This may seem conspiratorial, but is it possible Griffin is such a "company man" to the league that he's sabotaging our team in order to push our young stars towards bigger markets?
When he was hired I was excited because everyone spoke so highly of him, but I keep thinking back to an interview (I think it may have been the summer league before Zion's rookie year) where he referenced the Lakers winning a championship, and it was a weird red flag. I ignored it but the Lakers proceeded to win a title, and here we are in near disarray. I've rationalized Griffin so long, but the more I think about it I'm having trouble justifying Griffin's "vision." Here's why:
1. the Jrue Holiday trade - have we ever had a worse or more botched trade? What's the vision exactly? We traded a passionate 2 way player that fit the team for an apathetic 30 year old underachiever who takes up an embarrassing percentage of salary cap. Was that really the most we could get for Jrue Holiday?
2. Trading Eric Bledsoe - I'm seeing fans suggesting that we may have to attach a young player or draft pick in order to entice a team to take Bled off our books. It's like being painted into a corner.
3. Lonzo Ball - the thought of losing Lonzo (and Josh Hart) without getting anything in return makes me wonder why we made Zo's potential trade public last year. To say we're trading Zo than not do it was not healthy for the locker room nor does it help your chances at retaining him. Now it's the worst of all options by letting him walk in free agency for nothing in return when at least if you traded him you could've gotten a good player in return.
4. Steven Adams & Disregard to the Salary Cap - I like Steven Adams as a player who can rebound the ball well, but 30 million-dollar salary is insane. Not to mention Hernangomez his backup had a higher PER and very similar, if not better, numbers for vastly less money. Granted I'm glad to have a backup center who can perform that well but could that money be spent better elsewhere? What compounds it is players like Andre Drummond were available and stylistically provide better rebounding and defense.
5. Suppressing Young Talent - Jaxson Hayes and Nickiel Alexander-Walker were stars of the summer league before their rookie year. Both of their per 36 minute numbers are better than the veterans starting ahead of them especially when you consider salary. Griffin says that you can't just hand these young players the job without hard work and effort, so it sounds like he's worried about entitlement. At the same time this argument becomes completely completely null and void when the veteran you're starting for 70 games is nearly sleepwalking through all of them. That's the definition of entitlement. What's that communicate? "If I play like that, I'll get the job." Meanwhile when Hayes would play it was like an instant spark plug defensively and pure energy.
This is without even mentioning the botched head coaching carousel. Can anyone rationalize Griffin's moves so far? Does he really have New Orleans best interest as his top priority? Is it time we consider letting Trajon Langdon do his job? I really worry that there's so much on the line because if Griffin fails then New Orleans will be livid at losing another young Superstar, and I'm not sure what reasons he's given us thus far to believe he won't. Would I be wrong to suggest moving on from Griffin before he can do any more damage? That the stakes are just too high.
Is David Griffin sabotaging the Pelicans?
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06-24-2021, 07:28 PMScoutWannabeIs David Griffin sabotaging the Pelicans?
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06-24-2021, 11:05 PMImpose
Need to remember a lot of value is stored in the 5 future 1sts and 5 future swaps we are owed. When we flip Bledsoe or Adams and some of those future assets for a different asset (presumably an upgrade) then you can better judge the initial move.
I saw a lot of potential in last years squad. I think the idea behind having Adams paired with Zion is ok but Adams hurts himself by having his worst free throw shooting year and making a bit of a liability a big liability.
You also have to factor in the idea that the team was trying to WIN GAMES last year and make the playoffs, the young guys need to earn those minutes, NAW was wildly inconsistent and Jax was lost on defense for quite a lot of last season. Next year might be a different story as both guys improved through the year.
I don't understand your salary cap argument, we aren't a team high on anyone's list FA destination wish list and Adams was given a 12mil per year pay cut on his extension. Drummond wasn't being punked out of the league back then, either.
Bledsoe was terrific in the garbage games at the end of the year, I could see him being higher impact in a 6th man role opposed to being a 4th option in the starting lineup people somehow still expect 20ppg from. -
06-24-2021, 11:06 PM13 - 3
Well you put some thought into this. Interesting. Maybe Griff is just dumb or has some bad luck?
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06-24-2021, 11:10 PMImpose
Need to remember a lot of value is stored in the 5 future 1sts and 5 future swaps we are owed. When we flip Bledsoe or Adams and some of those future assets for a different asset (presumably an upgrade) then you can better judge the initial move.
I saw a lot of potential in last years squad. I think the idea behind having Adams paired with Zion is ok but Adams hurts himself by having his worst free throw shooting year and making a bit of a liability a big liability.
You also have to factor in the idea that the team was trying to WIN GAMES last year and make the playoffs, the young guys need to earn those minutes, NAW was wildly inconsistent and Jax was lost on defense for quite a lot of last season. Next year might be a different story as both guys improved through the year.
I don't understand your salary cap argument, we aren't a team high on anyone's list FA destination wish list and Adams was given a 12mil per year pay cut on his extension. Drummond wasn't being punked out of the league back then, either.
Bledsoe was terrific in the garbage games at the end of the year, I could see him being higher impact in a 6th man role opposed to being a 4th option in the starting lineup people somehow still expect 20ppg from. -
06-24-2021, 11:18 PMAusPel
I stopped reading when you bashed the Jrue trade. In no Universe are we paying Holiday 40 mil a year like he got at Milwaukee
And if you did your research, it wasn't Griffin not wanting to play the kids, it was SVG -
06-25-2021, 07:16 AMAtlPelsFan
Someone is finally seeing the light
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06-25-2021, 07:31 AMAUSSIE_PELICANMaybe he thought if you read his post twice it would get better?Quote:
Originally Posted by luckyman
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06-25-2021, 08:08 AM13 - 3
Is Scout sabotaging Pelicans Report?
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06-25-2021, 08:50 AMjaxmc1023
1. Nobody could have seen Bledsoe having THAT big of a drop-off and/or attitude problem.. You seem to not care about all of the 1st round picks we got as well. Flipping Hill and picks into Adams, then extending Adams, were far more egregious than trading Jrue -- who by the way asked to be traded.. it's not like we sprung it on him
2. Bledsoe didn't work out.. He's a negative.. Have to do what's necessary to get rid of him
3. Lonzo still hasn't cemented himself as a $15-20 mil player.. Anyone willing to pay him that is gambling that he puts it together. Anyone willing to trade for him was/is gambling that they can re-sign him for a reasonable price...
4. Players like Andre Drummond weren't knocking on our doors asking to come here..
5. Griffin just fired Van Gundy partially becauise he refused to play young guys and insisted on doubling down with Bledsoe -
06-25-2021, 09:08 AMJJackisangry
Wut. Short answer no. Long answer- he may as well be sabotaging the Pelicans because he is quite frankly a poor GM. He actually did very well acquiring the haul he did from the Bucks and the Lakers, but he doesn?t seem to have a clue what direction he wants to take the team. And the directions I have heard all sound a bit concerning. He is spectacularly bad with PR, he flip flops constantly, his head coaching pool is poor, his lack of ability to build a roster are all big marks against him.
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06-25-2021, 10:45 AMScoutWannabeJrue wanted out and we weren't going to pay him. I didn't "bash" trading him, I asked if people really think that's the most we could've gotten in return. Now if Zo and Hart walk, he's 0 for 3 on potential assets/trades.Quote:
Originally Posted by AusPel
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06-25-2021, 10:51 AMScoutWannabeNo I'm a fan of my team and a big fan of scouting the draft every year. I'm just upset at media trying to drive stars out of their markets. I also wish someone else saw what I referenced about Griff mentioning a Lakers championship before it happened, right after we traded AD. It was during an in game interview I think summer league. It was just weird because I remember thinking "aren't you supposed to be worried about a Pelicans championship?"Quote:
Originally Posted by 13 - 3
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06-25-2021, 10:56 AMml waveYou're clearly disregarding all of the picks/swaps that we got in both of those trades, but you also seem to be forgetting Ingram?Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutWannabe
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06-25-2021, 11:00 AMDarkHornetSounds like you had a seed planted in your head, and have spent the last several years trying to get the narrative to fit the theory. Could Griffin just be a terrible GM? Sure. Is he actively sabotaging the Pelicans? No way.Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutWannabe
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06-25-2021, 11:12 AMScoutWannabeI was defending Griffin as late as last week. The reports that Zion''s family want out made me have to think more on why that might be. Plus hearing Hart and Zo want out. This is the 1st time I've ever voiced concern. Frankly the way Zo was handled is looking bad. If they walk and we get nothing it adds to the list of missteps.Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkHornet
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06-25-2021, 11:16 AMScoutWannabeNo we essentially traded AD for a young star in Ingram and picks which is fine because Ingram is silk in the mid range, resigned and young...plus AD wanted out. I love the idea of building through the draft too. I think in our market that's how we have to build. I also want our front office and team to succeed. Its just worth mentioning that around the league people are starting to look at some of these moves like "?"Quote:
Originally Posted by ml wave
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06-25-2021, 11:19 AMAs I See ItAt first glance, I agree with you. Losing Lonzo and Hart without recompense would look bad. But, then again, freeing up salary cap dollars associated with both could be a Godsend if Griff and Company could push the right buttons.Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutWannabe
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06-25-2021, 05:06 PMml waveOk, maybe I just misunderstood what you meant by him being 0/3.Quote:
Originally Posted by ScoutWannabe