5 Potential Trade Destinations For David Lee

The Golden State Warriors, coming off the 2015 NBA championship, have no reason to change a single thing about their roster.

The Dubs joined Michael Jordan‘s Chicago Bulls from 1995-96 and 1996-97 as the only teams in NBA history to win at least 83 games between the regular season and playoffs, and with only Draymond Green being a restricted free agent, this championship team has the power to keep everyone together for another title run next season.

Well, almost everyone.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: The NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of All-Time

Just a day after the Warriors hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy, ESPN’s Marc Stein reported that David Lee has more than likely played his last game for the Dubs.

Lee is a fan favorite who took on a team-first role this season to help Golden State win a title, so this is bittersweet news for Warriors fans, especially since he was rewarded for his sacrifice with minutes in the NBA Finals, providing the small-ball revelation at the end of Game 3 that marked the turning point of the series.

However, this is hardly shocking news since Lee is owed $15.5 million in the last year of his contract next season. Lee got his title, now wants to play regular NBA minutes instead of being confined to bench duty. After all he’s given the franchise, the front office will oblige his desire, especially since they don’t want to pay $34 million in luxury tax payments to keep a garbage time player.

The problem will be finding a trade scenario that suits both parties.

From Lee’s perspective, he still has quite a bit to offer an NBA team, which is perfectly true. It was only a year ago that he averaged 18.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, after all. But his (likely) desire to play for a respectable team could be a problem given his age (32), his poor defense, his inability to spread the floor with a perimeter shot and his inflated contract.

From Golden State’s point of view, they want to be as accommodating as possible for a player who’s given them so much over the years and deserves a happy sendoff to a good situation. But in this kind of salary dump, they don’t want to take on additional salary and it’ll be hard to find a contender with enough cap room to bring Lee on. Depending on the team/deal, they may even need to throw in a future draft pick to sweeten the deal.

Bearing all this in mind (along with next season’s projected salary cap of $67.1 million), it’s time to take a look at the most likely trade destinations for Lee based on fit, cap situation and trade workability. But first, there are a few long-shot honorable mentions that need to be covered.

Next: Honorable Mentions

Honorable Mentions:

Houston Rockets: The Rockets could use some extra firepower to take the next step in the West, but they’re already right under the cap and still have Josh Smith, Corey Brewer and Jason Terry to think about re-signing, not to mention Patrick Beverley and K.J. McDaniels hitting restricted free agency…PLUS Kostas Papanikolaou‘s $4.8 million team option.

Trading Papanikolaou would be a great salary dump from Golden State’s perspective, but Houston really doesn’t have the cap room as currently constructed, they have a ton of power forwards already and Lee doesn’t provide the stretch-4 services they’d be looking for.

Philadelphia 76ers: The Sixers seem to be a haven for over-the-hill salary dumps these days (sorry, JaVale McGee), and they have the cap space to add him. Trading for Lee would give the young guys a positive locker room presence to emulate and he wouldn’t be good enough to prevent another tank year since that’s what Sam Hinkie is probably gunning for.

Skyscraper Blues

But Philly hardly seems like a destination that Lee and his agent would approve, and knowing Hinkie, he’d be asking for draft picks that the Warriors probably don’t want to surrender. Lee and the Warriors both know they can do better than this.

Boston Celtics: The Celtics have quite a bit of cap room with only $40 million of guaranteed money on the books for next season. Lee would automatically be the best frontcourt player on the roster and as we saw this season, Boston may be further along in the rebuilding process than most thought. David Lee could help the Celtics take the next step and Brad Stevens would find a way to implement him effectively.

But the Celtics have their eyes on bigger free agency targets like LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love, so unless they strike out, this seems unlikely. Lee might not want to play babysitter for a younger team, even if they’re further along than similarly poor potential landing spots like the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks. Finally, Danny Ainge would probably want picks just like Hinkie.

Washington Wizards: After watching Nene sputter out in the playoffs this year, most Wizards fans wouldn’t be opposed to the efficient interior scoring and rebounding that Lee could add to the roster. Lee isn’t a great defender, but neither is Nene if we’re being perfectly honest.

The problem is, the Wizards would have to find a way to trade Nene in a separate deal to clear out enough cap space for Lee. The Warriors definitely aren’t taking on his $13 million contract, even if there’s only one year left, because then they might as well just keep Lee’s $15.5 million contract since they actually like Lee. Washington just has too much work cut out for them to make this happen.

Next: No. 5

5. Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings aren’t a team with a ton of cap space, nor are they a team that needs another post threat given how effectively DeMarcus Cousins can operate in the paint. A small-ball 4 who can spread the floor from outside the paint is what Sacramento really needs and Rudy Gay has had some success playing that role since joining the Kings.

As currently constructed, acquiring Lee would put the Kings over the cap, which is projected to be $67.1 million next season. It’d only be for a season, but the point still stands: that’s a lot of money to pay for a guy who would only fit with Boogie if he can knock down midrange jumpers and put those superb passing skills to the test (even money at this point).

So why does it feel like this is the exact kind of unorthodox move that Vivek Ranadive would green-light, even if David Lee is subtly — or, in an even more hilarious possibility, unknowingly — clowning the Kings?

The Warriors want to find a trade that makes Lee happy without taking back too much additional salary, but if this is the opinion he has of the Kings franchise, will he really be okay with a move to join Cali’s least prestigious team? Beggars can’t be choosers, but Golden State seems intent on rewarding their former All-Star for his sacrifice with a trade to a respectable franchise.

Even though the chips are currently down for teams like the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, they’re far more glamorous organizations, they’re in better markets and they’d give Lee an opportunity to log starter’s minutes.

With Derrick Williams being a restricted free agent, that’s another potential complication. The Kings could be an option based on their needs, but perhaps not on Lee’s.

Next: No. 4

4. Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are way under the cap as it is, so even though Ed Davis will be opting out of the final $1.1 million of his contract in search of a big payday, Los Angeles can free up even more room by not exercising Jordan Hill‘s $9 million team option — a move that makes sense if they go with either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor at No. 2 in this year’s draft.

With that much cap room and there being a remote possibility the Lakers strike out in free agency once again, perhaps they’d be willing to take on Lee’s inflated contract just to fill the void for a year?

Los Angeles obviously wants to retool sooner rather than later, but another year of misery could add another top draft pick and keep the books clear for next summer, when the cap explodes to a projected $89 million (and when Kevin Durant hits free agency). Lee wouldn’t disrupt those plans, since his one-year contract would be off the books by then.

It’d really be a win-win for both sides, assuming the Lakers strike out or don’t go all in this summer. Los Angeles would enjoy a talented double-double machine who’d quickly become a fan favorite for his energy and effort, while Lee would get a chance to boost his market value before looking for a more permanent home in 2016’s free agency class.

Next: No. 3

3. New York Knicks

Like the Lakers, this one only applies if the New York Knicks strike out in free agency. But since they have only $32.4 million on the books in guaranteed money for 2015-16 (compared to L.A.’s $35 million), since they don’t have the same allure as the prestigious Lakers and since they LOVE David Lee up in New York, they get the nod at No. 3.

More from Golden State Warriors

• Grade the Trade: Warriors become title-favs in proposed deal with Raptors
• 5 NBA players everyone should be keeping a close eye on in 2023-24
• New detail about title-costing mistake reopens old wounds for Warriors
• 5 NBA players facing do-or-die 2023–2024 seasons
• 7 Harsh realities of the Golden State Warriors offseason

On the one hand, Lee is the exact kind of overpaid player that you’d expect the Knicks to sign. Bringing back a former fan favorite like Lee at age 32 would also be a typical kind of Knicksian move meant to distract fans from another failed free agency.

But like the Lakers, the Knicks wouldn’t be complete losers if they kept their books relatively clean for the 2016 offseason when Kevin Durant hits free agency. Targets like LaMarcus Aldridge or Marc Gasol are at the top of their priority list, but the closest thing NY has had to a beloved players over the last few years (other than Carmelo Anthony) has been David Lee.

That’s not terrible compensation if the Knicks strike out, and once his contract is off the books next summer, New York will A) have way more cap space to work with and B) probably be the frontrunners to re-sign Lee in free agency for a more reasonable price. It’s not the A-list acquisition fans are crossing their fingers for, but it’s not a terrible idea either.

Next: No. 2

2. Toronto Raptors

This one is pretty simple. The Toronto Raptors, as currently situated, have $49 million on the books for the 2015-16 season with the salary cap projected to be $67.1 million. Amir Johnson and Louis Williams become unrestricted free agents this summer, but right now it seems unlikely that either will be back next season.

After a hugely disappointing first round sweep at the hands of the Washington Wizards, general manager Masai Ujiri has a decision to make. Should he blow up the roster by trading Kyle Lowry? Will Dwane Casey give Jonas Valanciunas the minutes he needs despite his defensive inefficiencies? Can Toronto bring in the kind of free agent that prevents this team from having already reached its ceiling?

There are a lot of questions and no concrete answers. But if Ujiri doesn’t think this team has tapped into its full potential yet, bringing in Lee might be as good as it gets. Toronto historically hasn’t been an attractive destination for free agents, awesome city though it may be.

Lee can’t spread the floor with a perimeter jump shot, but the Raptors could use the rebounding and efficient interior scoring he provides. Plus, Toronto’s current power forward looks like it’ll be Patrick Patterson right now, which isn’t particularly reassuring. For the team that finished 25th in the league in defensive rebounding percentage, David Lee would be a helpful pickup.

Next: No. 1

1. Utah Jazz

With Enes Kanter gone, the Utah Jazz can focus on the development of their frontcourt for the future, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert. But as the third big off the bench for the Jazz, Lee could do some serious damage and help mentor a young locker room as a veteran presence.

According to Jazz reporter Spencer Checketts, Utah explored a David Lee deal with the Warriors right before the trade deadline, so the interest is clearly there, and who can blame them? It was only a season ago that Lee was slapping up an 18-9 on a nightly basis.

Lee would probably prefer to be a starter, but again, beggars can’t be choosers. He’s already won a title, so perhaps being further away from another title in Utah doesn’t matter as much as actually being on the floor. He wouldn’t log the kind of minutes he grew accustomed to during his prime, but even playing time as the first big off the bench would be an improvement from this past season.

Utah has plenty of cap room to take on Lee’s contract (only $47 million on the books in guaranteed money), and they could ship off the rest of Trevor Booker‘s non-guaranteed contract ($4.8 million) in a move that would be a great salary dump for the Warriors too. In terms of interest and workability, it’s hard to beat another potential Jazz-Warriors deal.

Next: Golden State Warriors: 10 Steps To Winning The Title

More from Hoops Habit

• The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout