How did your team do in the draft & free agency?

I for one am extremely excited about what the Bobcats (soon to be Hornets) did! Drafting Cody Zeller makes a lot more sense now that we landed big Al Jefferson in free agency!

PG - Kemba Walker
SG - Gerald Henderson
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
PF - Cody Zeller
C - Al Jefferson

Ladies and gentlemen... that looks like an NBA roster. Finally.

(07-08-2013 09:40 AM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  Ladies and gentlemen... that looks like an NBA roster.

A roster that might win 30 something games, still miss the playoffs, and insure it is just good enough to screw itself completely out of the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes this year. Seriously when I read they signed Jefferson a few days ago I really just laughed at the Bobcats franchise, it's just another bonehead move.

This is coming from a big NBA fan that actually thinks the theory of tanking to get better like Boston is about to do is about the stupidest strategies in sports. Seriously who wants to suck for at least 4 or 5 years just too take a chance to gamble on landing 2 or 3 high draft picks that may or may not even turn out. Even if they do, by the time they do get old enough to compete most of the time they many of them will just leave to sign with LA or Miami or someone like that for their prime years. I'd much rather be a fan of a competitive playoff contender than the last place teams for several years and hope I found another Rondo gem in the mid to late rounds.

That said if there was EVER a year to have tanked this was it. These drafts only come around once and a while and it was worth it for a chance at potentially the next big thing in the NBA. I don't dislike Jeffersons signing but it was a year to early.

(07-08-2013 10:02 AM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(07-08-2013 09:40 AM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  Ladies and gentlemen... that looks like an NBA roster.

A roster that might win 30 something games, still miss the playoffs, and insure it is just good enough to screw itself completely out of the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes this year. Seriously when I read they signed Jefferson a few days ago I really just laughed at the Bobcats franchise, it's just another bonehead move.

This is coming from a big NBA fan that actually thinks the theory of tanking to get better like Boston is about to do is about the stupidest strategies in sports. Seriously who wants to suck for at least 4 or 5 years just too take a chance to gamble on landing 2 or 3 high draft picks that may or may not even turn out. Even if they do, by the time they do get really good enough to compete most of the time they many of them will just leave to sign with LA or Miami or someone like that for their prime years. I'd much rather be a fan of a competitive playoff contender than the last place teams for several years and hope I found another Rondo gem in the mid to late rounds.

That said if there was EVER a year to have tanked this was it. These drafts only come around once and a while and it was worth it for a chance at potentially the next big thing in the NBA. I don't dislike Jeffersons signing but it was a year to early.

I agree with you, somewhat. I agree that the 2014 draft is going to be a great one. The Cats rarely have an opportunity to sign a big name FA... and we've lacked an offensive post presence since our inception. Al Jefferson gives us that, as well as a guy who demands a double team...something else we've never had.

Bobcats fans can't handle another tanking year. When we DO tank, we get hosed in the lottery. With our luck, we'd have the 2nd or 3rd worst record in the NBA and get to pick 6th or 7th. This draft class is deep and we'll find a good player.

MJ wants to win... and I wouldn't automatically write this team off as missing the playoffs. We could be a 7 or 8 if they gel quickly. Keep developing Kemba, MKG, & Zeller... could be a good thing.

I just don't see it as a good sign. He's a scorer that demands double teams, but his efficiency wasn't the highest and that was when he was surrounded by better weapons in Utah. The weapons have appeared to have gotten worse so I doubt that efficiency goes up. He's also a poor passer out of double teams, and he gets abused in the pick and roll which is prominent right now in the NBA. The only good thing is it is a 3 year contract with an opt out after 2.

(07-08-2013 09:40 AM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  How did your team do in the draft & free agency?

I for one am extremely excited about what the Bobcats (soon to be Hornets) did! Drafting Cody Zeller makes a lot more sense now that we landed big Al Jefferson in free agency!

PG - Kemba Walker
SG - Gerald Henderson
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
PF - Cody Zeller
C - Al Jefferson

Ladies and gentlemen... that looks like an NBA roster. Finally.

Stupid Bobcats, I wanted the Hawks to get Al Jefferson.

Strangely, I think I'm more jealous of (and easily should be more upset about) what the Pelicans managed to pull off, snagging both Tyreke Evans AND Jrue Holiday. They've already got Austin Rivers and Eric Gordon. Hey Stern, how about vetoing one of these pickups for basketball reasons?

What likely keeps me from being too upset about the Hawks not getting Evans or longer shot superstars like Chris Paul or Dwight Howard? Atlanta let Josh Smith walk. Seriously, my biggest fear of the off-season was that Danny Ferry was going to re-sign the big dummy Fred Sanford was really talking about. Worst of all, Smith ignores all scuttlebutt of creating something of a paper-contending trio in Houston (alongside James Harden and Dwight Howard) to go get his max-contract millions in Detroit, which is just hilariously revealing and strangely poetic at the same time.

I wished for Stan Van Gundy to replace Larry Drew, and I hoped for a real shot to correct the worst draft mistake the Hawks have ever made by signing Chris Paul. Neither happened, and neither had good chances to happen. We did land a coach with some championship experience in Mike Budenholzer (Greg Popovich's second in command), and we landed Paul Millsap...so at least things will be different enough to be interesting in 2014. But biggest of all--Josh Smith is no longer an Atlanta Hawk. Praise the hoop gods!

(Now watch us do something dumb like throwing money at Andrew Bynum's bad knees.)

(07-08-2013 10:52 AM)BlazerUnit Wrote:  Strangely, I think I'm more jealous of (and easily should be more upset about) what the Pelicans managed to pull off, snagging both Tyreke Evans AND Jrue Holiday.

I wouldn't have really wanted them for the money they are paying.

Quote:They've already got Austin Rivers and Eric Gordon. Hey Stern, how about vetoing one of these pickups for basketball reasons?

Rivers is one of the worst players in the NBA and Gordan is one of the most injury riddled. They've tried to dump him and no one will bite.

Quote:Atlanta let Josh Smith walk. Seriously, my biggest fear of the off-season was that Danny Ferry was going to re-sign the big dummy

That was smart you don't pay a 28 year old small forward that relies on athletic ability near max money? Look at Shawn Marrion and Gerald Wallace, that's where he is headed. Those players don't age well past 30.

(07-08-2013 10:02 AM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(07-08-2013 09:40 AM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  Ladies and gentlemen... that looks like an NBA roster.

A roster that might win 30 something games, still miss the playoffs, and insure it is just good enough to screw itself completely out of the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes this year. Seriously when I read they signed Jefferson a few days ago I really just laughed at the Bobcats franchise, it's just another bonehead move.

This is coming from a big NBA fan that actually thinks the theory of tanking to get better like Boston is about to do is about the stupidest strategies in sports. Seriously who wants to suck for at least 4 or 5 years just too take a chance to gamble on landing 2 or 3 high draft picks that may or may not even turn out. Even if they do, by the time they do get old enough to compete most of the time they many of them will just leave to sign with LA or Miami or someone like that for their prime years. I'd much rather be a fan of a competitive playoff contender than the last place teams for several years and hope I found another Rondo gem in the mid to late rounds.

That said if there was EVER a year to have tanked this was it. These drafts only come around once and a while and it was worth it for a chance at potentially the next big thing in the NBA. I don't dislike Jeffersons signing but it was a year to early.

I completely agree with your first paragraph SJ.(I just puked in my mouth a little) It makes no sense, and it does not make the Bobcats any better than they were in my opinion. There are only so many shots in a game, and all of those guys like to shoot.

I do disagree with you somewhat on Boston. I don't think their plan is to load up on draft picks and develop players. I think their plan is to clear cap space, and then make a move. I like Boston, and have always loved KG as a player, but that team was done. Boston had to do this.

Humphries expiring contract is a nice thing to pick up, and Wallace can be amnestied if need be. Green and Bass are both solid, but not great players. There are also a lot of young guys with some upside on the roster right now. Bottom line, I don't expect Boston to try to win the draft lottery. I think they are getting picks to trade for players in the future. Boston is still kind of in that weird position where they're good enough to compete with most teams, but bad enough to not really advance in the playoffs. I don't think they're bad enough to tank it this season.

I agree that the Pelicans had a great draft/Free Agency! I did a double take when they drafted Noel... haha Davis & Noel would have been a great defensive frontcourt but with ZERO offense.

Jrue Holiday instantly brings legitimacy to the NO backcourt.

(07-08-2013 11:49 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  I do disagree with you somewhat on Boston. I don't think their plan is to load up on draft picks and develop players. I think their plan is to clear cap space, and then make a move.

You don't bring back Gerald Wallace on a 3 year, 10 mill a year contract for even longer than what Pierce and Garnett were on. There is a salary floor as well they have to maintain so I'm not sure they can amnesty him. He has about the worst value contract in the NBA so I think they want to suck bad for a couple years otherwise they flip those guys for something useful.

Quote:I like Boston, and have always loved KG as a player, but that team was done. Boston had to do this.

Pierce and Garnett were still top 50 players. You look at Duncan and Ginobli, I think they are still better overall pair even with a resergent Duncan year. Garnett was the one that was better than Duncan the year before and he really didn't drop off much last year. Duncan just showed you could still have a great year with age. Pierce has a perfectly suited old man game I think he will be solid for a few more years and he would have signed again for cheap.

Rondon, Garnett and Pierce is still a relevant team and I would have kept them and hoped I could have landed sleeper like a Kawahii Leonard or someone in the middle of the draft rather than trade them for some crappy likely late round picks and Gerald Wallace. Even if they got a couple of top 5 picks there are no sure things even at that level. Could just as easily be a bust. The problem is Boston hasnt' signed and drafted the kind of bench the Spurs have around them to stay in contention.

Quote:Boston is still kind of in that weird position where they're good enough to compete with most teams, but bad enough to not really advance in the playoffs. I don't think they're bad enough to tank it this season.

I think they are tank material especially with Rondo coming back with an ACL and missing half the season. If they had Garnett and Pierce they probably still make the playoffs and give Rondo time to get back for them. If Im a boston fan Id take that over this and hope we could find our Danny Green off waviers or Kawahi Leonard in the mid round.

The Celtics are still over the cap. If they want to cut Wallace, they can at any point. They had to take his salary to make the Garnett/Pierce thing work.

Pierce and Garnett were/are still very viable players. Pierce is much closer to 50 than 1 at this point, but Garnett is closer to 1 than 50. I don't think those 2+ Rondo were enough to make another deep run. Again, I don't think they picks are being collected to try and draft players, I think they are there as trade chips. We'll see soon enough.

Rondo has missed half the season now? Just because Rose acted like a ***** doesn't mean everybody else is going to.

I wish Charlotte had never gotten rid of Gerald Wallace. He'd be a GREAT mentor to MKG. Very similar players.

(07-08-2013 02:13 PM)blazers9911 Wrote:  The Celtics are still over the cap. If they want to cut Wallace, they can at any point. They had to take his salary to make the Garnett/Pierce thing work.

I think they are two cheap to do it. They still would have to pay it if they cut him and get no return as well as sign some crap in his place.

Quote:Pierce and Garnett were/are still very viable players. Pierce is much closer to 50 than 1 at this point, but Garnett is closer to 1 than 50.

I was being conservative. Garnett was the 38th and Pierce the 40th highest PER's in the NBA this season. They were 34th and 42nd the year before. I think their games would remain steady for another couple years just because of their style.

Quote:I don't think those 2+ Rondo were enough to make another deep run.

It would have been if they put players like Danny Green, Kawahi Leonard, Splitter, Neal etc around them on reasonable contracts. There problem is they put crap like Jeff Green on a ridick contract around them. Spurs are in a similar pinch and just have run circles around them with the supporting cast.

Quote:Rondo has missed half the season now? Just because Rose acted like a ***** doesn't mean everybody else is going to.

He got hurt in Febuary I think, I was being conservative. Even if he gets back sooner it will take him some time to get back into playing shape. They say about a year and half to get fully back, that would have put him back to full speed around playoffs.

I'm really not a fan of any team, only my fantasy team but if I was a celtic fan I would rather see two top 40 players on the court than a handful of draft picks and trash like Gerald Wallace.

(07-08-2013 02:39 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  I wish Charlotte had never gotten rid of Gerald Wallace. He'd be a GREAT mentor to MKG. Very similar players.

He averaged like 7ppg and 4rpg in 30 minutes last year for 10 million a year and is still owed 3 more years at that. He's beyond useless and will likely only get worse.

(07-08-2013 03:03 PM)StillJonesing Wrote:  

(07-08-2013 02:39 PM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  I wish Charlotte had never gotten rid of Gerald Wallace. He'd be a GREAT mentor to MKG. Very similar players.

He averaged like 7ppg and 4rpg in 30 minutes last year for 10 million a year and is still owed 3 more years at that. He's beyond useless and will likely only get worse.

He was the star player in Charlotte and put up good numbers. Face of the franchise, fan favorite, etc. I'm not saying he'd be the savior of the franchise, but I have been a huge Gerald Wallace fan since he was picked up by Charlotte from Sacramento. While I have no doubts that his #'s would GREATLY improve from 7 ppg and 4 rpg (because the Nets had a lot of guys who liked to shoot)...I don't think Charlotte would expect him to be the same GW that he was back during our playoff year.

All I'm saying is, he would be a great mentor to MKG. He could help him with the finer points of the game, and whatever production we'd get out of him would be a bonus.

BUT... he'd have to take far less money than he's making now. That, and MJ stabbed him in the back when he traded him. So, even though GW loves Charlotte and never wanted to leave, I doubt he'd come back if offered.

(07-08-2013 09:40 AM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  How did your team do in the draft & free agency?

I for one am extremely excited about what the Bobcats (soon to be Hornets) did! Drafting Cody Zeller makes a lot more sense now that we landed big Al Jefferson in free agency!

PG - Kemba Walker
SG - Gerald Henderson
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
PF - Cody Zeller
C - Al Jefferson

Ladies and gentlemen... that looks like an NBA roster. Finally.

Good young talent but nobody can shoot. That's a problem and you're interior defense with Zeller and Jefferson couldn't stop some of the CUSA front lines.

It's not just his number of shots that sucked. It's his overall efficiency. Dude does about as little as anyone getting those kind of minutes. He shot 39% from the field and 63% from the FT line. That's horrible for a SF.

Griz held onto Tony Allen, which was crucial. Jerryd Bayless opted to stay for the second year of his contract. Picked up Denver's starting center Kosta Koufos in a draft day trade. Kinda frustrating to see all of these shooters signing for fairly cheap but not coming to Memphis. Our roster is great so it's hard to understand how a dead-eye shooter wouldn't want to join considering how pivotal they would be to the team.

PG - Mike Conley Jr., Tony Wroten
SG - Tony Allen, Jerryd Bayless, Jamaal Franklin
SF - Quincy Pondexter, Tayshaun Prince, Janis Timma
PF - Zach Randolph, Ed Davis, Jon Leuer
C - Marc Gasol, Kosta Koufos

I really like Jamaal Franklin but he's nearly a carbon copy of Tony Allen, maybe a higher ceiling with a mid range game.

(07-09-2013 08:36 AM)dwalker85 Wrote:  PG - Mike Conley Jr., Tony Wroten
SG - Tony Allen, Jerryd Bayless, Jamaal Franklin
SF - Quincy Pondexter, Tayshaun Prince, Janis Timma
PF - Zach Randolph, Ed Davis, Jon Leuer
C - Marc Gasol, Kosta Koufos

Kyle Korver was a reasonable FA that would have fit perfectly on Memphis with his 3 pt shooting. A lot of people would assume he can't play D but that's not true. He plays very good team D and opposing SF's has some of the lowest PER against him at that postion when he was with Chicago there was no drop off defensivly with him on the court.

(07-08-2013 09:40 AM)ECUGrad07 Wrote:  How did your team do in the draft & free agency?

I for one am extremely excited about what the Bobcats (soon to be Hornets) did! Drafting Cody Zeller makes a lot more sense now that we landed big Al Jefferson in free agency!

PG - Kemba Walker
SG - Gerald Henderson
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
PF - Cody Zeller
C - Al Jefferson

Ladies and gentlemen... that looks like an NBA roster. Finally.

As a fellow Bobcats/Hornets fan I would've rather MJ drafted Ben McLemore still not sold on Henderson. I still kinda wish we would bring Mullens back for as long as Diop has been taking a roster spot.

The biggest piece in the Boston-Bkn trade may be Marshon Brooks for Boston.