Where Do We Stand?

[soggymoss]

I think the question is are the Pelicans FO content with just striving for the third seed and being top second tier knowing GS and Houston are top seed strongholds guaranteed to come out of the west every year. Or will we make a big move that can at least make us compete highly with Houston to sneak in at the no. 2 spot to show other players they should sign here

I think Julius Randle is already a borderline all star, but is it enough. If Randle can somehow make the jump close to AD/Cousins #’s in a starting role and Holiday can continue to transcend into a top SG over a whole season, then we may be able to dethrone the west. If we don’t make anymore moves, then we’re clearly depending on the consistency of Randle and Holiday and the development of Payton and Frank Jackson. Randle, Holiday, and Jackson all have the capability to put us over the top if they live up to their potential, but we don’t wanna waste AD’s years here just depending on players developing every year cause usually players are what they are. A top 3 player deserves to have a team around him that can compete with Hou/GS, instead of competing with the Denver’s, Utah’s, Minnesota’s, OKC’s, etc.

I'll actually go out on a limb and say we are better than Houston now to..

They have an oft injured Paul, Harden, and Capela, they lost their starting SF and have nothing at PF...

I dont think they are a top 4 seed in the west this year

[msw2024]

Theres a trade coming. But it wont include Mirotic. Probably not Moore, either. We are going to get a NICE piece for Picks, AA & Hill. Several teams will take salaries w/picks for expiring prominant player that the they know, will not re-sign.

This is what I think also or all that I would hope dell will only use to improve the roster. I would keep Emeka for big centers and sign Clark at minimum for guard depth since not thinking much market for him.

[SonOfNOLA]

I'll actually go out on a limb and say we are better than Houston now to..

They have an oft injured Paul, Harden, and Capela, they lost their starting SF and have nothing at PF...

I dont think they are a top 4 seed in the west this year

Our starting lineup is better but Houston still has the consistency, chemistry, and depth in their favor. That could easily change as our players get settled in but that’s where it’s at. One more piece changes everything

[Darkhorse985]

We are better this year, as of now, then we were last year. Thus far, NOBODY in the West has gotten better, except the Lakers (& were still better than they are.) Thus far, Houston lost Ariz--- Portland lost Connaughton & Ed Davis.
Nico will have a training camp under his belt & everyone will have a training camp , running the Scoot & shoot offense. I think we are 3-4 in the West.

You do realize that the Warriors just signed their 5th perennial all star and filled their only weakness? They should just skip the season and give them the trophy.

[N.O.Bronco]

I think Wolves and Nuggets benefit from having their young guys progress, but these are teams we are on the same tier with IMO. As far as the Lakers I guess I have too much faith in James' greatness. Because that team is terribly flawed even by Lebron's standards. The Thunder if healthy is better than us and this is provided they don't make another move to get better.

I'm not saying it's impossible or anythings a far gone conclusion, however right now roster for roster I think we are worse especially relative to what the West will look like. Still too early to go crazy. Randle or even Payton can make a huge jump to all-star borderline all-star and I'll stand corrected.

Yeah I think Rondo is going to hurt the most.

If we had Rondo I could make an argument that we would be better than the team that went 21-13 after Cousins went down. Because undeniably we would be by adding Randle.

Problem is we replace Rondo with an obvious downgrade that is going to need a MIP type turnaround to not just be a fringe playoff team next season. And there is good reason to believe we saw peak Jrue without Rondo helping run the offense to get him easy looks and maximize his somewhat unique skillset and play style that takes a hit when forced to lead the offense or play with lesser point guards.

[soggymoss]

Yeah I think Rondo is going to hurt the most.

If we had Rondo I could make an argument that we would be better than the team that went 21-13 after Cousins went down. Because undeniably we would be by adding Randle.

Problem is we replace Rondo with an obvious downgrade that is going to need a MIP type turnaround to not just be a fringe playoff team next season. And there is good reason to believe we saw peak Jrue without Rondo helping run the offense to get him easy looks and maximize his somewhat unique skillset and play style that takes a hit when forced to lead the offense or play with lesser point guards.

If we get Rondo, we dont get Randle, unless Rondo settles for 120% increase in his pay

[N.O.Bronco]

If we get Rondo, we dont get Randle, unless Rondo settles for 120% increase in his pay

That's true, and a good point.

[HornetGuru]

So who are the possible SF targets for AA or Hill and a 1st round pick or 2?

[Darkhorse985]

So who are the possible SF targets for AA or Hill and a 1st round pick or 2?

Only realistic targets I see are Kent Bazemore and Tobias Harris unless we lock our future flexibility up by going for a Batum/Walker combo.

[JunkHead]

So who are the possible SF targets for AA or Hill and a 1st round pick or 2?

I'm available for much, much less.

[luckyman]

Am I the only one that realizes Rondo was only good in spurts? Didn't play most 4th quarters and barely played in an elimination game 5?

All the vet leadership talk is being overblown because the entire core should have grown up massively last year.

[lsutigers33]

So wilson chandler can be traded, is he worth giving up solo an a first to philly?

[PELICANSFAN]

So wilson chandler can be traded, is he worth giving up solo an a first to philly?

No

[soggymoss]

So wilson chandler can be traded, is he worth giving up solo an a first to philly?

Not even close, Denver gave a pick to Philly for them absorbing his conteact

[msusousaphone]

Rondo was cool and all. Wish we had him. But the upgrade front court more than makes up for his leaving. We are a better team now than we were last postseason. Undeniable.

The big question will be what the other mid to late playoff seed teams do. Some of them will look at GS, Houston, and LAL and fold. Choose to rebuild another two or three seasons. Some will wait to see who folds to see if they can take the scraps and ascend into the top three.

Like the Niko trade last season, I wouldn't be surprised if we were able to get a great player mid-season that we're not even contemplating now from a team that gets demoralized.

[HornetGuru]

Only realistic targets I see are Kent Bazemore and Tobias Harris unless we lock our future flexibility up by going for a Batum/Walker combo.

Tobias Harris would be an ideal fit with his 3pt shooting and size.

[Pelicanidae]

Tobias Harris would be an ideal fit with his 3pt shooting and size.

He's only 25 years old, shot 41% from 3 last year on 5.6 attempts per game, put up per 100s of 28/8/3.6, has always had a positive net rating (although only a small one, +2 for last year), PER of 17.1, VORP of 1.8, 6.7 total win shares. Not a great defender, but not tragically bad either. I could see him fitting in pretty well.

[RobertM320]

One thing that I've been thinking about in the back of my mind is the Randle deal. Its 2 yrs, but year 2 is a player option. Should we be concerned that he'll just use us this one year and then opt out and move on again? Its so damn hard to build a decent lineup when you can't keep a good piece more than a year or two.

[PELICANSFAN]

One thing that I've been thinking about in the back of my mind is the Randle deal. Its 2 yrs, but year 2 is a player option. Should we be concerned that he'll just use us this one year and then opt out and move on again? Its so damn hard to build a decent lineup when you can't keep a good piece more than a year or two.

Yes. If he plays well, he will opt out. It will up to us to give him an offer and reason to re-sign.

[UNO Gracias]

Jules could be a star here, or he could be Terrance Jones, it really is all about who comes to play.

[UNO Gracias]

Isn’t Harris too slow to play the 3, but not big enough to play the 4?

[soggymoss]

One thing that I've been thinking about in the back of my mind is the Randle deal. Its 2 yrs, but year 2 is a player option. Should we be concerned that he'll just use us this one year and then opt out and move on again? Its so damn hard to build a decent lineup when you can't keep a good piece more than a year or two.

Yes he could, but apparently he is good friends with AD, and he already took a pay cut to come here (he couldve gotten more, he was only on the market 2 hours)

I could see him opting out and us offering him 120%, which would bring him to about 9.5, then the following year we could offer him a non-bird max if hes worth it

[da ThRONe]

You are putting too much faith in Lebron, and that's coming from one of the biggest Lebron fans on the planet.

The Thunder if healthy isn't really any better than us. They were healthy basically all year last season with the exception of Andre Roberson, and they were mediocre at best in the West. Russell Westbrook does not play winning basketball at all. Melo is an anchor, in the bad way.

Roberson was huge for that team. He did the dirty work on the perimeter.

[Pelicanidae]

Roberson was huge for that team. He did the dirty work on the perimeter.

I mean, whatever you say man. Personally, I don't feel like Andre Roberson was the difference between 48 wins and a first round exist, and 58 wins and the conference finals. I just don't feel it.

[UNO Gracias]

There are only so many good (and I use that term loosely) small forwards in the NBA. So few that you have guys who are getting paid $18MM and $19MM a year, and being moved a year or so later because their teams realize that they aren’t even serviceable.

So why would anyone give us even a mediocre sf for Hill, Ajinca, and a late first round pick? I mean where is the sense in that for the other team? They get a couple of busted up players and have to give up a rare resource?