Griff in Review

[As I See It]

Let's reconsider Griff's 2019 moves....

Re-running 2019 Offseason Transactions

Assuming we make the exact same AD to LA trade

1. Suppose he would have re-signed Julius Randle instead of using the same money paid to Favors via trade (who obvious is happy being Gobert's understudy at half his Pelican salary).
2. Suppose he would have signed Christian Wood for pennies on the dollar
3. Suppose he would have we-signed Elfrid instead of signing JJ for much more
4. Suppose he would have kept the 4th overall pick in 2019 and drafted DeAndre Hunter instead of trading down.
5. No Melli

Before we even consider the 2020 moves

PG: Lonzo; Payton; Frank
SG: Jrue; Hart; E'Twaun
SF: BI; Hunter; E'Twaun
PF: Zion; Wood; Kenny Hustle
C: Julius; Wood; Jah

Admittedly, things would have played out differently for all the players on resulting roster, but as we speak.....

BI is an All Star and 2019-20 Most Improved Player in the League
Zion will likely be an All Star this year and will be for many years to come
Julius is probably going to be an All Star this year
Wood would have been a borderline All Star Selection this year prior to his injury.
Jrue would still be Jrue...solid as the rock of Gibraltar
DeAndre would be developing within our timeline
Lonzo would not be so heavily relied upon offensively to score.
Payton would be a solid back up Point Guard

Point is, the grass is not always greener on the other side.

[donato]

In hindsight the only fair criticism in that list is the trade down from #4.

I don't remember anyone here pushing for Randle, and his improvements in NY were a bit of a surprise. Wood would've been nice...Still think trading Jrue was right.

[As I See It]

In hindsight the only fair criticism in that list is the trade down from #4.

I don't remember anyone here pushing for Randle, and his improvements in NY were a bit of a surprise. Wood would've been nice...Still think trading Jrue was right.

Favors was never anything more than a rotation player. (the fact that he's back in Utah suggests he knows that too).
JJ has meant nothing to this team in terms of either wins or player development. In fact, I think he's gotten in the way.
My exercise doesn't consider any moves made during this past off season (I stipulated this), so Jrue trade is non-issue in my presentation.

[AusPel]

Griff stinks. He's whiffed on every single trade that wasn't a home run. And has an unholy obsession for one dimensional centres who are going extinct.

No reason not to aim for another top 5 pick this year after screwing the 2019 draft, then start the proper run next year.

F minus

[UNO Gracias]

What is Griff going to do this offseason when we don’t have an star talent to trade away? What magic beans will he sell the fan base?

[AusPel]

What is Griff going to do this offseason when we don’t have an star talent to trade away? What magic beans will he sell the fan base?

He's already ********ed the rebuild, we need to pray for a top 6 guy. He'll probably just draft a ********ty centre anyway

[As I See It]

1. Suppose he would have re-signed Julius Randle instead of using the same money paid to Favors via trade (who obvious is happy being Gobert's understudy at half his Pelican salary).
2. Suppose he would have signed Christian Wood for pennies on the dollar


Julius is probably going to be an All Star this year
Wood would have been a borderline All Star Selection this year prior to his injury.

He just let Julius walk WITH NO COMPENSATION.
He just let Wood slip through our hands WITH NO COMPENSATION.

[AusPel]

He just let Julius walk WITH NO COMPENSATION.
He just let Wood slip through our hands WITH NO COMPENSATION.

Not much you can do with one year un-restricted free agents with no Bird Rights

You have a year to evaulate and you don't own any control over them once the season is up

You issue is really not one of compensation, but one of why not to re-sign.

To be fair, no-one really saw this level of breakout from Randle coming.

[As I See It]

Not much you can do with one year un-restricted free agents with no Bird Rights

You have a year to evaulate and you don't own any control over them once the season is up

You issue is really not one of compensation, but one of why not to re-sign.

That is precisely my thinking. Randle signed a three year deal with NY late as I recall for 18M+ per...approximately the same amount we paid a lifetime back up, Favors. It's not like Randle didn't produce here in New Orleans especially when AD essentially turned his back on the team. It's always been a head scratcher to me.

[AusPel]

That is precisely my thinking. Randle signed a three year deal with NY late as I recall for 18M+ per...approximately the same amount we paid a lifetime back up, Favors. It's not like Randle didn't produce here in New Orleans especially when AD essentially turned his back on the team. It's always been a head scratcher to me.

Are you suggesting you could see Zion and Randle in the starting 5 together

[As I See It]

Are you suggesting you could see Zion and Randle in the starting 5 together

I think so....

He primarily played the five with AD. He could spread the floor offensively as he isn't limited offensively to window work. I think he is near 40% this year from three with volume and lifetime 9+ rebounder.

[As I See It]

What was Randle's mindset after 18-19?

“Hopefully I can do more of that next year, and I’ll find more ways to help the team win.” Randle signed a two-year contract in July with New Orleans, with a player option for ’19-20, meaning he can become an unrestricted free agent again this summer. While acknowledging that it’s impossible to predict what will happen in this Pelicans offseason and how changes might affect his potential role, Randle said repeatedly during an April 10 exit interview that his preference is to remain in the Big Easy.


https://www.nba.com/pelicans/2018-19...-julius-randle

[AusPel]

lol

[Pelicanidae]

You know you've reached a world of hilarity when people are holding not paying Julius Randle over Griff's head lmao

[Eman5805]

Prisoners of a very dumb moment here. Julius Randle? Really?

[Pelicanidae]

Prisoners of a very dumb moment here. Julius Randle? Really?

I'm surprised it took this long, honestly.

We've already had nostalgia movements for the likes of Elfrid Payton, Rajon Rondo, DeMarcus Cousins, and Alvin Gentry himself, so why not Julius Randle too?

Screw it, let's start the 2021 Dante Cunningham come-back tour. Where's Solomon Hill? This team was great in 2018-19.

[AusPel]

Any non Randle related thoughts - Dae and Eman - Re: Griffin?

[13 - 3]

Prisoners of a very dumb moment here. Julius Randle? Really?

Look at his numbers. He has improved.

[donato]

I don't think people are disputing his improvement, just that Griffin shouldn't be raked over the coals for not resigning him when nobody here or in the media thought it was a good idea for us to resign him at the time.

[AusPel]

Look at his numbers. He has improved.

And his team is winning

But it's way more fun to make sarcastic remarks, innit?

[13 - 3]

Julius Randle should be an All-Star.

23.1 PPG
11.0 RPG
5.6 APG
48/41/80%

There’s only one other player with 20/10/5 on 40+ 3P% in a season — Larry Bird. pic.twitter.com/g4Aw07a0Mg

— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 16, 2021

See how this season compares to Randle’s other seasons: https://t.co/R7Ez6VNc1G

— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 16, 2021

[SeapeaNOLA]

This is getting really stupid

[PELICANSFAN]

You have to take into account the salary cap in all of these discussions. No way we could have kept Randle and Wood given the contracts they signed. Randle was a FA. Wood was someone who stomped his feet to get released and refused to play in the summer league. Not many coaches and GMs will put up with that from a league minimum guy. I agree he showed potential, and if it were up to me, I would not have brought Melli over and just went with Wood.

[Pelicanidae]

Any non Randle related thoughts - Dae and Eman - Re: Griffin?

I don't really see the point. I've been very clear elsewhere that I actually think Griff has been more or less fine so far, some hits and some misses, some moves that we need to wait a while to judge, etc. But explaining that point of view hasn't stopped anyone from their apocalyptic takes, so at that point you either have to choose between banging your head up the brick wall of angry fans or just being blas? over it, and I've chosen the latter.

[13 - 3]

Pistons cleaning house. I wonder if Grif takes any pieces?