2022 Free Agent targets

I know, it's a long way off, but there are so many guys in the '22 free agent market that would provide massive synergy with the team, guys that have proven they can score enough to create their own gravity to keep defenders off our other guys, and who are prolific from 3, who might possibly be excited to play next to Zion and BI and Zo? And with Zion running the point, it really would allow us to run an unorthodox lineup as long as our defense holds up. We can really go with whoever helps us best defensively since our offense is already clicking so well.

These are a few guys that are presently stuck on non-contending teams:

Randle: 23ppg, 41.6% from 3 on 5 attempts. AND may have good relationships with BI and Zo?? Could be very interesting if he shoots as well from 3 next season.

Rozier: 20.3ppg, 41% from 3 on 8.1 attempts

Levine: 27.4ppg, 42.4% from 3 on 8 attempts

Jaren Jackson: 17.4ppg, 39.4% from 3 on 6.4 attempts


I am not familiar with the defensive abilities of all these guys, but it seems to me that with a team commitment to defense and an expected improvement in our bench, adding one of these guys would actually give us the firepower not to only make it deep into the playoffs, but I would not be surprised at all if we knocked off a top contender or two.

What do you think? I know I am biased, but I am becoming bullish on some players realizing they could team up with an extraordinarily dominant guy like Zion, who is also a really good guy and unselfish teammate, to accomplish some serious winning...

Rozier is a poor defender, LaVine is a poor defender who has improved in recent years to become mediocre rather than outright bad, Randle is a poor defender, and JJJ is a good defender who is a bit of a disappointment because he seemed like he was going to be a great defender but it hasn't come together yet for him.

Just to add to what you were saying, since you said you weren't sure about their defense

Is Otto porter a free agent too? He’d be a great fit

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Originally Posted by HornetGuru

Is Otto porter a free agent too? He’d be a great fit

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He's a free agent this year in 2021. This thread is for 2022 Free Agents. But yes, Otto Porter would be a nice fit here.

Otto would be a nice pickup, but my attention was drawn to the real star-type players, at least offensively, that could push the Pelicans to the next level that will be available in 2022.

I had thought Randle had increased his defensive prowess in the last year or two? Maybe I was wrong... We can always hope that if SVG can build a defensive culture here, maybe some of those players would be able to apply themselves to that end if they came here.

The other option I guess is to seek out just a pure 3&D role player that maybe can't create their own shot or compensate very much if BI has an off night (or Zion? Lol does 'Off-Night Zion' even exist?). All of those guys I mentioned would far less pressure to be the primary scorer next to Zion and BI in any case, potentially leading to an uptick on the defensive end.

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Originally Posted by SoCal4Pels

The other option I guess is to seek out just a pure 3&D role player that maybe can't create their own shot or compensate very much if BI has an off night (or Zion? Lol does 'Off-Night Zion' even exist?). All of those guys I mentioned would far less pressure to be the primary scorer next to Zion and BI in any case, potentially leading to an uptick on the defensive end.

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One big issue with this is the idea that a change in role can lead to an improvement elsewhere. Sometimes that's true, but sometimes a change in role just takes away from what a player is good at.

Randle is a good example of this. So much of his value comes on-ball for the Knicks. He handles the ball a lot, he playmakes for them a lot, he creates his own shot a lot (65% of his 2pt makes are unassisted this year). If you put him on this team and say ''hey, you're the third option, go spot up for us'' all that does is crater his value because he's not actually that good at off-ball play. With Randle, if you sign him it's because you are intending to give him serious ballhandler minutes. If you aren't, you're just paying Randle Money for roleplayer production, which is a bad contract play.

And the only way to give Randle that on-ball time is to take it away from Zion and Ingram, which isn't a good move either.

For some players, also, getting offensive responsibility fuels their engagement which improves their defense, and taking a step back off the ball can disconnect them from the game and reduce their focus on D.

Again, a stretch 5/4 is imperative to maximize both Zion and BI's talents. I've mentioned Kelly Olynyk before and here I go again. He will be a 30 YO free agent who is currently sitting at 12.5MM. I would somehow dump Adams and Bledsoe this summer and sign Olynyk to a 3 year@ 40MM w/ 3rd year Club Option (contract would mature when 2019 draftees reach their second contract status), re-sign Lonzo and Hart, and Draft Best available. My ten man core would something like:

PG: Kira
SG: Lonzo
SF: BI
PF: Zion
C: Olynyk

6: Hart
7: JAXSON
8: NAW
9: BPA in 2021 Draft
10. H'Gomez

Any two of 6 through 10 (or maybe Lonzo) plus first rounders for Bradley Beal should the opportunity arise.

Olynyk certainly looks like a great fit if he can play D!

Lets look at some successful relatively recent 'Big 3's':

LBJ, Wade, Bosh
Parker, Ginobli, Duncan
Steph, Klay, Green
Harden, Kyrie, Durant (early still, but they look dominant, even without Durant)
LBJ, Kyrie, Love

Pretty much everywhere you have two ball handlers and either a post threat or an elite shooter. I personally think it is EXTREMELY difficult to find a purely off-ball guy that is extraordinarily talented enough to take you to the promised land unless your entire team is a bunch of pit bull defenders, relative to finding a guy on a weak team that probably has more ball handling responsibilities than he should have but has proven his talent level. With a Big 3, someone always gets their numbers compromised, but you know you have the firepower to take down any team. I'd bet BI could totally play the Durant-type player next to Zion and Randle, like Durant will do next to Harden and Kyrie. And it wouldn't always be that way, they are going to take turns on ball to keep the defense on their feet.

Anyway, I am just excited there are some actual shooters that will be on the market soon and hoping some will be chomping at the bit to play in all that space created by Zion's gravity.