A Win-For-All, 5-Team Trade Scenario That Sends KD, Kyrie, Ben Simmons AND Donovan Mitchell To New NBA Homes
Al Bello. Getty Images.The main points: Kevin Durant to the Atlanta Hawks, Kyrie Irving to the Lakers, Donovan Mitchell to the Nets, Ben Simmons to the Jazz and Russell Westbrook to the Spurs. HOOOOOOOOOOOOH YEAH.
Literally could not fit the entire screenshot into the frame. Pretend like there's another column to the far right that shows Westbrook going to San Antonio along with Stanley Johnson and two second-round picks from the Lakers, and you've got the full picture.
This is at once the stupidest and most thought-requiring blog I've posted. Spending an inordinate amount of time on something you know will never happen will give you those existentialist blues if you think too hard about it, let me tell you. BUT IT'S SO MUCH FUN SO WHATEVER. I did it for Deebo Samuel being traded to the Bengals. Not that I thought it was going to happen. Not that I necessarily wanted it to. It was merely an exercise in what could be. And that's all this is. So do me a favor: Don't take it TOO seriously.
I'll list out all five teams' new rotations based on the blockbuster to end all blockbusters I've proposed above, along with their key assets and brief blurbs on their respective outlooks for the upcoming season and beyond. If you think it's ridiculous, well, I don't disagree with you. If there were ever a time to try something like this out, though, it's when it's damn near dead in the sports world. I'm hoping that sending this out into the universe MIGHT spark the Nets into action and just get the KD and Kyrie deals the fuck over with already.
Bear in mind that the James Harden trade to Brooklyn featured four teams, and once upon a time, there was a five-team trade involving 13 players. Thus, a deal of this magnitude wouldn't be completely unprecedented. The amount of star power in transit would be.
Alright here we go…
Hawks’ New Starters:
- Trae Young
- Dejounte Murray
- De’Andre Hunter
- Kevin Durant
- Clint Capela
Bench:
- Aaron Holiday
- Justin Holiday
- AJ Griffin
- Mo Harkless
- Jalen Johnson
- Dennis Schroder (FA)
- Danilo Gallinari (FA)
- Hassan Whiteside (FA)
Notes: Projected a few depth free-agent signings here. Hawks reunions for Schroder and Gallinari would be great. Whiteside would welcome a shot-blocking specialist role at this point I’d imagine. KD's presence and the chance to compete for a championship would likely help Atlanta land multiple vets such as this trio on the cheap.
Kevin Durant going to Atlanta seems best for his legacy. He wouldn't be front-running (again), like he would be by joining the reigning No. 1-seeded Suns or Heat, which are his rumored destinations of preference. KD could take a young team who can't get over the hump and elevate them to another stratosphere, with one of the better backcourts in the NBA flanking him. Amazingly, the Hawks still have enough assets to get this done even after the Dejounte Murray trade.
Advertisement
The Rudy Gobert deal to Minnesota was some of the dumbest shit ever in terms of how much the Timberwolves gave up. Legendary as Durant is, the Nets are delusional if they believe they'll get that kind of haul, especially with KD entering his age-34 season and his injury history. Brooklyn's asking price should go down the longer a trade doesn't go down. If you don't take it from me, take it from Windy. Dude knows what the fuck is up.
Atlanta is one of the few teams who could trade multiple established players and picks and still have enough left over to appease Durant for the duration of his current contract.
Nets’ New Starters:
- Donovan Mitchell
- Seth Curry
- Bogdan Bogdanovic
- John Collins
- Nic Claxton
Bench:
- Patty Mills
- Royce O’Neale
- TJ Warren
- Day’Ron Sharpe
- Onyeka Okongwu
- Cam Thomas
- Kessler Edwards
- Edmond Sumner
Key Assets: Two 2023 1st rounders (own + ATL's); 2024 1st-rounder (via ATL), Lakers’ 2027 and 2029 1st-rounders, Hawks' 2029 1st-rounder. Nine total first-round picks through 2029 draft.
Notes: Can use the contracts of Bogdanovic, Claxton and Curry, plus any combination of the above assets and pick swaps galore, to make an all-in play for a superstar guard like Bradley Beal at the trade deadline if you want. Say that’s the case. Then it’s Mitchell-Beal-O’Neale-Collins-Okongwu in the starting five. Either way, you have a decent-enough team for 2022-23 and plenty of flexibility for the future.
Lots of speculation flying around about Mitchell's future in Utah. Really hope he gets the hell outta there. If I were him, would I rather wait out an awful season with the Jazz, or go to Brooklyn, with the chance to be somewhat competitive, in a bigger market, and better odds to land a superstar running mate? Seems like a rhetorical question. Mitchell to the Nets, crazy as it sounds with KD, Kyrie and Simmons all gone, makes more sense than you'd initially think.
Lakers’ New Starters:
- Kyrie Irving
- Joe Harris
- LeBron James
- Anthony Davis
- Thomas Bryant
Bench:
- Kendrick Nunn
- Lonnie Walker IV
- Devin Vassell
- Talen Horton-Tucker
- Wenyen Gabriel
- Austin Reaves
- Juan Toscano-Anderson
- Damian Jones
Notes: Tons of shooting from Irving, Harris, and even Vassell, who'd benefit from having playmakers like Kyrie and LeBron create open looks for him, similar to his ex-Spurs teammate Walker. We all know Kyrie wants to be a Laker. He's a dumbass and a fucking clown but will still get what he wants in the end because that's how it goes. Still, for all his antics, I would love to see Kyrie and LeBron reunited from a pure basketball standpoint. They're electric together. Joe Harris is a kick-in and a nice piece. The Lakers reportedly want Seth Curry instead. If the Nets hold their line on that, they'll clear more cap by shipping Harris to LA, and as it is, the Lakers could use his shooting help and superior size to Curry anyway. Shouldn't be a hangup in acquiring Kyrie.
Advertisement
Jazz’s New Starters
- Mike Conley Jr.
- Jordan Clarkson
- Bojan Bogdanovic
- Ben Simmons
- Walker Kessler
Bench:
- Patrick Beverley
- Malik Beasley
- Rudy Gay
- Eric Paschall
- Jarred Vanderbilt
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker
- Udoka Azubuike
Key Assets: Four 1st-rounders in 2023, 2027 1st-rounder (from BKN via PHI), and 2029 1st-rounder (via BKN). Fifteen 1st-round picks through 2029 draft.
Notes: Between Conley, Simmons, Kessler and Beverley, you’ve got a sick defensive squad. Projecting Kessler as a starter may seem a little rich, yet he did average 4.6 blocks per game last season for Auburn. He's an absolute beast. You could also run him with the second unit, go smaller and plug Simmons in at center if you want more shooting on the court at any given time. Can dump Conley at the trade deadline for more assets if desired. Simmons is such a wild card. However, he'll only have two years left on his contract after the season, so you’re not married to him forever.
This roster is good enough to be frisky. You can also quite easily tank with it. An all-purpose group for the Jazz to tune whichever way they please as their major rebuild gets underway. My imagination is running wild with the possibilities of PatBev and Simmons in the same locker room. It might be just what Simmons needs to get an actual edge to his game. Could also trigger one of the NBA's spectacular meltdowns/on-court altercations/etc. I'm shook. Please let this happen.
One more thing: Again, the Gobert trade was silly season. I know Simmons may be viewed as damaged goods by this point. He is a three-time All-Star, an elite passer and defensive player, and is still only going to be 26 this season. If Mitchell wants out, as I suspect he will, this would be a convenient way for the Jazz to score three first-rounders and a young, All-Star player with lots of upside to explore. Utah could even demand the Nets throw in more picks from the deals Brooklyn made with the Lakers and Hawks.
Spurs’ New Starters
- Russell Westbrook
- Josh Richardson
- Keldon Johnson
- Doug McDermott
- Jakob Poeltl
Bench:
- Tre Jones
- Joshua Primo
- Isaiah Roby
- Zach Collins
- Malaki Branham
- Jeremy Sochan
- Keita Bates-Diop
- Stanley Johnson
Key Assets: Thirteen 1st-round picks through 2029 draft. Lakers' 2023 + 2025 2nd-round picks.
Notes: It's all about developing the young guys. You've got Primo, Sochan and Branham who all need big minutes to gain experience (unlisted rookie Blake Wesley will likely begin in the G League). Westbrook is a glorified salary dump and he can meanwhile put up triple-doubles while potentially (finally?) rebuilding his brand/evolving his game under Gregg Popovich. Tre Jones flashed nicely down the stretch last season when his minutes increased. This is definitely a tank-centric squad. Come on, Coach Pop. Give yourself a year off for the chance at Victor Wembanyama. You can do it!! It's OK!
Advertisement
Twitter @MattFitz_gerald to tell me how much of a hack I am and how I don't deserve this job