re: Rebuild and Retain: New Orleans Pelicans

We can create enough cap space in 2017 to add some star level talent upgrades, but that star talent won't want to come here unless it's to add to a proven product. Whether Demps and Gentry remain or not it's the same problem:

How do you add to or maintain the talent base in an offseason when everyone is likely to get overpaid on long term deals? Resigning Ryno and Gordon likely keeps you out of 2017 FA. If 2017 is the goal, trading Ryno/Gordon for future assets in a lost season and then overpaying Batum might be the best bet.

2016:

Tyreke/Ish
Holiday/Pondexter
Batum/2016 1st
AD/Cunningham
Ajinca/Asik

In 2017 I think CP3 is the most likely star you can convince to come to NOLA. The Clippers won't win, he's older with health issues and will start at around $32 million. Seems like the perfect fit for this team. If Holiday isn't healthy or there is a better option available, you can dump Asik to have about $15 million in cap space (about a $9-$10 million in today's cap dollars) which should be enough for a decent starter.

CP3/Ish
Holiday/Pondexter
Batum/2016 1st
AD/2017 1st
Ajinca/Asik

I think its pretty clear we need to blow it all up and start from almost scratch. Dump everyone you can but AD and start putting it all back together.

I wouldn't put anyone but Davis off limits at this point.

You know what's depressing? Already forecasting what's gonna happen in 20fricking17!

Except this year the hole we dug is huge and we are played with a worse team to start the season with a harder schedule as well

At least Monty tried to preach defense. This Gentry dude has no clue it seems. Reminds me of the old Suns teams where you need to put up 115 and hope the other team doesn't score 116.

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1+1 says Lacob wasn't very impressed by Erman.

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MJ ran off Erman when he found out he was recording meetings secretly. Firing Erman led to MJ bringing in subpar assistants. Like with Malone, Jackson didn't appreciate guys who would take credit from him. Erman got a lot of praise for his work there, particularly with Thompson.

Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge scooped Erman up very quickly after his GS exit and put him in charge of the Celtics D that featured Sullinger and Olynyk as a front line. That Boston team finished 14th in defense last season. Dude has chops. Not translating right now, but sharps like Lowe and Duncan were high on Erman.

Fair enough, you're right on the timeline.

You did completely disregard Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens hiring Erman very quickly after he was fired from GS. And guys like Lowe/Duncan being high on him. And that Erman was the defensive coordinator for the 14th ranked Celtics D last year featuring such stalwarts as Olynyk, Sullinger, and Zeller

You also forget that Erman was talking with management, that Jackson had clashed with Malone, and already frozen Scalabrine (an ownership favorite) out. You don't think the Erman stuff perhaps led to Jackson's ouster?