The Offseason Moves or Non-Moves and Looking Ahead

As it stands, the Pels have the 8th pick. I see a few objectives for the team to go and maximize success short and long term. Of course, luck and chance always play a huge role and that is hard to account for in any analysis. Regardless, the Pels are positioned better than they ever have been to make a run.

Here are a few objectives ranked in order to achieve dynastic excellence.

1. Internal improvement. Brandon, Zion, Trey, and Herb improving their games. Facilitating, off-ball movement, and handling are musts for them. They are the cornerstones and ultimately decide the fate of the franchise.
2. Continue to add youth to the pipeline. We are in a unique position where we don?t have to worry about the now with our pick. Being in the 8th position is a great value spot. We can have the young player(s) develop and hone key skills with an assistant and trainers whether that is the G-League or the end of the bench with no pressure of being relied on. There will come a time where you will have to pay guys (if everything works out), and having cheap, young talent is the key to sustainability.
3. Build and sustain culture. I hate this word, but it rings true. You build a sustainable, winning, and personable program, and the media and players will begin singing praises rather than giving the team the boot out of the boot. Unfortunately, stigmas greatly sway perception and having a perception of a Spurs or Warriors-like culture of sustainability will allow the roster to work and improve, whereas the Sacramento's of the world are floundering.

I think of building a team for long term success like building a prediction model. Having proven and consistent data points with a large sample size establishes significance. Right now, we have good data (playoffs, young talent) but the sample size is low. Continuously proving that we develop young players, a player-friendly culture, and proof of organizational competence are key.

Curious as to what yall think, disagree or agree. Or anything else that is important to short and long-term success.

I like all 3 and I agree. The team will be able to all work out together over the summer to find a rhythm with each other. Adding a piece like Zion will take a huge amount of time to incorporate into the system, because they had Jax starting at the 4, and all he did on the offensive end was stand in the corner. Zion will be much more involved in the offense, so it'll be interesting to see how Willie will utilize him.

Definitely will need to continue to add young people (and cheap) to the mix as our payroll will swell over the next couple years. Will need to have some good young players contributing to the mix. I know Kyra gets a bad rap but I want to see how he develops under Willie Green. He has the physical tolls to be a good player, but he just needs the right guidance. getting both Zion and Kyra back will be huge, and adding that #8 will only improve the depth.

Never underestimate the importance of a winning culture. We never had that here. We've had good teams that could compete for a playoff spot in the past but it just never really "felt" the way it does now. These guys really like each other and the staff seems to be real good at bringing them all together. I have a thread on here with all of the videos from their "The Squad" episodes. You can just tell how much they care about each other its really more of a family atmosphere now than it has ever been.

I can't wait to see what Griff and Trajan does over the next few weeks.

Can you post the link to the thread?

The continuity/consistent year over year is something our guys haven't had yet on a Pels team.
I forgot about Kira, I may be overly optimistic about him. The dude came into the league at 18 after having two solid years at Alabama. I agree that he needs the right guidance, and SVG was not the coach for him, but I interested to see how his defense evolves as well. I think with working Willie & co more through Training Camp and the season will do wonders for him. We kinda have a nice little problem with our 3 guards

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BasedPelican

Can you post the link to the thread?

The continuity/consistent year over year is something our guys haven't had yet on a Pels team.
I forgot about Kira, I may be overly optimistic about him. The dude came into the league at 18 after having two solid years at Alabama. I agree that he needs the right guidance, and SVG was not the coach for him, but I interested to see how his defense evolves as well. I think with working Willie & co more through Training Camp and the season will do wonders for him. We kinda have a nice little problem with our 3 guards

---

FWIW: Being from up in that neck of the woods...if you're trying to win a basketball game, I absolutely... luved Herb...liked Kira...and will just say
"no comment" on Sexton, in case anybody was wondering about him. Bottom line...I definitely wouldn't write off Kira

2 minutes of Zion P&R Playmaking pic.twitter.com/YX7ANY8Hmb

— ������ ���������������������� (@TheFlarescreen) June 19, 2022

This video gets me pretty jazzed about the idea of Jaxson offensively if he can consistently hit the corner 3. Point Zion was so good at finding the big in the PnR. Sadly, Adams couldn’t catch. Jax, however, feasted next to Zion because it’s nearly impossible to guard Zion, the corner, and a lob threat. Imagining scenarios with Zion, CJ, Trey, and Jax is mouth watering.

So I do think I would hold Jax through the offseason and, at the very least, build his trade value for the deadline. If the Pels hold Graham and Jax and rebuild their value, they could go into the deadline with 18 mil in trade fodder.

Get Jax back in the role he’s comfortable in the dunkers spot just yammimg on heads, and just try to get Graham open 3s until Kira is ready

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pelafanatic

2 minutes of Zion P&R Playmaking pic.twitter.com/YX7ANY8Hmb

— ������ ���������������������� (@TheFlarescreen) June 19, 2022

This video gets me pretty jazzed about the idea of Jaxson offensively if he can consistently hit the corner 3. Point Zion was so good at finding the big in the PnR. Sadly, Adams couldn’t catch. Jax, however, feasted next to Zion because it’s nearly impossible to guard Zion, the corner, and a lob threat. Imagining scenarios with Zion, CJ, Trey, and Jax is mouth watering.

So I do think I would hold Jax through the offseason and, at the very least, build his trade value for the deadline. If the Pels hold Graham and Jax and rebuild their value, they could go into the deadline with 18 mil in trade fodder.

Get Jax back in the role he’s comfortable in the dunkers spot just yammimg on heads, and just try to get Graham open 3s until Kira is ready

---

Zion and Jax seem to have some sort of chemistry

Gary Payton II to the Pels for the full MLE - 3 or 4 years. Thoughts? Warriors probably can't afford him, he brings super defense, cutting, capable enough from 3 and could improve.
Sure, the question of "who's minutes would he be taking?" is valid. But he's a gritty culture fit, could make room for him.

Side fun fact I just learned: Why isn't he called Gary Payton II and not Jr.?

https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/celti...yton-ii-not-jr

Quote:

---

Huh? There's a Gary Payton Jr?
Yes, there’s a Gary Payton Jr. And it’s actually Gary Payton II’s half brother. It’s actually a pretty funny story.

So Gary Payton Sr. actually explained that he had the two kids by two different women who both wanted to name their sons Gary Payton. So he deemed one Jr and named the other the II.

“They’re five months apart. I was dating Gary Payton II’s mom, who I met in high school…Then, when I got in the NBA, I had a relationship with another lady. It so happened that they had kids in the same year. They both want to name them Gary, so I said, ‘Okay, cool, you can name one Gary, Jr. and one Gary the second.’

---

Is Kira a sunk cost already at the age of 21? Whats a realistic path to him getting an opportunity this season? Pels have a team option for 2023/24 for 5.7 million, and they have to decide by October whether they want to exercise that. Is there a world where they decline that like they did for Rivers and he is on an expiring this year?

Personally, if I have two options: Grab a big forward in FA and freeze out Jaxson, or grab another guard and make it impossible for Kira to get some minutes, I would choose the former. Chris Boucher or Oladipo, give me Boucher. Give Devonte and Kira a shot to improve their low stock

Last I heard, they considered Kira untouchable in trades. Apparently was lighting it up in practice last season and really seemed to turn the corner prior to the injury. They are not going to sell him at his current value

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pelafanatic

Last I heard, they considered Kira untouchable in trades. Apparently was lighting it up in practice last season and really seemed to turn the corner prior to the injury. They are not going to sell him at his current value

---

Sauce?

Oh, of course not. But if you draft say Mathurin or Daniels. You sign Payton or Oladipo, and dont just dump Graham, where is the path to playing time? Heck, even if you just do one of those things.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AusPel

Sauce?

---

Just some people in the org I speak casually with. I don’t really get super insider information, but I think Griff himself would tell you what I just said it asked directly

I get the sense that they love Kira as a person, which means they'll be less likely to move him and more likely to give him second, third, and fourth chances

Yeah, his human level was around a 97.26 the last time they tested. ACL's can be repaired. Human level is what it is

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MichaelMcNamara

Yeah, his human level was around a 97.26 the last time they tested. ACL's can be repaired. Human level is what it is

---

lol tested?

From what I heard, they have a device that can pierce the skin and measure the soul. They hook up this instrument to the participant and ask him or her to think of a time when they felt helpless, and then imagine what they would have done if they had ultimate power to do anything. During this exercise, your human level becomes transparent through the soul. Takes about 2 minutes, but it is sensitive like a CT scan, where if you move, they could get a false read.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MichaelMcNamara

From what I heard, they have a device that can pierce the skin and measure the soul. They hook up this instrument to the participant and ask him or her to think of a time when they felt helpless, and then imagine what they would have done if they had ultimate power to do anything. During this exercise, your human level becomes transparent through the soul. Takes about 2 minutes, but it is sensitive like a CT scan, where if you move, they could get a false read.

---

lol I figured that was sarcasm but I couldn't put it past Griff to actually have a metric for it

In all seriousness, the franchise that finds a way to truly measure mentality, habits, work ethic, resilience, etc will have the next great differentiator. All teams have international scouts now. Wasnt the case when Spurs stole Manu and Tony. All teams have an analytics department now, and brilliant CBA gurus. Wasnt the case even 10 years ago. All teams have all these devices that can read body metrics and cryo chambers, hyperbaric chambers, etc.

The next great advantage will be the team that can truly measure the above.

I hate the Saints Pels comparisons, but the Saints really were the innovators in that department. They created the IQ and personality test and have absolutely crushed the draft relatively ever since