February 12th - New Orleans Pelicans VS Orlando Magic - 25-32

[Bee-Fense]

Now, I'm not gonna say that Demps definitely should stay. I totally understand the arguments for canning him, no question, and if the ownership has someone else in mind, then cool.

But using a 2013 article to critique Demps as if he didnt go on to pull off stuff like the Cousins trade, the Mirotic trade, etc, in more recent years is pretty silly.

The point is that he has never shown any patience from the very beginning. If you read the article, it acts as a cautionary tale for the events that eventually happened. Demps has gambled to win now on numerous occasions and the product we see in front of us is an absolute embarrassment and the furthest thing from a team in position to "win now." In the grand scheme of things, the decisions taken that off season are primarily responsible for the failures the franchise has experienced in the Anthony Davis era since it decided we were no longer going to "rebuild" but try to optimistically pick up these 23-25 year old players and hope we can make them work together. We see it again this year with Randle and Payton. The strategy hasn't worked.

Even in the Chris Paul era, he traded his 1st round pick for Jerryd Bayless which then turned into Jarrett Jack.

The Cousins trade gave up the asset we gained for a year's worth of tanking - Buddy Hield. Obviously the Cousins injury is the biggest what if's in the franchises history, but the fact he didn't re-sign Cousins after giving up so much for him has to be seen as a failure. From the get go, it was a gamble and it didn't work.

The Mirotic trade gave up a 1st rounder to make up for a bad contracted signed by Demps and Mirotic was then off loaded for a bundle of second rounders instead.

[Pelicanidae]

The point is that he has never shown any patience from the very beginning. If you read the article, it acts as a cautionary tale for the events that eventually happened. Demps has gambled to win now on numerous occasions and the product we see in front of us is an absolute embarrassment and the furthest thing from a team in position to "win now." In the grand scheme of things, the decisions taken that off season are primarily responsible for the failures the franchise has experienced in the Anthony Davis era since it decided we were no longer going to "rebuild" but try to optimistically pick up these 23-25 year old players and hope we can make them work together. We see it again this year with Randle and Payton. The strategy hasn't worked.

You're having an argument I'm not having.

I totally agree that Demps bungled years of this franchise. I've said all over the board when discussing our next move, that the strategy Demps used during the AD era (trading off assets to try and gather other teams cast-offs) hasn't produced any consistent success, and we shouldn't do that next. You're acting as if I'm defending that strategy. I am not.

My point isn't that Dell is a genius that we should all love. My point is that if you're going to critique Dell, it should be based on the world as it is in 2019, not as Lowe wrote in 2013. So much has happened since then that anything that needs saying, needs saying in updated context.

[UNO Gracias]

This is a tank game right? If the point is to lose the game then we are doing a great job.

[Pelicanidae]

This is a tank game right? If the point is to lose the game then we are doing a great job.

They should all be tank games.

[Pelicanidae]

LA just gave up 100 points to Atlanta in three quarters

[WildlifeAirGrp]

Tank or no tank...I feel so bad as a Pels fan watching this garbage.

[Pelicanidae]

Tank or no tank...I feel so bad as a Pels fan watching this garbage.

Wish we had never brought AD back, and just kept riding the lineup that actually cared.

We were losing, but it was fun and there was effort. Now it just looks like a dead-team walking, wasting time until summer.

[stevemadden504]

This is why no one shows up to the game. This is embarrassing.

[WildlifeAirGrp]

LA just gave up 100 points to Atlanta in three quarters

The effects of the non-trade are palpable.

[Pelicanidae]

On the plus side, even if Gentry put AD back in now to finish the game, it is mathematically impossible for AD to play more than 30 minutes.

[BlackJacket]

Down 20+ to the Magic.This team really has a knack for getting blow-out by bad teams.

[Pelicanidae]

Down 20+ to the Magic.This team really has a knack for getting blow-out by bad teams.

That's the tank, my friend.

It wasn't the tank when it happened those other times.

But it's the tank now.

[DaFranchise80]

I’m just here to hop on the tank. Clean house this summer and we are set for the long haul.

[AusPel]

Set? Far from it baw

[Tinman]

That's the tank, my friend.

It wasn't the tank when it happened those other times.

But it's the tank now.

I hope folks realize that more than 2/3rds of this roster will be sayonara come summer.

[Pelicanidae]

In tanking news:

We take another L, fall to 25-33

Magic and Hawks both take another W, improve on the season.

[Pelicanidae]

I hope folks realize that more than 2/3rds of this roster will be sayonara come summer.

For real.

AD will be gone, Randle will probably be gone, Frazier and Clark will be gone, Miller might be gone, Stanley Johnson will be gone. Depending on what we trade AD for, Jrue might even be gone.

The sure-fire members of the team for next season are: Okafor, Kenrich, Frank. That's it.

[UNO Gracias]

I’m fine with Ja, Frank, and Kenrich being the only holdovers.

[WildlifeAirGrp]

Wow. The SKC has turned into a morgue.

[Tinman]

For real.

AD will be gone, Randle will probably be gone, Frazier and Clark will be gone, Miller might be gone, Stanley Johnson will be gone. Depending on what we trade AD for, Jrue might even be gone.

The sure-fire members of the team for next season are: Okafor, Kenrich, Frank. That's it.

Miller-Moore-Solo-Diallo-Johnson-AD-Randle-Frazier-Clark-Payton. That's 10 that I can think of. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Pelicanidae]

Miller-Moore-Solo-Diallo-Johnson-AD-Randle-Frazier-Clark-Payton. That's 10 that I can think of. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I think you're right.

AD is getting traded, Solo might be going with him. Moore might too.
Randle isn't picking up his player option.
We might re-sign Diallo, but maybe not.
No reason to resign Frazier at all.
No real reason to resign Clark.
Might bring Elfrid back, but maybe not.
Might bring Miller back, but maybe not.
Not going to bring Stanley back.

[Tinman]

It'll be Jrue,Tatum,Smart,Brown,Frank,Jah,Kendrich ----- maybe re-sign Miller on the cheap & Pels pick will probably be a rotational player . Sign 2 mid level FA & 1 close to max guy.

[Pelicanidae]

It'll be Jrue,Tatum,Smart,Brown,Frank,Jah,Kendrich ----- maybe re-sign Miller on the cheap & Pels pick will probably be a rotational player . Sign 2 mid level FA & 1 close to max guy.

Either that or Zion, DSJ, Robinson, Frank, Jah, Kenrich, and whoever we trade Jrue for.*


*Jrue will probably ask to leave if we take the NY trade.

[BlackJacket]

It'll be Jrue,Tatum,Smart,Brown,Frank,Jah,Kendrich ----- maybe re-sign Miller on the cheap & Pels pick will probably be a rotational player . Sign 2 mid level FA & 1 close to max guy.

Isn't that the plan every year?

[JJackisangry]

This is the reason we have to play AD? So he can put up 3 points? Well whatever helps the tank I suppose