If Jevon Carter started this would be a powerful lineup but I'm not quite sure it puts us over the top. The depth is suspect in places and we are still weak at starting center. Also, I'm not convinced by Devin Booker on the defensive end at shooting guard. Yes, the other guys, especially Jevon Carter (NBA DPOY potential), will make us strong on defense. But Kanter and Booker are liabilities.
How about swinging an additional deal and getting Butler and Karl Anthony Towns from Minnesota? If we use the assets we would have used to get Booker and then also sign and trade Hood to include in the deal, they would be very available IMO. Hood is younger and cheaper than Butler, and is a better pure shooter from 3. Also, Minnesota would LOVE to get KLove back, he put up better offensive numbers than Towns.
I also feel like Chris Paul would be a good addition to the lineup in terms of mentoring Jevon Carter. We don't really need two young developing point guards in JC and Fultz both. So flip Fultz to Houston for Chris Paul (they will save oodles of money on salary and will be set up with a point guard of the future -- they can't be feeling good that Paul is over 30).
We pull that trade, our lineup is:
CP III / JC (they are about equal in terms of talent but maybe Paul could start early in the year as Carter gets used to the league)
Butler / Clarkson
Kawhi / Green (we can re-sign green for vet min)
AD / Nance
KAT / Zizic
Now *that* is a competitive lineup, even without Lebron! KAT has some development to do at the defensive end, but with the other starters all being solid defenders I feel like we could cover for him. The bench is just OK, but Calderon will help there and maybe we can get the other teams to send some incoming first rounders in the trades so we can gradually build that out. What do you think?