Yeah, I’m definitely pulling up short of full condemnation on both counts. I absolutely don’t know that we didn’t sniff around at both and there was just no interest. I can definitely understand if there was bitterness on Wood’s part since we gave up on him earlier. But I also know that money talks and people can get over grudges if the price is right. We certainly had the spending power to exceed the offer he got in the S&T so I would be curious to know how hard we tried.
Agree on Bagley though. If he can be had for little to nothing, which would appear to be the case, he’d be an upgrade offensively if nothing else. Won’t help our defensive issues much and he’s just a so so rebounder but he’s better than what we have. To continue the analogy, Flex-seal doesn’t work as well as it does in the commercial, but the slow trickle that’s coming from my utility tub pipe right now is a lot better than the water that was gushing from it this morning.
I was on here early last year asking us to pursue trade for MoBamba numerous times since he was riding the pine. He has all the tools we are looking for in our center for future success. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see his potential and now he will be more expensive. We need a center who can at least hist a 10 foot jump shot if not 15 ft occasionally to keep the def. honest. Of course, one who’s fast and long enough to alter shots, block shots, rebound and hit free throws! I would start working in Kai more and more to see if he can develop quicker than we think???
He has this ablility but needs more muscle and understanding of the game!
I agree about Kai . With PJ out it would be a good time to work him in and see what he could do . With rotation players. I like the idea of Bagley a lot. I just think he has been misused their.
Still early but boy the Hornets might be having some buyer’s remorse choosing to extend Terry over Miles. Again still early but optics not good as of now
I think it is time to consider playing for lamelo’s extension. Terry is a sunk cost right now and I do think he will pick up his play.
I think it is time to consider moving Hayward. He is my favorite player on the team, but at his cost, it makes it nearly impossible to retain miles and improve the team. I am not sure if the best course is another established 2nd banana at center or pf, or if it is better to get a haul of picks or youngs.
I don’t think Terry is the problem. I mean, he needs to play better for sure, and he will. He even got it going a bit last night. But on the whole, he isn’t our problem.
To me the main issue stems back to the observation that prompted this thread. The lack of a skilled big. We need to have our 5 best players on the floor at winning time and Plumlee isn’t one of our 5 best players. But having to go small hurts us in other areas. I’ve reluctantly accepted that in order to address that we may need to move one of our other talented pieces.
On a related note, he’s not quite ready for prime time yet but Richards is quickly developing into a legit back up center. I think he could surpass Plumlee by the all-star break.
My comment on Miles and Rozier was nothing to do with them as basketball players, or their talent. My comments away from bigs and about Miles and Rozier is the cap reality that we live in. I know we all love our guys and want to bring guys back, but we’ve got to have cap space to sign a legit big man.
As a car guy, I think of the classic picture with a triangle and each point on the triangle has: fast, reliable, cheap. And the bottom part says “you can only pick two”.
Back to the big man conversation, in order to bring in the quality guy that will take the team to the next level, from a cap management standpoint, we can’t retain everyone and give them the contract they want (or maybe even deserve). EDIT: well, we can…but not have cap space for the impact big man we need.
My post wasn’t directed at you in particular. It was more just a general response to the “Terry is a bust” sentiment that seems to be gaining traction. But I know you haven’t said that.
I agree with you that cap management is a tricky proposition that often requires painful and difficult decisions. That being said, I thought paying Terry was the right move and I also think paying Miles is the right move. I think we have to secure our talent. And if we eventually have to cash in one of those chips to trade for the big we need then so be it. For us, I think that’s a more viable strategy than letting talented players walk to clear cap space in hopes that an elite center will decide to come here in FA.
For those talking Bagley, are you thinking of him as an option at center? Because Bagley, unless many things have changed, is a SF/PF not a center. Also, he can’t guard quicker PF’s.
I am curious where this is coming from. His pre-draft stuff I found compares him to Bosh and Amare. Givony had him as a PF/C at age 14 (at 6’9"/208lbs). Everywhere I look shows him around 6’11" 235lbs coming out of college with a 7’1" wingspan and talks of him in context of posting up. Basketball Reference lists him as a PF and C respectively per SAC (note that despite the time we have run PJ at C, BBR still references him as a PF only).
I don’t have a personal opinion on him on rather that he’s closer to a wing than a center; more confused how those metrics could have him in the former camp vs. the latter.
And NONE of what I am saying makes me any more at ease with the notion that he fixes any problem we have. Just that we might be in a ‘why not try something?’ phase because ole-line-drive-from-more-than-8’-out Mason is really worrisome in closing units.
Mason might be part of whats hurting Terry sitting screens. Thats one thing Cody was real good at. Plumdog can’t be traded to Dec15th . as is with most cheap big’s. The free agent market might be our best bet somebody posted a list early in the thread.
I see that jusuf Nurkic is a UFA after this season. I don’t think portland utilizes him as much as they should.
Also, I like what I’m seeing from mo bamba this season. Encouraging. Once the magic get healthy, I could see his minutes reducing. I wonder how much it would take to trade for Bamba?
I feel like the only way we will get a good one, is via trade. Would you guys have any interest in Boucher from Toronto? He seems to always be in the doghouse there.