Hornets and Celtics

[Ian Noble]

^{Charlotte Hornets}

receive:
85 - Brandon Ingram - $5,849,749 - $7,633,922
82 - Montrezl Harrell - $2,876,521
73 - Miles Bridges - $2,339,900 - $2,734,100 - $4,191,375 - $5,859,543
77 - Jabari Parker - $20,000,000
68 - Nassir Little - $1,983,200 - $2,082,300 - $2,181,500 - $2,195,571 - $2,205,407
75 - Marcin Gortat - $5,733,907

Total Incoming: $38,738,277

send:
97 - LeBron James - $38,328,211 - $41,002,272
75 - Amir Johnson - $7,531,333 - $7,531,333
CHA 2022 1st

Total Outgoing: $45,859,544

^{Boston Celtics}

receive:
97 - LeBron James - $38,328,211 - $41,002,272
75 - Amir Johnson - $7,531,333 - $7,531,333
CHA 2022 1st

Total Incoming: $45,859,544

send:
85 - Brandon Ingram - $5,849,749 - $7,633,922
82 - Montrezl Harrell - $2,876,521
73 - Miles Bridges - $2,339,900 - $2,734,100 - $4,191,375 - $5,859,543
77 - Jabari Parker - $20,000,000
68 - Nassir Little - $1,983,200 - $2,082,300 - $2,181,500 - $2,195,571 - $2,205,407
75 - Marcin Gortat - $5,733,907

Total Outgoing: $38,738,277

James Kay

This is obviously huge for both of our teams here. I'll leave James to tell his side of the story, but for me this signals a gigantic move away from a long period of flexibility and player development and into a period of full on commitment to championship contention (I'll have the highest rated lineup in the league after this trade) in which I expect to dominate but my options as a GM are more limited and tied to the group I will now have in place.

There's a lot of variables here: For starters I will not be able to participate in 2020 OSFA. I also fully expect Ingram to fill out his shoulders and become a monster like AD did, which means I'm missing out on a decade of All Star calibre level Ingram in exchange for however long Lebron has left at the top of his game. I have faith in Lebron though, in many ways he's on a par with MJ in GOAT contention, how lucky am I to be able to bring him to Boston to hopefully play out the remainder of his most illustrious career?

I could go on forever but basically - I accept. The championship calibre Celtics have arrived!

[George Gervin]

Wow. Lots to unpack here, but the sneakiest piece on paper in this trade is that 2022 CHA 1st. With Westbrook holding a PO, and George heading into the 2020 OSFA, that pick could end up being solid in a likely stacked (and maybe first and only HS plus One and Done draft).

On the flip side, if Ingram does continue to ascend and Harrell is retained, Charlotte has a nice trio of Ingram/Middleton/Harrell that at least is a 6-8 seed in the stronger Eastern Conference.

[Jay Z]

someone show me how to do the eyeball emoji

[Jerry West]

Lebron being traded twice in a season is the biggest suprise

[Larry Bird]

😳👀

[Andrei Kirilenko]

Guess the rebuild is officially over for Boston

[Larry Bird]

Put it in the left lane and hammer down!!
🐗WPS

[Bryan Colangelo]

Alex and Glen seeing this trade

[Tom Izzo]

👀👀👀

[Tom Izzo]

Does Boston have enough to offer LeBron the max?

[George Gervin]

Jan 24, 2020 17:06:36 GMT Tom Izzo said:

Does Boston have enough to offer LeBron the max?

A max for LBJ starts at $40.8 MM, and it looks like barely enough to retain, but essentially would lock into this roster makeup

[Tom Izzo]

With Murray, Simmons, and Brown all hitting RFA at the same time next year. Murray odd man out?

[George Gervin]

Jan 24, 2020 17:23:24 GMT Tom Izzo said:

With Murray, Simmons, and Brown all hitting RFA at the same time next year. Murray odd man out?

I mean technically based on where the hard cap could check in, all three could be retained since it’s second contract scale extensions. But as far as role and PT, that’s the wrinkle. As GM who could have cap space in 2021, I definitely haven’t kept an eye on this 

[Tom Izzo]

What a power core. LeBron, Embiid, Simmons, Jaylen Brown. Although I think Simmons was/is overhyped.

[Kevin Hollis]

Didn't LeBron just tear his acl?

[James Kay]

It feels weird to trade the King and not get, in my opinion, a king’s ransom. But the market for an expiring Lebron without bird rights is not a strong one.


When I traded Durant for Lebron, I knew that I had a one in a million shot at re-signing him. But the chance to chase another championship was too great to pas up. Adding Lebron was intended to let me pivot seamlessly into continued contention despite Durant’s tragic injury that ended our dominant run last season and post-season.
However, the Hornets have not performed like the on-paper juggernaut they appear to be. We’re 4th in the East, and we’ve been blown out by the Nuggets without Siakam. If Lebron was on a longer term deal, this would be a huge overreaction, but I needed a stronger showing if I was going to let Russell Westbrook and Paul George enter FA without a third star to entice them to stay.


The Hornets would have been unable to re-sign Lebron. His ~$40M max contract, without bird rights, would’ve left just ~$70M in cap space. The cap holds of Russell Westbrook and Paul George alone exceed this. In order to re-sign Lebron, I would have had to move every single player besides Paul George and Russell Westbrook, convince Westbrook to re-sign immediately for a smaller deal worth ~$25-30M, all while convincing Lebron that my team, currently comprised of 1 and a half players, was worth choosing over young teams like the Celtics, Nets, Grizzlies, Spurs. The cost – of both my future picks and contention ability – of trading Middleton, Noel, Snell, and Johnson, was far too much to bear for a meager sliver of a hope at re-signing Lebron; the aftermath of such moves would’ve made the Hornets that much less appealing to a FA Lebron.


So while I might not believe this to be a “fair” return for what the Celtics are getting – ostensibly years and years of contention with Lebron, Embiid, Simmons, Brown, and Murray – the return I got is far greater than having Lebron walk for nothing in the off-season with nothing to show for it.


I get a very promising young player in Brandon Ingram, a fierce young big in Montrezl Harrell, young talent to hold onto in Bridges and Little, and a bit of cap relief by sending out Johnson’s ~$7M. But most importantly, I remain competitive while ensuring a solid, valuable framework of a team to show to Paul George and Russell Westbrook this off-season. I am also interested in seeing how this lineup performs as it becomes much more balanced and filled-out. I am not entirely convinced that we will not play better after this trade.


Westbrook/Middleton/George/Ingram/Harrell is a starting lineup that IRL is scoring 113.2 points per game. Hill/Snell/Bridges/Wood/Noel would be one of the better benches in the NBA as well, I think.
Overall, I am happy with the direction of the Hornets going forward.

[James Kay]

I accept btw

[Jared Montini]

Woah 👀

[Walt Frazier]

I accept

[Ian Noble]

Jan 24, 2020 17:48:19 GMT Kevin Hollis said:

Didn't LeBron just tear his acl?

I have to admit, you did make me panic-Google you sonofabitch

[Bryan Colangelo]

Accept

[Shane Battier]

👀

[Jeremiah Hill]

Lebron James - Stockwatch thread initiated - He really should be a 78 now right guys? 

I think that this is the best pull I've seen for a star player so far, honestly as much as I actively don't think Ingram is as good as his draft (Lakers really) hype he is a solid player and could be an allstar if he develops right. 

The be all end all of this deal is that Charlotte, with all of their cap woes get bird rights on almost all of these players. 

Charlotte wins this trade at face value and still has an amazing team, Ian wins for situational reasons. Great trade even if I hate it because at least for this year it creates a Denver Nuggets in the East. 

[Hanamichi Sakuragi]

RULES: A trade must not require your team to sign or release more than two players.

[Jeremiah Hill]

Jan 25, 2020 4:58:35 GMT Hanamichi Sakuragi said:

RULES: A trade must not require your team to sign or release more than two players.

Does this do that? 

[Danny Longley]

Boston has 15 players, Charlotte has 12. Charlotte would end with 15, Boston would end with 12. Wouldn't require either team to sign or release players.

Anyway, makes sense for both sides, Accept.

Edit: Charlotte would end with 16, and would have to cut 1 player - still doesn't violate the rule.

[Tom Izzo]

Jan 25, 2020 4:57:09 GMT Jeremiah Hill said:

Lebron James - Stockwatch thread initiated - He really should be a 78 now right guys? 

I think that this is the best pull I've seen for a star player so far, honestly as much as I actively don't think Ingram is as good as his draft (Lakers really) hype he is a solid player and could be an allstar if he develops right. 

The be all end all of this deal is that Charlotte, with all of their cap woes get bird rights on almost all of these players. 

Charlotte wins this trade at face value and still has an amazing team, Ian wins for situational reasons. Great trade even if I hate it because at least for this year it creates a Denver Nuggets in the East. 

Interesting take, but I think both win. I think Ian gets the better value from what's here. LeBron in a Celtics uniform and perhaps to retire as a Celtic. But Charlotte gets young, promising players and remains competitive while ensuring he can retain his star players.

[Hanamichi Sakuragi]

Jan 25, 2020 5:09:13 GMT Danny Longley said:

Boston has 15 players, Charlotte has 12. Charlotte would end with 15, Boston would end with 12. Wouldn't require either team to sign or release players.

Anyway, makes sense for both sides, Accept.

Edit: Charlotte would end with 16, and would have to cut 1 player - still doesn't violate the rule.

Yup. 

[Ian Noble]

Trade passed.

Welcome to Boston, Lebron James

[AC Green]

dang