NOLA-SAC

[New Orleans Pelicans]

NOLA sends:
Zach Collins (.5, .5, *.5*)
Daniel Gafford (.5, *.5*)
Lu Dort (3, 3, 3)
Darius Bazely (1, 1, *1*)
Bones Hyland (2, *3*)
Cam Reddish (.5, .5, .5)
2025 NOLA 1st Rd
2027 NOLA 1st Rd
2027 NOLA 2nd

Sac sends:
Jaren Jackson Jr. (14.5, 14.5, 14.5, 14.5, *14.5*)

I accept. I may regret giving up so many future assets, but JJJ on this contract is irresistible to me, and helps me get younger while remaining competitive. I obviously value gafford and Collins at their prices—the remaining guys are just clogging roster spots I need to free and I’d have sent the 2nd just to get off these salaries—but neither of them is so promising to dissuade me. Interested to know whether guru’s valuation of picks makes this a consensus overpay. Scared money don’t make none.

[Sacramento Kings]

I accept.

Like Pels alluded to, guys like JJJ aren't traded very often so it's hard to look to other deals to gauge their value. With that being said, I'll briefly explain why I was open to trading Jaren and let Guru (Suns) give their opinion on the value here.

With Suns blowing up his team last season to acquire the majority of the 2023 draft's first round, it set his franchise up more than nicely to contend with a clear timeline. That timeline happened to coincide with what I was sort of going for, though it was obvious his roster was many times more potent than mine, both then and in years to come. As a result, it became clear that the best direction for me to take the franchise to *eventually* be a legitimate contender was to try to push the timeline back even further. I can confidently say that JJJ on his current contract would never have contributed to a contending team on the Guru Kings.

With regards to the trade itself, I'm very happy to get Gafford as I'm fairly high on him, as well as a couple more picks. Should Collins stay healthy he should be of some solid value, too.

[Phoenix Suns]

That I live rent free in King's Head pleases me, although Pelicans being the beneficiary is sub-optimal.

I feel like, on average, Pels getting a 23yo star locked into a nice 5 year contract for Gafford, two firsts, and trash is a huge W.

There are tail-end outs where some combination of Gafford and two firsts on rookie scale out value JJJ, but they are few. Moreso because JJJ is now on the Pelicans worsening his own picks.

Remember I traded SGA for 4 firsts from different teams. If JJJ is less valuable than that package, Kings is unlucky that we don't have pick swaps or he definitely would have gotten:

2024 swap
2025 1st
2026 swap
2027 1st

Pels still makes that deal, but now we're approaching fair value. Food for thought.

I find Kings reasoning flawed. You should build a contender irrespective of other teams. Injuries and small sample sizes mean even the best team is far from guaranteed a championship.

Old Pels, Suns, Mavs, Wizards, and Nuggets have all lost with better teams.

I'd rather have JJJ, but it is not impossible that those picks are good and kings nails the picks and has 2 elite players on rookie scale.

As it stands, Pels wins the median outcome of this trade by a mile. Good stuff from the Oklahoma Oinker.

I approve.

[Dallas Mavericks]

This is a great deal for the Pelicans. I approve.