re: Shams: Pels one of teams interested in Beal

Beal is not a top 10 player firstly.

Top 20? Sure. We already have 2 top 20-25 guys in Jrue and Ingram, and by next year Zion will be in that category

so does everyone assume that if we trade for Beal, Jrue is the one going out?

Would you rather Lonzo over Jrue? I have loved Lonzo's development, but i'd rather Jrue if I had to pick one.

Do you think the Wizard would rather Jrue over Lonzo? WHat value does Jrue bring to the Wizards? He wouldn't resign there, and they aren't interested in winning now if they are trading away Beal, so why would they want to center the trade around Jrue? We have plenty of salary pieces to make it work without Jrue.

Let's try to use some logic here and look at both sides of the trade a little better. The Wizards aren't going to place much value on getting Jrue in this trade. They want Ingram, and if they can't get him, it's Lonzo and picks.

Last offseason, most people did not want Lonzo under any circumstance, me being a loud voice for that. Then the season started and that lack of want grew even stronger, especially from me. Then he started coming into his own and he quit taking stupid shots and started shooting pretty good from 3. Then Zion came around and he started meshing very well with him. There's still a lot to be desired about him as a good starter in this league. I like what i've seen from him, and i think if he continues it during this short stint right now, he'll up his value a good bit for the offseason. I still don't like his inability to attack the paint, but i'm optimistic he'll get better, and i look forward to watching him grow as a Pelican.

You look at the Butler #17 for Lavine #7 trade, and i think that wasn't fair value for Butler, but it's not that far off. Do you think Lonzo has Lavine's value? Maybe. I don't think we are getting a pick back like Minny did, and i think it would require two first round picks with Lonzo to get Beal, like Jax and our first, or maybe our first and a future first. If the Wizards are interested in more than that, then the conversation ends with us.

As someone else alluded to, Beal is 26, actually will be 27 in 2 weeks. He's about as young as elite players go that is actually viable to get in a trade. You can't just have a team full of young guys. That's why i like the idea of a core of Jrue/Beal playing with Zion/Ingram. You have your veterans in the prime of their career, and two up and coming superstars. What other 4 or 5 main players that go around them really don't make that much of a difference, assuming they are all worthy NBA players. NAW and Jax develop into solid role players, Niko keeps playing well, and you find a bruiser at the 5 for cheap and another bench guy that can shoot, like a healthy JJ, Darius Miller or Didi. You're not asking any of those guys to do anything more than play a role, hell Jrue is playing a role in that lineup, b/c the focal points would always be one of Beal/Ingram/Zion on offense, as there should always be one of them on the court at all times.

as of right now, we have a ton of options for the future of this team, and that is a really good feeling. We'd have to do something really stupid to handcuff ourselves into not being able to upgrade the team in the future.