In his final piece previewing the 2018/19 NBA campaign, ESPN’s Zach Lowe offers up a few dozen bold predictions for the coming season. He also relays several tidbits of note on trade candidates and 2019 free-agents-to-be within those predictions, so we’re going to dive in and round up some of the highlights…
- Lowe is skeptical that the Kings will be able to use their $11MM in remaining cap room to land a first-round pick, since he hears from sources that the team is wary about taking on multiple years of bad money.
- Although teams like the Heat, Nets, and Clippers have been cited as Jimmy Butler‘s preferred destinations, the Timberwolves wing also “has eyes” for the Sixers, per Lowe. However, sources tell ESPN that Philadelphia has shown “almost no interest” in trading for Butler.
- The Knicks are still trying to trade Courtney Lee, sources tell Lowe. While it’s not clear if they’ve made progress in any trade talks, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer notes that Lee has generated interest, adding that the Hornets discussed a trade for the veteran swingman at last season’s deadline.
- Klay Thompson – who will be a free agent in 2019 – has no plans to accept a discount on his next contract, and the Warriors don’t expect him to, reports Lowe. Still, O’Connor says that sources he has spoken to would be “shocked” if Thompson left Golden State.
- It’s a moot point now, but if LeBron James had committed to staying with the Cavaliers this summer, Cleveland would have sent the No. 8 pick in the draft to the Hornets as part of a trade package for Kemba Walker, according to Lowe.
Sixers dont want to trade for Butler bc they can just sign him in the offseason. Same with Kawhi and the rest. If they make a trade, it will be for a guy with a few years on his contract, guarantee they stay and get a return on the investment. They aren’t in 100% win now mode. The partial core has only played one season together. They have 1 more offseason to add a high dollar player. They also have 25M in expiring contracts available for a trade (Wilson, Bayless, Muscala). They could do a Dame + Harkless/Leonard for All 3 plus Fultz. If they had Dame, they wouldn’t need Fultz. They are under contract for the same amount of time too.
You missed your meds
you slapped your nuts too hard
1) $25 mil would be tough to sign 1 of those 2 players, much less both.
2) why would a team like Portland or Toronto give up their franchise player(s) to get expiring contracts, when they think they can still win? why would those teams rebuild right now?
3) If Philly isn’t in 100% win now mode, they are in at least 90%. They are at least a top 3 team in their division, Acquiring Butler could easily put them over the edge.
Who said both? They have 25M in expiring contracts that I would use in a trade. If Portland is out of it at the trade deadline, they may deal CJ or Dame. Plus the Sixers have all their own picks for the foreseeable future as trade collateral.
I never said trade for Kawhi. Never said I’d trade for Butler either. Wolves are asking too much.
Alright this is gonna be the last time I say this. The Blazers ARE NOT going to trade Dame. There is no equal value they could get for him from any team. If anyone gets traded it’s McCollum. I’m so mad at all these NBA writers for perpetuating these trade scenarios with Dame or CJ. The Blazers have been unwilling to move them and any trade is an imagination made by the media. The Blazers have an extremely difficult time attracting free agents. If they traded Dame, the only superstar who’s been loyal to them, they would have no chance of ever signing anybody. Everyone needs to get over it, Dame is not getting traded.
What if he gets fed up with the Evan turner, harkless, nurkic, Meyers Leonard type signings wasting all their cap space on guys that don’t fit and don’t help in the playoffs, and then he asks for a trade because he wants to win or wants a bigger market to sell his music and stuff off the court?
He has only been loyal because they drafted him and gave him a max extension if they didn’t and someone else did he would have left.
But I do agree that trade to the sixers is crazy Lillard is one of best scorers in the league they would get more than fultz and role players
They have all of their draft capital too. They have to make a move either at the deadline or this offseason. Portland isnt going anywhere. Dame knows that.
IF you guys actually watched these teams play instead of just coming up with your idea of how they play, you’d know that the Blazers team is actually quite better this year than years prior. Dame and CJ are locked in and ready to go. Aminu’s 3 ball looks perfect. ET is going to be used in a new role as a playmaker surrounded by shooters. Meyers Leonard actually has a chance to play well this year and is playing more aggressively. The Seth Curry and Nik Stauskas signings look like good fits so far. Nurk is only what, 23 or 24? And he’s improving every year. With the unfortunate passing of Paul Allen, Dame is the face of the franchise. Listen to his album and specifically the song Loyal to the Soil with Lil Wayne. He has stated that he would rather stick it out with Portland and never win a championship than go to a super team to win. Especially knowing the way CJ feels about that too and how close their friendship is, neither of them would willingly break that up to get a chip like KD. Everyone needs to get over it, everyone tries to clown Portland but is jealous of our two best players. Watch some damn basketball instead of talking so much
Sorry but you lost all credibility when you said Nik Stauskas.
Oh no, hope you didn’t watch that game last night. It was a nightmare, Nik Stauskas scored 24 points and Blazers got a win against LeBron’s Lakers. Who woulda thought Nik could do that? Probably just people that actually watch basketball so definitely not you.
I’ll check your temperature at the trade deadline when they are the 7th seed.
Also, if any of you fools ever did any type of research before commenting… you’d know the Blazers are in cap hell for 2 years with no way to improve their roster. And in year 3 they can add one average player, not a max guy. Year 4 everyone is off the books and the game is over anyway.
Always thought Walker would have been a great replacement for Irving LAST year.
Who knows
Hard to believe DRose was CLE starting PG last year
LeBron had it all in Cleveland, once again left the organization high and dry and for his passive aggressive attitude the Cavs moved everyone by the deadline since he gave no indication of wanting to stay.
Wouldn’t be shocked if Magic trades for Kevin Love by the deadline, maybe he offers the Cavs Mykhailiuk and Wagner.
Cavs won’t trade Love, especially after signing him to that new extension. Why would Lakers want that salary commitment when it seems like they’re going after KD next year.
Another dionis quote that leaves me shaking my head lol. Dude no way in hell would lakers trade for a bum like love lol besides im sure love is good on not being lebrons punching bag this year lol. Also not exactly sure what lebron had in cleveland besides the 8th pick which they were still a zillion miles away from gsw. Lakers already beat them in preseason with all there starters. Lakers roster is better and younger and has the means to aquire another max free agent lol
Love was one of few players who expressed wanting to play the rest of his career with LeBron. If the Cavs aren’t competing by the deadline someone will trade for Kevin Love, the Cavs re-signed Nance Jr so they could just slot Larry at the 4.
If the Cavs don’t trade him to the Lakers they’ll find a taker for Love so long as they could get some young talent and a first round pick. Charlotte wouldn’t be a bad destination for Love, merging Kemba with Love likely bumps Charlotte up the East standings if they are 6th-10th in the East by February. It could keep Kemba in Charlotte also.
Nance is probably better suited as the 5 with love at 4 spacing the floor or on the elbow with nance diving and being lob threat in pick and roll.
People need to watch the playoffs again if they think Kevin love sucks or is washed up.
He changed his game to win, you want guys like that, he can put up 20/10.
Sometimes he looked washed or unatheltic against some matchups but he just isn’t a vertical athlete but skill and passing, rebounding, unselfishness. He is great example. Those 2 lakers rookies wouldn’t be enough and lakers would have to send more salary probably. I love the rookie Svi I think he is gonna be like Klay Thompson if he gets any playing time which will be tough at first lakers are deep.
Love and Lilliard are stays.
I’m not sure if Walker would stay on the Cavs… or if he’s good enough for a max contract. I think somebody will offer it. Hornets have been worried about that for years now!
I would have preferred that CLE make that trade, depending on the other pieces. I don’t care about the opinion that they would have no chance to beat GSW anyway, a classic loser’s stance. That would not have won the 2016 title. GSW is beatable.
It was Gilbert’s call for sure not to do that trade. James is just an asset to use this way or that, like any asset. A businessman does not always get to know if an asset will last.