Zach Lowe talked some about the pels tonight

People really forget that last part

We probably would've picked burke or maybe mcw if we kept it.

There was no room for noel here

It also would've ruled out payton next year(why does everyone think we would've picked him?)

Drafting a bunch of bench players gets you nowhere in the west.

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I will say that Noel wasn't the Pelicans pick, but that looks more and more like a mistake. He's going to be a long time rim protector in this league.

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If he can stay healthy.

I don't think the issue lowe and others are taking is with one move (jrue for example) it's the series of moves, particularly sacrificing Vasquez and Lopez

even with the holiday trade they'd have a second starter level big guard and a rim defender who can get off a shot now and then. with those two, the asik deal at least doesn't get made and they still have a pick

water under the bridge now
they'll re sign asik, re sign cole, hope jrue gets healthy and roll in to next season with that plus whatever

it's the lack of flexibility and the redundancy of the roster that troubles people. To me, the only move that they have left is to trade Anderson and his value is at an all time low for him

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And the cap space can be used to sign players. Al Jefferson to an all time awful Charlotte has worked out pretty well. Other moves, obviously, have not for bad teams. No perfect way.

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Can you imagine if we had picked up Ellis and Jefferson that summer, instead of Holiday and Evans. Anderson was at his peek value wise and we could have flipped him for a SF. Plus still had that #5 pick (MCW?) and kept Vasquez/Lopez or flipped them as well. That summer was just ripe for a huge move that set up the franchise for a deep postseason run. Instead he tripled down on combo guards, stripped the front court and maxed the team out.. That's Demps' legacy right there..

I don't care that he made the moves or rolled the dice. They just didn't make sense and the experiment failed. This team will always be competitive now. Davis is just too good for the team to be awful. So a slow build probably never happens with him. You just have to maximize the players around him and make sure they fit with him. I don't see that consideration.

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I may be critical, but I don't hate every move Demps has made or everything Monty has done. There are shades of grey in this #HOTSPORTSTAKE world. I agree with cgrand on flexibility and redundancy. But that doesn't mean everything is fricked.

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All is not lost, but I think they are pretty much stuck where they are. Fully healthy and with some minor tweeks, they can be a top 6-8 seed. Given the right circumstances, even a bit higher. But that is pretty much the ceiling. They just don't have another star player. I do think Evans has the potential. But he needs the right system and cast around him. One that features him and Davis. But that will take a large organizational commitment and some guys have to go (Gordon and Holiday). I don't see that happening though..

Not a bad season though. Davis got a ton of pub and I like watching the bench guys step up. 50/50 they make it in the playoffs, which would be a huge accomplishment with the injuries. I'm pretty sure Demps/Williams both get one more season. Sad to say..