Would You....

[The Dud]

Nets come to you and are just gonna blow it all up and try to build again with good human beings. Will give you KD for Jonas, Trey, Herb, Graham, Temple, Kira, the 2023 pick (w/Lakers swap rights), and the 2024/25 Lakers pick

No negotiation. Take it or leave it and they move onto the next team on their list. What do you say?

At the risk of ignoring the "no negotiation" aspect...I think the Nets would be much more interested in having Daniels in that deal than Herb for age AND style reasons. And I also think the Pels, given their Phase 3 status if they suddenly added KD... would prefer to keep Herb than to keep Daniels. Win/win for both sides. I don't consider Herb a preference for a Phase 1 team, which Nets would be if they dropped KD.

FWIW: My small group of professional arguers decided a while back to rate NBA teams by Phase based on the following. Phase 1...tanking or severely rebuilding. Phase 2...borderline playoff team but nowhere near a serious contender (probably the worst of all Phases). Phase 3...a SERIOUS contender...immediately

FWIW (Part 2) Please..quit messing with my main man...Herb. By now, it should be apparent I'm a stone cold "Herbaholic".

[Darkhorse985]

IMO the trade should be a 3 team deal with the Lakers.

Pels get KD and Nic Claxton

Lakers get Kyrie Irving and Devonte Graham (3 point shooting)

Nets get Russell Westbrook, Trey Murphy, JV, Jaxson Hayes, Kira Lewis, Garrett Temple, and 4 1sts (Lakers or Pels 2023, Lakers 2024 or 2025, Bucks 2025, and Lakers 2027).

That is a great haul to the Nets for blowing it up. Honestly, that would be the best they could possibly get for KD and Irving at this point.

Pels lineup after trade:

PG: McCullum/Alvarado
SG: Ingram/Daniels
SF: Durant/Jones/Marshall
PF: Zion/Nance
C: Hernangomez/Claxton

Hernangomez is terribly underrated and underutilized right now. He is a worthy starting center for a team like this. Easy 10/10 guy playing 25 minutes.

You could argue that the Nets could still contend for a playoff spot with this lineup and a decent coach.

PG: Westbrook/Mills
SG: Murphy/Curry/Thomas
SF: O’Neale/Harris
PF: Simmons/Warren
C: JV/Hayes

[hornetsrebirth]

I promise yall, winning with a homegrown team will feel so much better and more satisfying than trading away the team to rent a superstar for a couple years.

[tdcreator]

I’d say no. I like our team and the chemistry. If I got to keep Trey and put protection on Lakers picks then maybe. My protections would be if we keep Lakers pick say top 5 protected, then we give up 2 of ours/bucks picks. I like the Claxton with KD.

[MichaelMcNamara]

I’d say no. I like our team and the chemistry. If I got to keep Trey and put protection on Lakers picks then maybe. My protections would be if we keep Lakers pick say top 5 protected, then we give up 2 of ours/bucks picks. I like the Claxton with KD.

Chemistry is fine now but eventually everyone wants more. You see it already with Hernangomez. If JV keeps getting 20 mins and 2 shots, he will get frustrated too. Trey eventually will want more touches (and money), whoever you take with the Laker pick wont want to be an 8th man, etc etc

This doesnt last forever. Right now, they havent won, havent accomplished much individually and just are happy to be playing and winning for the first time. That gets old and they always want more. Just having this insanely deep roster that you keep adding top 10 picks to and hoping they all stay happy, and sacrifice for the greater good.... I promise you that wont happen.

[AusPel]

Chemistry is fine now but eventually everyone wants more. You see it already with Hernangomez. If JV keeps getting 20 mins and 2 shots, he will get frustrated too. Trey eventually will want more touches (and money), whoever you take with the Laker pick wont want to be an 8th man, etc etc

This doesnt last forever. Right now, they havent won, havent accomplished much individually and just are happy to be playing and winning for the first time. That gets old and they always want more. Just having this insanely deep roster that you keep adding top 10 picks to and hoping they all stay happy, and sacrifice for the greater good.... I promise you that wont happen.

In the hierachy of problems a team could have from Absolute God Tier (AGT) to Total Trainwreck (TTT), this has to be right in the upper echelon

(or lower, depending on your vantage point)

[Darkhorse985]

I promise yall, winning with a homegrown team will feel so much better and more satisfying than trading away the team to rent a superstar for a couple years.

What are we trading away in the above mentioned scenario? A young, quality 3 and D player, 3 lotto tickets, a 30+ year old quality offensive center who is very limited defensively, and fluff for 3 years of a superstar making us an instant championship contender?

Also, this team isn’t homegrown. It’s built mainly of players traded to the Pels.

[MichaelMcNamara]

You are trading away “dreams and hopes”— fans love to imagine their young players growing internally into the best possible version of themselves. That process is very fun when it happens

For some, winning with mercenaries isn’t as fun. I get that. But you also have to consider Herb plateaus as just an okay player. Trey as a solid starter, etc. which is very possible IMO

[As I See It]

May I offer this:

A 22 Year old Zion Williamson straight up for a 34 year old Kevin Durant. If you want, you can toss in Temple to open a spot for EJ.

PG: CJ and Jose'
SG: BI and DD
SF: Herb and TM3
PF: KD and Naji
C: JV and LNJ

Additionally: Graham, Hayes, Willy, Kira, and EJ and most importantly, we retain the '23 draft swap with Lakers.

Honestly, my biggest concern is whether BI and KD can mutually co-exist in this scenario.

[AusPel]

I think BI and KD fit better than Zion and BI

Zion is limited and the fanbase needs to get used to it

No growth nearing 4 years in

Pure bully ball with 0 defense doesn't win titles. Comes close, yes

If I had to trade one of Zion or BI, it's Zion 100/100 times

Hell, I'd even consider keeping Trey over Zion

[As I See It]

I think BI and KD fit better than Zion and BI

Zion is limited and the fanbase needs to get used to it

No growth nearing 4 years in

Pure bully ball with 0 defense doesn't win titles. Comes close, yes

If I had to trade one of Zion or BI, it's Zion 100/100 times

Agree, though reluctantly!!

[AusPel]

Just got me thinking how insane Giannis is.

He needs to go down a top 5ish guy of all time

[AusPel]

I mean, anywhere in the top 15 should kind of be interchangeable, except Jordan 1 and LeBron 2. Probably Wilt and Kareem 3 and 4

Then 5 to 15 fairly interchangeable, which is no way a slight on anyone

[hornetsrebirth]

I think BI and KD fit better than Zion and BI

Because why?

[AusPel]

Because why?

KD can defend the post better than Zion and has an array of offensive moves Zion can only dream of

Makes him easier to mesh with BI on both ends

[hornetsrebirth]

KD can defend the post better than Zion and has an array of offensive moves Zion can only dream of

Makes him easier to mesh with BI on both ends

Defensively KD is not known as a stopper, his rating (going by stats) is worse than Zion. Also he typically guards wings not power forwards. Zion does need to improve on defense but he absolutely can, he is a young guy still ascending who has played less than 100 games, where as KD is approaching a decline.

On offense Zion does a different thing than KD and BI, he pounds the paint. Whereas BI and KD are practically the same player. If you ask people for 1 player in league similar to KD, the name you expect to hear most is BI. Players that mesh well together are usually those with offsetting skill sets, not identical ones.

[AusPel]

Defensively KD is not known as a stopper, his rating (going by stats) is worse than Zion. Also he typically guards wings not power forwards. Zion does need to improve on defense but he absolutely can, he is a young guy still ascending who has played less than 100 games, where as KD is approaching a decline.

On offense Zion does a different thing than KD and BI, he pounds the paint. Whereas BI and KD are practically the same player. If you ask people for 1 player in league similar to KD, the name you expect to hear most is BI. Players that mesh well together are usually those with offsetting skill sets, not identical ones.

Why did Tatum and Brown lead their team to the finals?

If Kawhi was heathly, it would have most likely been Clippers v Boston in the Finals

Tatum + Brown
Kawhi + PG

I sense a theme here

On paper, BI and Zion seem like a good fit. Would have dominated the 2010s era. All Zion wants is to bully ball. Not even unpredictable bully ball, always to the left bully ball. Also he's not Shaq, the greatest bully baller in history

This is the 6'8 6'9 wing era

I truly believe Trey could develop into a more impactful player, deep into the playoffs than Zion might ever be

[As I See It]

Why did Tatum and Brown lead their team to the finals?

If Kawhi was heathly, it would have most likely been Clippers v Boston in the Finals

Tatum + Brown
Kawhi + PG

I sense a theme here

On paper, BI and Zion seem like a good fit. Would have dominated the 2010s era. All Zion wants is to bully ball. Not even unpredictable bully ball, always to the left bully ball. Also he's not Shaq, the greatest bully baller in history

This is the 6'8 6'9 wing era

I truly believe Trey could develop into a more impactful player, deep into the playoffs than Zion might ever be

At this point in his career he pales in comparison to his predecessor, AD. And, it's not close.

[hornetsrebirth]

Why did Tatum and Brown lead their team to the finals?

Two young stars (literally 10 years younger than KD) who were able to finally figure something out after playing together for years, led their team on a run without facing the stiffest of competition in the East. But why were they sub 500 in the middle of January? Not exactly why you call dominating the league.

If Kawhi was heathly, it would have most likely been Clippers v Boston in the Finals

Tatum + Brown
Kawhi + PG

I sense a theme here

The Clippers have never been to the Finals, however they had their best run in franchise history in 2021, when Kawhi did not play a single game all season or postseason. Kawhi + PG literally didnt happen at all in 2021, how in the world are you using that season to justify your theory of this being the era of two wings? Sensing a theme, lol sure.

Im not saying it cant work, there are isolated examples of success with two super high level guys with overlapping skill sets, but a more common formula for success is a balanced team containing stars with complimentary skill sets.

[Algiersraised]

lol no way kd can stay where he at

[luckyman]

Defensively KD is not known as a stopper, his rating (going by stats) is worse than Zion. Also he typically guards wings not power forwards. Zion does need to improve on defense but he absolutely can, he is a young guy still ascending who has played less than 100 games, where as KD is approaching a decline.

On offense Zion does a different thing than KD and BI, he pounds the paint. Whereas BI and KD are practically the same player. If you ask people for 1 player in league similar to KD, the name you expect to hear most is BI. Players that mesh well together are usually those with offsetting skill sets, not identical ones.

^^^^^^

[heybigmatt]

You are trading away ?dreams and hopes?? fans love to imagine their young players growing internally into the best possible version of themselves. That process is very fun when it happens

For some, winning with mercenaries isn?t as fun. I get that. But you also have to consider Herb plateaus as just an okay player. Trey as a solid starter, etc. which is very possible IMO

Trey with his low shot release and his poor footwork coming off screens - don?t think he ever becomes a starter. Fine bench player.