re: Ish to Sixers per Stein.

Wasn't referring to your post, even though I clicked reply to it.

I agree with giving him minutes to Stat pad and get more value. I disagree on some people here's thinking that we should make him the starter or giving him 30+minutes over Tyreke Cole and jrue to run the offense.

I don't think anything has been confirmed but I doubt there is.

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has it been confirmed that there are no protections on the 2017 sixers pick?

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No protections have been mentioned, but why would there be any? There's no need to give up a pretend pick because they're already sending over a real asset with the Denver 2nd. If they did protect it, how much protection would they add? "Top 10" protecting it seems silly, might as well be a 2018 2nd, and this isn't the 1st round, so there's not the same kind of need to do something like "Top 3" protection.

We had the player they wanted and had no obligation to trade him, Philly apparently has a mandate from the league to start getting their act together and we've seen how bad this offense can look without a qualified PG running it. Pels had the leverage and it looks like Demps used it.

I'm curious to see what the FO has planned. It's hard for me to think they'll throw in the towel on the season and trade expirings for future assets with the playoffs in reach, BUT, I can see a way to do both.

Gordon is easily replaceable, or rather upgradeable, with the return of QPon and more minutes for Jrue. Trading him for future assets should be easy for the FO to accept.

Ryno is where it gets tricky. Do you trade him for a pick, can you get a decent player on an old cap contract? Maybe Phoenix selling on their season changes things a bit. MM proposed Ryno to Washington for an expiring Nene, Kelly Oubre and a lottery protected 1st. Phoenix still needs to unload Morris. What if you combine these 2 ideas?

Pels get Morris, Oubre, Was 1st
Wiz get Ryno and a minimum from Phoenix
Suns get Nene and a 2nd from the Pels

So instead of Ryno for Morris and late 1st, it's Ryno and half of Ish Smith for Morris, Kelly Oubre, and a mid 1st.

The other half of Ish you can maybe package with Gordon to Boston for David Lee and a 1st.

That's 2 picks in the 16-22 range, a young prospect in Oubre, and a likely starter in Morris (assuming he's not too much of a headcase to even consider).

If Demps could somehow pull off making the playoffs after the start they had AND trading both Ryno and Gordon for future assets, I don't see how you fire him. You just need to get someone else to run the team in June and July.

I don't think any part of the trade ATL proposed helps the pels make the playoffs this year, but I like it for the return

the Pelicans aren't making the postseason this year regardless of any moves, the way they play defense

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But why do you want to make the playoffs? Isn't the best possible chance of being great in a few years getting a stud in this draft?

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Who says I do? I said near the beginning of the season when we were all still thinking playoffs that what they do or don't do with Ryno/Gordon would be more important than whether they make the playoffs this year.

If a new GM comes in and is prepared to scrap everything that's an option, anyone currently tied to the team will feel the pressure to win.

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blowing it up and praying you get a top 5 pick

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I just don't see how you get to that point short of the team losing enough that Loomis starts firing people in mid January. If they keep playing .500 ball that's not going to happen.

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find a Chauncey Billups type value in FA

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Kent Bazemore

Thoughts?

So like a Ben mcclemore type

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miracles are the only thing that can save them moving forward.

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Paul George #10, Kawhi Leonard #15, Jimmy Butler #30. Arguably 3 of the better young #2/#1b guys out there. I don't know if there are any of those type of guys in this draft, but those guys didn't look like miracles in the making when they were drafted either.

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You guys keep to talking about roster changes and how that will change everything, but the foundation of this franchise is cracked IMO and we don't have the leaders in the locker room or the history of winning groom these guys even if we get them.

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We may not all agree on which guys to trade, but we all want significant changes to happen. How does that not change the foundation?

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You go to Indiana and Larry Bird mentors you. You got to SA and you got tons of players, coaches, and culture. Even in Chicago you have guys like Deng and Noah.

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That's part of why I want Clean Slate 2017 to happen. I don't think we'll have much of a shot at the top level FAs, but I think the top level FAs changing teams could shake loose some high quality players from good teams at discounted prices if you have cap space, and if not you can maybe get some of the 2nd tier FAs like Millsap.

I found your Bold Prediction of Demps being replaced by the Warriors Assistant GM intriguing. It makes a lot of sense with the team's commitment to Gentry, and those 2 together should have the clout to start establishing a new culture. And that leads us to another reason why so many posters want so many players traded. The Warriors culture seems to be independent study for the gifted kids, it ain't working for the short bus players we have. The Pelicans may seem like a dumpster fire right now, but unlike Sacramento, it won't take too many moves to put the fire out, mostly a willingness from the FO to commit to a new course.