Minnesota Sports Forum

I thought I'd start a thread to cover all the trades and free-agent transactions around the NBA including but beyond what the Wolves are doing this summer.

The clock is ticking and FA negotiations can begin just after midnight tonight. Of course, as we all know, talks have already begun. Some trades have already happened, including the likes of Gortat and Austin Rivers. Rumors are swirling about bigger deals involving Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and LeBron, but apparently nothing is close yet.

So maybe we can start with some predictions. Where will LeBron, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard end up?

Not to mention the decision that MUST be made TODAY on Cole Aldrich. Most likely scenario is he is waived. But one reason it has not happened, yet, is because a trade could surface where the Wolves get a player back they want and the other team gets to save some money be waiving Cole.

LeBron James - Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Durant - Golden State Warriors
Chris Paul - Houston Rockets
Paul George - Los Angeles Lakers
Kawhi Leonard - Philadelphia 76ers [Saric/Fultz, Covington, 1st-round pick(s)]
DeAndre Jordan - Dallas Mavericks
DeMarcus Cousins - New Orleans Pelicans
Clint Capela - Houston Rockets
Aaron Gordon - Indiana Pacers [Orlando Magic should match any offer sheet]
Julius Randle - Phoenix Suns/Dallas Mavericks
Jabari Parker - Utah Jazz
Zach LaVine - Chicago Bulls
Derrick Favors - Milwaukee Bucks
Trevor Aliza - Houston Rockets
Enes Kanter - New York Knicks
Will Barton - Denver Nuggets/Philadelphia 76ers
Jusuf Nurkic - Portland Trailblazers

Camden0916 wrote:LeBron James - Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Durant - Golden State Warriors
Chris Paul - Houston Rockets
Paul George - Los Angeles Lakers
Kawhi Leonard - Philadelphia 76ers [Saric/Fultz, Covington, 1st-round pick(s)]
DeAndre Jordan - Dallas Mavericks
DeMarcus Cousins - New Orleans Pelicans
Clint Capela - Houston Rockets
Aaron Gordon - Indiana Pacers [Orlando Magic should match any offer sheet]
Julius Randle - Phoenix Suns/Dallas Mavericks
Jabari Parker - Utah Jazz
Zach LaVine - Chicago Bulls
Derrick Favors - Milwaukee Bucks
Trevor Aliza - Houston Rockets
Enes Kanter - New York Knicks
Will Barton - Denver Nuggets/Philadelphia 76ers
Jusuf Nurkic - Portland Trailblazers

Well done Cam. The only thing missing is what vet the Kings will sign that looks like a mistake only a few months later. :)

Camden wrote:LeBron James - Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Durant - Golden State Warriors
Chris Paul - Houston Rockets
Paul George - Los Angeles Lakers
Kawhi Leonard - Philadelphia 76ers [Saric/Fultz, Covington, 1st-round pick(s)]
DeAndre Jordan - Dallas Mavericks
DeMarcus Cousins - New Orleans Pelicans
Clint Capela - Houston Rockets
Aaron Gordon - Indiana Pacers [Orlando Magic should match any offer sheet]
Julius Randle - Phoenix Suns/Dallas Mavericks
Jabari Parker - Utah Jazz
Zach LaVine - Chicago Bulls
Derrick Favors - Milwaukee Bucks
Trevor Aliza - Houston Rockets
Enes Kanter - New York Knicks
Will Barton - Denver Nuggets/Philadelphia 76ers
Jusuf Nurkic - Portland Trailblazers

Great list, Cam.

You have a couple really interesting predictions in there with Jabari Parker going to the Jazz and Derrick Favors ending up in Milwaukee. I'd be interested in knowing how you see those two things happening.

Does Dallas have the cap room to sign both Julius Randle and D. Jordan? Or are you assuming that they sign Randle only if they don't sign Jordan? Randle going to the Suns would really make them a big-time up-and-coming team.

I think Barton will stay with the Nuggets.

Paul George and Lebron to the Lakers, Kawaii to the Clippers

BloopOracle wrote:Paul George and Lebron to the Lakers, Kawaii to the Clippers

Good guess. I'm convinced Paul George and LeBron end up with the Lakers. The Clippers would be a logical place for Kawhi to land, but I think the Spurs will trade him to the Eastern Conference.

lipoli390 wrote:

BloopOracle wrote:Paul George and Lebron to the Lakers, Kawaii to the Clippers

Good guess. I'm convinced Paul George and LeBron end up with the Lakers. The Clippers would be a logical place for Kawhi to land, but I think the Spurs will trade him to the Eastern Conference.

I think the Spurs take the best available offer. If it's close...sure but if the offer is better they will take it and saying they will send him east could be a bargaining chip to get a West team to up their offer.

If LeBron and Paul George end up with the Lakers as many of us expect, the West will have a 3rd team the Wolves can't compete with unless Butler stays unusually healthy, KAT improves defensively and Wiggins takes a huge leap forward that few if any expect from him. Even then, it would be a long shot. And the only thing I expect is KAT improving defensively. It's highly unlikely that Butler, at age 29, stays healthier than he typically has in his mid-20s. Even less likely that Wiggins becomes anything close to the player he was expected to be when drafted, which is what this team needs to become a true contender.

lipoli390 wrote:If LeBron and Paul George end up with the Lakers as many of us expect, the West will have a 3rd team the Wolves can't compete with unless Butler stays unusually healthy, KAT improves defensively and Wiggins takes a huge leap forward that few if any expect from him. Even then, it would be a long shot. And the only thing I expect is KAT improving defensively. It's highly unlikely that Butler, at age 29, stays healthier than he typically has in his mid-20s. Even less likely that Wiggins becomes anything close to the player he was expected to be when drafted, which is what this team needs to become a true contender.

If the Lakers get Leonard instead of, or in addition to, George I'd be scared of them, but just George and LeBron doesn't have me shaking in my boots.

It may be a year too early to claim, but LeBron James isn't going to be LEBRON JAMES! forever. He's already offense only during the regular season and was showing clear signs of fatigue during the playoffs. Father time has got to catch up to him.

I mean look at his surrounding draft class. It's a great achievement he's played as one of the best, if not the best, at this age, but come on it's year 16. The rest of his peers are strictly role players or worse.

This won't be the beginning of a Lakers dynasty it'll be a flash in the pan and then they'll need something more than George next to LeBron to be head and shoulders above the rest.