FanPost

Derrick Jones Jr. Will Be a Combination of Robert Covington and Jerami Grant

Just like with Jimmy Butler, the escape hatch for the Markelle Fultz situation is also in Miami. I think trading Markelle Fultz for Dion Waiters and Derrick Jones Jr. is a deal that both sides can be happy with regardless whether Fultz is a bust or regains his health and becomes a stud, because I believe Derrick Jones is on the way to becoming the equivalent of Robert Covington and Jerami Grant put together. I believe the Sixers front office can give us a championship contender for now and the future with these two trades:


Markelle Fultz ⇔ Dion Waiters and Derrick Jones Jr.

Wilson Chandler and Mike Muscala and Justin Patton ⇔ Otto Porter and Thomas Bryant Jr.


Ben Simmons, JJ Redick, Jimmy Butler, Otto Porter, Joel Embiid

TJ McConnell, Dion Waiters, Derrick Jones Jr., Jonah Bolden, Thomas Bryant Jr.

Landry Shamet, Zhaire Smith, Furkan Korkmaz, Haywood Highsmith, Amir Johnson


Having a full roster, the Miami Heat can roll the dice on a high upside wildcard like Markelle Fultz, because they can trade two players they dont need right now and still have more than enough good ones left over that they do not have to depend on Fultz at all. They get a potential all-star if he returns to complete health, and yet they save millions of dollars even if he’s a total bust by shedding Waiters’ contract. I think the most likely outcome for Markelle Fultz is a quality NBA point guard with an iffy shot. That's more valuable to Miami going forward than to us.


Now before we start bashing Dion Waiters, most Sixers fans would be happy with Markelle Fultz if he came back and played exactly like him. A 6’4 shooting guard who can guard the point and closeout games. Three level scorer. It would be like having a Lou Williams off the bench who can also defend. There would never be a moment where our offense is stagnant. When he's healthy, of course.


I’m almost 100% certain the Heat want to give us Waiters for Fultz, since Miami doesn’t have enough playing time for Dion Waiters as it is given they have Dwyane Wade and Tyler Johnson and Wayne Ellington on the bench, and it will only get worse for them when Goran Dragic comes back from injury,. Importantly for a luxury tax paying team like the Heat, Fultz makes less than Waiters this year, and his contract is shorter.


Including Derrick Jones Jr. in the deal is a must for the Sixers, as we must get back someone with Markelle Fultz’ star potential. 6’7 Derrick Jones has enormous potential at a position of need for us. He is also from Chester, Pennsylvania, having graduated Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor. Both Waiters and Jones are borderline starters in my mind who would strengthen our bench by a lot. Jones, though, could blossom into the perfect starter inbetween Ben and Jimmy and Joel. At 21 years old, Jones is at the same point of his development as Robert Covington was in his fourth year at Tennessee St. He has the length and lateral quickness to defend the same way as Cov. Gets his hand on everything. His steals % is outrageous. Plus, Jones hunts for weakside blocks just like Jerami Grant, and the slam dunk contest participant has even greater leaping ability than Jerami to "stretch the floor vertically".


As much as I may like him, losing Derrick Jones Jr. should mean very little to a general manager like Pat Riley who routinely plucks good players out the crack of his ass, like Josh Richardson, Hassan Whiteside, James Johnson, Tyler Johnson, Rodney Magruder. Shit, the Heat still have undrafted free agent Udonis Haslem and his championship rings. According to the ESPN Trade Machine, swapping Fultz for Waiters and DJ is legal, saving the Heat almost $5m in salary and at least twice as much in luxury taxes.


Let’s add the fact that 75% of Liberty Ballers agree with trading Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala and Jason Patton < = > Otto Porter and Thomas Bryant Jr., and the Sixers would have a powerhouse squad loaded for the playoffs. With four players going out and four coming in, the Sixers would still have an open roster spot for a veteran in the buyout market. Another seasoned four like Ilyasova would be nice. CamdenSixers proposes trading 2nds for Reggie Bullock, which would be good.


Let us also not forget that we are recruiting Jimmy Butler. These trades build a team Butler would be insane to leave. At the same time, we'd still be very good if he did. I would include draft picks to make these deals happen, because we have more than enough youth to develop, and so long as we don't include MIA21 in either trade, we will be in a very good position to trade for another star player, like Anthony Davis or whomever.


Ben Simmons, JJ Redick, Jimmy Butler, Otto Porter, Joel Embiid

TJ McConnell, Dion Waiters, Derrick Jones Jr., Reggie Bullock, Thomas Bryant Jr.

Landry Shamet, Zhaire Smith, Furkan Korkmaz, Jonah Bolden, Amir Johnson

.

I'm actually trying to give JJ Redick his respect, because with Derrick Jones Jr. taking over Covington's role, I honestly don't know how any team could score on Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, Derrick Jones Jr., Otto Porter and Joel Embiid? If we're trying to build a team that can beat the Golden State Warriors this year, I think this is how we do it.

A user-created LB joint. The Liberty Ballers staff does not contribute to FanPosts.