Adams signs 2 year extension 35mil.

[da ThRONe]

Can people be realistic. New Orleans is like the smallest market in the league. Cleveland is the last small market team to win it all (they had LeBron so it doesn?t count). Before that it was the Spurs. They won due to Duncan and some great international scouting (Parker/Ginobli) and the George Hill/Kawhi trade.

It is far more likely that the Pelicans never win the championship. So enjoy the basketball. Hope for a competitive team that can make it out of the first round each season (the west is absolutely brutal), and with some luck get to the Finals at some point.

Edit: it just seems like every one is so negative all the time. If you have low expectations and they are exceeded. Then you are happy. If you expect a championship every year like Lakers fans or Yankees fans, then you will be disappointed more seasons than not.

I don't measure success in championship or bust. There are so many factors that can never be accounted for in order to win an title. However having a team that's good enough to consistently be a top 4 seed and make a WCF appearance is not setting the bar too high for a competent front office on any team in any market. That is what a contending team is. One that's good enough that if they get a couple of things to break right could win it. I'm not asking for the Warriors with KD on it or the "Heatles".

As I've said many of times putting together a team good enough takes some luck but mostly it take coordinated timing. Getting a bunch of skilled and hardworking young guys that are in a similar window for success. It's why I had a problem with the original Holiday trade. It appears the best way to team building is via the draft more specifically acquiring as many top end picks as you can get. The hardest part getting lucky enough to draft a top end prospect like Zion was "given" to us. We are going to ruined this luck by trying to win immediately.

[pelafanatic]

As I've said many of times putting together a team good enough takes some luck but mostly it take coordinated timing. Getting a bunch of skilled and hardworking young guys that are in a similar window for success. It's why I had a problem with the original Holiday trade. It appears the best way to team building is via the draft more specifically acquiring as many top end picks as you can get. The hardest part getting lucky enough to draft a top end prospect like Zion was "given" to us. We are going to ruined this luck by trying to win immediately.

We have made 4 top 17 picks in the past 2 seasons. You're yelling at clouds man

[pelafanatic]

You don't just get lucky in the draft. You have to focus on and develop that drafted talent. Fred Vinson only has so many hours in the day.

[da ThRONe]

No personal diss to you but I despise psychic post like this because you’re basically throwing the Detroit Pistons of the early 2000s out the window. You’re throwing the Spurs of the 2000s out the window. And you are hedging on glass half empty predictions because statistically it’s in your favor while also allowing you to say “I’m glad I was wrong” when players or the team exceeds the expectations you kinda just made.

We are in a great position. Zion = Kawhi trajectory? Lol First off, Kawhis a goat. Switch him with any player - just like you can do with all goats - on a team that has the pedigree of a championship organization and he can lead you to a ring. But what are you talking about? Yes you can’t judge everything based on statistics, but have you attempted to compare what Zion did in the minutes he played to players in the history of the game? His trajectory is potentially 1of2 right now and he might not be 2.

Then the Brandon Ingram 3rd star ceiling? So then what was Tony Parker? Many? Rip Hamilton? Vernon Maxwell?

There’s more than one way to skin a cat in sports at championships. This idea that there’s one particular formula is bogus to me and if you watch games under this fixed setup, you’ll miss how important coaching (Especially coaching), role players, and front offices are to winning championships. We will need them all. I don’t subscribe to this alpha-beta-third star nonsense because history has shown that it’s not sure fire...especially considering that what plays a major part is the level of your competition as well and how well they are set up.

Where did I put "This is the only way?". There is no strategy that is fool proof. My stance is simply based on what I've observed it's the best way to building a contender especially in a market that has failed to land big free agent in the sport of basketball. It doesn't negate with other teams have done.

I respect Kawhi more then I think most basketball fans and Leonard on a poor team will not be a contender. Not since prime LeBron have we seen a player good enough to be a contender on a team without at least one other big time talent. So yes even if Zion can reach Kawhi's level it doesn't mean we are contending.

Calling Ingram the 3rd star isn't an insult at all. I have no idea why any one would see it a a slight, and it's not even a given.

[ragincaucasian]

Fully guaranteed. Whoa

Shook Triggered GIF from Shook GIFs

[da ThRONe]

We have made 4 top 17 picks in the past 2 seasons. You're yelling at clouds man

And we should be trying to make 4 more top 12 picks over the next 2 seasons. Plus signing players like Favors, and Reddick and trading for Bledsoe and Adams mean less development time for those draft picks. We weren't committed to building towards the future we were trying to make the playoffs last year.

[ragincaucasian]

Imagine being on the receiving end of a 270lb pick and roll from this guy.

Also, the most important stat:

Surprisingly, Adams has only missed 26 games in his seven seasons with the OKC Thunder.

[pelafanatic]

Imagine being on the receiving end of a 270lb pick and roll from this guy.

Also, the most important stat:

Surprisingly, Adams has only missed 26 games in his seven seasons with the OKC Thunder.

Yea this was my main issue with Baynes, who was seemingly option B. Dude cannot stay on the floor. Pels really need some some consistency.

[luckyman]

And we should be trying to make 4 more top 12 picks over the next 2 seasons. Plus signing players like Favors, and Reddick and trading for Bledsoe and Adams mean less development time for those draft picks. We weren't committed to building towards the future we were trying to make the playoffs last year.

No successful team in the history on the NBA has made that many top 12 picks in that short time frame. And by successful I mean at least making the Finals.

The closest you get is the 76ers, who have long abandoned such strategy and have only gotten to the 2nd round.

It's a not very smart strategy. The Pelicans aren't a developmental JV team. It's an NBA team with a large player development staff.

And the last few MVP candidates like Giannis and Steph didn't reach that level of play until their 5th/6th years in the league. Didn't even make the all star team until their 4th/5th years. BI is on that trajectory. Zion is ahead of that trajectory.

Please stop with this nonsense.

[6warddude]

And we should be trying to make 4 more top 12 picks over the next 2 seasons. Plus signing players like Favors, and Reddick and trading for Bledsoe and Adams mean less development time for those draft picks. We weren't committed to building towards the future we were trying to make the playoffs last year.

so you want us to follow the 76ers trust the process route?.. in new orleans?...

[PELICANSFAN]

Shows a lot about Adams' character and self awareness to agree to a 10 million dollar pay cut before ever stepping foot on the floor with his new team

Probably ecstatic he was offered that much. Centers like him are not getting the huge contracts any more.

[da ThRONe]

so you want us to follow the 76ers trust the process route?.. in new orleans?...

Yes. Sixers are in a much better place as a franchise than we are. This is IMO after they let Hickie go and decided (or were forced) to make win now moves.

[Pelicanidae]

Probably ecstatic he was offered that much. Centers like him are not getting the huge contracts any more.

Really just don't understand this. His new contract is precisely in line with where top-15-but-not-superstar centre contracts are at the moment. It's the same ballpark money as Brook Lopez, Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, Clint Capela, etc. It's an entirely average sort of pay for a big of his calibre.

[da ThRONe]

No successful team in the history on the NBA has made that many top 12 picks in that short time frame. And by successful I mean at least making the Finals.

The closest you get is the 76ers, who have long abandoned such strategy and have only gotten to the 2nd round.

It's a not very smart strategy. The Pelicans aren't a developmental JV team. It's an NBA team with a large player development staff.

And the last few MVP candidates like Giannis and Steph didn't reach that level of play until their 5th/6th years in the league. Didn't even make the all star team until their 4th/5th years. BI is on that trajectory. Zion is ahead of that trajectory.

Please stop with this nonsense.

The point is to focus not on wins and losses but player development and quality asset accumulation(key word being quality not a bunch of picks that's likely to be late first or swap picks that never pay off ).

I already talked what I think about Zion's time table for his prime years and BI certainly has the length to become a better defender because that's his biggest knock in terms of being a potential #2 guy. Thus you make my point for me there's no reason to go out and spend money on players that may not be here or lesser versions of themselves 3 or 4 years from now when Zion and BI (assuming they but reach their maximum potential) are in their respective primes. Then those players like Adams, Reddick, Bledsoe will A) make us good enough to be playoff contenders over the course of their time as Pelicans and B) take the development focus off of players like Haynes, Walker, and Lewis. So not only will we be looking at draft picks at the bottom of or completely out of the lottery the players we do draft won't get the mins necessary to get better.

How does anyone not understand this basic idea is beyond me let alone foolish enough refer to it as nonsense.

[luckyman]

The point is to focus not on wins and losses but player development and quality asset accumulation(key word being quality not a bunch of picks that's likely to be late first or swap picks that never pay off ).

I already talked what I think about Zion's time table for his prime years and BI certainly has the length to become a better defender because that's his biggest knock in terms of being a potential #2 guy. Thus you make my point for me there's no reason to go out and spend money on players that may not be here or lesser versions of themselves 3 or 4 years from now when Zion and BI (assuming they but reach their maximum potential) are in their respective primes. Then those players like Adams, Reddick, Bledsoe will A) make us good enough to be playoff contenders over the course of their time as Pelicans and B) take the development focus off of players like Haynes, Walker, and Williams. So not only will we be looking at draft picks at the bottom of or completely out of the lottery the players we do draft won't get the mins necessary to get better.

How does anyone not understand this basic idea is beyond me let alone foolish enough refer to it as nonsense.

They've already accumulated those future assets. With ammunition to get more. How much more do you want? You cant fill the entire roster with 19 - 22 year olds to keep accumulating more and more draft picks while you do nothing but instill a losing culture.

And players like JJ have usefulness that are multi-layered. They provide veteran leadership in the locker room, they are good players to help you win games, and being signed on short contracts are extremely tradeable for more draft picks or desired players.

Secondly, they DO NOT take development focus off of 20 year old players too young/weak to even compete on an NBA floor. Jaxson had his moments but otherwise he was just a pinata out there. I've already talked about how some players like CJ McCollom barely played in their first 2 years. Ideally, that is how you want to bring young players along. Not throw them on the floor so you can lose games, they develop bad habits, get used to losing, just so you can get more picks picks picks.

It's pure nonsense.

[PELICANSFAN]

Really just don't understand this. His new contract is precisely in line with where top-15-but-not-superstar centre contracts are at the moment. It's the same ballpark money as Brook Lopez, Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, Clint Capela, etc. It's an entirely average sort of pay for a big of his calibre.

Other than Lopez, those players were paid based on high upside potential.

[AusPel]

OKC were trying to jettison him 18 months ago

OKC has made Steven Adams, Andre Roberson and Dennis Schr?der available in efforts to shed salary, per @JakeLFischer. pic.twitter.com/QayGKVLjTi

— Dunk Bait (@DunkBait) June 19, 2019

Proves we overpaid to acquire him if he's been on the market for 18 months and no one has bitten

[Sleeper]

OKC were trying to jettison him 18 months ago

OKC has made Steven Adams, Andre Roberson and Dennis Schr?der available in efforts to shed salary, per @JakeLFischer. pic.twitter.com/QayGKVLjTi? Dunk Bait (@DunkBait) June 19, 2019

Proves we overpaid to acquire him if he's been on the market for 18 months and no one has bitten

Well i mean two years of that salary is very different than one with an extension for much less. Why did i even have to post this?


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[P_B_&_G]

OKC were trying to jettison him 18 months ago

OKC has made Steven Adams, Andre Roberson and Dennis Schr?der available in efforts to shed salary, per @JakeLFischer. pic.twitter.com/QayGKVLjTi

— Dunk Bait (@DunkBait) June 19, 2019

Proves we overpaid to acquire him if he's been on the market for 18 months and no one has bitten

You could easily say the same for Jrue. Did the Bucks overpay for him too? Or should we wait to see if he puts them over the top and then decide if it was an overpay?

[Pelicanidae]

Well i mean two years of that salary is very different than one with an extension for much less. Why did i even have to post this?


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Yep, plus the length of time someone is on the market technically means very little. AD requested his trade in January but wasn't moved until June: does that mean that because he was technically on the market for 6 months without being moved, nobody was interested and therefore the Lakers overpaid? Or were there other factors that changed the timeline, and actually the Lakers did just fine, perhaps.

[donato]

We got a good player at a reasonable contract on paper. Nobody knows if it's a good deal or not until 3 years down the road. The rest is just a waste of time. Especially considering we haven't seen him on court with the rest of our team.

[Pelicanidae]

Here's what the new Pelicans big man has to say about the importance of a point guard probing on offense https://t.co/tKO3FH89Ju

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) November 26, 2020

''Basically you have, point guards in general nowadays, they have to be able to probe nowadays, regardless. Russ is the most explosive player in the world so he has a bit more leeway to do what he wants, most guys can't do that, he just takes off doesn't matter who's in front of him, doesn't matter who's in front of him. Most guys can't do that so there's a bit more ball manipulation stuff like that, changing angles, holding their defender off, it's a different game but it's accomplishing the same thing. The whole point of probing is allowing the big to roll back in front so it's a 2 on 1 situation with the PG's man on the back of the him, so now it's 2 on 1 against the big, that's the main goal of probing to create those situations. With Russ it's just boom, you put two guys on him and he just goes through them but either one works mate, you know what I mean, it just depends on the system [...]''

[Pelicanidae]

������ https://t.co/yUIgzzZFh5

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) November 26, 2020

''He's a tough coverage, a big guy. The type of guy you really gotta hit, cause one of our guys hit him and he was like ''hit me harder'', I was like... y'know, he's a tough guy. It was tough.''

[AusPel]

You could easily say the same for Jrue. Did the Bucks overpay for him too? Or should we wait to see if he puts them over the top and then decide if it was an overpay?

Different situations.

Bucks need to keep Giannis. Overpaying is the cost of business in their position in a shallow FA class.

We're in year 1 or 2 of the rebuild

[AusPel]

Well i mean two years of that salary is very different than one with an extension for much less. Why did i even have to post this?


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What does the extension have to do with the acquisition price? Once we've got him, it has nothing to do with how OKC paid him prior. We're in full control of the asset now. We choose how to pay him going forwards.

OKC have been trying to dump him for 18 months with no luck. That is what counts with trade negotiations re acquiring him and determining value. If you have a house on the market for 18 months the value tanks big time. Plus you actually need suitors in the first place.

You're the nth person who can't comprehend this. It doesn't mean the value of the next contract.

Why did I even have to post this?