PELS WIN LOTTERY! Does AD stay?

[DaPelFromHell]

I would love to keep him, but the bridge may be too burnt to reconstruct.

Now that the Lakers got the 4th pick I much rather deal with them over the Knicks.

Ingram, Kuzma, Ball, & DeAndre Hunter(the next Kawhi hopefully lol) is a way better haul than what the Knicks have to offer IMO.

C: Okafor
PF: Zion
SF: Ingram
SG: Jrue
PG: Ball
F: Kuzma
F: Hunter

Then turnaround and possibly trade Ingram or Ball or both. It just gives us some serious flexibility. I don’t think Ingram’s medical stuff is as bad as some think. He balled out their for a stretch last year. He could play the 2 at times with Hunter at the 3 and Jrue at the point. It seems that the Ball kids are starting to distance themselves from that idiot dad of theirs. The kid has some serious potential at the point. I love Hunter’s potential over Barretts really. Hunter and Kawhi are almost identical type players going into the league. Great on defense and needed to work on offense. I just love his defense for guys like KD & Kawhi.

I wish AD would of waited to demand that trade cause he may of had a change of heart now. We got our big 3 with AD, Zion, and Jrue. But I don’t know if he can come back and save face after this last year. But we will have some cap to add a pretty good player to that list above as well.

It’s great to be a Pel fan again!! Zion none of those other teams like the Knicks swept a team that’s in the western conference finals like we did last year to the Blazers, so it’s not the end of the world my boy!!

[tdcreator]

We can't keep AD, because we have to give him a SuperMax or walks for nothing. It is a death sentence.

If AD decides to stay then you pay him. That kind of talent is hard to replace. A rebuild happens faster if we move him though.

[HoustonPelicans]

Go look at Frank Jackson IG story and see who was working out with him today. Seems like only the fans are burning a bridge

[Pelicanidae]

Go look at Frank Jackson IG story and see who was working out with him today. Seems like only the fans are burning a bridge

Well... yeah

What do you expect to happen. ''Oh, hey Frank, wanna work out together this summer?''

''No, Anthony, you are a traitor to our cause and I will never forgive you your betrayal even though we were friends like three days ago.''

[HoustonPelicans]

Well... yeah

What do you expect to happen. ''Oh, hey Frank, wanna work out together this summer?''

''No, Anthony, you are a traitor to our cause and I will never forgive you your betrayal even though we were friends like three days ago.''

A guy with both feet out the door, doesn't usually go out his way to workout with a rookie.

[donato]

I can't believe this is real. Wow. I am also super excited to trade AD! We have a brighter future now than we ever had!

[Pelicanidae]

A guy with both feet out the door, doesn't usually go out his way to workout with a rookie.

Frank has been on this team longer than just the year he played. If you know someone for two years and are friendly, you don't usually stop talking to them just because they change companies.

[Rampart]

If AD stays the Pels have all summer to fix the PR issues. The only trick is Zion would be the face and although I think that would be better for AD I don't know if the crew he is listening to could handle it.

[GuardianAngel25]

AD is gone.. Keeping him would be a never ending cycle of drama.. We would hear nothing but who is the Batman or alpha.. Every bit of adversity would be questioning if AD is happy and wants out.. I say we get what we can and move on!

[HoustonPelicans]

Frank has been on this team longer than just the year he played. If you know someone for two years and are friendly, you don't usually stop talking to them just because they change companies.

He didnt go out his way to workout with him last summer. He must've seen something in him this season.

[Pelicanidae]

He didnt go out his way to workout with him last summer. He must've seen something in him this season.

Or he knows him more after another year?

Or a little of both?

[GuardianAngel25]

Let’s remember both Tatum and Ingram are from Duke. Would be nice to pair Zion with another young star from Duke where he comes in comfortable.

[Pelicanidae]

Let’s remember both Tatum and Ingram are from Duke. Would be nice to pair Zion with another young star from Duke where he comes in comfortable.

Yeah, that's why we're trading for the #3 from New York and drafting Barrett. He'd be even more comfortable playing with the dude he just spent his college time playing alongside, rather than some dude who just wore the same uniform he did four years ago.

[Taker597]

If AD decides to stay then you pay him. That kind of talent is hard to replace. A rebuild happens faster if we move him though.

No, you don't. SuperMax contract are for winners. Not Stat Sheet Warriors.

You don't give just anyone a SuperMax with a huge hole at talent.

[HoustonPelicans]

Trade AD for a bunch of picks and young players, in hopes they can become 60% of the player AD already is and has not reached his prime. Why? Because some are butthurt that he called out a poorly ran franchise for being poorly ran. We trade AD and we'll spend the next 7 years hoping to get Zion as good a running mate as AD. We keep AD and we're automatic title contenders as early as next season.

[Mythrol]

Are people higher on Barrett than Tatum? I honestly don't know. I think I'd still prefer Tatum but I can't think straight right now.

[Pelicanidae]

Are people higher on Barrett than Tatum? I honestly don't know. I think I'd still prefer Tatum but I can't think straight right now.

I think most people prefer Tatum, but I'd rather take Barrett (who I was higher on than most people in this draft) + Robinson from NY, plus the Mavs picks.

[Pelicanidae]

Trade AD for a bunch of picks and young players, in hopes they can become 60% of the player AD already is and has not reached his prime. Why? Because some are butthurt that he called out a poorly ran franchise for being poorly ran. We trade AD and we'll spend the next 7 years hoping to get Zion as good a running mate as AD. We keep AD and we're automatic title contenders as early as next season.

Why?

Because AD demanded a trade, sabotaged our entire season, insulted the team in an unprofessional manner, when the team was performing well and we had just come off a playoff run. He had spent the first half of the season spending every third game looking bored and uninterested, and as much as the franchise failed to put a great team around him that's no excuse for him to give up and not bother.

At the same time, we aren't title contenders next season even with AD. If you think this team, as it is just + Zion, goes from borderline playoff team to a championship then you need to, in the words of Stephen A Smith, PUT DOWN. THE WEED-UH.

[Nola3]

Are people higher on Barrett than Tatum? I honestly don't know. I think I'd still prefer Tatum but I can't think straight right now.

Jesus I hope not.... I'm so far out on Barrett

[Pelicanidae]

Jesus I hope not.... I'm so far out on Barrett

Why?

[AusPel]

Trade AD for a bunch of picks and young players, in hopes they can become 60% of the player AD already is and has not reached his prime. Why? Because some are butthurt that he called out a poorly ran franchise for being poorly ran. We trade AD and we'll spend the next 7 years hoping to get Zion as good a running mate as AD. We keep AD and we're automatic title contenders as early as next season.

Exactly. Winning cures all. We could be a 55 to 60 win team next year

[Pelicanidae]

Exactly. Winning cures all. We could be a 55 to 66 win team next year

You think Zion makes us potentially 33 games better next year?

Wow.

[HoustonPelicans]

Why?

Because AD demanded a trade, sabotaged our entire season, insulted the team in an unprofessional manner, when the team was performing well and we had just come off a playoff run. He had spent the first half of the season spending every third game looking bored and uninterested, and as much as the franchise failed to put a great team around him that's no excuse for him to give up and not bother.

At the same time, we aren't title contenders next season even with AD. If you think this team, as it is just + Zion, goes from borderline playoff team to a championship then you need to, in the words of Stephen A Smith, PUT DOWN. THE WEED-UH.

That's emotional. Emotions and business dont mix. Lets see, the alternate universe where AD doesnt demand a trade and gets us to the playoffs. We have the same naive front office, no new training staff, no Zion, a loss to the Warriors and NO ZION. I'll take this reality any day.

It won't just be Zion. We have a little cap space. Frank will be back much better, may be ready to start at PG next to Jrue. Chris Woods and Kenrich should come back better. Griffin still has moves to make and has some nice bargaining chips. We'll be much closer to a championship than if we traded AD. I think we would compete with any team in the league.

[HoustonPelicans]

Exactly. Winning cures all. We could be a 55 to 66 win team next year

That's what I'm thinking. AD never wanted the leadership role but that doesn't change him being a fantastic player. Jrue can lead, as well as Zion. AD can lessen his voice and focus on dominating. This team gon dominate.

[Pelicanidae]

That's emotional. Emotions and business dont mix. Lets see, the alternate universe where AD doesnt demand a trade and gets us to the playoffs. We have the same naive front office, no new training staff, no Zion, a loss to the Warriors and NO ZION. I'll take this reality any day.

It won't just be Zion. We have a little cap space. Frank will be back much better, may be ready to start at PG next to Jrue. Chris Woods and Kenrich should come back better. Griffin still has moves to make and has some nice bargaining chips. We'll be much closer to a championship than if we traded AD. I think we would compete with any team in the league.

Yes, it's emotion. If AD ends up signing the supermax and staying, then I will PRAY that he finally decides to commit to playing hard in every game, because he is unbelievably talented and can be fantastic when he tries. But if he doesn't, then yeah, I think it's a business mistake to commit damn near $250 million dollars to a guy who can't be bothered half the time and who has won you jack diddly-squat in the better part of a decade.

Frank will not be ready to start next year. He's not ready. I'm sorry, but what cap space do we have? With AD staying, we have basically $90mil guaranteed already, and obviously we need to sign Zion. First round pick rookie contract is around $5m per. So that's $95m gone. The salary cap this summer is $109mil. We have to try and get another PG, finally fill the spot at SF, and possibly try and resign Randle with like $14m. Come on.

If your explanation for how we go from 10th seed to a ring is ''Chris Woods and Kenrich should come back better'' then I think we're on completely different planets regarding where we were this year.