re: Is Vasquez our PG for years to come?

While I tend to agree, I look back at past NBA Championship teams and I see

Lebron
Dirk
Wade x2
Garnett
Duncan x4
Shaq x4
Kobe x5
Jordan x6
Olajuwon x2
Bird x3
Magic x5
Isiah x2

All time greats win all the championships. They also usually have a great cast around them, great coaches, and deep benches.

A team like the Pistons is the only team in the last 30 years or so that didn't have a true "stud", even though Billups was regarded as one of the best players in the league. But they also had a lockdown D w Ben Wallace, Prince, Billups, and Rip. Their bench also went 7 deep.


The Pels need AD23 to be that guy. This team also needs a leader. I don't see anyone on this team that can be that guy at this point. I think that is important when it comes to that next big piece we go after.

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This team also needs a leader.

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I really think people are underestimating Rivers' potential. It seems like every year we keep saying "if that guy could shoot he'd be a stud", so there's no guarantee he'll live up to his potential, but he's got the swagger and the lane penetration ability to be a team leader if he could learn to shoot and finish.

Fan favorite does not enter into it.

I think some people are too concerned with a quick fix and making trades for the sake of trades.

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I don't see any possible way that we improve by trading Vasquez.

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You'd have to trade him as a move, or part of a series of moves aimed at getting your stud SF and then plan to trade or sign your adequate PG. Like some 3way draft day trade where we get Galinari a 3rd team gets Vasquez and Denver gets someone's draft pick. Then the Hornets either draft a PG or sign someone like Jarret Jack in the offseason. I'm not saying I approve of this plan, but the options at SF are pretty limited so it might take a move like that to get someone better than a Corey Brewer.

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i'd feel more comfortable with trading lopez or smith for a rebounding center.

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I'm sure there is interest out there for Smith, given that he's a decent big man on a cheap contract.

Problem is that we can't get much for him until the offseason due to salary matching issues, as we'd have to send both him and Henry out in order to get someone at a salary between $4.3m and $5.3m.

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let AD bulk up over the next few years and transition him to center

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Davis, Garnett, and Duncan as rookies vs Garnett and Duncan present day.

How much will Davis actually "bulk up"? Or is that just something we like to throw around.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking as well. It took Garnett a few years until he reached double digit boards and a few years after that he was leading the league in rebounding. But overall, he didnt get noticeably bigger but definitely developed that old man strength.

Davis needs to just work on his game and the rest will come to him

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The draft and Jack are significant downgrades at the 1, in my opinion. Again, you trade our best leader and one of our 3 or 4 best players for a middle of the pack SF with no leadership qualities and a crap shoot at the point

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You are really underrating JJ. I know lots of people hated his style of play, but he's definitely in the same tier as Vasquez, every bit as productive and every bit the leader. The main difference would be Vasquez is still on a rookie deal for one more year, but after that I'd expect them to be in similar salary ranges. But I agree that there aren't many available SFs worth moving Vasquez for.

Cp3 use to get tourched by scrubs in nola a good bit. If best pg in league.gets it done I'm not gonna.expect gravy to not get it done. He's plenty good enough to be pg on top team. Can't carry a team tho. No one on our roster can do that yet. Ad may one day buf that's about it on current roster