Pels Off season thread

[PELICANSFAN]

Depends on what you think reasonable is. MLE? Definitely. More than that, for multiple years, no thank you. I think he is a nice combo forward off the bench who can spot start and be a reliable 7th or 8th man in the postseason. I will give up the MLE for that

I wouldn't think he would cost much more than that and he seems like a nice fit. Who would be your targets?

[JJackisangry]

Griff about to trade for OG Anunoby and fix like 3 problems at once*


*In my dreams

He’ll sign Oubre, give up the farm for Larry Nance and re-sign Lonzo Ball to 25 million and make all of our worst nightmares come true

[Pelicanidae]

I just think Otto would be such a good fit. Good 3 point shooter, good defender.

Could start at the 3 so Ingram could play SG which supposedly he is better at for defending than when he defends small forwards

Don't know how much Otto Porter you've watched the last few years but I wouldn't be very pleased with playing him at the 3 anymore at all. His injuries have done a number on his mobility.

[luckyman]

Don't know if people caught this in Griff's comments last night. But when asked about the upcoming RFA of Josh Hart and Lonzo he said something like...

'we like where they are as far as helping us in playoff games, but do we think they help us win a championship and be the contender we hope to be?'

Not a direct quote... but if he's asking that question about them at this stage, that tells me he already has a good idea on what he wants to do there.

Which seems like he will not break the bank for either.

[Pelicanidae]

David Griffin is addressing the media. SVG is up next. Then all the players.

Be prepared for tweets.

— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) May 17, 2021

Griff says there are three fundamental issues the team needs to address going forward:

Basketball IQ
Toughness
and Shooting

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) May 17, 2021

Griff says while we have incredible talent, we don't have the winning mettle yet. He also says the front office also needs to take a look at if they are doing enough for the players to facilitate winning.

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) May 17, 2021

Griff says ownership has been very clear that they are willing to pay the tax when the Pelicans are competing at a high level. Said there is a long way to go before they get to that point, but if that's what it takes to win, ownership will pay.

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) May 17, 2021

Griff says they interviewed 9 coaches and Stan Van Gundy was the only one who saw Zion as Point Zion

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) May 17, 2021

[hornetzplaya]

Imma get flamed for this.... However I have a prediction..... I think we facilitate a trade for Al Horford by getting rid of Adams and Bledsoe. (Maybe even throw in a couple of 2RP). While not the best option look at the benefits, he's a good spacer, decent vet, half way decent defense, plus we get rid of bledsoe... We'll open up a little bit more cap space by doing so so we can resign Lonzo AND Hart if need be or whoever we plan to bring in as FA's. Plus we keep 2 or 3 draft picks for this year's draft for more shooters or decent fits within the team. I don't think it's so farfetched cause we did have interest in bringing him in at one point.

It's either we're gonna take the good with the bad with any potential trades or signings this off season, or we just gonna be a tweener between good and bad. But overall we'll see.

[Pelicanidae]

Imma get flamed for this.... However I have a prediction..... I think we facilitate a trade for Al Horford by getting rid of Adams and Bledsoe. (Maybe even throw in a couple of 2RP). While not the best option look at the benefits, he's a good spacer, decent vet, half way decent defense, plus we get rid of bledsoe... We'll open up a little bit more cap space by doing so so we can resign Lonzo AND Hart if need be or whoever we plan to bring in as FA's. Plus we keep 2 or 3 draft picks for this year's draft for more shooters or decent fits within the team. I don't think it's so farfetched cause we did have interest in bringing him in at one point.

It's either we're gonna take the good with the bad with any potential trades or signings this off season, or we just gonna be a tweener between good and bad. But overall we'll see.

We have bird rights on Lonzo and Hart. The issue is not, and never has been, whether we can afford to pay them. The issue is whether they are worth that money, and that question doesn't change if Al Horford is on the team.

That's without addressing whether or not I think Horford would be a good acquisition, which I don't.

[Stalwart385]

Don't know if people caught this in Griff's comments last night. But when asked about the upcoming RFA of Josh Hart and Lonzo he said something like...

'we like where they are as far as helping us in playoff games, but do we think they help us win a championship and be the contender we hope to be?'

Not a direct quote... but if he's asking that question about them at this stage, that tells me he already has a good idea on what he wants to do there.

Which seems like he will not break the bank for either.

I got the same feeling hearing that part. He wants them on the team and thinks he can make it work but they can't risk other needed moves just to get them back. They alone are not enough for where this team ultimately wants to go.

I'm okay with that. I think Lonzo is an average starter overall with upside. As long as we pay him as such. We need someone opposite him with some consistency to smooth out the huge swings in his game.

Hart seems like more of a known commodity. A classic 6th man. That deal may be easier to figure out. My biggest question with him is if all these young guys we are developing and will draft start to push him out as big a role.

[13 - 3]

David Griffin is addressing the media. SVG is up next. Then all the players.

Be prepared for tweets.

— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) May 17, 2021

Griff says there are three fundamental issues the team needs to address going forward:

Basketball IQ
Toughness
and Shooting

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) May 17, 2021

Griff says while we have incredible talent, we don't have the winning mettle yet. He also says the front office also needs to take a look at if they are doing enough for the players to facilitate winning.

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) May 17, 2021

Griff says ownership has been very clear that they are willing to pay the tax when the Pelicans are competing at a high level. Said there is a long way to go before they get to that point, but if that's what it takes to win, ownership will pay.

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) May 17, 2021

Griff says they interviewed 9 coaches and Stan Van Gundy was the only one who saw Zion as Point Zion

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) May 17, 2021

Wow. He has been reading this forum

[13 - 3]

Griff says ownership has been very clear that they are willing to pay the tax when the Pelicans are competing at a high level. Said there is a long way to go before they get to that point, but if that's what it takes to win, ownership will pay.

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) May 17, 2021

Tell Zion that Griff!

[13 - 3]

Griff says they interviewed 9 coaches and Stan Van Gundy was the only one who saw Zion as Point Zion

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) May 17, 2021

So we are stuck with SVG for a very long time.

[Pelicanidae]

Zion: "I really would want Zo to come back. He knows that... I just hope he stays."

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) May 17, 2021

Excruciating overpayment incoming

[Pelicanidae]

Zion says he would want Zo to come back and says "he knows that."

"Zo is a grown man so he's going to make a decision that's best for him. Only thing I can say is I hope he stays."

— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) May 17, 2021

[As I See It]

Zion: "I really would want Zo to come back. He knows that... I just hope he stays."

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) May 17, 2021

Excruciating overpayment incoming

"I'll be Back".

[HoustonPelicans]

Griff says they interviewed 9 coaches and Stan Van Gundy was the only one who saw Zion as Point Zion

— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) May 17, 2021

So we are stuck with SVG for a very long time.

Griff is a liar and I'm sick of it. No way SVG spoke about point Zion in the interview when it took him half the season to even put him in that role. JJ was right, don't expect honesty from this front office.

[Eman5805]

Zion: "I really would want Zo to come back. He knows that... I just hope he stays."

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) May 17, 2021

Excruciating overpayment incoming

God I hope not.

I’m not trusting these dudes much. So I have to assume everything is a work of some kind.

[donato]

May 25 is tie-breaker day for teams that are tied.

[Pelicanidae]

God I hope not.

I’m not trusting these dudes much. So I have to assume everything is a work of some kind.

I may well just be pessimistic about this, but until Griff gives me a good reason to be optimistic, that's where I am.

My personal view on Griff so far is that he's been alright. I like some of his moves, dislike others. But most of his moves have been made from a position of power; LA needed AD, so he could squeeze them. Milwaukee needed Jrue, so he could squeeze them. There have been some moves which I liked outside of pressure, such as the trade down from #4 to get Jax/NAW, but there have only been a few of those.

Due to free agency situations and stuff, this is the first time that Griff really has pressure on a choice where he could seriously mess it up imo.

[13 - 3]

Griff is a liar and I'm sick of it. No way SVG spoke about point Zion in the interview when it took him half the season to even put him in that role. JJ was right, don't expect honesty from this front office.

Yeah . Gosh we really did hire a snake oil salesman as our GM. JJ, and although did not say it but hinted it Jrue Holiday may have been right.

Taker your thoughts?

[Pelicanidae]

Brandon Ingram says he talked a lot in his exit meeting about his desire to have Lonzo and Josh Hart back with the team.

Said he views Lonzo as a generational talent because to his passing and anticipation on defense.

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) May 17, 2021

Ingram thinks Lonzo is a generational talent. Wow.

Massive franchise derailing mistake incoming.

[13 - 3]

Yeah nothing seems right about that comment. You mean to tell me Tom Thibodeau chose to coach Julius Randle over Zion?

I thought Grif. And Lue were best friends? Guess Griff is throwing him under bus too.

[13 - 3]

Brandon Ingram says he talked a lot in his exit meeting about his desire to have Lonzo and Josh Hart back with the team.

Said he views Lonzo as a generational talent because to his passing and anticipation on defense.

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) May 17, 2021

Ingram thinks Lonzo is a generational talent. Wow.

Massive franchise derailing mistake incoming.

Does Lonzo really want to be here?

[Taker597]

Brandon Ingram says he talked a lot in his exit meeting about his desire to have Lonzo and Josh Hart back with the team.

Said he views Lonzo as a generational talent because to his passing and anticipation on defense.

? Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) May 17, 2021

Ingram thinks Lonzo is a generational talent. Wow.

Massive franchise derailing mistake incoming.

Generational Defensive anticipation when we got guards beating him to open lanes every night with his slow feet and getting walked to the basket or fouling in the clutch... what....

The only great pass he can achieve is pocket passes. It's why Ingram and Zion run the offense in the 4t, because they actually have vision and can run half court sets. This is ridiculous

[donato]

Watch Live: Brandon Ingram#Pelicans | @Verizon https://t.co/fyx48WSTnR

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) May 17, 2021

You can watch the full Ingram interview there. The feeling I got was that he was being very complimentary, but he also added, "I'm hoping those guys can be with us next year (Lonzo and Hart), but I'm also hoping they make a lot of money to feed their family.

[Taker597]

Yeah . Gosh we really did hire a snake oil salesman as our GM. JJ, and although did not say it but hinted it Jrue Holiday may have been right.

Taker your thoughts?

Griff showed who he always was in that 1st off season. Terrible FA moves. Talks up a big game. Vanish when the team under performs. Got excuses and makes statement that he is going to get it fixed. This year is different... There is no suspension of disbelief. The market is super thin for game changing talent. Griff being so shortsighted with waiting till 6 games left to tank in a potential 6 deep franchise player draft. Now we are on the outside looking in at a potential role player at best.

Griff dug himself in a hole with being forced on to Gentry in year 1 and building a really bad team. Then, he made said bad team worse the following year when your two young starts to take a leap. Trading Jrue really set us back.

A Lebron puppet without Lebron to make it all work and put pressure on David to make certain moves.