12-17-2020, 10:53 AM
(12-17-2020, 10:02 AM)aguiar95 Wrote: We have to be careful about the "Doncic/Carlisle effect". THJ finished the '18-'19 season as a 4.2 (high-end backup), while never hitting more than 36% from 3-pt in hs 6- years in the league. Starting last season on the bench was terrible, moving him to starter (and getting a bunch of wide-open looks from Luka) was the right choice, bumping him to a 5.2 (low-end starter) hitting 40% from 3-pt. Also, he was our less reliable shooter (besides Maxi) in playoff time (not even going to mention his putrid defense). If we can identify a guy that can become a high-end starter (6.5-7.5) by playing with an MVP caliber point-guard, I wouldn't hesitate to throw THJ there.
Looking at their list, it's very hard to find some REALISTIC names (Markkanen (CHI), Fournier, Gordon (ORL) and Hield (SAC) are the closets trade targets I've found). Don't think ATL will screw up Collins' extension, neither will TOR with Anunoby.
So, the theory is we can take someone slightly below the standard I (arbitrarily) set because Luka will lift them up a level (like he did with THJ). I’ll buy that. I’ve written before that Luka seems to be giving about a .3% lift to TS%.
But, for the trade (actual trade, not letting him walk as a FA) ideas to work, you have to believe that some front office isn’t smart enough to figure out what you have figured out and simply take THJ’s new found success as who he now is. The theory gets a bit sketchy at that point unless the other team is sending back a large contract (Harris, Hield) or desperately needs volume 3 point shooting.
The other problem I see is THJ DOES play with Luka and therefore his numbers probably are real. If so, then they are valuable. Last year THJ was the 15th rated SG by RPM and ranks above the 85th percentile league-wide in most compilation stats. Do we really want to get rid of that?
Seems to me that PF is the weak spot, not THJ’s position. The absolute best team building probably fills that void while retaining THJ. The question then becomes who and with what assets. At that point you are probably talking about some fan fav’s. But, Curry was a fan fav right up to the moment he yielded Richardson. Maybe we should start looking at deals that move Powell to the bench, retain THJ and JRich and move some other pieces for that elusive final starter.