Predicting Lauri Markkanen, Brandon Ingram, DeMar DeRozan landing spots
07/05/2024 07:36 PM
Compared to previous years, this NBA offseason has been pretty anticlimactic. There have been no blockbuster trades other than the one between the New York Knicks and the Brooklyn Nets involving Mikal Bridges, and there truly hasn’t been much movement in NBA free agency other than Paul George joining the Philadelphia 76ers and Isaiah Hartenstein going to the Oklahoma City Thunder. When will the summer’s fireworks actually begin? Well, we should look no further than Lauri Markkanen, Brandon Ingram, and DeMar DeRozan.
Teams across the league have been putting together long-term financial plans in order to become more cognizant of the first and second tax aprons. Few teams are willing to exceed these cap numbers, which is why front offices haven’t been aggressive when it comes to free agency. There will be no Timofey Mozgov contracts this year! In all seriousness, teams are watching their spending. As a result, few teams have the ability to still go out on the marketplace and make a substantial change to their roster.
Regarding Markkanen, Ingram, and DeRozan, these are the three names organizations are monitoring closely. Both Markkanen and Ingram are on the trade block, yet DeRozan is the best free agent remaining who is still playing at an All-Star level.
Ingram is likely to be traded, Markkanen is 50-50 at this point, and DeRozan will be on the move in free agency. The question everyone wants to know is where these three players will be playing basketball for the 2024-25 season.
Well, we might as well evaluate all of these situations and figure out the landing spots for these three stars, as well as two other prominent names remaining in free agency.
Lauri Markkanen trade on horizon?
Several teams are pursuing Lauri Markkanen. The Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Miami Heat have all been known suitors for the Utah Jazz forward.
Compared to when he was playing for the Chicago Bulls to begin his career, and even the Cleveland Cavaliers just a few years ago, Markkanen is a completely different player. Instead of being a secondary rebounder who can spread the floor as a power forward, Markkanen is an advanced and skilled shooter from any spot on the court who can be his team’s best rebounder.
Since joining the Jazz, Markkanen has averaged 24.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the floor and 39.5 percent from three-point range. At 27 years old and set to make $18 million in the final year of his contract during the 2024-25 season, Markkanen finds himself as a very valuable player with a ton of trade interest.
The big question here pertaining to Markkanen is whether or not the Jazz will actually trade him, as they have held the stance of wanting to hear out offers rather than actively engage in trade conversations to send Markkanen packing. Essentially, Danny Ainge is doing what he does best when it comes to maximizing his players’ values.
The Warriors, who have already added the likes of Buddy Hield, De’Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson this offseason, could truly complete their roster turnaround and remain in the championship equation by adding Markkanen. That is why they are offering multiple first-round picks to do so. However, the Warriors are limited in terms of the assets they can send out due to the Washington Wizards owning their 2030 first-round pick, which is top-20 protected.
Due to this traded pick, Golden State only has the capability to send out a maximum of two unprotected first-round picks, as well as a couple of pick swaps in a deal for Markkanen. Players such as Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, and/or Andrew Wiggins would need to be at the center of this proposal as well. There are no indications at this time suggesting what the Warriors have officially offered Utah for Markkanen.
If there is any time for the Jazz to trade their star forward, it is right now. This organization isn’t in a position to contend with the Western Conference, and Markkanen is up for a contract extension starting in August. The Jazz truly have a tough decision to make here because of the fact that they can be great with or without Markkanen at the center of their roster. More clarity on this trade situation will be provided over the course of the next week leading up to Summer League in Las Vegas.
Prediction: Lauri Markkanen stays with Jazz, or gets traded to Warriors… It’s truly 50-50.
Brandon Ingram trade looking likely.
All indications point in the direction of the New Orleans Pelicans trading Brandon Ingram this offseason. As he enters the final year of his contract at $36 million, Ingram is a player the Pelicans are looking to immediately replace in their starting rotation with Trey Murphy III, who offers more two-way and shooting upside as a long-term fit next to Zion Williamson.
Ingram is by no means a bad player, but the market for him is a lot smaller than that of Markkanen because of their nature of play. Whereas Markkanen doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be impactful, Ingram has always been known to be a player who looks to initiate offense in isolation sets. To counter this, the former All-Star has averaged at least 5.6 assists per game each of the last three seasons in New Orleans.
Many contending organizations aren’t targeting Ingram due to the fact that $36 million is a lot to absorb in a trade right now due to first and second tax apron implications. Not to mention, no team in the league is going to want to sacrifice assets in order to get the 26-year-old scorer for just one season.
Any team that actively looks to pursue Ingram will want to make sure he is willing to sign a new long-term extension. Although they are not in a position to contend for the playoffs right now, the Portland Trail Blazers are a sneaky team to keep an eye on. This organization is wanting to improve right away, and they have a plethora of young, high-potential talents on their roster, such as Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Kris Murray, and rookie big man Donovan Clingan. Even Deandre Ayton is still young since he is going to be turning 26 at the end of July.
The problem with the Trail Blazers is that they don’t have a sense of direction right now. After moving Malcolm Brogdon in a deal to acquire Deni Avdija, the Blazers now face decisions to make with other veterans such as Robert Williams III and Jerami Grant. Anfernee Simons is another interesting name to discuss regarding trade talks during the 2024-25 season.
All three of these players could be of interest to the Pelicans, especially since David Griffin is looking to put this team in a better position to contend during the playoffs than they just were this past season. That is why they went out and acquired Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks.
There is no guarantee that Ingram gets moved, but it is certainly looking like the most likely outcome this summer. A team like the Blazers can offer him the role of being their top-scoring option, and the Pelicans would have a lot to gain by targeting players like Williams and Grant for immediate secondary depth.
Prediction: Brandon Ingram is traded to the Trail Blazers in a shocking twist.
DeMar DeRozan’s market looks thin
DeMar DeRozan’s time with the Chicago Bulls is over. Near the trade deadline in February, the Bulls declined offers coming their way for DeRozan and other players on their roster with the mindset that they could still turn things around and become threats in the Eastern Conference. Well, the Bulls’ front office was wrong, as they haven’t made any winning moves whatsoever.
In what turned out to be a shocking move for many around the league, Chicago traded defensive star Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey. That’s it. That was the trade.
Sure, Giddey is a young talent that still has the potential to be a solid facilitator, but the Bulls were offered better immediate talents than Giddey, as well as draft picks ahead of the trade deadline.
This trade can basically sum up what the Bulls have been since Michael Jordan left, as there has been no stability and no clear vision as to what their actual goals are. DeRozan seems to think this way too, as he took this trade as the “last straw” in terms of his potential return to Chicago, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
With DeRozan eyeing other destinations in free agency, very few teams have emerged as legitimate suitors for him. It seems like only the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings are teams with interest in the veteran star, unless there is another team lurking in the shadows that DeRozan himself would be willing to take a pay cut to play for.
The Kings are a smaller market team that doesn’t really make headlines in free agency. Usually, the only time Sacramento brings in a big name is when they make a trade or when they develop talents. If you need proof of this, just look at De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Keegan Murray. DeRozan wouldn’t carry the burden of being the go-to scorer for the Kings alongside Fox and Sabonis. Plus, he would be an upgrade for Sacramento from Harrison Barnes, who is now 32 and inconsistent on the offensive side of the court.
A one-two scoring punch of Fox and DeRozan, plus having X-factors like Murray, Sabonis, and Malik Monk off the bench, instantly puts the Kings in a position where they can once again contend at the top of the Western Conference. This sign-and-trade scenario seems to make way too much sense, especially if the Bulls would rather look to acquire Kevin Huerter, whom they have interest in, instead of Barnes.
Just like Markkanen and Ingram, there is a strong chance of DeRozan being moved via some sort of trade scenario.
Prediction: The Bulls sign-and-trade DeMar DeRozan to the Kings.
Tyus Jones viewed as best guard available
Outside of DeRozan, Tyus Jones remains one of the better free agents available to sign with any of the 30 teams in the NBA. Jones evolved from a rotational player to a key sixth man when he was with the Memphis Grizzlies. After he was traded to the Washington Wizards, the 28-year-old guard proved that he could be a sustainable facilitator as his team’s starting point guard. That is the role Jones is still searching for as a free agent, but very few teams are looking to add a lead guard at this juncture.
That is why teams like the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, and Philadelphia 76ers may be expressing interest in Jones close to a week after free agency began. If he is willing to accept less money or a smaller role than he held with the Wizards, then Jones going to teams like the Heat, Lakers, and Suns makes a lot of sense regarding the opportunity to win and compete in the playoffs.
Another scenario Jones could explore with the Wizards is the possibility of a sign-and-trade. That way, he can receive a three-year contract somewhere in the ballpark of $30 million in total.
When looking at the Magic, it is clear to see how the veteran point guard could improve their outlook in the Eastern Conference. Jones has a career 5.6 assist-to-turnover ratio, and Orlando has been searching for an upgrade in their backcourt to help stabilize their second unit. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is likely to start alongside Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, which would suggest that Jalen Suggs would be the Magic’s lead guard.
Jones could immediately join the Magic and be their sixth man off the bench, helping create opportunities for Wagner, Banchero, and other young, athletic players Orlando has. Best of all, the Magic still have slightly over $8 million in cap space and a payroll that sits at about $130 million. The Magic could realistically acquire Jones via a sign-and-trade and remain well below the first apron hard cap of $178 million for the 2024-25 season.
Due to the fact that they need another guard and still have roster spots open that they could utilize their cap space with, Jones is the clear answer for the Magic to get an immediate source of offensive production.
Prediction: Tyus Jones joins the Magic.
Isaac Okoro sign-and-trade scenario
Kenny Atkinson recently took over as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers after they fired JB Bickerstaff for reasons that were not his fault. The good news is that Bickerstaff now gets another opportunity, this time trying to solve the mystery of the Detroit Pistons. This offseason, executive Koby Altman made it clear that the Cavaliers weren’t going to be open for business. This team still believes they can contend in the Eastern Conference, but health has limited their ability to do so the last couple of seasons with Donovan Mitchell.
At this juncture, it doesn’t seem like Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen are going to be on the move. All of the talk surrounding Mitchell has been put to rest as well, for the moment, after he signed an extension with the team. While they could always look to move a player like Caris LeVert to try and upgrade their roster, the Cavs are going to have to make a decision on Isaac Okoro, who is currently a restricted free agent.
Very few teams have enough cap space left to pursue the 23-year-old defensive-minded wing, which is why if he is to be moved, it would likely be a sign-and-trade scenario. The one team that would make a lot of sense for this to play out would be the Brooklyn Nets.
Mikal Bridges is no longer the Nets’ focus now that he is with the New York Knicks, which is why Brooklyn has entered a rebuilding phase. In addition to stockpiling future assets, the Nets are going to be looking to add youthful options that can help guide them into the future. Okoro has a lot to offer a team like the Nets, and he could be one of their focal points as they begin their rebuild. Perhaps he could become a great secondary player on the wing as Brooklyn looks to add stars of the future moving forward.
The main reason why the Cavs would likely entertain the idea of a sign-and-trade involving Okoro and the Nets is due to the fact that Cam Johnson is available in trade talks. Johnson, who is one of the better catch-and-shoot options in the league, would be an excellent addition on the wing for the Cavs, who ranked 15th in the league in perimeter shooting during the 2023-24 season.
If the Cavaliers can find a way to move Okoro and bring back Johnson, that would be a major win for Atkinson to begin his tenure as the new head coach in Cleveland.
Prediction: The Cavaliers sign-and-trade Isaac Okoro to the Brooklyn Nets.
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