Boston has a decision to make - AD?

[da ThRONe]

What are you talking about??? How many games did they play? 19?

You don't pre-emptively make dumb short-sighted moves to "protect" yourself on the assumption that its not going to work out. The entire goal of free agency and the draft is to get players like DC and AD. Thats the whole point. If it doesn't work then it doesn't work. But you don't let them play 19 games, then decide to trade one of them away.

That is just beyond stupid.

We were in position to compete for the 8th spot most experts predicted trading for Cousins made us the favorite for that final spot and we didn't make it. I'm not saying the small sample size is enough to make any major conclusions about Davis/Cousins pairing. However that doesn't stop the fact that so much is riding on this duo and if it doesn't pay dividends next season we can be in total hell moving forward. Little future asset and cap space. People are talking as if trading DMC this off season has no merit and the only way is to keep him. If Boston calls with a great deal it would make sense to potentially move Cousins. Yes next year we are worse off without Cousins and potentially Holiday. Difference is I'm not hung up on the immediate future as we have such little chance for deep playoffs runs anyways with the way the rest of the roster looks outside of Davis and Cousins and the strength of the conference.

[DaFranchise80]

No one in the west is getting past Golden State in the next few years as long as they have Curry, Durant and co. Let's try to lower our expectations as fans this upcoming season and just get to the playoffs which will be Boogie's first time. Once we make it to the tournament then anything can happen. Yeah a few "experts" had predicted the Pels making the 8th seed after the trade but a lot more acknowledged that it would take some time for the team to gel. Unfortunately for us we didn't have enough games left to see the playoffs come to fruition but we did get a sneak peak on the potential of this pairing.

[IVICP3]

Trade AD and Gentry keeps the job.

The worse movement of the NBA history by a GM.

[PelsTakeFlight]

The fact that this joke of a thread has hit two pages is sad and shows the negativity and loser mentality some fans have around here. AD to Boston or anywhere else has a zero percent chance of happening. There's not even a world where Boogie gets traded. They got Demarcus Cousins for a reason, and they're gonna either ride this pairing to the promised land or ride it into the ground.

I really don't understand what would make some fans happy. I mean we have two of the most talented basketball players in the league on the same team; something that three years ago would've been a pipe dream, and yet all I see around this forum is negativity. I mean you choose how you wanna support your team I guess, but for me, I can't wait to see how this pair works out, for better or worse. Just with those two players alone we have more of a chance of doing damage in this league than I believe we've ever had before. Exciting times ahead of us guys, let's enjoy em.

[da ThRONe]

The fact that this joke of a thread has hit two pages is sad and shows the negativity and loser mentality some fans have around here. AD to Boston or anywhere else has a zero percent chance of happening. There's not even a world where Boogie gets traded. They got Demarcus Cousins for a reason, and they're gonna either ride this pairing to the promised land or ride it into the ground.

I really don't understand what would make some fans happy. I mean we have two of the most talented basketball players in the league on the same team; something that three years ago would've been a pipe dream, and yet all I see around this forum is negativity. I mean you choose how you wanna support your team I guess, but for me, I can't wait to see how this pair works out, for better or worse. Just with those two players alone we have more of a chance of doing damage in this league than I believe we've ever had before. Exciting times ahead of us guys, let's enjoy em.

What would make me happy is being on a positive trajectory with the most flexibility possible. Anything goes wrong this next season by putting all our eggs in one basket and we're likely bottom dwellers for years. If Boston or any team rings you up with a great deal you make it especially if it involves Cousins as he only has one year under contract. I get why people want to keep both and I'm not suggesting actively seeking a trade, but again if the right one comes the teams way it would be foolish to reject it and bet on a unrestricted free agent.

[PelsTakeFlight]

What would make me happy is being on a positive trajectory with the most flexibility possible. Anything goes wrong this next season by putting all our eggs in one basket and we're likely bottom dwellers for years. If Boston or any team rings you up with a great deal you make it especially if it involves Cousins as he only has one year under contract. I get why people want to keep both and I'm not suggesting actively seeking a trade, but again if the right one comes the teams way it would be foolish to reject it and bet on a unrestricted free agent.

I get what you mean and I understand your approach to it but I respectfully disagree. In my opinion Boston can't offer anything that would make me feel that we're in a better spot than we already are. I get the whole one year lease, but sometimes, those are risks you have to be willing to take. Even if it doesn't work out we didn't mortgage our future in that Cousins trade and still have Davis.

Only trade id even consider involving our big two this summer is if we were getting a top 5 player in return and I'd only think of trading cousins, but that won't happen so I think we stay put.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bricklayer]

We were in position to compete for the 8th spot most experts predicted trading for Cousins made us the favorite for that final spot and we didn't make it. I'm not saying the small sample size is enough to make any major conclusions about Davis/Cousins pairing. However that doesn't stop the fact that so much is riding on this duo and if it doesn't pay dividends next season we can be in total hell moving forward. Little future asset and cap space. People are talking as if trading DMC this off season has no merit and the only way is to keep him. If Boston calls with a great deal it would make sense to potentially move Cousins. Yes next year we are worse off without Cousins and potentially Holiday. Difference is I'm not hung up on the immediate future as we have such little chance for deep playoffs runs anyways with the way the rest of the roster looks outside of Davis and Cousins and the strength of the conference.

Its just silly. You get this kind of opportunity, you 100% every single time go for it.

And its not nearly as hard as people are making it out to put a successful team around a pairing of this caliber. I'm going to list out some famous duos and the "supporting casts" they had on their way to very successful seasons:

Shaq n Kobe 2001-02 (58-24, Won Finals):
Shaq 27.2pts 10.7reb 3.0ast
Kobe 25.2pts 5.5reb 5.5ast
Fisher 11.2pts 2.1reb 2.6ast
Fox 7.9pts 4.7reb 3.5ast
George 7.1pts 3.7reb 1.4ast
Horry 6.8pts 5.9reb 2.0ast
Walker 6.7pts 7.0reb 0.9ast
Hunter 5.8pts 1.5reb 1.6ast

Admiral + Duncan 1997-98 (56-26)
Admiral 21.6pts 10.6reb 2.7ast
Duncan 21.1pts 11.9reb 2.7ast
Johnson 10.2pts 2.0reb 7.9ast
Del Negro 9.5pts 2.8reb 3.4ast
Elliot 9.3pts 3.4reb 1.7ast
Jackson 8.8pts 2.6reb 1.9ast
Person 6.7pts 3.3reb 1.4ast
Williams 6.3pts 2.5reb 1.2ast (yes, Monty -- another reason he might have been a better coach now, he played on a Twin Towers team)
Perdue 5.0pts 6.8reb 0.7ast

Yao and T-Mac 2007-08 (55-27)
Yao 22.0pts 10.8reb 2.3ast
TMac 21.6pts 5.1reb 5.9ast
Alston 13.1pts 3.5reb 5.3ast
Scola 10.3pts 6.4reb 1.3ast
Battier 9.3pts 1.3reb 5.9ast
Wells 9.2pts 5.1reb 1.6ast
Jackson 8.8pts 2.7reb 2.4ast
Landry 8.1pts 4.9reb 0.5ast
Head 7.6pts 1.8reb 1.9ast
Hayes 3.0pts 5.4reb 1.2ast
*Yao only played in 55gms, T-Mac in 66, hence more minutes/gms/numbers for the reserves

Durant & Westbrook 2015-16 (55-27)
Durant 28.2pts 8.2reb 5.0ast
Westbrook 23.5pts 7.8reb 10.4ast
Kanter 12.7pts 8.1reb 0.4ast
Ibaka 12.6pts 6.8reb 0.8ast
Waiters 9.8pts 2.6reb 2.0ast
Adams 8.0pts 6.7reb 0.8ast
Morrow 5.6pts 0.9reb 0.4ast
Roberson 4.8pts 3.6reb 0.7ast
Singler 3.4pts 2.1reb 0.4ast

which brings us too:

Boogie & Brow 2017-18 (??-??)
Brow 27.6pts 11.8reb 1.8ast*
Boogie 24.6pts 12.4reb 3.7ast*
?????
?????
?????
?????
?????
*numbers from March+April this past season


Look at those other team constructions. All of which won 55+ games. None of them even had a #3 guy. Just roleplayers and an ok PG to run things. Get a few defenders, GET SOME OLD GUYS, experienced winning vets, not kids, and go. It's as far from impossible as it can be. You just need, and this is of course the question, a front office/coach who understands how you build it out once you have your two big stars. If Pat Riley were GM, you could not fail. This is a 100% success story. Demps...well, time to put up or go flip burgers somewhere, because this is eminently doable for anybody competent.

This is about coaching and roleplayers now, not stars/superstars/lottery picks or anything else. The right coach, the right roleplayers, and the Pels are big winners.

[da ThRONe]

Its just silly. You get this kind of opportunity, you 100% every single time go for it.

And its not nearly as hard as people are making it out to put a successful team around a pairing of this caliber. I'm going to list out some famous duos and the "supporting casts" they had on their way to very successful seasons:

Shaq n Kobe 2001-02 (58-24, Won Finals):
Shaq 27.2pts 10.7reb 3.0ast
Kobe 25.2pts 5.5reb 5.5ast
Fisher 11.2pts 2.1reb 2.6ast
Fox 7.9pts 4.7reb 3.5ast
George 7.1pts 3.7reb 1.4ast
Horry 6.8pts 5.9reb 2.0ast
Walker 6.7pts 7.0reb 0.9ast
Hunter 5.8pts 1.5reb 1.6ast

Admiral + Duncan 1997-98 (56-26)
Admiral 21.6pts 10.6reb 2.7ast
Duncan 21.1pts 11.9reb 2.7ast
Johnson 10.2pts 2.0reb 7.9ast
Del Negro 9.5pts 2.8reb 3.4ast
Elliot 9.3pts 3.4reb 1.7ast
Jackson 8.8pts 2.6reb 1.9ast
Person 6.7pts 3.3reb 1.4ast
Williams 6.3pts 2.5reb 1.2ast (yes, Monty -- another reason he might have been a better coach now, he played on a Twin Towers team)
Perdue 5.0pts 6.8reb 0.7ast

Yao and T-Mac 2007-08 (55-27)
Yao 22.0pts 10.8reb 2.3ast
TMac 21.6pts 5.1reb 5.9ast
Alston 13.1pts 3.5reb 5.3ast
Scola 10.3pts 6.4reb 1.3ast
Battier 9.3pts 1.3reb 5.9ast
Wells 9.2pts 5.1reb 1.6ast
Jackson 8.8pts 2.7reb 2.4ast
Landry 8.1pts 4.9reb 0.5ast
Head 7.6pts 1.8reb 1.9ast
Hayes 3.0pts 5.4reb 1.2ast
*Yao only played in 55gms, T-Mac in 66, hence more minutes/gms/numbers for the reserves

Durant & Westbrook 2015-16 (55-27)
Durant 28.2pts 8.2reb 5.0ast
Westbrook 23.5pts 7.8reb 10.4ast
Kanter 12.7pts 8.1reb 0.4ast
Ibaka 12.6pts 6.8reb 0.8ast
Waiters 9.8pts 2.6reb 2.0ast
Adams 8.0pts 6.7reb 0.8ast
Morrow 5.6pts 0.9reb 0.4ast
Roberson 4.8pts 3.6reb 0.7ast
Singler 3.4pts 2.1reb 0.4ast

which brings us too:

Boogie & Brow 2017-18 (??-??)
Brow 27.6pts 11.8reb 1.8ast*
Boogie 24.6pts 12.4reb 3.7ast*
?????
?????
?????
?????
?????
*numbers from March+April this past season


Look at those other team constructions. All of which won 55+ games. None of them even had a #3 guy. Just roleplayers and an ok PG to run things. Get a few defenders, GET SOME OLD GUYS, experienced winning vets, not kids, and go. It's as far from impossible as it can be. You just need, and this is of course the question, a front office/coach who understands how you build it out once you have your two big stars. If Pat Riley were GM, you could not fail. This is a 100% success story. Demps...well, time to put up or go flip burgers somewhere, because this is eminently doable for anybody competent.

This is about coaching and roleplayers now, not stars/superstars/lottery picks or anything else. The right coach, the right roleplayers, and the Pels are big winners.

The problem with this post is it just assume stats = wins which is not true. Boogie statically has been arguably the best center in the game for 2 or 3 years 0 playoffs appearances why? Davis statically has been arguably the best best power forward for a similar time 1 playoff appearance. That's one between two statical giants. And that isn't even factoring in injures. Which is why I make a big deal around this forum about flexibility.

So even if your major point that two stat monster has the most important area to success covered. Where are we getting these role players? Unless the ones on this team make significant improvements and we have the same coaches for the most part.

[luckyman]

We were in position to compete for the 8th spot most experts predicted trading for Cousins made us the favorite for that final spot and we didn't make it. I'm not saying the small sample size is enough to make any major conclusions about Davis/Cousins pairing. However that doesn't stop the fact that so much is riding on this duo and if it doesn't pay dividends next season we can be in total hell moving forward. Little future asset and cap space. People are talking as if trading DMC this off season has no merit and the only way is to keep him. If Boston calls with a great deal it would make sense to potentially move Cousins. Yes next year we are worse off without Cousins and potentially Holiday. Difference is I'm not hung up on the immediate future as we have such little chance for deep playoffs runs anyways with the way the rest of the roster looks outside of Davis and Cousins and the strength of the conference.

Most "experts" knew this was going to take time with many adjustments to try and reach that 8th spot. Half the team was gutted after that trade. You've got to give Dell credit for going out and finding Crawford to somewhat stabilize the bench. Secondly, yo umake it seem like if this doesn't work out next year the team will be screwed for the foreseeable future afterwards. That is simply not true at all. If you are willing to give the 76ers 5 - 10 years to build something entirely through the draft, then why can't the Pelicans get the same courtesy in what would be an assured worst case scenario?

Lastly, it would really take something catastrophic for an AD/Cousins pairing not to work given a full off-season. I mean really, at least 50% of the playoff teams out there this year had less talent. It's just not that hard.

[Buckwheat]

AD n DC have a long way to go before anyone on this forum starts claiming 55+ wins !!!!
DC is a career LOSER in the NBA.
AD is not far behind him
So until they prove otherwise its all just speculation.
I don't buy all the glory of the Miracle March of 2017 beating losing teams then going 1-6 in April 2017.

[Bricklayer]

AD n DC have a long way to go before anyone on this forum starts claiming 55+ wins !!!!
DC is a career LOSER in the NBA.
AD is not far behind him
So until they prove otherwise its all just speculation.
I don't buy all the glory of the Miracle March of 2017 beating losing teams then going 1-6 in April 2017.

Individuals don't win, franchises win. If somebody seriously believes that if A.D. or Boogie were swapped into the Spurs in place of Aldridge (let alone if they both were swapped in for Aldridge and Gasol) that they would be "LOSERS"...well, they just aren't very good at basketball.

Great players lose due to circumstance, little more. Kevin Garnett won an MVP. Two years later he was winning 30 games as his Wolves teams fell apart. wo years after that he was winning a title in Boston. Kobe Bryant won three titles with Shaq. A couple of years later he's in the lottery along with Smush Parker and Kwame Brown. A few years later Phil is back, and Pau has arrived, and suddenly Kobe remembers how to win again. Boogie has had ridiculously bad teams and a chaotic franchise his entire career. A.D. hasn't done much better. The one mismatched but at least decently talented squad he had was quickly broken up by injuries and dumb front office moves.

Now they are together. The great player gravity of elite pairings is so great that there is almost no (I can't think immediately think of any) history of them failing. They may fall short of winning titles, but "disappointing" for a two great player set is being the Clippers or Yao/TMac Rockets, winning a ton of games but not getting over the hump in the playoffs.

[Eman5805]

AD n DC have a long way to go before anyone on this forum starts claiming 55+ wins !!!!

How long do they have to go? When they've won their 54th game perhaps? Will it be okay to speculate on them winning 55 games then? Because I'm not sure if I'll be allowed.

[NMThreeMVP]

I want to see who is playing PG next year. The Jazz added George Hill and made an 11 game leap. Hill wasn't an All Star, but he was a perfect fit for their system. The Pelicans need a PG that fits what they want to do and if they find that they'll make the playoffs. If the role players improve at all....

****HOT TAKE ALERT****

BOLD PREDICTION ....Alvin Gentry will win Coach of the Year.

[Tinman]

I want to see who is playing PG next year. The Jazz added George Hill and made an 11 game leap. Hill wasn't an All Star, but he was a perfect fit for their system. The Pelicans need a PG that fits what they want to do and if they find that they'll make the playoffs. If the role players improve at all....

****HOT TAKE ALERT****

BOLD PREDICTION ....Alvin Gentry will win Coach of the Year.

Rubio for 2018 1st round pick. Sign Redick. Pick up Morrow on the cheap.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

Rubio for 2018 1st round pick. Sign Redick. Pick up Morrow on the cheap.

If AD and/or DC are going to initiate the offence do we really need a PG that primarily needs the ball in his hands to be affective?
We need a guard who is competent enough to bring the ball down the court, play defence on the opposing teams guard and hit the open 3.

Any ideas?

[DaFranchise80]

If AD and/or DC are going to initiate the offence do we really need a PG that primarily needs the ball in his hands to be affective?
We need a guard who is competent enough to bring the ball down the court, play defence on the opposing teams guard and hit the open 3.

Any ideas?

Darren Collison or Patty Mills

[pelicanchamp]

I figured it out. We need Chauncey Billups. Who is today's Billups? Is it Bledsoe?

This is what I think will happen. We will trade our 2018 pick and whatever else is necessary to get Bledsoe from the SUNS. IF we believe he will be able to play and be healthy I think he'd be perfect for the pelicans. He will be entering his prime. He could be an upgrade over holiday possibly. Also, I think we will be successful in free agency. We will let go of jrue and I think we will sign Will Barton or JJ Reddick.

I think Demps will get 2 new starters. I'm fine with Hill playing SF because his defense is very good and he could be a better 3 point shooter when the team improves. We saw glimpses of him hitting lots of 3s. I think we will be fine at SF. We should get another SF but the biggest concern is getting a new pg and a new sg. If we add 2 very good guards we will be incredible. We can beat anyone and go very far. We have to get good guards who are in their primes. Also, we have to sign a vet or two if we can. So trading is what we have to do because this season will be critical. No more waiting for it to happen. This is the time to be aggressive and get a great shooter borderline all star like Reddick or a great guard like Bledsoe. We must make a trade and we should get an awesome player in FA. We have cousins and AD. If we do a very good trade on draft night free agents will notice. We are gonna see Demps knock it out the park. We already have blue collared players who play hard and are tough. Now add 2 very good guards and a role player type and I think we will be brutal. We can get past GSW if we get the right guards.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[da ThRONe]

Most "experts" knew this was going to take time with many adjustments to try and reach that 8th spot. Half the team was gutted after that trade. You've got to give Dell credit for going out and finding Crawford to somewhat stabilize the bench. Secondly, yo umake it seem like if this doesn't work out next year the team will be screwed for the foreseeable future afterwards. That is simply not true at all. If you are willing to give the 76ers 5 - 10 years to build something entirely through the draft, then why can't the Pelicans get the same courtesy in what would be an assured worst case scenario?

Lastly, it would really take something catastrophic for an AD/Cousins pairing not to work given a full off-season. I mean really, at least 50% of the playoff teams out there this year had less talent. It's just not that hard.

1st most people thought the trade gave us the edge on the final playoff spot. Certainly not everyone but on this board and most of the sports media world.

2nd I give credit to Demps for picking up Crawford. Thought it was a solid move and it ended up being much better than that. That's been Dell's strength as a GM.

Now to this idea that I'm giving passes to Philly and not us is ridiculous. I've been standing behind the method of building via the draft. But just because we lose Cousins doesn't mean we'll rebuild that way. Demps hasn't show a willingness to do so whether Benson forced him or not. Again that would likely see us trading Davis away and I don't see us doing that. But even if we did we are still going to be bottom dwellers for years which is exactly what I said. Hopefully whoever is GM will have the good sense to be terrible with a purpose.

[lsutigers33]

The fact that this joke of a thread has hit two pages is sad and shows the negativity and loser mentality some fans have around here. AD to Boston or anywhere else has a zero percent chance of happening. There's not even a world where Boogie gets traded. They got Demarcus Cousins for a reason, and they're gonna either ride this pairing to the promised land or ride it into the ground.

I really don't understand what would make some fans happy. I mean we have two of the most talented basketball players in the league on the same team; something that three years ago would've been a pipe dream, and yet all I see around this forum is negativity. I mean you choose how you wanna support your team I guess, but for me, I can't wait to see how this pair works out, for better or worse. Just with those two players alone we have more of a chance of doing damage in this league than I believe we've ever had before. Exciting times ahead of us guys, let's enjoy em.

Post was for discussion purposes not that we should trade AD. The fact that you took this post like you did exposes a new joke.

[NMThreeMVP]

If AD and/or DC are going to initiate the offence do we really need a PG that primarily needs the ball in his hands to be affective?
We need a guard who is competent enough to bring the ball down the court, play defence on the opposing teams guard and hit the open 3.

Any ideas?

Sounds like Jrue Holiday. But I really think (hope) that ship has sailed, unless his market doesn't materialize the way we expect.

I don't know what we do to fill that spot if Jrue doesn't come back, and a lot of what our options are depends on if we can do a sign and trade. Watching the Warriors a lot, I really like Ian Clark. That guy could be a great with more minutes in our offense and start at SG, which would allow us to continue to bring Moore off the bench with Crawford.

Phoenix currently has 4 Kentucky guards on the roster, and could draft another. Getting one of those guards from the Suns, either Knight or Bledsoe most likely, shouldn't be too difficult.

A healthy five man guard rotation with Bledsoe (or Jrue, or Knight), Clark, Moore, Crawford and Frazier should be good enough to get two top 10 bigs comfortably into the playoffs.

[AD23nEG10]

I wouldn't trade AD but with that being said, if the Lakers want superstar power, and expect George to come, i'd hear them out on Cousins. If i can get something like Ingram, Clarkson & Zubac for Cousins, then Fultz, Bradley, Rozier, 2018 First Rounder & Jaylen Brown for AD & drop a bad contract in the process, i'd have to at least listen. Turn two guys into Fultz, Bradley, Ingram, Brown, Zubac and tons of cap room as well as a most likely top 3 pick next year? I doubt Celts would offer that much but if they did, you'd have to at least weight it

[Bricklayer]

Borrowing some ideas (which I will accredit) from other posters in this thread, and repeating a few of my own, let me demonstrate a "Roleplayers to Target -- New Orleans Edition" here. And the "New Orleans Edition" isn't just pandering to guys people around this board know, its working on the reasonable theory that targeting guys who have roots with the Pelicans/Hornets, and guys who have roots with Boogie or A.D., might make it more likely that guys would come.

I posted those rosters of other great pairings of the past, and here is what I think can be learned from them:
-- no true need for a "third star"
-- PG to run things needs to be solid and steady roleplayer, no more.
-- you want several strong defensive roleplayers
-- you want multiple "old" roleplayers, hoary old vets with high level/championship experience
-- the overall goal is to create a tough, defensive saavy support group more than just "talent". This is also the area where I worry about a Demps/Gentry pairing "getting it". Gentry seems to be a middling "talent" coach, not a disciplined tough, saavy, defense coach. But we will see.
-- in the modern era, you can add in need shooters

Anyway, with those lessons in mind, here are things I would look at:

Darren Collison (mentioned by DaFranchise80 above) -- not only Hornets/Pelicans roots, but knows and likes Cousins. One of his best buds on the Kings. He could easily come at a fraction of the price it would cost to bring back Jrue.

David West -- lower level tough saavy vet signing. After completing his ring chasing with the Warriors, they will probably want to do better, and maybe he can be convinced to come back to finish things up where he started.

Omri Casspi -- unless that little stunt by Demps a few months ago messed this possibility up permanently. Scrappy shooter who is another friend of Cousins.

Tyson Chandler(!) -- how about this? Tyson Chandler is going to 35 and is owed $13.0mil and $13.5mil the next two years. Meanwhile Omer Asik is owed $10.6, $11.3, $12.0 the next three years, with the 3rd year with a $3mil buyout. Phoenix doesn't need either guy, but is in full rebuild. What if you offered them Asik and a 2018 or 2019 first round pick for Chandler? They get their young asset. You get back another Pelicans alum, former DPOY and NBA champion, who is now aging and about ready to become a backup. As the primary big man backup Boogie/A.D./Chandler is all kinds of long tough and formidable, and Chandler has the old vet/champion saavy you are looking for. Kind of like a beter/has more game version of Perdue on that Spurs team or Deke on the Rockets.

Per Tinman:

Rubio for 2018 1st round pick. Sign Redick. Pick up Morrow on the cheap.

I don't know how realistic Rubio is, but you could/should legitimately take a look. You don't need a scorer anymore, you need a guy who helps everybody else score. You'll notice than in my great pairings list that was what the Spurs put out front of their own twin Towers -- shooting challenged pure passer (Avery Johnson) just to feed the bigs. And the coach is still Alvin Gentry. His very best coaching season happened with Nash at the helm. Get him a pure passer and see what happens.

You know who else to look at? Rajon Rondo. Aiiee! says everybody. But Rondo actually did real well with Boogie in Sacto, led the league in assists, and again, Gentry's best success came with Nash. Rondo also of course has that title experience. Think Chicago realized they need him now, but maybe not. And he's a $10mil PG, not a $30mil for Jrue. Also: might throw the best alley oop pass in the NBA, which would be perfect for A.D. and even more perfect if you had both A.D. and Chandler.

JJ Redick -- which brings us to Redick. if you really were able to secure a Collison, a Rondo, a PG for half what it costs to bring back Jrue, then you could legitimately make a run at signing Redick, which is exactly what the SG needs to be here. he's gettign older too, another hoary old vet, and I doubt teams are going to drop a 4 year max on a 35 year old SG.

Anthony Morrow -- a saavy little suggestion by Tinman. That is what an end of the bench guy should look like next year for the Pels. Has a single skill, 3pt shooting, which is perfect. Veteran, been on good teams. Like a James Jones character for Bron. Could be had for the vet min.

NMThreeMVP mentioned George Hill's effect on the Jazz. Well, what about making a run at him rather than Jrue? He really is all that's needed, and he could have a catalyst effect. Saavy, championship experienced, plays defense, shoots threes. In my examples above, he's Derek Fisher with defense added. But you don't pay $30mil for him. See if the market stays reasonable.

Other guys:
Ty Lawson -- mentioned this before, had a big bounceback year last year. Much more dynamic change of pace guard than Tim Frazier.
Matt Barnes -- toughness and defense and friend of Boogie, but of course the crazy cuts both ways.
Thabo Sefalosha -- may be on the outs in Atlanta who may be about to rebuild. Exactly the defensive vet type guy you want out of a Pels roleplayer now.
PJ Tucker -- again, if you forego the Jrue $30mil contract you can go chase guys like PJ. Big, tough, defensive, physical...that's the roleplaying ticket.
James Johnson -- much better option than Cunningham because he has a defensive calling card. One note would be that he is another twitchy Barnes type character who I think clashed with Cousins in Sac.
CJ Miles -- likely affordable as a pure swingman shooting vet
Patrick Patterson
JaMichael Green
Luc Mbah a Moute

Guy to keep:
Jordan Crawford -- of course. Will come dirt cheap, and showed dynamic scoring (as well as his usual lack of discipline). That wasn't a fluke. Was how he was in Washington too. Given price and familiarity, just flat bring him back as points off the bench.
Chick Diallo -- no idea if he can play or not, but he's young and cheap and can develop behind the vets you hopefully import, so no reason not to keep him.

I have to be talked into the largely punchless and flavorless crew of Hill, Moore, Ajinca, Cunningham, Frazier. Maybe there is a use as a backup for a guy or two there, but truly they are bargain basement empty jerseys that many seemingly could fill.


The point of all this is that once you have a legit Big Two, the world is full of possibilities. All of these roleplayers, tough guys, aging guys, that maybe can't give you enough if you are relaying on them as major contributors, can absolutely be excellent fits around the edges of a Big Two team. You just need to have a front office vision of how to put together a squad like this. You don't need guys competing with your Big Two top do the heavy lifting. You need guys supplementing them. Hitting open shots. Making smart plays. Tough plays. Hustle plays. Its not as impossible as people make it out to be. Not remotely. Those guys are out there, you just have to know what you are looking for and have a plan behind your build.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

You lost me with trading Asik and 1st for Chandler.
No ******* way.

[Bricklayer]

You lost me with trading Asik and 1st for Chandler.
No ******* way.

Just an idea, but I'm interested in what is no way? The Suns side, or the Pels side?

Because the Suns don't need him or probably want him, shut him down for the last part of the season, have lots of young bigs to play, and I doubt they are going to get more than a 1st offered for him at age 35 (you could start by offering a couple of 2nds), and they will have a hard time dumping him for anything but matching money, because teams way under the cap are typically young teams that don't need him either.

If its on the Pels side...people have to lose their fondness for picks now. They aren't nothing, but the whole idea here is to build a 50 win team quickly, at which point those picks that everybody has grown accustomed to living and dying with become in the #20-#25 range, rather than the upper lottery (is Asik + a #22 pick really too much to offer for Chandler, who can still play)? When a good team gives away a first round pick it's not at all the same as when a bad team does. Meanwhile Chandler locks down all the well..maybe this guy...well maybe that guy uncertainty of the Asik/Ajinca/Cunningham parade of mediocrity, and relative to today's contracts, is cost controlled, indeed only slightly more expensive than Asik, who is basically dead money.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

Just an idea, but I'm interested in what is no way? The Suns side, or the Pels side?

Because the Suns don't need him or probably want him, shut him down for the last part of the season, have lots of young bigs to play, and I doubt they are going to get more than a 1st offered for him at age 35 (you could start by offering a couple of 2nds), and they will have a hard time dumping him for anything but matching money, because teams way under the cap are typically young teams that don't need him either.

If its on the Pels side...people have to lose their fondness for picks now. They aren't nothing, but the whole idea here is to build a 50 win team quickly, at which point those picks that everybody has grown accustomed to living and dying with become in the #20-#25 range, rather than the upper lottery (is Asik + a #22 pick really too much to offer for Chandler, who can still play)? When a good team gives away a first round pick it's not at all the same as when a bad team does. Meanwhile Chandler locks down all the well..maybe this guy...well maybe that guy uncertainty of the Asik/Ajinca/Cunningham parade of mediocrity, and relative to today's contracts, is cost controlled, indeed only slightly more expensive than Asik, who is basically dead money.

It's a bad move for the Pels.
They need the cap space and adding to it doesn't help.
With AD, Cousins, Cunningham (if he comes back), Diallo and Ajinca there is no minutes for Chandler or Asik.

I'd rather just stretch Asik than give up an asset.
It's not about just giving away a 20 something pick it's about what a meh move like this prevents us from doing in the future.

We can do better with the 2018 or 2019 pick than 40 year old Chandler.

However Bledsoe and Chandler for Asik, Ajinca, Q-pon and our 2018 would have me interested.