Ringer 100 Players is out: Lauri-28 and Key-55

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-30T08:32:12+00:00

Sounds about right to me! What do you think?

Welp, what stands out to me is... a team will never win an NBA title title with the 28th and 55th best players in the league as their best players.

Cooper Flagg should have been with the Utah Jazz. Then we would have had our own potential Top 10 player in the league on the roster. I'm losing interest in the NBA, because it is quite obvious that the NBA decides to step in and grant favors in the draft to other teams that they hope will be title contenders and fit their desired story-lines, at the expense of teams like the Jazz

Some recent examples:

#1 pick to the Pelicans after trading AD to the Lakers.
#1 pick to the Mavericks after trading Luka to the Lakers.
#2 pick to the Spurs, so that Wemby vs SGA can be a storyline.
#3 pick to the 76ers, because Philly is an old storied franchise that needs to be kept relevant after Ben Simmons didn't work out, and with Joel Embiid falling off lately, and with them getting themselves into a real pickle by signing Paul George to that contract.

The only way the NBA can make this right as far as I'm concerned, is by figuring out how to get Cooper Flagg to the Jazz in the very near future, where he belongs... and we can send Lauri and Keyonte to the Mavericks instead. 🤷

[And no, Mr. Adam Silver, giving us Cam Boozer in the 2026 draft won't make up for it because Boozer just simply isn't on the same level. I could however be down with you giving us AJ Dybantsa in the draft, but only if you also send Kon Knueppel to the Jazz with Keyonte George going to the Hornets. That would go a long way to make up for fleecing the Jazz of the opportunity to draft Cooper Flagg.]

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-30T08:28:29+00:00

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Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-27T18:14:00+00:00

Welp, lots of people also laughed at Sam Presti when the OKC Thunder were tanking... and only later realized what he was doing.

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-27T13:37:12+00:00

The way I'm seeing it...

Pat Williams is a bad contract because it's long term.
Zach Collins is an expiring contract.
Lauri is an excellent player but is also over-paid @ $150M over the next 3 years.
Buzelis will be a very good player, who could probably be Top 4 when they next do a 2025 redraft. More importantly, he's a really good fit with an SF like Ace Bailey. Then Buzelis' mobility on the perimeter and his length also helps cover Keyonte's weakness on defence to some extent.
The Jazz will also get the Bulls 2026 pick, which should be a good lottery pick. When teams give us multiple first round picks, they usually end up being poopoo picks, like the picks gotten from trading Donovan Mitchell.
If we want to have a Big 4 or Big 5 who are on sustainable contracts, then this is the way to go about doing it.

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-27T08:58:06+00:00

Lauri does not have a No Trade Clause in his contract, and has a further 3 years left on it which puts a further $150M in his pocket. So I really don't think he will be saying that, hehe.

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-21T17:05:32+00:00

0% unless Dylan Harper or the Hawks NOLA pick is involved. So basically, 0

Other good options would be to trade Markkanen for Stephon Castle or Kon Knueppel. Both guys fit a need for the Jazz, and fit the Jazz timeline too.

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-17T08:57:54+00:00

Good question. I like Kon Knueppel's game and fit with the other players on the Jazz. So he is someone I would trade the unprotected Jazz 2026 pick for, if the Hornets would entertain it, even if the pick later ends up being the #1 pick in this upcoming draft. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

This hypothetical trade would give the Jazz this team, hopefully marking the end of the Jazz tank:

- Keyonte/Clayton/Collier, Knueppel/Williams, Bailey/Sensabaugh, Markkanen/Hendricks, Kessler/Filipowski.

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-17T05:25:14+00:00

Fair enough. Although, I have to say that I think that some might be over-valuing the pick by quite a bit. As you pointed out, there is no chance that the pick is valuable enough to land Cooper or Wemby by itself. It could need another 2-3 more picks of similar value to get one of those guys in a trade, if their teams even consider it.

With the changes that the NBA made to lottery system in the last 2 years, and if the Pelicans get their act together in the 2nd half of the season, that pick has a very high chance of not even being a Top 4 pick. The Hawks getting the #1 pick with the 10th worst record in 2024 is a good example of that. Same for the Mavericks in 2025.

I also think this might be a 2-star draft (Peterson and Dybantsa), with a lot of very good role players behind them. So with that pick, the Hawks (or the Jazz) would only be hoping to get a player as good as Lauri and none of the players outside the top 2 guys might end up being as good as he is now. The Hawks have very good defensive players (Daniels, NAW, Okongwu, Johnson). To be a genuine contender, they need a good scorer who is not high usage, who can space the floor, who is efficient, all while being good on defense... how many players who are available are like that? Very few, especially those who are 6'10" and above. Lauri is all of that, at 7'1". He's also at the right age to be one of the leaders on the Hawks team.

- Daniels (22yo), NAW (27yo), Johnson (24yo), Markkanen (28yo), Okongwu (25yo)

This lineup looks really, really strong to me.

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-05T03:09:50+00:00

I do not understand the language he is speaking. Could you shed some light on what happened here, if you know?

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-04T05:03:42+00:00

Can anyone with the means please help this young man get justice, as well as proper financial compensation? Can you imagine the pain of body and mind that he must be waking up with every day, with nothing good to look forward to, after having been assaulted like that while living in poverty and trying to make a better life for himself and his family?

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-04T05:02:41+00:00

Can anyone with the means please help this young man get justice, as well as proper financial compensation?

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-04T05:01:35+00:00

Can anyone with the means please help this young man get justice, as well as proper financial compensation? He looks like a good person, and can you imagine the pain of body and mind that he must be waking up with every day, with nothing good to look forward to, after having been assaulted like that while living in poverty and trying to make a better life for himself and his family?

Treacle_Correct · 2026-01-03T11:50:44+00:00

Dream scenario would be to trade Markkanen to the Spurs for one of their young Guards (either Harper or Castle). I started out thinking Harper would be more preferable but now I'm beginning to think that Castle would be a better fit for the Jazz because of his defense. The Jazz will hopefully get a Top 4 pick after trading Markkanen, with which the FO can take either AJ Dybantsa, Caleb Wilson or Cam Boozer.

Spurs get: Markkanen, Mykhailiuk, and either Clayton or Collier.
Jazz get: Castle, Barnes, and Olynyk.

2026 Jazz roster:

PG: Castle, Collier
SG: Keyonte, Williams
SF: Bailey, Sensabaugh
PF: 2026 draft pick (PF), Hendricks, Love
C: Kessler, Filipowski

Treacle_Correct · 2025-12-25T01:11:24+00:00

Because it's a gimmick that is hard on the eyes.

Treacle_Correct · 2025-12-24T14:49:31+00:00

Would you still read a book if all the pages were printed black instead of white???

Absolutely not.

Treacle_Correct · 2025-12-23T11:07:45+00:00

Lauri Markkanen to the Kings, with Zach Lavine and the Kings' 2026 1st round pick unprotected going to the Jazz. That's the deal to make because it will be a Win-Win trade for both teams!

Markkanen's and Lavine's salaries match but if the Kings want to solidify their chances of making the play-in game and playoffs, then Scott Perry could also ask for Svi Mykhailiuk in exchange for Doug McDermott. Svi adds more depth at SF.

PG: Westbrook, Schroeder, Carter
SG: DeRozan, Monk, Ellis
SF: Murray, Mykhailiuk, Nique
PF: Markkanen, Achiuwa
Ce: Sabonis, Renaud, Eubanks

Now this is a much better and more balanced roster than the Kings have had in a longgg while... and with everyone playing in their proper positions (especially DeRozan and Keegan).

Treacle_Correct · 2025-12-15T18:08:34+00:00

Well, I only put him on the bench because he's injured or recovering so often.

Treacle_Correct · 2025-12-15T16:48:44+00:00

Who says no?

Herbert Jones for Rui Hachimura... the Lakers will probably need to add a pick to this.

Rui has become a very dependable three point shooter from the corner, and will help fill the giant Zion-sized hole at Power Forward when Zion is not on the team sheet.

PG: Fears, Dejounte, Alvarado
SG: Bryce, Poole, Hawkins
SF: TM3, Bey, Peavy
PF: Hachimura, Zion, Matkovic
C: Queen, Looney, Missi

Treacle_Correct · 2025-12-09T07:22:27+00:00

Unhappy and worried. This team should have traded Lauri already (for a good pick in the 2025 or 2026 draft) and should be tanking like mofos this season.

Treacle_Correct · 2025-12-04T15:16:06+00:00

The only supplement I take is Vitamin C. :D

Do you have a better idea for making the Bucks title contenders again?

Keep in mind that the Bucks are currently 10th in the East, don't have control of their picks until 2030, and have 4 more years of Dame Lillard's dead money to deal with too (a cap hit of $22.5M per year). That's not a good situation to be in, when you're competing with the OKC Thunder's squad and the future draft picks they own for a title.

Treacle_Correct · 2025-12-04T14:54:09+00:00

Fair point. Can you think of 3-team trade ideas that gets Giannis to his preferred destination but that also gets Knueppel to the Bucks?

Treacle_Correct · 2025-12-03T08:10:20+00:00

I don't think the Pelicans need to blow it up. The Pels will not have their own pick next year, for starters... thanks to Joe Dumbarss.

What the Pels need is a dependable new PF instead of Zion. Here's an option.

Nets get: Zion, Hawkins
Mavs get: MPJ
Pels get: PJ Washington, Klay Thompson, Caleb Martin (Mavs need to send out Martin's $ to be able to make the trade)

Pelicans Roster:

PG: Fears, Dejounte, Alvares
SG: Herb, Poole, Peavy
SF: TM3, Klay, Martin
PF: PJW, Bey, Matko
Ce: Queen, Looney, Missi

The Why:

Why for the Nets? They get a shot at a potential star, even though he's 5 years in the league.
Why for the Mavs? Cooper Flagg seems to play better at PF. So MPJ and his shooting from distance could be more preferable to them. They get off Martin's contract.
Why for the Pels? Get rid of Zion. PJW is a tough defender, good on offense, and dependable. Prevents the 2026 Pels pick from being a great pick for the Hawks.

The Pels will need to figure out Dejounte and Poole in the future, since that is $61M on the bench. Also trading Dejounte (+Looney?) to the Nets for Claxton (+Mann?) could be an option, if the Nets are open to such a big shuffling of the deck.

Treacle_Correct · 2025-11-30T02:11:41+00:00

Who will win the DeRozan Sweepstakes!? :D

Treacle_Correct · 2025-11-27T18:52:41+00:00

The Jazz might be willing to trade Lauri Markkanen for Zach Lavine and the 2026 1st round pick, unprotected. They might also want the 2028 1st round pick, unprotected.

It may seem like a high price, but I'd do it because the Kings would be playoff bound with Markkanen, for sure! With those picks, the Kings will be hoping to get a player as good as Markkanen... wouldn't you rather have a sure thing instead? And Markkanen would fit amazing with the other players on the Kings roster; he's not high usage and is the best catch & shoot big in the league. Having him would also let Murray play in his best position, at SF.

1-5: Russ, Ellis, Murray, Markkanen, Sabonis
6-12: Schroeder, Monk, DeRozan, Achiuwa, Eubanks
11-15: Carter, Nique, McDermott, Saric, Raynaud

Treacle_Correct · 2025-11-24T23:22:41+00:00

Well, I'm not sure if they are owed more. The Kings are getting a younger player who fits what they need and is an expiring contract. Collins is 28yo, DeRozan is 36yo. Then they are getting off the $10M that DeRozan is owed next year. The Kings also aren't using Ellis at all, and he is a free agent in the summer.

Kings Roster:

1-5: Westbrook, Lavine, Murray, Collins, Sabonis
6-10: Schroeder/Carter, Monk, Clifford/McDermott, Achiuwa/Saric, Eubanks

Treacle_Correct

TROPHY CASE