2021 - 2022 Tank thread/ NBA draft thread/Trade ideas

I don’t know what Mac said (I used to follow him on Twitter, but I haven’t seen him in there recently). I have heard whispers about this team, and relocation (not from the media), so for all I know, Zion and the entire team might not be here long term.

Everything that has ever been sold is comprised of materials that were bought. A candle maker can not sell before they have purchased wax. A farmer sells the apple, yet buys the seed. So when asked whether we are buyers or sellers, I simply answer...Yes.

— David Griffin Presser (@GriffinPresser) December 14, 2021

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Originally Posted by UNO Gracias

I don’t know what Mac said (I used to follow him on Twitter, but I haven’t seen him in there recently). I have heard whispers about this team, and relocation (not from the media), so for all I know, Zion and the entire team might not be here long term.

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You have connections in the organization?

This is pretty bold claims fam.

Jaxson Hayes is up for trade and Pelicans have interest in making the play-in tourney, per @JakeLFischer

https://twitter.com/OlehKosel/status...ghtmode%3Dtrue

Gayla needs to fire Griff now...

Play in tournament is Mutually Assured Destruction & Mediocrity for the foreseeable future. Welcome to the dumpster fire that is the Pelicans... Getting into the fake playoffs is our Superbowl. If we win... We lose our draft pick. Just to get swept by the GSW.

Griff just needs to swallow his pride and do the right thing for the franchise long term. Let the Team acquire a high level talented guard prospect in the draft with Jaden Ivey. If you have to be let go... let it be...Quit this halfway competing and rebuilding bs. Save trading Jaxon for the offseason.

Just do the right thing and let us reap the rewards of this terrible season and quit making it worse when we end up drafting 13th again in no man's land with prospects that more often than not bust or needs years to be real contributors. We need a real top 10 ten prospect. If you move Hayes... that means in 4 years... you would have drafted zero top ten prospect to build around Zion and that's BIG YIKES.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

Jaxson Hayes is up for trade and Pelicans have interest in making the play-in tourney, per @JakeLFischer

https://twitter.com/OlehKosel/status...ghtmode%3Dtrue

Play in tournament.... Mutually Assured Mediocrity. Welcome to the dumpster fire that is the Pelicans... Getting into the fake playoffs is our Superbowl.



Griff just needs to swallow his pride and do the right thing for the franchise long term. Let the Team acquire a high level talented guard prospect in the draft with Jaden Ivey. If you have to be let go... let it be...Quit this halfway competing and rebuilding bs. Save trading Jaxon for the offseason.

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We need to fire Griff before be pulls some dumbass trade to try and get us into the play-ins.

Just tank the season for a top 5 pick PLEASE. The last thing we need is to screw up our tank and end the season with the 13th pick AGAIN.

I'm all for the tank. The advantage of making the play-in is you build something of a winning culture. Is that worth passing on potentially a solid to great long-term piece in this year's draft? (no)

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Originally Posted by UNO Gracias

Is anyone looking at this draft and thinking ?we need to draft a guy to replace Zion??

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Not me although if they fall in the top 3, they'll be in position to grab someone that plays his spot as those are the best players in this draft. In that scenario, I would then reverse my thinking and think hard about trading him and moving on from the headache. My assumption right now is that if they fall in the 5-8 range, you look at a compliment like Mathurin, Beauchamp, McGowans or Christie

Bump since we got to many Zion threads .

Gary Clark is back ��#Pelicans sign Clark to a two-way contract ��

➡️https://t.co/harne3dU0c pic.twitter.com/kPpAgeXYIx

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 9, 2022

Bennedict Mathurin

would be an ideal fit for the Pelicans. a 6'7" SG who can shoot, doesn't need the ball, but can get open, catch-lift and shoot. serious hops, good character. dude will be good.

at this point id probably take him fifth

Johnny Davis!

Report out that Pels execs were among those out in California meeting with the Clippers about possible trades of some of their vets. They have a couple of guys who might help out short term if Pels pushing to make play in, including Serge Ibaka, Marcus Morris and Justice Winslow.

We’ve got that big, fat $17 million trade exception to absorb salary. Any interest in raiding the Clips fridge?

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Originally Posted by new city champ

We’ve got that big, fat $17 million trade exception to absorb salary. Any interest in raiding the Clips fridge?

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Sign me up for Luke Kennard; otherwise, just say, "NO"!!

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Originally Posted by new city champ

Report out that Pels execs were among those out in California meeting with the Clippers about possible trades of some of their vets. They have a couple of guys who might help out short term if Pels pushing to make play in, including Serge Ibaka, Marcus Morris and Justice Winslow.

We’ve got that big, fat $17 million trade exception to absorb salary. Any interest in raiding the Clips fridge?

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The only trades I want to make are the ones that are looking beyond this season. I would love to make the play-in, but am unwilling to make a short-term move that requires giving up ANY long-term assets. If we get a long term piece on a multi-year contract, fine, but we should not be taking any expirings.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

Sign me up for Luke Kennard; otherwise, just say, "NO"!!

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Agreed.

What is Luke Kanards value? I know people like him, but when the Clips were in the crunch last postseason they didn’t count on him at all.

From ESPN/Bobby Marks:

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Trade we would like to see: Satoransky and Garrett Temple to New York for Evan Fournier and a future first from Charlotte.

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Originally Posted by TennMan23

Thank you. Since the then Hornets came to NOLA, I?ve only probably have missed a handful of games. Growing up in this area I always dreamed of us having our own NBA team. Jazz was before my time. I will continue to watch or go to all the games no matter the circumstances. Know why? Because I?m a true fan! If they ever become something real then it will really mean something to me. Band wagon fans won?t experience that true exhilaration. Like when the Saints won the Super Bowl, those of us who cheered for them through years of them not even breaking.500, we felt it!

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Great to hear TennMan23! Stick it out with these guys. I'm glad you didn't have to subject yourself to the old board in the 2004-2007 era. Saying that you were a "true fan" would get you in trouble with the haters back then. All they did was trash the players, team and league and then wondered why we would call them out for not being true fans. Complete idiots. I'm glad that this board has progressed to where it has.

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Originally Posted by ml wave

From ESPN/Bobby Marks:

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And why would NY do that?

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Originally Posted by AUSSIE_PELICAN

And why would NY do that?

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To unload Fournier's contract.

New York just acquired Cam reddish from Atlanta… That’s another Duke connection for them. Next up, Zion.

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Originally Posted by Butters

New York just acquired Cam reddish from Atlanta… That’s another Duke connection for them. Next up, Zion.

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If that's their plan, then next up would be some assets that we'd be interested in 2-3 years from now.

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Originally Posted by Century City

Great to hear TennMan23! Stick it out with these guys. I'm glad you didn't have to subject yourself to the old board in the 2004-2007 era. Saying that you were a "true fan" would get you in trouble with the haters back then. All they did was trash the players, team and league and then wondered why we would call them out for not being true fans. Complete idiots. I'm glad that this board has progressed to where it has.

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Thank you sir! Yes I’m glad it’s changed as well. Don’t think I could stick around a board like that. Some people just like to be miserable.

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Originally Posted by PELICANSFAN

To unload Fournier's contract.

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Yeah I get that, but why? There aren't in the tax. Must be a move for FA's next season.

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Originally Posted by Butters

New York just acquired Cam reddish from Atlanta… That’s another Duke connection for them. Next up, Zion.

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Unless they’re giving us Barrett and Reddish, the Knicks only desirable assets are their 1sts. Because that is a lineup that won’t defend worth a spit.

Trade for Simmons?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

AJ Griffin Duke is coming on strong. take a look

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Originally Posted by AusPel

From what Mac is saying, Zion is gone pretty soon (no surprises)

Luckily this draft is heavy with power forward talent

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When was Michael saying this exactly?
That wasn't what was indicated in his last pod, more to do with his worth ethic than him wanting out.

If these media/pod people were clueless about a whole broken foot for months...how could they possibly know anything about anybody's work ethic? Wanting out? Family mad?

Or anything truthful at all.

But carry on.

I used to be in the "don't trade ANY future assets for short term players" camp but I've changed that stance after zooming out and looking at the bigger picture.

Winning cures all. We couldn't get FAs this off-season. If we start making the playoffs, all of the sudden we become a more desirable FA market. We still have a lot of assets and I'm not talking about moving a large amount of them. But if we move a 1st and use the trade exemption to get a guy who helps us make some waves in the postseason, the impact it has on our free agency woes would make it worth it. The impact that would have in team morale leading into camp next season would be worth it, too.

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Originally Posted by msusousaphone

Winning cures all. We couldn't get FAs this off-season. If we start making the playoffs, all of the sudden we become a more desirable FA market.

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I'm not convinced that is necessarily the case unless we start going deep into the playoffs. I don't think just making the playoffs does anything for free agents.

Agreed.....but's the first step. And an important one. This is Green's first year here so if the option is give up one of our many assets to cement this winning culture we're currently building vs holding on to everything and risking that fading away as we run out of fumes down the stretch, I'm all for giving up a bit and insuring this winning culture continues.

Good lord no. Sneaking into the playoffs isn’t going to move the needle for FA’s. Also if you give up a first to make the playoffs, you’re actually giving up 2 first rounders since our pick this year is lottery protected to the Hornets (otherwise becomes only two seconds).

The solution to our woes is not going to be some middle of the lottery rookie. Unless we’re counting on another Herb Jones (who wasn’t even a lottery pick as we all know). So having alll these assets is just so we can…have them. Or we need to package them for a move when it presents itself most opportune.

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Originally Posted by Eman5805

The solution to our woes is not going to be some middle of the lottery rookie. Unless we’re counting on another Herb Jones (who wasn’t even a lottery pick as we all know). So having alll these assets is just so we can…have them. Or we need to package them for a move when it presents itself most opportune.

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Sure, but the argument presented was trading assets for “short term players”. This isn’t the year for that.

Building a winning culture vs consistently sucking to pile assets has historically been a one sided battle.

There's also a reason "winning cures all" is a clich? and there's no positive clich? based around hoarding assets.

Why the hell is De'Aaron Fox all over my timeline for? I hate when this happens because it never turns out to be real.

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Originally Posted by Eman5805

Why the hell is De'Aaron Fox all over my timeline for? I hate when this happens because it never turns out to be real.

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Probably just people dreaming of the best player that has been rumored to potentially be available. However, it seems he is available in a Simmons deal most likely.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Catching up on the Jaden Ivey hype. I had him rated somewhere around 10-14 before the year started, sort of late lottery area, but I've been impressed with what I've seen so far. I watched the NC game from today and went back to watch the Indiana State game from about a week ago, and there's a lot to like.

The shooting remains a question mark for him, I'm not a huge fan of his mechanics and the touch seems to be a little bit beyond him. That said, the FTr and FT% are both solid (though not exceptional) which are always good indicators of being at least a reasonable shooter in future. I'll be curious to check out his accumulated mid-range stats as the year goes on.

That said, obviously a powerful athlete. Really impressed with his control, and he plays bigger than the 6'4 he's listed at - wouldn't be surprised if he was actually an inch or so taller than that.

Passing's been solid so far, I was concerned looking at the TOs because his TOV% is pretty high and in the Indiana State game he was missing a lot of pretty obvious reads, especially ones that required him to use his off hand, but this NC game was actually much better in that regard and he didn't give it away nearly as much.

Based on some early concerns with some overseas guys - Jovic has started the year off a bit rough, for example - I could see Ivey rising into my top 10 pretty easily if this keeps up.

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Do you see Ivey projecting as a lead guard/point guard in the NBA or an off the ball/2 guard?

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Originally Posted by PELICANSFAN

To unload Fournier's contract.

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I just don't get why they'd want to get rid of someone who has been one of their few bright spots this year though but yeah, if they're willing to do a Satoransky and Temple for Fournier then we need to be all over it. Fournier is pretty underrated.

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Originally Posted by TennMan23

Thank you sir! Yes I?m glad it?s changed as well. Don?t think I could stick around a board like that. Some people just like to be miserable.

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Yeah, they ran off quite a bit of posters. Based on what I see on the "join date" below our handles and profile pics, they ran off like 98% of the board. Props to those who stuck it out and to the newbies who make this a great place to talk Pelican basketball.

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Originally Posted by Century City

Yeah, they ran off quite a bit of posters. Based on what I see on the "join date" below our handles and profile pics, they ran off like 98% of the board. Props to those who stuck it out and to the newbies who make this a great place to talk Pelican basketball.

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This place always changes, now you guys got to learn not to attack newbies as you get comfortable.

As crappy, and as negative a poster as I may be, I am happy we have this board. It truly is a great place to discuss the Pels.

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Originally Posted by Century City

Great to hear TennMan23! Stick it out with these guys. I'm glad you didn't have to subject yourself to the old board in the 2004-2007 era. Saying that you were a "true fan" would get you in trouble with the haters back then. All they did was trash the players, team and league and then wondered why we would call them out for not being true fans. Complete idiots. I'm glad that this board has progressed to where it has.

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It was a weird place. Any good news was spin from a crappy organization. The very idea we could draft a player as good as Chris Paul was lunacy. Then we had him. Then we lost him. Then we got AD. And lost him. Now we have Zion. We?ll either lose him or we won?t. But I?ll keep coming around as long as we have a team. And not a second longer.

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Originally Posted by Eman5805

It was a weird place. Any good news was spin from a crappy organization. The very idea we could draft a player as good as Chris Paul was lunacy. Then we had him. Then we lost him. Then we got AD. And lost him. Now we have Zion. We?ll either lose him or we won?t. But I?ll keep coming around as long as we have a team. And not a second longer.

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It did kind of paint those naysayers into a corner. On one hand, they would say that the lottery was fixed and that everything in the NBA was a joke and rigged and would then follow that up with how the league didn't care for New Orleans. But if the lottery is rigged and yet New Orleans was able to get the #1 pick in seasons where they didn't come close to having the worst record in the league and also in seasons where there was a clear cut #1 pick, how could you possibly say that the league didn't care for New Orleans? A supposed rigged lottery system is benefitting New Orleans more than any other market at least as far as the 2012-2019 era is concerned as the #1 picks in between were Anthony Bennett, Andrew Wiggins, KAT, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz and Deandre Ayton. None of those guys were as clear cut a first pick in the draft as were AD and Zion.

I for one am stoked that NOLA is still in the ballgame. The culture and history of the city are a good change of pace for a league overloaded with boring, no name places like Sacramento, Salt Lake City, OKC and San Antonio. But to suggest that there was some vendetta against the city and some conspiracy to harm the market is just foolish.

The league could've easily have just left the team in OKC after Katrina.

Or they could've just thrown up their hands and said that Shinn can't find a local buyer and the team has no other option but to relocate but they didn't. They bought the team and cleaned it up so that a local buyer would be willing to invest but even then, they could've sold to Chris Hansen for over $500 million as that's what he was willing to buy the Kings for but they sold to the Benson family for $325 million. For a league that supposedly cares only about money and hates New Orleans, you would think that they would want to kill 2 birds with one stone and get the extra $175 AND clean up their Seattle mistake in one fell swoop.

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Originally Posted by msusousaphone

Building a winning culture vs consistently sucking to pile assets has historically been a one sided battle.

There's also a reason "winning cures all" is a clich? and there's no positive clich? based around hoarding assets.

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But the myth is that we aren't sucking to pile good assets.

We are always acquiring No Man's Land Assets where if not for extraordinary luck. We will always stay a struggling franchise obtaining marginal talent.

We have never acquired a top 5 pick outside of Zion and AD in 17 years.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

But the myth is that we aren't sucking to pile good assets.

We are always acquiring No Man's Land Assets where if not for extraordinary luck. We will always stay a struggling franchise obtaining marginal talent.

We have never acquired a top 5 pick outside of Zion and AD in 17 years.

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I agree and this is the year to get one. We should hopefully, never be in this situation with Zion again. He's likely to miss the entire season, which probably buys Griff another year running the show. I REALLY hope that he doesn't go all out, for the play-in tourney. That's my main concern. I think we can try to win, while still not playing our main guys like BI and JV an insane amount of mins(both are averaging career highs in mins this year), but truly focus on culture and player development. I'd like us to lessen BI, JV, Hart's minutes to something more reasonable. Get guys like Herb, NAW, Jax, TM3 and Jose as many minutes as possible. Develop those guys and get them ready to really contribute to winning basketball next year.

We should finish with a bottom five record, if we stop going all out to win these games. Focus on developing our young core and get one more top pick to really solidify this roster as a young contender going forward. Ivey is the dream because of how well he fits our needs, we'd have to land top 4 to get him. Add him as our lead guard, get Zion back healthy to start next and let's never bring up the words 'tank' or 'lottery' again.

Ivey
BI
Herb
Zion
JV

With Hart, Graham, NAW, Kira, TM3, Jax, Jose and Billy as your depth guys. That's a fun and well-rounded team.

[QUOTE][QUOTE]

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Originally Posted by RUFshreve

I agree and this is the year to get one. We should hopefully, never be in this situation with Zion again. He's likely to miss the entire season, which probably buys Griff another year running the show. I REALLY hope that he doesn't go all out, for the play-in tourney. That's my main concern. I think we can try to win, while still not playing our main guys like BI and JV an insane amount of mins(both are averaging career highs in mins this year), but truly focus on culture and player development. I'd like us to lessen BI, JV, Hart's minutes to something more reasonable.

We should finish with a bottom five record, if we stop going all out to win these games. Focus on developing our young core and get one more top pick to really solidify this roster as a young contender going forward. Ivey is the dream because of how well he fits our needs, we'd have to land top 4 to get him. Add him as our lead guard, get Zion back healthy to start next and let's never bring up the words 'tank' or 'lottery' again.

Ivey
BI
Herb
Zion
JV

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i wouldnt give NAW too many minutes but id give jaxon every minute possible at PF or C



we probably wont have favorable odds to get a top five pick considering we have had one of the toughest schedules thus far, zion hasnt played at all, the team is gelling, and we see a lot of improvement from two of our younger guys.

but being in the top seven could be all we need. I see my boy Mathurin has moved up to five on nbadraft.net unfortunately, but Hardy has dropped to nine. if we have all of our players we could easily find a complimentary piece in the top 7-10 picks and be more than solid.

hell, they got Ochai Agbaji at #21. the dude shoots 6.6 3's a game at 47%. that seems helpful


but it all comes down to zion and the consiiracy theorist and i dont know what to think

[QUOTE=fullcourtpress;1571632][QUOTE]

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i wouldnt give NAW too many minutes but id give jaxon every minute possible at PF or C



we probably wont have favorable odds to get a top five pick considering we have had one of the toughest schedules thus far, zion hasnt played at all, the team is gelling, and we see a lot of improvement from two of our younger guys.

but being in the top seven could be all we need. I see my boy Mathurin has moved up to five on nbadraft.net unfortunately, but Hardy has dropped to nine. if we have all of our players we could easily find a complimentary piece in the top 7-10 picks and be more than solid.

hell, they got Ochai Agbaji at #21. the dude shoots 6.6 3's a game at 47%. that seems helpful


but it all comes down to zion and the consiiracy theorist and i dont know what to think

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Nesmith shot 50% in college and he's trash tier in the NBA

[QUOTE=AusPel;1571647][QUOTE=fullcourtpress;1571632]

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Nesmith shot 50% in college and he's trash tier in the NBA

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He only played 14 games that year which wasn't really accurate.. the previous year where he played more games he shot below 34% from 3