Considering that
1. Sullinger will be a RFA by the end of 2016 and he'll probably command a fee higher than what we'll be willing to pay
2. Our excess of bigs - I also consider Jerebko a big, because I think he can be very good as a stretch four with our second unit and playing as a three diminishes his ability to play to his advantages
3. The doubts surrounding Sullinger's fitness/condition (even work ethic)
4. The likelihood that his playing time will take a hit after the arrivals of Lee and Johnson, and thus his trade value will fall
I think it really is time to move him.
My suggestion:
A trade with Orlando for Evan Fournier.
I would do it straight up - we'd be basically trading 2012's 21st pick with 2012's 20th pick.
Fournier is a SG who can also play as a SF. His game isn't without flaws, but I've seen things that make me believe that, in the Cs system, and not wanting him to do what he doesn't do that well, he could be very useful.
This trade would solve the problem of us having too many bigs and it would give us another rotation guy to play in the wing, where I think we're a bit thin (I love RJ Hunter, and it's not out of the realm of possibilities that he would end up playing more than Fournier, but we shouldn't go into the season expecting him to contribute right away). Plus, Fournier is also a RFA in 2016 - in Sullinger we already know what we have and what we would be willing to pay, and I think it's less than other teams will offer; with Fournier, we would gain control over a player that might become very good, but keeping the possibility of cutting him loose if it doesn't work out.
For Orlando, I think this makes sense in the same way it makes sense for us: with the addition of Hezonja, they have 4 starters for 3 places (also Payton, Oladipo, Harris) - playing time for a guy like Fournier wouldn't be very high. And they lack a power forward with interior presence - Aaron Gordon is projected to start. The possibility of controling the future of a guy like Sully, instead of a guy like Fournier, seems to make sense.
Like I said, I would do it straight up. But I'd also like to get my hands on their 2018 Lakers pick - although there's a strong chance it'll end up being two second round picks in 2017 and 2018. Because of that, I'd offer Minnesota's 2016 pick in return. We probably would have to accept some limitations - say, if the Lakers pick was to be conveyed in 2018, we'd get the lower between that one and Orlando's; or it would only come to us if it was lower than 10. It would solve our excess of picks in 2016 and give us another option for the future. And to get smaller limitations, I might even be willing to part with Young.
What do you guys think?
Topic: Trade idea: Sullinger for Fournier (Read 4111 times)