Thoughts on Next Year

[UNO Gracias]

We had a good few spurts this season, but ultimately it was nothing to write home about. We were young, and looking to develop talent, but we didn’t do much of that either. We thought we had a mix of players strong enough to get us into the postseason, but we didn’t. I don’t know if much of that changes next year. We will still be young, we will have to find the right mix of vets to blend in.

Next year the western conference doesn’t look any easier. The Blazers look legit, the Grizz have it figured out (they just need more experience), Minty has the Suns playing exciting ball, and that’s just the bottom of the Western Conference. The top tier teams aren’t going anywhere.

So what are your thoughts on next year? Is our best hope at getting into the playoff appealing to the league for a move to the Eastern Conference? What is it going to take for us to be a lock for at least the 8th seed next year?

[Pelicanidae]

Here are the steps I think we need to take after this season, before next season, and my reasonable expectations for next year based on the assumption that those moves are done.

Step 1: I think we have to fire Gentry. I'm not the only one so I won''t talk about it too much, but goodbye Gentry: we need a new coach.
Step 2: Attempt to address the lead guard position. I'm in favour of letting Frank Jackson walk and trading Lonzo to do this, but whatever needs to be done. Either trade, free agency, or even just saying screw it and drafting someone depending on where our pick falls.
Step 3: Try to replace Favors with a 5 who can shoot a little. We can either do this through the draft by trying to acquire someone like Tillie, or free agency, or through trade, but I want more space on the floor than Favors can give.

Assuming we do that, what I expect next season is at least 35 wins, closer to 40. I'm not going to say playoffs because we all know in the West it's possible to win 42 games and still miss the playoffs, and I think expecting us to gain 20+ wins in a single offseason, coming in with a new coach and everything, is pretty damn unreasonable, and that's what it would take to guarantee playoffs. But I expect a tangible chunk of improvement on the record of this team next year.

So that's it. New HC, address the PG issue, let Favors walk and search for a 5 who can shoot a little, win at least close to 40 games next year.

That's all I ask. Don't need to draft a new superstar, don't need to sign or trade for a top 10 player, don't need to be a top 5 seed. Just some reasonable steps in the right direction.

[da ThRONe]

Develop Zion as a wing player. Ingram and Williamson should be the future George and Leonard.

We should trade Holiday before it's too late.

And of course fire Gentry and replace him with a player development coach.

[luckyman]

New coaching staff except keep Vinson at all costs. Promote him if necessary. Look for a coach that understands basketball required hard practices on BOTH ends of the court. A pure fundamentals coach.

Trade Jrue and ask for a 1st round pick, then negotiate from there.

Match any and all offers for Ingram. Do not trade Hart, NAW, or Jax under any circumstances whatsoever.

In favor of keeping Favors, but would like another rebounding above the rim big.

Bring Didi over to help replace Moore, Frank, Kenrich.

[6warddude]

Develop Zion as a wing player. Ingram and Williamson should be the future George and Leonard.

We should trade Holiday before it's too late.

And of course fire Gentry and replace him with a player development coach.

praying for ingram and zion being our 2 and 3 and build around those 2....

[pelicanchamp]

Gentry must go


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[Taker597]

Our best bet in one of the best drafts...

Tank.

Trade Jrue.
Let Naw and Hayes be starter
Get Atkinson
Cut all these dead weight guards and bigs.
Go full rebuild. Embrace the tank. Q


Cash in on Cade Cunningham or Jalen Green. We need two way players. No more of these Gentry type players.

[luckyman]

Develop Zion as a wing player. Ingram and Williamson should be the future George and Leonard.

We should trade Holiday before it's too late.

And of course fire Gentry and replace him with a player development coach.

You might as well be in favor of trading Zion. He's never going to be a wing player. His strength is inside. It would be foolish to turn him into a jump shooting slasher.

His strength is being a prime Barkley/Shaq combination. Let him be that.

[6warddude]

next season majority of the talking heads will be down on us because of all of the hype they gave us and had us in the playoffs this season and we folded........i expect the talking heads have us finishing 9th-12th and we make the playoffs.....this team is weird like that....

[Biasvasospasm]

Develop Zion as a wing player..

Would literally need to lose 75 pounds. Not realistic.

[Pelicanidae]

Cash in on Cade Cunningham or Jalen Green. We need two way players. No more of these Gentry type players.

If you can't get Cade, Jalen Green ain't number 2 >.> hot take here

[Taker597]

If you can't get Cade, Jalen Green ain't number 2 >.> hot take here

Welll.... I haven't dug into his films outside of highlights. You git me there. Terrence Clark is my dude that I'm rooting fir at the moment.

[donato]

My to-do list in no particular order:

1. New coach.

2. Trade Jrue for highest bidder regardless of what compensation that means at this point. This seems clear and unfortunately is a year late.

3. Ball...seriously consider trading him. I don't know what Griffin and Co. are thinking about this, so I'll have to defer, but he should probably at least be shopped.

4. The Frank Jackson experiment hasn't worked but if he's cheap and nothing else materializes I wouldn't hate bringing him back. At least he plays hard.

5. Let Favors, Moore, Okafor and Kenrich walk.

6. Sign Ingram to whatever the appropriate max is.

7. Bring Didi over.

8. Draft/FA/trades TBD

9. Do not trade Zion or Ingram, but all other players/assets on the table at the right price for the right pieces.

[da ThRONe]

You might as well be in favor of trading Zion. He's never going to be a wing player. His strength is inside. It would be foolish to turn him into a jump shooting slasher.

His strength is being a prime Barkley/Shaq combination. Let him be that.

Right now Zion is a super raw player. Shaq and Barkley was great for their Era of basketball. Now it's primary ball handlers that make the biggest difference. If Williamson spends his prime as a big it'll be a waste of his talents. If you think an undersize big is great what do you think will happen if he's developed into and huge wing player? We should be Thinking of Zion as Kawhi or LeBron otherwise we are making a huge mistake.

[da ThRONe]

Would literally need to lose 75 pounds. Not realistic.

15-20lbs will be fine. Which can be done in a off season. His body needs to look more like it did at Duke and not like it did during his rookie season. He has the lateral quickness when he's in shape. Add that to his strength and body frame and he'll punish 99.9% of the league wing players. Even if he falls as a wing player the time spent developing those skills will still pay dividends. Similar to Jason Kidd playing Giannis at PG.

[Biasvasospasm]

15-20lbs will be fine. Which can be done in a off season. His body needs to look more like it did at Duke and not like it did during his rookie season. He has the lateral quickness when he's in shape. Add that to his strength and body frame and he'll punish 99.9% of the league wing players. Even if he falls as a wing player the time spent developing those skills will still pay dividends. Similar to Jason Kidd playing Giannis at PG.

You are the position you can guard. Right now, he can hardly stay in front of 4s. He would be disaster checking 3s regularly, even if he lost 20 pounds.

[luckyman]

Right now Zion is a super raw player. Shaq and Barkley was great for their Era of basketball. Now it's primary ball handlers that make the biggest difference. If Williamson spends his prime as a big it'll be a waste of his talents. If you think an undersize big is great what do you think will happen if he's developed into and huge wing player? We should be Thinking of Zion as Kawhi or LeBron otherwise we are making a huge mistake.

Here's the thing, he isnt undersized for a big. Girth counts as much as 3 to 5 inches of height.

He can score on 7 footers regularly. Nor does letting him play inside means he turns into an old era post up player either. But his primary position in the NBA is the 4 on both ends of the court.

[As I See It]

Same thing I said last year...

1. Gentry is a goner (While I'm not married to them, I like Bobby Hurley, Jordi Fernandez, Dave Joerger. Definitely someone young).
2. Got to find a reliable veteran point as we groom NAW. (Last year I wanted Rubio or Rondo. Maybe Goran Dragic if he doesn't break the bank)
3. Find a stretch 5. (Last year I suggested Brook Lopez or Maxi Klieber. How about Jrue for Lauri Markkanen? Or, make a run at Kelly Olynyk if he opts out and becomes free agent)

Additionally:

4. Shop # 2 for best offer.
5. Match BI
6. Let Favors walk if he chooses (definitely not $18MM signee)
7. BPA in draft regardless of position

Untouchable: BI, Zion
It would take a lot: JAX, NAW, Hart, JJ (mostly because of veteran leadership)

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

Out: Gentry, Favors, Jackson, Okafor, Williams, Miller and Moore

In: Finch, Hartenstein, Didi, Tillie, Poku, Augustin and Crowder or Harkless.

Look to offload Lonzo mid season

[da ThRONe]

You are the position you can guard. Right now, he can hardly stay in front of 4s. He would be disaster checking 3s regularly, even if he lost 20 pounds.

Zion hasn't been in shape all season. What your saying would be logical if we assume he'll spend his entire career out of shape. IMO Zion has the defensive instinct and lateral quickness to guard wing players when he's in shape.

[da ThRONe]

Here's the thing, he isnt undersized for a big. Girth counts as much as 3 to 5 inches of height.

He can score on 7 footers regularly. Nor does letting him play inside means he turns into an old era post up player either. But his primary position in the NBA is the 4 on both ends of the court.

Zion @ 6'6ish is undersized at the 4. There's no way to reframe it. Now him being a special talent means he can over come his height and length disadvantages similar to the aforementioned Barkley. I've said this Williamson is so physically gift given health he'll be effective as a big or wing. My position is developing him as a wing has the greatest upside for his career. Even if he ultimately fails(can't guard NBA level wings) having developed said skills will make him a better 4 moving forward.

[Taker597]

Zion @ 6'6ish is undersized at the 4. There's no way to reframe it. Now him being a special talent means he can over come his height and length disadvantages similar to the aforementioned Barkley. I've said this Williamson is so physically gift given health he'll be effective as a big or wing. My position is developing him as a wing has the greatest upside for his career. Even if he ultimately fails(can't guard NBA level wings) having developed said skills will make him a better 4 moving forward.

The only thing being undersized at the 4 do is make him a bad match up to elite centers. Zion needs a tag team partner that isn't Favors and can play better defense than Melli. If only Mirotic didn't go back home.

[tdcreator]

My list

1. New coach. - 100% agree he has to go. Move him to the front office or something.

2. Trade Jrue if he wants to leave but prob wait till the trade deadline to make this move.

3. Ball - trade him. I just don’t find enough consistency. (Detroit, Knicks, and suns could use a pg)

4. Get more Size at the wings. I’m tired of 6-5 guys trying to defend the likes of George, Kawhi, and lebron.

5. Let Favors, Moore, Okafor, Jackson, Miller, and Kenrich walk. Yes, yes and more yes

6. Sign Ingram to whatever the appropriate max is.

7. Bring Didi over.

8. Draft/FA/trades - Draft bigs and a point guard. Praying for okongwu and Riller. 2021 draft will have a lot of 6-7 to 6-8 wings so try to position appropriately.

9. Do not trade Zion or Ingram, but all other players/assets on the table at the right price for the right pieces.

10, Move to a 1 Big with 4 wings type of team. Today showed what Hayes and 4 shooters can do for spacing and pick and roll approach.

[As I See It]

The only thing being undersized at the 4 do is make him a bad match up to elite centers. Zion needs a tag team partner that isn't Favors and can play better defense than Melli. If only Mirotic didn't go back home.

Thinking the same thing.

The sad thing about that deal is the return on his trade last year by Dumps was Stanley Johnson and two # 1's (nothing).

[Pelifan]

Right now Zion is a super raw player. Shaq and Barkley was great for their Era of basketball. Now it's primary ball handlers that make the biggest difference. If Williamson spends his prime as a big it'll be a waste of his talents. If you think an undersize big is great what do you think will happen if he's developed into and huge wing player? We should be Thinking of Zion as Kawhi or LeBron otherwise we are making a huge mistake.

I actually agree with this to an extent, even though Zion is a 4 longterm imo.

We need to get him developed on the P&R ballhandler, perimeter skills, track early much like Giannis. Thats just what the league is today. Even the best bigmen have perimeter skills and run their fair share of inverted pick and roll