04-29-2021, 11:38 AM
Looking at couple of interesting teams and what they might do in the offseason.
Charlotte needs a starting center. Assuming cap space is the way to do it, Monk and his caphold are almost certainly gone. But who is available? Unless you can convince yourself Markkanen or Harrell are centers, there are not really that many options. Center free agent market is relatively weak for a change. You have restricted Allen and Robinson - Cleveland and NY are likely to match any offers. Are they really worth spending near max money anyway? Which leaves Holmes as best third option and might be Charlotte top target this summer.
Than there are a couple of teams that will have to have a loooong look in the mirror. Teams that can't go forward with the current group, but are not tanking and don't have a clear path forward:
- GSW just owes it to Curry to have a final try for a ring. Is return of Thompson enough? What will he even look like after basically two years without basketball? They have interesting assets for that final push. Or will they rather choose for a soft transition and keep Wiseman and whatever they get with Minny pick?
- This leads us to Minnesota. They have 131 mil committed to a team that is second to last in the West. What is even more said is there is not a single player I would be intrigued. Guys on rookie contracts like Okogie or Culver just look bad. Culver is a SG that shoots less than 25 % from three and 60 % from FT. Okogie who is considered a non shooting defense specialist is a real sniper compared to Culver with 27 %. Everyone with exception of perhaps Beasley looks way overpaid. Guys like Kleber or DFS should be paid in gold by them. Their situation looks so hopeless to me that it probably makes most sense for them to say - "look, we are 6-4 in last 10 and we have won 10 in the row. Sure it was just injuries that were holding us down.Let's hope we get a top three pick in the lottery". Although this late season success is screwing with their chances nicely. They can't even tank properly... If they get a top 3 pick, they will be automatically in tax. So one would expect cap clearing moves. Would you be interested in Hernangomez or Rubio if an asset was attached?
- Indiana sure can't get anything going. They changed coach that brought them success in regular season but failed in playoffs for a coach that has a problem bringing them in the playoffs. Or is coach not a problem? Excuse about injuries is getting old at this point. Good news is that all their players are on good contracts. They just don't have stars. So, will they be looking to shuffle a couple of pieces or do something drastic for high draft picks? Tanking was never really their modus operandi in the past. Smart trades were.
- Pelicans are in a way getting similar to Minnesota. On paper a very talented team that can't even make a play-in. If they resign Ball and Hart, they won't see cap space for a long time. Sure they have Bledsoe and Adams contracts with a bunch of picks to throw around. But is locking into that team really best way forward. I guess it beats letting Ball walk for nothing. SnT though?
- Portland. Loyalty has been a motto here, but does Lillard really want to be on a borderline playoff team for remaining of his career. Or is there more to be had from this team that the strange season prevented us to see? On paper one would expect so. Or is it a coaching change first and if that doesn't work...?
- Sacramento. My oh my... Other than beating Mavs whenever they have a chance, there is not much positive going on. Bad but not bad enough to get a top 3 pick for like forever. Fox is considered a franchise piece, they love Haliburton and it also seems Barnes. The rest? Hield is great shooter but not much else. Bagley still has to find court from his injuries first. Perhaps his talent that got him selected second in the Luka draft is hidden somewhere there. Rest of the team are free agents or not really worth mentioning. And they only have 12 mil of cap space (not counting empty roster spots, cap holds or draft picks). A proper tank for a season could do wonders for them if they nailed the pick, but I guess ownership really wants to make playoffs. Problem - current group will not make it. So are you throwing the picks and young talent around for some vets that might?
Charlotte needs a starting center. Assuming cap space is the way to do it, Monk and his caphold are almost certainly gone. But who is available? Unless you can convince yourself Markkanen or Harrell are centers, there are not really that many options. Center free agent market is relatively weak for a change. You have restricted Allen and Robinson - Cleveland and NY are likely to match any offers. Are they really worth spending near max money anyway? Which leaves Holmes as best third option and might be Charlotte top target this summer.
Than there are a couple of teams that will have to have a loooong look in the mirror. Teams that can't go forward with the current group, but are not tanking and don't have a clear path forward:
- GSW just owes it to Curry to have a final try for a ring. Is return of Thompson enough? What will he even look like after basically two years without basketball? They have interesting assets for that final push. Or will they rather choose for a soft transition and keep Wiseman and whatever they get with Minny pick?
- This leads us to Minnesota. They have 131 mil committed to a team that is second to last in the West. What is even more said is there is not a single player I would be intrigued. Guys on rookie contracts like Okogie or Culver just look bad. Culver is a SG that shoots less than 25 % from three and 60 % from FT. Okogie who is considered a non shooting defense specialist is a real sniper compared to Culver with 27 %. Everyone with exception of perhaps Beasley looks way overpaid. Guys like Kleber or DFS should be paid in gold by them. Their situation looks so hopeless to me that it probably makes most sense for them to say - "look, we are 6-4 in last 10 and we have won 10 in the row. Sure it was just injuries that were holding us down.Let's hope we get a top three pick in the lottery". Although this late season success is screwing with their chances nicely. They can't even tank properly... If they get a top 3 pick, they will be automatically in tax. So one would expect cap clearing moves. Would you be interested in Hernangomez or Rubio if an asset was attached?
- Indiana sure can't get anything going. They changed coach that brought them success in regular season but failed in playoffs for a coach that has a problem bringing them in the playoffs. Or is coach not a problem? Excuse about injuries is getting old at this point. Good news is that all their players are on good contracts. They just don't have stars. So, will they be looking to shuffle a couple of pieces or do something drastic for high draft picks? Tanking was never really their modus operandi in the past. Smart trades were.
- Pelicans are in a way getting similar to Minnesota. On paper a very talented team that can't even make a play-in. If they resign Ball and Hart, they won't see cap space for a long time. Sure they have Bledsoe and Adams contracts with a bunch of picks to throw around. But is locking into that team really best way forward. I guess it beats letting Ball walk for nothing. SnT though?
- Portland. Loyalty has been a motto here, but does Lillard really want to be on a borderline playoff team for remaining of his career. Or is there more to be had from this team that the strange season prevented us to see? On paper one would expect so. Or is it a coaching change first and if that doesn't work...?
- Sacramento. My oh my... Other than beating Mavs whenever they have a chance, there is not much positive going on. Bad but not bad enough to get a top 3 pick for like forever. Fox is considered a franchise piece, they love Haliburton and it also seems Barnes. The rest? Hield is great shooter but not much else. Bagley still has to find court from his injuries first. Perhaps his talent that got him selected second in the Luka draft is hidden somewhere there. Rest of the team are free agents or not really worth mentioning. And they only have 12 mil of cap space (not counting empty roster spots, cap holds or draft picks). A proper tank for a season could do wonders for them if they nailed the pick, but I guess ownership really wants to make playoffs. Problem - current group will not make it. So are you throwing the picks and young talent around for some vets that might?