honestly I guess having Lonnie and White come back relatively soon gives us some hope. We need some surprises to take place to continue upward. That was on early but we'll see if it can take a turn for the better.

[gambit1990]

i’ve always liked ariza. don’t see the suns giving him up. at least not for what the spurs could offer.

[sasaint]

I don't think these are the type of guys to sit around and wait for things to get better. They need help. They are professionals and are gonna give it time, but depending on the amount of help they get offensively and defensively, I believe there could be grumblings at some point in the season. You can't just have guys be leaders who can't play. People respect the best players, not just guys that say the right things. It gets irritating. I suppose it will take losing and losing big for to hit the fan, but there definitely needs to be a paradigm shift. LMA and DD have leverage. We are at a critical point in the franchise. It's like the years before we found Tony and Manu. Stuff needs to pan out. One of our young players need to be a star or really close. This DJ injury hurt us in so many ways. He's was suppose to be the vocal leader and take steps to s om. Honestly I guess having Lonnie and White come back relatively soon gives us some hope. We need some surprises to take place to continue upward. That was on early but we'll see if it can take a turn for the better.

When Manu arrived, he was that surprise/spark at that time. You are right; we need a new surprise/spark. But those don't happen often. Much better odds in Vegas... Placing hopes on such an eventuality is pretty scary for Spurs fans.

[Immortal Spur]

i’ve always liked ariza. don’t see the suns giving him up. at least not for what the spurs could offer.

I'd like to get Ariza and Chandler for a 1st, Pau and Patty LOL Depends on how much they value a pick...

White/Forbes/Murray
DeMar/Beli/Walker
Ariza/Gay/Qpon
LMA/Bertans/Dante
Chandler/Poeltl/Metu

And include Pondexter and we'd have an extra roster spot. Also Ariza and Chandler are one year deals so they'd be expiring. We get cap relief, better defense, and be rid of Patty and Pau. Include a second round pick if you have to.

[sasaint]

i’ve always liked ariza. don’t see the suns giving him up. at least not for what the spurs could offer.

Agree and agree.

[Immortal Spur]

When Manu arrived, he was that surprise/spark at that time. You are right; we need a new surprise/spark. But those don't happen often. Much better odds in Vegas... Placing hopes on such an eventuality is pretty scary for Spurs fans.

Pretty much. We are doing exactly how we though we'd be doing and that' because youth while inexperienced increase ceiling and don't really do anything to the floor in our case. Right now we lost all our hope for increasing the ceiling.

[Immortal Spur]

i’ve always liked ariza. don’t see the suns giving him up. at least not for what the spurs could offer.

We have picks, I believe we could get it done if we really wanted to. PHX has been know to stockpile picks. If and when PHX torpedoes, they really have no use for Ariza or Chandler who are both likely gone after this season. I figure if they can get a pick out of them, and they aren't compe ive any way, they'd do it.

This goes into the idea tho, of how valuable a pick is to us. We have a lot of young players right now. We really don't need another guard. I guess we could wait and look for a wing like OG in the draft, but we'll see.

[Mugen]

You should add another team to that list, OP: The Spurs.

There's no realistic trade that I see them pulling the trigger on that moves them to a top 4 seed in the West. Maybe something is out that there that gets them to an 8 seed but I'd be surprised if Pop moves Patty/Pau.

They should absolutely be sellers if they are where I think they'll be come January.

[sasaint]

I'd like to get Ariza and Chandler for a 1st, Pau and Patty LOL Depends on how much they value a pick...

White/Forbes/Murray
DeMar/Beli/Walker
Ariza/Gay/Qpon
LMA/Bertans/Dante
Chandler/Poeltl/Metu

And include Pondexter and we'd have an extra roster spot. Also Ariza and Chandler are one year deals so they'd be expiring. We get cap relief, better defense, and be rid of Patty and Pau. Include a second round pick if you have to.

I suspect the Suns could do better, tbh.

I don't really agree with your depth chart. Frontcourt should be:

Ariza/Gay/?
Dante/Bertans/Metu
LMA/Chandler/Poodle

LMA and Chandler should hardly ever be paired in today's NBA.

[Immortal Spur]

You should add another team to that list, OP: The Spurs.

There's no realistic trade that I see them pulling the trigger on that moves them to a top 4 seed in the West. Maybe something is out that there that gets them to an 8 seed but I'd be surprised if Pop moves Patty/Pau.

They should absolutely be sellers if they are where I think they'll be come January.

Facts, but I am having pure orgasmic bliss just thinking it may be possible...

[Immortal Spur]

I suspect the Suns could do better, tbh.

I don't really agree with your depth chart. Frontcourt should be:

Ariza/Gay/?
Dante/Bertans/Metu
LMA/Chandler/Poodle

LMA and Chandler should hardly ever be paired in today's NBA.

and yet Poodle is playing next to LMA as we speak... smh

[sasaint]

and yet Poodle is playing next to LMA as we speak... smh

"Paired" but "playing"?

[Mugen]

I mean if RC/Pop haven't at least made a call to the Clippers offering a 1st for Beverley, then I highly highly doubt their commitment to doing anything this year...

Pau for Bazemore and his terrible contract....

The moves are out there. If Presti was running the team, these moves would have been made as soon as Dejounte went down .... but instead we get a couple of idiots who didn't learn from 2008-2012 and still think that the biggest issue with the team is gelling......

[Immortal Spur]

"Paired" but "playing"?

forgive my wording lol

[sasaint]

forgive my wording lol

joke's on us...

[RC_Drunkford]

if things don't get better they'd probably make a trade. But I fully expect them to trade Poetl, Bertans or Forbes. No way they trade Pau or Patty. I expect Pau to get traded after the season, but I can't see him getting a mid-season trade unless it's to Memphis, T-Wolves or Lakers. Actually, Pau to the Lakers would be genius, but I don't see how they'd match salary.

[DAF86]

if things don't get better they'd probably make a trade. But I fully expect them to trade Poetl, Bertans or Forbes. No way they trade Pau or Patty. I expect Pau to get traded after the season, but I can't see him getting a mid-season trade unless it's to Memphis, T-Wolves or Lakers. Actually, Pau to the Lakers would be genius, but I don't see how they'd match salary.

Gasol for Caldwell-Pope and fillers (like Stephenson or Beasley) would work I think.

Lakers fans with Pope are like Spurs fans with Gasol. They are tired. A change of scenery for both players could work. Plus, the Lakers need centers and the Spurs need wings.

[r0drig0lac]

Gasol for Caldwell-Pope and fillers (like Stephenson or Beasley) would work I think.

Lakers fans with Pope are like Spurs fans with Gasol. They are tired. A chance of scenery for both players could work. Plus, the Lakers need centers and the Spurs need wings.

do it

[RC_Drunkford]

the thing of Pau to LA is, it would make the Spurs better while also making the Lakers worse. You kill 2 birds with 1 stone

[Seventyniner]

Good thread premise.

There are so many players that can't be traded until December 15 that we probably won't see many deals before then. At that point teams will have a much better idea where they stand.