I guess there are three franchise options … Those who want a reset simply think this is a better way to ensure we can compete meaningfully (win a playoff series) in the next 2 to 3 years, and beyond, but potentially be slightly worse to neutral, next season. But the two sides aren’t actually that far apart.
Compete now is making the best of what we currently have, being as competitive as we can be, and adding to the roster through the draft and small trades. Not a bad strategy at all and the contracts, as you’ve laid out @Dav, play into this timeline well. If we play it right, we could be in a strong position in a couple of years.
Reset is the removal of players that don’t fit alongside our good/promising young players, lowering the cap hit, and being able to more aggressively add to the roster with bigger trades because of this lower cap hit. We’ll still build through the draft and might even have more picks to do so if the trades are executed well. Those who advocate this route think we’ll be stronger for it in two years time.
Well that’s where I’m not on the same page with a lot of people. I don’t see this roster as good enough to compete. And when I say compete, I mean crack the 6th seed or higher.
Some sentiment I’m reading says we just need a big man. I don’t see how we have the cap space to sign a difference making big man if we retain bridges along with the core. Sure, we can trade away all our depth: Oubre, plumlee, Bouknight to clear some cap space. So now we don’t have depth again, and we still need to sign the draft picks from this year in terms of cap.
And if everyone agrees that this current core isn’t making a push for the top of the east why keep it around? For once, we have a truly special, franchise player in Melo. You guys need to change your aspirations.
I want Hayward moved and one of Terry/Bouknight, but not at any cost.
Maybe our only viable Hayward trade involves swapping one injury prone player for another in Miles Turner (if we don’t get Bamba)? But I’m not attaching a 1st and taking back a player (or two) I don’t like.
It all comes down to what moving off Hayward costs us. That’s where you’re the most aggressive. I think I’m closest to @Steelmatic in that I want him (and one of Terry/Bouknight) moved but am concerned about what it might cost. That’s where the balance has to be found. I agree that it’ll cost us something to move off Hayward’s negative value contract, but there’s a limit.
For me, we have a talented big in Kai Jones waiting… and whoever else we draft. I’m ways, we are pretty much in reset mode anyway, as we have a lot of young players to grow into their role. What do we do? Reset and get more draft picks? We have two first rounders this year… how else can we reset. We have the guys in place already and contracts will expire. I think the timeline is set up pretty well… just have to stay the course I think and hope that one of our bigs works out.
Bridges ,He is a RFA his contract is over. . We have two options , First we can just let him walk for nothing .Then we can’t go over the regular cap. Basically where we at right now with out adding any body. Second we could do a sign and trade with out much leverage.
Centers We could sign MO but he to is a RFA so if we sign him straight up we go straight into luxury tax. His averages after four years are around 7ppg 7 boards something to consider,
WCJ the at 15 ppg and 1o boards for Plumlee and 15th keeps the money real close . He has 3 years left at about 9 million per year . He averages 15ppg 10 boards, Homes could be done that way to.We might not need to give up a pick in that trade ,Sense Sabonis . They trying to move him hard. We could trade Terry, Bouknight, Oubre for a tier one center, That;s aruond 42 going out . Along with some first that might net someone like a Atton
The bigger issue to me is Terry. He and melo just won’t work as a starting backcourt. His trade value is solid. His money is hand-tying in terms of creating a solid team going forward.
Don’t read this as, I don’t like him. He is my favorite player on the team. Ideally he is a sixth man on a championship level team.
That seems like a bit much to be trading away for 17 PPG and 10 RPG. I don’t think he’s as good as some think. He’s a borderline all-star but not a second star to pair with LaMelo and get us over, IMO. Also, he could quickly become a bit redundant if one of the younger bigs (Kai or any big we draft) develops well. I just want a legit starting big for a reasonable price. IDK, maybe if a pick wasn’t included I might feel different.
I don’t see us offloading Gordon Terry Oubre and Plumlee, whether it is through waiver or trade, and getting back anything that makes us top 4 in east. That is MJ’s goal and has been for over a decade, but we are so close we just need another developmental year with the youth that we have.
It does not sound like our FO has been given the freedom to exercise that type of patience.
A very poor rerturn. .We would be getting raped. A over the hill Ross who would be a sub for us. .Bamba 7 ppg and 7 boards .Who can’t be traded til or if he resigns . Rumor says they letting him walk. And we get the privlidge to add in the 15th pick So we giving up a 20 ppg scorer and a first for two scrubs
I agree we give up too much in that trade, but come on Dav, you’re being very unfair with the way you’ve used different sets of stats for each player.
Let’s compare like stats, with like stats.
In the last season Terry was 20.6 points, per 36 while Bamba was 14.9, with 11.3 rebounds & 2.3 blocks per 36 (in his first season as a starter).
If we compare Terry’s career average with Boston against Bamba’s career average with the Magic … Terry’s a 7.7 points a game player, while Bamba’s a 7.7 points a game player.
Terry has been really good for us and deserves all the plaudits that come with it. But Bamba’s a far better player than you’re portraying him to be.
I don’t know the extent of who will be available, but my Centre pecking order would be:
Bamba
Turner (IF Hayward goes the other way)
A high character, seasoned vet for Kai & Duren/Williams to learn from.
It’s interesting, comparing Bamba & Turner’s career, per 36 numbers. Bamba’s numbers are first.
FGA: 12.4 to 12.3; FG%: 47.5% to 48.9%; 3PT%: 35.2% to 34.9%; FT%: 68.5% to 76.8%; TRB: 11.8 to 8.4; BLK: 2.8 to 2.9; PTS: 15 to 16.
The only thing that caught my eye, in a negative way for Bamba, remembering these are career stats, was his FT%. But he got that up to 78.1% this/last season, not to mention he shot a very respectable 38.1% from 3 last season, on 5.5 attempts per 36.