re: Simmons continues ragging on Pelicans...

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Novak had a horrible year on a team desperate for front court players). Toronto is happy cause they just wanted him gone and they got a future 1st (plus some cap flexibility next year), but it didn't make them any better and they didn't add anyone that is really going to play.

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Novak will play for them. He is limited, but he is an elite 3 point shooter. He was 43% last year on 4 3PA/G. Toronto did a salary dump for a guy they had no use for. They got a future 1st, one rotation player on a reasonable deal, were able to save $3M this season and have $8M to play with next season. If the Pels have to dump a contract, I would take that return in a second.

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Unconventional is an understatement. I just don't get what the goal is. It goes against almost all conventional wisdom

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TigerinAtl has touched on this in his posts and the 3 headed guard monster plays nicely with the way the league has shifted.

This team reminds me of the Heat in some foundational ways. Obviously there is no one of the caliber of any of the Miami Big 3 (yet), but the Pelicans have 3 dynamic perimeter creators, 2 excellent 3 point shooters, and a mobile, active big who is equally adept at attacking the rim or stretching the floor on offense and can be a defensive anchor in the paint.

Will they have issues integrating all of these talents? Yes. There is no guarantee it works. No guarantee a traditional roster works either. Will they have issues playing BIG teams like Memphis and Indiana? Yes. But every one in the league will have trouble against the frontcourts of the those 2 teams. Does Monty have to come up with non traditional schemes, a la Spoelstra, to fit the talents into both offensive and defensive systems? I certainly think so.

You're right about the unconventional, but I've always been a FreeDarko guy so I love teams that put together unique combinations that challenge the traditional paradigm. With all the core guys 25 or under, I'm excited about the possibilities for this team over the next few years. It could quite easily blow up in Demps's face but they are now very, very interesting. After the last 4 years, I will gladly take that. It will at the very least be a lot of fun watching it unfold.