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We will try to up the trade value of our players. That has to happen before we can trade anyone. We need to get the most out of BI and CJ in particular and see if anyone bites. BI’s value took a nosedive after last year and CJ’s as well. That means Willie has to get them both performing and comfortable in the system. We can’t be like we were last year.
That's a legitimate question that doesn't have an answer.Originally Posted by Spanish_pelican
However. If we roll out.....
Murray
CJ
BI
Herb/Trey
Zion
.....how do Denver, Miami, and PHI play that? I feel like Zion can guard those guys better than they can guard him.....especially if CJ, Herb, and Trey are hitting their 3s.
Keep in mind, BI's 2pt game is absolutely floor spacing and the biggest lie of 2024 is that he doesn't fit with Zion. Add Murray into the mix and I think any defensive matchup issues we face is dwarfed by the issues we cause.
DISCLAIMER that I am admittedly probably the most optimistic homer on the board.
BI, Zion, and CJ had a net rating of +3 when on the court together. BI and Zion had a +13.4, BI and CJ had a +13.2, Zion and CJ was just +5.4.
BI and Zion worked. BI and CJ worked. It was CJ and Zion and all three together that didn't work.
I think I'm a close second on this!
I do think we need a big body center for the big offensive centers out there or maybe they figure they can just throw Missi to the wolves.
Missi is not ready to face NBA caliber starting centers. Karlo Matkovic is more ready, but he should be a 3rd string center on a good team. Let?s not talk ourselves into Missi being the answer right now. He isn?t. We have a massive hole defensively and offensively at center. They only way that doesn?t hurt is if we become the Golden state warriors, but that would mean D Murray being the clutch player that no one else has shown to be.
Why can't Zion handle big body centers?
Real question. I get that he's 5 inches shorter than most of them but his base is STRONG and the dude has ups. They're not going to bully him. I also get that the main question is 'would Zion want to play C' but I'll again say I think any trouble he has on the defensive end would be returned 10 fold when we're on offense.
Defensively he could probably hold his own because of his strength but he gets killed on the offensive and defensive boards. That's where the 5-6 inch height diff comes in. We need a "true" center.
Yeah I agree for the most part. Depends on the opponent because he doesn't matchup against a guy like Anthony Davis well but for bigs that are just big, why not? They can't stay with Z out on the perimeter when he has the ball. And I don't think they can bully him in the paint when he's on defense either. The big issue is rebounding and we are going to need a strong team effort from the other guys on the floor to avoid getting killed on the offensive/defensive glass with Z at the 5. Our wings are going to have to make rebounding a priority in ways they haven't done before.
The Pelicans have the weakest group of centers in the NBA and too many small forward type players that need minutes. Playing Zion at center solves both problems... but he is not a center and also misses a lot of games. Ordinarily I would not expect to see Missi this year because he is so inexperienced even for a rookie, but supposedly he is a high IQ guy and a fast learner. We need Missi and/or Matkovic to exceed expectations. At this point we pretty much have to give them the opportunity to do it. Roll with it for the first half of the season and then try to make a move before the trade deadline if neither the young guys breaks out.
Ideally we wouldn't be relying on a rookie center at all but I'm not sure there are any better options out there barring another trade.
Laurie Markkanen
Zion Williams
Herb Jones
Trey Murphy
Dejuante Murray
this starting five would be our best ever
Word is Ainge is trying to fleece the Warriors for Laurie... if that's true, then the price is way too high for Griff.
There's a better than good chance of us not trading BI before training camp. Even Griff sounds as though he has given up hope of a trade being done any time soon. With that said... prepare yourself for:
- BI to be on the roster at least until the trade deadline
- A Center rotation of Theis, Karlo and Missi (with a splash of JRE)
- One or both of Herb and Trey coming off the bench
Brandon Ingram is “mechanically incapable” to trade given the current salary cap rules, says David Griffin, Executive VP of the New Orleans Pelicans. He expects more #NBA players to become difficult to trade going forward. #Pelicans #Kings #Cavs #Warrors #Grizzlies #Spurs pic.twitter.com/huxRvJ39ix
— SpursReport (@SpursReporter) July 16, 2024
I don't hate the idea of trading Hawkins for Kessler.
id be totally down with that.
Herb Jones not starting is blasphemy. He's the best perimeter defender in the league and is literally what makes us a top ten defense... while shooting over 40% from three.
Ego's aside I think he and Murphy should be the starters, and CJ and Ingram could lead the leagues best bench
More important than who starting games is who is finishing games. The pelicans were horrible closing out games last season and infamously didn't win a single game in the fourth quarter. The starting lineup will be Murray - CJ - BI - Zion for sure, and probably Theis. That being said, Willy Green has shown a willingness to bench BI and/or CJ at the end of the game. We may very well see Herb and/or Trey then.
You have to be a bit more realistic. Ingram isn't coming off the bench. He's just not at that stage of his career.
Edit: It would also reduce his trade value. So not only are you not using one of your best players optimally, you're making him even less desirable to prospective suiters.
Last edited by Nichols; 07-16-2024 at 08:00 PM.
I just can't see Murray, Herb, Ingram or Zion not starting. The rest is speculation.
I 100% agree with both. Without a BI trade your starting 5 is:
DJM
CJ
BI
Zion
Pick-a-big
Herb (1st team all defense) and TM3 are the first 2 off the bench. If the Pels can talk CJ into coming off the bench that would get Herb in the first 5, and then you'd have a 2nd unit with CJ, Jose, TM3. Our bench would be crazy regardless of whose the starting 5. if only we could find a capable 5 to anchor the defense.
And yes I agree I'd give up hawk for Kessler.
Contributor
Herb should be starting over CJ if BI stays.
Why would it be hard to talk CJ into coming off the bench. He'll come off the bench if they tell him to. That's what team players do. I can't see Herb not starting.
CJ shot 43 percent from 3 point last season, on 8+ attempts a game. Thats why they wont send CJ to the bench, it has nothing to do with him agreeing to it or not. He can play off ball, shoot high volume from 3 and make them at an elite level. In a world where CJ comes off the bench it would have to be Trey Murphy taking his place in the lineup.
Given, BI starts cause ego's aren't aside and it would diminish his value. Basically what im suggesting is that he and zion's minutes are spread out where we always have one on the court since they're playmakers who need the ball. especially Now thast we have a PG
No. He's not starting because of ego. He's starting because he's the second best player on the team.
Cj definitely can shoot 8 3s off the bench I’d say even more didn’t Trey Murphy who can’t create his own shot shoot about 9 3s a game
If anybody needs to go to the bench I think it’s obviously cj and if he refuses it’s ego driven because he’s on the tail end of his career
Who has room for improvement 26 year old Brandon Ingram or 33 year old McCollum
We will see how much he really is about team and winning this year anybody can talk the talk
He’s already on record saying he can play any role and has played all them in his career
Bench- co star -star
Last edited by Algiersraised; 07-17-2024 at 07:23 PM.
Contributor
Bold, maybe not so bold take here, even if BI is moved I think CJ should come off the bench. His 3PA would not dip, maybe wouldn’t avg 20ppg+ anymore but he would be efficient as hell and in 6th man of the year convo. Would be better for the team. It needs to happen. He can start when we inevitably have people miss games here and there.
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