The Knicks seem our most likely dance partner.
I'd be pitching a deal with two facets. 1- we take Melo off their hands for expirings and are compensated handsomely. Like, I want the knicks 2018 first unprotected. With the no trade clause, not only are we one of the few options for Phil to deal with, but we are the only team that can make the trade advantageous for them. That's where the 2nd facet, access to the Fultz pick comes in.
Zinger is almost straight up value for Fultz. Almost.
So, meet contingent 1 (Melo + 2018 unprotected first) and we can include the 2017 first overall plck for Zinger, plus a future pick swap or protected first.
So, all totaled; the deal looks like this.
2017 first overall, Amir, Zeller for
2018 NYK unprotected first, future 1st, Zinger, & Melo.
I feel like this is good value. Knicks refresh their books and get Fultz. Which is crazy since no one should be able to trade for Fultz right now.
We can go all in to win now, upgrading two starter spots. We also get the push the development plan out on year by getting the NYK 2018 first, when they should be sufficiently terrible. That sets up a future core of: Smart/Terry, Brown, 18'bkn, 18'nyk, plus Zizic.
And the win now team looks like this:
Thomas $6.5
Bradley $8.2
Melo. $24.5
Zinger $4.3
Horford $26.5
Klynyk $14 ?
Smart $3.8
Crowder $6.2
Brown $4.7
Rozier $1.9
Jerebko $6 ?
Zizic. $3 ?
$110-115 if you go into the tax to resign JJ and Kelly. Either way, that's a squad that competes in a big way right now, with Melo playing with urgency-- then again in two years as Zinger develops into a stud. In four years as Jaylen becomes a scorer and also is a contender 6-10 years down the line thanks to those two big apple unprotected 2018 firsts.