Trade Thoughts

Either I am on another planet or many of the suggestions of trades on this forum are out of touch with reality. Everyone who has watched Pelicans/Hornets games over past seasons has seen teams pack the paint and dare us to shoot. So the Pelicans got Ryan Anderson. Certainly without him we would have lost the Utah Jazz game (among others). We will not be trading him. Obviously, if we were offered some insane offer (for example, Jimmy Butler + a 1st round draft choice), we would trade him, but something like that will not happen. The same untouchability holds true of Jrue and Tyreke and AD and Asik for other but similar reasons. To my mind to contend we need:

1. One Superstar: Anthony Davis
2. Three borderline All-Stars: Jrue, Tyreke, ?
3. Three really good players: Ryan Anderson, Omer Asik, ?
4. Three good role players: Dante Cunningham, ?, ?

Maybe Austin Rivers, Jeff Withey and/or Russ Smith can become the role players we need. They are not there yet, but even if they work out this gives us the need for one borderline all-star and one really good player. Obviously, the team thought Gordon would be our third borderline all-star and Rivers would be our third really good player and these dreams have not happened.

Dante will never be a really good player because of a lack of foot speed, so he will not move up. Ryan is too slow and weak and too bad on defense and Asik is too limited offensively to move up to a borderline all-star. So where will the missing pieces come from? There are several possibilities:

1. Trade marginal players (Salmons, Fredette, Ajinca, Babbitt, etc.) for a good role player.
2. Use Gordon's salary to get (a) a borderline all-star, (b) two really good players, or (c) more realistically a really good player and a good role player. However, this may take another year.
3. Find someone in Europe.
4. Get lucky in the draft.
etc.

tl;dr We will not trade AD, Jrue, Tyreke, Ryan Anderson or Asik. Think about some other possibilities.

funnily enough I was just thinking down a similar path, and had written up the below to post, but thought I would add it here after hitting refresh. generally a similar line of thought, hope you don't mind me adding to yours :D I've been looking around, but don't have anything really sticking out at this point

So, lots of talk about the bench around ;) and chat is always going on "trade reke/ryno/" etc etc. Lets assume the following are untouchable from our FO perspective:

AD/Ryno/Asik/Jrue/Reke

That leaves

EG/rivers/salmons/babbitt/ajinca/fredette/withey/smith

Looking around the league, do you think there is anything we could do to help improve our bench by moving any of these players? within reason also. I'm looking around, and one, its tough because there isn't a MASSIVE value in these guys. but I was thinking what other teams perhaps are in a similar predicament that might be able to help. for example - minnesota fans seem to want brew and buddinger gone (at what expense i am not sure). that doesn't mean I want either of them, but just trying to look at who and what is around - have asked minnesota fans who they want to get rid of/or who they see as not a future piece, and what it is they think they really need. hopefully get some decent responses. helps open up thoughts on perhaps 3 team trades etc from other teams fans rather than just our own. Playing around on the trade machine is one thing, but putting something together that works that would be realistic is a whole different kettle of fish.

The answer may well be no. I don't think there is any need to force anything, but at the same time, happy to help get some discussions going that aren't trading major pieces.

I think making Rivers an expiring helps. Add Salmons to the mix. You could make a play for a player similar to Rivers like R. Stuckey or Evan Turner. This could maybe get you in as a third or fourth team in a larger deal that centers on Lance Stephenson or Rondo.

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Originally Posted by DefensiveMind

I think making Rivers an expiring helps. Add Salmons to the mix. You could make a play for a player similar to Rivers like R. Stuckey or Evan Turner. This could maybe get you in as a third or fourth team in a larger deal that centers on Lance Stephenson or Rondo.

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Do not want

I actually think a guy like Rodney Stuckey or Tony Wroten would greatly benefit our team off the bench.

I like the general idea here. I'm really not into trading any of our main guys right now unless it's an offer that is just too good to refuse. Sadly, some here are so dead set on wanting to try and fix the SF immediately that they are selling low on our players. I don't think the SF issue will be anywhere near as bad after this summer and after next season I think it's gone completely anyway, so I'm in no rush to try and force a fix.

Instead of rushing anything I'd rather we let everyone play together and we see who actually fits our core.

With that said, How is the #2 possibility even remotely possible?

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Originally Posted by Mythrol

With that said, How is the #2 possibility even remotely possible?

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If it was, it would have happened already imo. NBA2k's crappy logic won't even let this happen.

To be a contender we just need a modest increase in consistency from Jrue, Tyreke, and Ryno, plus a return to form by Gordon and a solid backup point guard. Cunningham and Babbit give us two different small forward options if Tyreke is overmatched at the SF. Rivers is a capable backup to Tyreke. Withey can capably back up Asik, and Ajinca can handle certain situations better than Withey. I am not sold on any of our point guard options (Mekel, Smith, Rivers, or Fredette). None seem to be able to perform under pressure.
Without any of those things, we can still make the playoffs as long as AD, Asik, and Jrue stay 90% healthy. With those things we could win a playoff series or two. The key to me is development of our guards' consistency and poise. Therefore I would only trade Gordon, Salmons, Smith, Mekel, Fredette, or Rivers (him simply because he isn't ours after this year anyway). I would be looking for an experienced backup PG first, then a quick defensive SF. However, I'm content to roll with what we have this year and hope Mekel or Smith grow into the job against the (L)Eastern conference foes in January and February.

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Originally Posted by Mythrol

With that said, How is the #2 possibility even remotely possible?

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I'm assuming he means via cap space, not trade.

Yes, for #2 I was thinking about using the cap space we will have after the Gordon contract expires.

For #4, I was thinking that with some luck we may not be giving Houston our next No. 1 pick. Who knows who we might get?

We all know that Asik is only rebounding, but if we never have a true post/on the block presence, the D will never sink to kick it out to shoot open shots. A lot of our shots are contested and AD game is dunks or jumpers. It's never going to work.
Rivers needs to be traded. I'm also open to find a way to get Korver on this team and willing to trade RA

Not many assets to play with

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Originally Posted by lsutigers33

We all know that Asik is only rebounding, but if we never have a true post/on the block presence, the D will never sink to kick it out to shoot open shots. A lot of our shots are contested and AD game is dunks or jumpers. It's never going to work.
Rivers needs to be traded. I'm also open to find a way to get Korver on this team and willing to trade RA

Not many assets to play with

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Sub Withey into the game earlier. He's got decent post moves and he gets to the line.

Trade Rivers, Jimmer,

Trade Anderson for a fair trade. I think we would benefit if we traded Anderson for Lance Stephenson. Much better defense and versatility. Put lance in starting line up at the 3 and move Reke or Gordon to the bench. I would be fine with lance coming off the bench with Cunningham and Babbitt OR we could keep Babbitt as the starting SF and Reke at the 2 and have Gordon and lance come off the bench.....

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Originally Posted by pelicanchamp

Sub Withey into the game earlier. He's got decent post moves and he gets to the line.

Trade Rivers, Jimmer,

Trade Anderson for a fair trade. I think we would benefit if we traded Anderson for Lance Stephenson. Much better defense and versatility. Put lance in starting line up at the 3 and move Reke or Gordon to the bench. I would be fine with lance coming off the bench with Cunningham and Babbitt OR we could keep Babbitt as the starting SF and Reke at the 2 and have Gordon and lance come off the bench.....

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Yuck

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Originally Posted by pelicanchamp

Sub Withey into the game earlier. He's got decent post moves and he gets to the line.

Trade Rivers, Jimmer,

Trade Anderson for a fair trade. I think we would benefit if we traded Anderson for Lance Stephenson. Much better defense and versatility. Put lance in starting line up at the 3 and move Reke or Gordon to the bench. I would be fine with lance coming off the bench with Cunningham and Babbitt OR we could keep Babbitt as the starting SF and Reke at the 2 and have Gordon and lance come off the bench.....

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double post

Why yuck

Lance Stephenson is probably more capable of helping this team win than Anderson is.

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Originally Posted by pelicanchamp

Lance Stephenson is probably more capable of absolutely destroying this team than Anderson is.

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Fixed

I'd rather have taken the deal from Phoenix this summer than trade Anderson for Stephenson.

Don't want Stephenson anywhere near our roster. Wouldn't sign him as a street free agent...