Do we cut or waive Poole?

Has there been even a shred of news about Murray? People were talking about him being ready by Christmas, and while that may have been pie in the sky, its looking pretty likely that he doesn't play a single game this year

There's a real possibility we go after ja next year.

The expiring will be valuable to facilitate that

Murray was never going to play this year and the team knew it which is why Dejounte hasn’t been with the team much of the year. I assume he’s back home in Seattle rehabbing with his own people. I believe we will be able to trade Murray but trading Poole will require, at the very least, the 2nd round picks we got for Jose. Even then Poole is looked at as a bad fit with every team because of his ball hogging style no coach will want him. At least Murray will attempt to play defense.

quote:

---

Because you need his salary for a trade. Letting him expire isn't going to bring in a good player.

---

I don't buy into this premise at all. The salary can be reallocated without matching. Plus I do not not think it's sustainable or advisable to have 3 $30+M guys on your roster, with another making $25M. It's too top heavy and imbalanced. Contracts have to expire and someone is going to have them when they do.

We need to extend Bey. We'll have to extend Missi soon, then the rookies this year. Keeping max slots is not wise and clutters up the cap.

quote:

---

Hes not a cancer and he's not affecting the locker room so I don't see the point in waiving him just because you don't want to play him.

---

Is this true? I thought we were pretty desperate to trade him, or send him home (with a phantom injury). Is everyone still cool with him?

quote:

---

The fact that you think you would waive the guy and keep him on the books make no sense for the Pelicans.

---

I want him off the team and would rather eat the contract for that last year, if no one else will take him. I thought it was a toxic situation. I don't know how else to describe a guy that thinks he's a top end starter being cool with getting DNPs. He can't be happy and I'm sure he's expressing those views.

quote:

---

You have no cap space, no quality draft pick in the draft, not a destination for free agents, and you're not trading anyone that has value. How else are you getting talent in the building?

---

You're not and his contract would not reflect that until the next season. I just wouldn't flip his bad contract for another bad contract just to keep that max slot open for future years. Let him expire and use the money on internal people.

quote:

---

Neither Missi nor Bey needs to be extended now. And when they need to be, the only contract that could hamper the team is Murray's contract. Poole's contract doesn't affect what they do with those guys.

---

We need to extend Bey this summer, then Missi the next summer. Beys money will replace Poole's. We aren't gaining a spot either way. Just hopefully he takes a lot less.

I guess we will see once Murray finally comes back. Hopefully we are able to trade him this summer.

quote:

---

You are basically advocating they go into next season with the exact same roster with no upgrades

---

Next year should be a rebuild. I'd like to flip at least a third of the roster. We can get a late 1st or two pretty easy. Focus on developing Fears and Queen. I'd extend Bey now, while it's cheaper.

The focus should be on trying to trade Poole, then cutting him when we can't. Same for Zion. I really want Murray gone too. I wouldn't mind us moving Jones. But I don't think they'll do that. They overvalued him.

quote:

---

No one said you're flipping it for a bad contract. A malcontent player isn't always bad contract and teams who are looking to get off the apron or want to get younger tend to move players who are quality players. The idea that you can only move an expiring contract for another bad contract is flawed.

---

I'd need to see specifically who this would be. We'd have to take on something worse or longer, and it'd usually be one guy. I want to clean up our cap sheet and get it focused. We are at the line right now, with the one of the worst teams in the league. We could have done that if we spent the salary floor. So we just wasted about $50M. I'd rather be cheap and bad, than expensive and inept.