Should the Pelicans be interested in F Paul Millsap?

[Tin_Food]

Let's play this out.

One of the things I find interesting is the salary matching. We almost certainly would have to include Tyreke. And is a much younger expiring Tyreke really a throw in? Do we get THAT much better if also losing Tyreke? Maybe he could go to a third team?

I would want to find a way to also get Thabo Sefalosha in the deal. He would really solidify our roster IMO. Ignoring roster spots for a second, maybe:

Pels get: Paul Millsap and Thabo Sefalosha

Hawks get: Tyreke Evans, Alexi Ajinca, Quincy Pondexter, Langston Galloway, Pels 2017 first top 7 protected, Sixers 2017 second

Hawks could surely dump one of their smallest contracts if needed for roster spot.

We would have:

PG- Jrue Holiday/ Tim Frazier
SG- Buddy Hield/ E'Twaun Moore
SF- Thabo Sefalosha/ Solomon Hill/ Dante Cunningham
PF- Paul Millsap/ Terrence Jones/ Cheick Diallo
C- Anthony Davis/ Donatas Montiejunas/ Omer Asik

I get the fear, but you do have to explore it. If you get Paul to handshake on a four year extension, this could get serious.

I honestly like this, alot. Better payoff from spending that first.

The other thing is, if we trade for Milsap and then re-sign him, is the cap hit lower than if we were to get him in FA? Or you can sign him into lux tax space

[Topdawg26]

Let's play this out.

One of the things I find interesting is the salary matching. We almost certainly would have to include Tyreke. And is a much younger expiring Tyreke really a throw in? Do we get THAT much better if also losing Tyreke? Maybe he could go to a third team?

I would want to find a way to also get Thabo Sefalosha in the deal. He would really solidify our roster IMO. Ignoring roster spots for a second, maybe:

Pels get: Paul Millsap and Thabo Sefalosha

Hawks get: Tyreke Evans, Alexi Ajinca, Quincy Pondexter, Langston Galloway, Pels 2017 first top 7 protected, Sixers 2017 second

Hawks could surely dump one of their smallest contracts if needed for roster spot.

We would have:

PG- Jrue Holiday/ Tim Frazier
SG- Buddy Hield/ E'Twaun Moore
SF- Thabo Sefalosha/ Solomon Hill/ Dante Cunningham
PF- Paul Millsap/ Terrence Jones/ Cheick Diallo
C- Anthony Davis/ Donatas Montiejunas/ Omer Asik

I get the fear, but you do have to explore it. If you get Paul to handshake on a four year extension, this could get serious.

Do you feel like that roster can beat Golden State, Cleveland, San Antonio, or the Clippers?

I like this line-up alot but it's a solid playoff team and not a chamipionship contender. You don't trade away an asset like a lottery pick in a solid draft (Which you can acquire a potentially great player. This great player can be the AD's running mate for years and lead to a potential Championship team.) for a guy who will fill up your salary cap (while still having Asik and Ajinca taking up precious salary cap space) and net you only a playoff contenting team. You build teams around a superstar like AD to win championships and not just to be in the playoffs. Your doing deals for short team success and not long term greatness.

[N.O.Bronco]

Those guys are worth $80 million though. And you still have Buddy and Solo under contract. You would still have Frazier, Moore, Cunningham, Diallo and Asik. You would mostly be looking for vets as solid backups, which is one thing Demps can do.

AD certainly is worth his and probably more.

A soon-to-be 32 year old Millsap and an above average player at the deepest position in the league that we still don't have a confident sample size on?

Thats a harder sell to me at this moment in time. Especially when you factor in the costs and risks that go along with making that trio happen. Any notable regression to Millsap after you pay up to 35 million a year for him and that could be the death blow to the AD era.

[GuardianAngel25]

Why can't we just add Durant!! Man can people just imagine how good we be if we could realistically land him? We would be so damn good.

[msusousaphone]

Do you feel like that roster can beat Golden State, Cleveland, San Antonio, or the Clippers?

I like this line-up alot but it's a solid playoff team and not a chamipionship contender. You don't trade away an asset like a lottery pick in a solid draft (Which you can acquire a potentially great player. This great player can be the AD's running mate for years and lead to a potential Championship team.) for a guy who will fill up your salary cap (while still having Asik and Ajinca taking up precious salary cap space) and net you only a playoff contenting team. You build teams around a superstar like AD to win championships and not just to be in the playoffs. Your doing deals for short team success and not long term greatness.

I will prerequisite this with that I am an optimist to the point that my mom calls me her Thumbalina...but yeah...that front court might actually be deep and powerful enough to do it. Especially if Hield keeps it turned on, Jrue stays healthy, and either Diallo or Donuts pan out....and those thing aren't the most far fetched.

[N.O.Bronco]

I will prerequisite this with that I am an optimist to the point that my mom calls me her Thumbalina...but yeah...that front court might actually be deep and powerful enough to do it. Especially if Hield keeps it turned on, Jrue stays healthy, and either Diallo or Donuts pan out....and those thing aren't the most far fetched.

Keep in mind Millsap is a month away from being 32. Thabo is three months out from being 33.

Even if we are optimistic, Diallo is at least one, maybe two more seasons away before being a major positive factor and that puts Millsap at 33-35. And there is no realistic way to retain all those players or for the Hawks to ever accept the terms of that overly optimistic hypothetical deal.

[msusousaphone]

C'mon, fam. Join me on this magical journey.

[IamQuailman]

Pass so hard. Let's pay $140mil to a guy who is 4 months shy of 33 when his new contract starts. NOTHING can go wrong there, amirite?

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[Spaniard]

Do you feel like that roster can beat Golden State, Cleveland, San Antonio, or the Clippers?

I like this line-up alot but it's a solid playoff team and not a chamipionship contender. You don't trade away an asset like a lottery pick in a solid draft (Which you can acquire a potentially great player. This great player can be the AD's running mate for years and lead to a potential Championship team.) for a guy who will fill up your salary cap (while still having Asik and Ajinca taking up precious salary cap space) and net you only a playoff contenting team. You build teams around a superstar like AD to win championships and not just to be in the playoffs. Your doing deals for short team success and not long term greatness.

To play devils advocate.....do you think even the 10th pick in this draft provides a roster that beats those teams?

If the criteria of making moves is if it makes a roster better than GSW, we might as well shut it down and never make any moves. Because there is no roster we will be putting together better than them on paper.

But you would be adding a Millsap who was second team all defense just last season, and Thabo who is known as one of the better wing defenders. And you would have one hell of an advantage down low with AD and Millsap. You certainly would be a hell of a lot closer.

[msusousaphone]

Bam.

And there it is. We're not talking about a 4th or better pic. This is the NBA. At 11 we are either looking at a potential guy that either never pass out or turns it on in 2021 or just a decent rotation guy...in two years.

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[Topdawg26]

To play devils advocate.....do you think even the 10th pick in this draft provides a roster that beats those teams?

If the criteria of making moves is if it makes a roster better than GSW, we might as well shut it down and never make any moves. Because there is no roster we will be putting together better than them on paper.

But you would be adding a Millsap who was second team all defense just last season, and Thabo who is known as one of the better wing defenders. And you would have one hell of an advantage down low with AD and Millsap. You certainly would be a hell of a lot closer.

Well the purpose of building a team is win championships and not just make it to the playoffs. We have one of the best players in the league already (who talent wise is just as good or better than Curry and Durant) which we got through the draft. Every team should want to win championships and not just be a good team. That's why the Hawks are trading away the players they have because they can't get to the Championship with the roster that they have. When your a small market team which we are you build a championship team through the draft (Cleveland with Irving and Leborn, Golden State with Curry, Thompson, and Draymond, Clippers with Blake and Jordan, San Antonio with Duncan, Parker, Leonard, and Manu). Sure you can add pieces later but successful teams build through the draft.

Why would you add to aging players (who's skills are declining) for a potential top 10 draft pick in a very deep draft? You would get a playoff but then you end up with two old players on bad contracts that will never get you to the championship. That deal will kill the long-term goal for the minimal short term success.

[Topdawg26]

Bam.

And there it is. We're not talking about a 4th or better pic. This is the NBA. At 11 we are either looking at a potential guy that either never pass out or turns it on in 2021 or just a decent rotation guy...in two years.

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So how far do you think you will get with that line-up? Honestly, before I answer I want to know the short and long term plan of it?

[Spaniard]

So how far do you think you will get with that line-up? Honestly, before I answer I want to know the short and long term plan of it?

Honestly, I think it goes as far as AD can take it. It would surround him with the talent to put him in the game. That's all you can ask for. From there, he needs to play like the best player on the court.

You would have four years for sure with this lineup. Hopefully you compete for four years and add some pieces along the way.

[Champ]

Thank God

Pelicans reportedly not interested in paying huge contract demands of Paul Millsap https://t.co/W3p5Cy4o4f pic.twitter.com/ooe3wNs3YP

— The Bird Writes (@thebirdwrites) January 7, 2017

[Topdawg26]

Thank God

Pelicans reportedly not interested in paying huge contract demands of Paul Millsap https://t.co/W3p5Cy4o4f pic.twitter.com/ooe3wNs3YP

— The Bird Writes (@thebirdwrites) January 7, 2017

You see! It doesn't make sense in the long term to pay an older guy that much money to play a position that we have the best in that position. Also, we have Diallo, Terrence Jones, and now D Mo for cheaper!

[Topdawg26]

Honestly, I think it goes as far as AD can take it. It would surround him with the talent to put him in the game. That's all you can ask for. From there, he needs to play like the best player on the court.

You would have four years for sure with this lineup. Hopefully you compete for four years and add some pieces along the way.

AD is already playing outside of his mind. You don't have 4 years because Thabo is already in his mid 30s and we can't add pieces when both would eat away at the salary cap.

[jprdbulldog20]

Sources: Atlanta GM Wes Wilcox has started informing teams today that Paul Millsap is no longer on the trade market.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) January 9, 2017

[Eman5805]

Unsatisfactory trade talks, then. I mean. Give up a ton of assets, then sign him for a boatload of cash?

Who would accept that? And the finals ready teams are pretty good on bigs.

[Mythrol]

Sources: Atlanta GM Wes Wilcox has started informing teams today that Paul Millsap is no longer on the trade market.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) January 9, 2017

Of course. They weren't going to get much value for him due to his age and the size of the next contract he was getting. Good on them for trying to bait someone, better for others not falling for it.