Memphis is likely feeling like a rebuild is coming, after Gasol going down. No chance they are a contender this season. Green and Conley are expiring, and may want to move on.
ATL is wanting to move Horford (supposedly), but getting D. Lee or Amir as a big-man centerpiece in the return is probably not something they are totally enthused about.
On the same note, Boston is likely nowhere near willing to give up top assets, such as the BKN picks, Smart, IT, Crowder, which obviously ATL would love, but that's for too steep of an asking price for the risk of Horford walking, and his impending high-expectations for a max-deal.
We currently own the Memphis 2017 pick, which is heavily protected. It ends up only being a mid-first rounder for us (so not that valuable), but to Memphis, who will likely suck soon, their pick likely falls in the top 10 over the next couple seasons, assuming they blow it up. Therefore, they would love to have it back, and it has the highest trade value in this scenario, if they were to not make the playoffs, and fall in that 13-16 lottery range.
Memphis also has Zac Randolph, who is a better option to replace Horford in ATL's lineup (while they are still competitive also), then getting Lee/Amir from us.
So this is my 3-team proposal:
BOSTON TRADES:
(To Memphis)- Amir Johnson, Jared Sullinger, Terry Rozier, Memphis 2017 pick
(To Atlanta)- James Young, Boston 2016 1st rounder, Boston 2016 2nd rounder
BOSTON RECIEVES: Al Horford, Jeff Green
MEMPHIS TRADES:
(To Boston): Jeff Green
(To Atlanta): Zac Randolph
MEMPHIS RECIEVES: Amir Johnson, Jared Sullinger, Terry Rozier, Memphis 2017 1st rounder
ATLANTA TRADES:
(To Boston): Al Horford
ATLANTA RECIEVES: Zac Randolph, James Young, Boston 2016 1st rounder, Boston 2016 2nd rounder
*Randolph is playing about 85-90 cents on the dollar to Horford, at a cheaper rate, and Atlanta gets him with one more year left on a reasonable contract, along with James Young, and a mid-first round pick. How much more return can they expect for a guy who is more likely to leave than not? So Atlanta can still remain competitive this season, and go in to next year with Randolph on contract, and a couple extra rebuilding chips.
*Memphis is in the same boat as ATL, but worse, because of Gasol's injury. Green is expiring, so I'm guessing they aren't valuing him too high at the moment. They get a replacement big in Amir (who they can waive if they want), a solid young prospect in Sully to replace some of Randolph's production, Rozier, who they can develop if Conley walks, and most importantly, their own 2017 pick, in case they fall out of the protection and want to be able to draft a lottery talent.
*For Boston, this seems like a lot going out, with not much coming back. However, I feel that this trade is an even distribution of our least favorable assets, to consolidate in to two players that we really need. Horford is the obvious low-post scoring option that Amir just isn't for us. Jeff Green provides a scoring wing option off our bench, who has a little more size than Evan Turner. Having both Sully and Amir go out, means Lee (if he's not bought out), will have some minutes free up between he and Jordan Mickey.
New depth chart:
PG: IT/Smart/Turner/Bradley
SG: Bradley/Smart/Turner/Hunter
SF: Crowder/Green/Turner/Jerbeko
PF: Kelly/Lee/Jerbeko/Mickey
C: Horford/Zeller/Lee
See who gets bought out and replenish the end of the bench.
Topic: BOS/ATL/MEM 3-Way Trade Idea (Read 663 times)