Rebounding - What to do about it
I think we've seen a big enough sample of the season now to say that one of the larger areas of concern for the Pelicans is our rebounding, particularly when JV isn't on the floor.
The question then becomes what to do about it.
So this is a space for people to speculate: most of us agree that something needs to be done with the C position on the team - basically, we just don't have a reliable backup. Yes, Nance can play those minutes in some contexts as a small ball C, and that can work well, but sometimes you just need someone who is actually a C and JV can't play 40 minutes a night.
Looking at the trade market, who are some targets you would be interested in, and what price do you think it might take to pry them away? I'm specifically working on the following assumptions here:
1) Obviously, you're not getting any all-stars. So while yes, Joel Embiid would solve the problem, it's not happening.
2) We don't want to trade any of the major pieces: BI, Zion, etc, aren't on the block. Really we're working with Graham, Temple, Jax, potentially Naji here.
3) Picks are on the board but again, I don't really think anyone wants to trade multiple first rounders so we're really working with maybe a future first with protections or 2nds.
Who do you think is out there that could address some of our issues, particularly on the defensive glass?
For me, I think there are a few options. Jakob Poeltl exists, is on a woeful Spurs team, is relatively young, and does all the little things. My concern with him is that he's a horrific FT shooter and that might make him unplayable in the clutch, which some might consider an issue.
I also wonder if Richaun Holmes might be available from SAC. He's only 29, he's under contract for another 2 years after this one (though one is a player option) for only about $12m, and they're not playing him in SAC; he's averaging about 8 minutes a game this year despite having been pretty solid when he has played. Historically speaking he's a pretty good defensive rebounder, he's a pretty solid shot blocker, he's about 6'10, and he's a career 74.5% from the FT line.
What do you all think? Who's on your mind?