Денвер Наггетс Пэйтон Уотсоныг Кливлэнд Кавальерс руу илгээснээр NBA-ийн багуудын бүрэлдэхүүнд томоохон өөрчлөлтүүд гарч эхэллээ.
Денвер Наггетс Пэйтон Уотсоныг Кливлэнд Кавальерс руу солилцоогоор илгээж, тэрээр 88 сая ам.долларын үнэ бүхий дөрвөн жилийн гэрээ байгуулахаар боллоо. Энэхүү таван багийн оролцоотой солилцооны хүрээнд Кливлэнд Кавальерс Макс Струсыг Лос Анжелес Клипперс рүү, Трэ Манныг Вашингтон Уизердс рүү тус тус явуулж, хариуд нь Кэм Уитморыг өөрийн болгож, Денвер Наггетс Жулиан Рийсийг хүлээн авч байна. Түүнчлэн Денвер Наггетс 2031 оны драфтын нэгдүгээр тойргийн эрх болон 2032 оны хоёрдугаар тойргийн эрхийг авахаар болжээ.
Кливлэнд Кавальерс Пэйтон Уотсоныг элсүүлсэн нь эрсдэлтэй ч багийн жигүүрийн асуудлыг шийдэх боломж гэж үзэж байна. Уотсон өнгөрсөн улиралд 54 тоглолтод оролцохдоо 14.6 оноо, 4.9 самбараас бөмбөг авалт, 2.1 дамжуулалтын дундаж үзүүлэлттэй байсан юм. Хэдийгээр Кливлэнд баг Жэймс Хардентай гэрээгээ сунгах шаардлагатай байгаа ч энэ солилцоо нь тэднийг цалингийн дээд хязгаарын асуудлыг зохицуулахад тус дөхөм болно.
Денвер Наггетсийн хувьд энэ солилцоо нь цалингийн төсвөө хэмнэх зорилготой бөгөөд тэд чөлөөт агент ДеМар ДеРозаныг эгнээндээ нэгтгэх боломжийг эрэлхийлж байна. Гэвч багт довтолгооноос илүү хамгаалалтын чадвар дутагдаж байгаа тул 37 настай ДеРозаныг авчрах нь хэр зөв шийдвэр болох нь эргэлзээтэй хэвээр байна.
Лос Анжелес Клипперс Макс Струсыг авчирснаар багийн жигүүрийн довтолгоог хүчирхэгжүүлж байгаа бол Вашингтон Уизердс Трэ Манныг сэлгээний найдвартай тоглогч болно гэж найдаж байна. Трэ Манн нь Вашингтоны залуу бүрэлдэхүүнд туршлага нэмж, сэлгээнээс оноо авч чадах тоглогчийн үүргийг гүйцэтгэх юм.
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Multiple sagas have been unfolding during the NBA offseason. One has been the Denver Nuggets potentially tightening payroll, even though their team has to find ways to remain near the top of the brutal Western Conference. Another has been the restricted free agency of Peyton Watson. And, of course, we have the Cleveland Cavaliers trying to become true contenders in the East and making sure they duck under the second-apron payroll threshold.
At least some of these things have been addressed. The Nuggets are sending Watson to Cleveland, where he will ink a four-year, $88 million deal. The Cavaliers are sending Max Strus to the LA Clippers and draft capital to Denver. They’re also sending the recently acquired Tre Mann to the Washington Wizards, with Cam Whitmore headed to Cleveland and Julian Reese headed to Denver. According to ESPN, which first reported the trade, last week’s reported Cavs-Hornets deal involving Mann and Dennis Schröder will make this a five-team transaction overall.
What does this all mean for the teams involved? Is there another deal to be made by the Nuggets? Is Cleveland getting the right guy with Watson? Let’s bust out the red ink and slap some grades on this trade.
Cavaliers receive Peyton Watson, Cam Whitmore
This move is a risk, but it’s a risk worth taking.
Watson saw a career year across the board (14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 49.1/41.1/73.0 shooting splits) during his 54-game campaign with Denver. But a lot of that bump in production was carried by a 17-game stretch in January and early February before he hurt his hamstring. During that stretch, Watson was averaging 22.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.4 blocks and 49.8/46.2/70.3 shooting splits. A lot of that production came while Nikola Jokić was nursing a knee injury. Before that, Watson was having a modest season.
Do you believe Watson unlocked something during that stretch of games, or was it an aberration? We know Watson is a very good defender, and he’s been a respectable 3-point shooter in his brief career. It’s doubtful that he’s a guy who can just drop 20 points per game regularly, but he did show there is potentially more to his game than previously seen. Cleveland has struggled to find wings next to Donovan Mitchell and whichever All-Star lead guard it’s employing next to Mitchell. In theory, Watson should be able to solve that problem.
The Cavs still need to re-sign James Harden, which will push them above the first-apron threshold of $209 million. It could have them just below the second apron as well.
Grade: B+
The most confusing team of the NBA offseason
Esfandiar Baraheni
Nuggets receive 2031 first-round pick, 2032 second-round pick, Julian Reese
There’s an assumption out there that shedding Watson and his potential salary will open up the Nuggets to pursue and sign veteran DeMar DeRozan. If they’re able to sign DeRozan thanks to this deal, it bumps up the grade a little more.
DeRozan would definitely help with some offense and shot creation. The problem, though, is the Nuggets aren’t really in need of a lot more offense. They need defenders to help slow down the opposition. At this stage, DeRozan, who turned 37 earlier this month, isn’t exactly a top-notch defender. That’s where Watson staying in town would have actually helped, but the Nuggets were never going to pay him $22 million per season. Their offers to him were much lower, and he was seeking a deal in the neighborhood of what the team gave Christian Braun ($125 million over five years) before last season.
Denver does get a 2031 unprotected first-round pick from Cleveland. That’s a nice asset to have, especially if you believe Cleveland will fall apart enough in four years to make that pick more valuable. The Nuggets sent out their 2031 first-round pick when they moved Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson, so they’re getting a first back for that draft. Is it possible DeRozan (if signed) gives them more than Watson would have, and at a much cheaper salary? Absolutely. Is what DeRozan would/could give them what they need? I question that.
The 2032 second-round pick comes via Sacramento, and the Nuggets are expected to waive Reese’s two-way contract. Already, we’ve seen more criticism that the Nuggets are going to waste the remaining Jokić years. That thought will ease up a bit if they sign DeRozan, but I’m not sure this qualifies as keeping up with OKC and San Antonio in the West.
Grade: C
Clippers receive Max Strus
Strus battled injuries with Cleveland and has only played in 62 games over the last two seasons. When he’s healthy, he’s a very good 3-point shooter and someone who can attack a closeout and play solid defense. The Clippers need plenty of guys like that, and they’re giving up virtually nothing to get him.
Strus is entering the final year of his deal, making $16.6 million this season. He’ll either be a valuable wing for the Clippers as they navigate a post-Kawhi Leonard existence (assuming that trade with Toronto goes through). Or the Clippers will be able to flip Strus to a contender at the trade deadline and get back something of value. This is a pretty easy move for the Clippers.
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Strus is a 37.0 percent 3-point shooter for his career and has been over 38 percent in three of the last five seasons. But he has to remain on the floor for that to be a positive for the Clippers. Either way, I like the swing.
Grade: A-
Wizards receive Tre Mann, 2027 second-round pick, cash
Mann has the potential to be a really good pickup.
We’ve seen flashes of him scoring in flurries, and at times, he’s a pretty deadly 3-point shooter. However, he hasn’t shown enough in his career to consider him anything more than streaky. He had a very reduced role on Charlotte last season, as the Hornets became more serious about winning basketball games. He also shot the ball horribly pretty much the entire season. Mann is the type of guard the Wizards need off the bench. He might get you 15-20 points on any given night. He’ll push the young guys in practice and for minutes/role. The 25-year-old has also shown himself to be a capable passer and creator in certain spots.
Even though the Wizards have Trae Young and Anthony Davis, as well as Khris Middleton and Deandre Ayton, there is still a dearth of veteran presence on this roster. Most of the other guys are very young with little experience. Mann has only played in five seasons, totaling 234 games, but he did come from the OKC system, and the Thunder usually don’t bring in guys who can’t play and contribute. The Wizards are hoping to get that potential realized within their rotation.
Grade: B+
