Backup PF options…

On the cheap, JaMychal Green makes a lot of sense

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This is very simple.
It's Trigga Trey.

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That's it, that's the one.


Sure, we could use another 4, but think low salary/cheap options that won't be guaranteed to be slotted into the rotation full time.

We need a well built 4 who won’t be pushed around on defense. Still think Rui would be a perfect piece on this team, not a savior but a very good role player. He can find his own shot with that mid range dribble drive and he’s physical on defense. How the Lakers got him for Nunn and 2nds is still incomprehensible to me

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Trey will need to develop a good bit to play inside regularly IMO. He’s never been a very good rebounder going all the way back to college, and he gets pushed around by bigger guys. Maybe if he adds some solid weight he can hold it down better, but I’ve always viewed him as more of a big guard/SF than a PF (same as BI, Herb, and Naji).

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while i agree about him not rebounding as well, i don't think he gets pushed around.

He played 73% of the time this past year at the 4. We were better with him playing than not.

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When teams go small with a SF at the 4, then the Pels can easily counter with either Herb or Trey (or even Naji) at the 4, so I would expect them to see minutes at the 4, just being matchup dependent.

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and 99% of the time the backup 4 isn't some big bruising rebounder, which is why i say Trey is the backup 4.

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Who do you like as the cheap reliable option at backup 4?

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I honestly don't know.
I don't know how the team views Liddell, but i doubt they have any idea if he's going to be good enough to play meaningful minutes.

I think we have to decide what we are going to do with JV and Larry as well. When BI/Zion/CJ/Trey are all healthy and playing, i really don't see what's the point of JV being on this team. He just doesn't fit what we need, which is a rim protector.
I'd rather see us look to find cheaper options at the 5. I'd send JV out and bring in Mo Wagner and Drew Eubanks. You can pay them the same or less than you were JV, and they'll be better defenders. Regardless of what we do, i would really like to see us send Kira to Toronto for Koloko. It seems Toronto had some interest in Kira at the deadline, and they seem to not like Koloko that much even though his on/off stats and rim protection were great.

i would also see about sending Larry to GSW for Kuminga, and i'd give up a 1st to get him. They aren't even playing him right now, so they can't think that highly of him.

Anyone else like Sidy Cissoko in the draft? Barrell-chested SF/PF/SG with all around potential. Could be a riser at 14 or better in a trade-down scenario.

He's not playing PF at 200lbs.

He can be a PF in a sense that Cam Johnson is a PF. You need a strong defensive presence and a strong rebounder at center to make it work.

Probably need to sign you as gm

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Probably need to sign you as gm

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I think my qualifications lean more toward internet GM…the pay is bad but I only get yelled at occasionally.

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A few considerations. First, E. J. Liddell is coming back and profiles as a stretch 4. In the draft an obvious candidate would be Iowa forward Kris Murray who projects to go somewhere between 15-25. Also Noah Clowney could play that role, though his shooting would need to improve. On the free agent market P.J.. Washington is a great option but probably is too expensive and looking to be a starter. If we trade a vet, someone like John Collins on the Hawks comes into play.

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I love Clowney’s upside and I wouldn’t be mad at that pick, but if he is available I’m taking Murray for the Pels.

The NBA anthrometrics could sway me if their standing reach or weight was surprising. I’m a believer in physical metrics as indicators of ceiling. IMO the stats give you an idea of who the player is right now and the physical metrics give a glimpse of who they can become.

From my perspective, Keegan is an older decent sized 3/4 with head below the rim vertical, that matches up reasonably well with him being a mediocre rebounder and defender, but with a fairly proven respect worthy jumper. So not likely a star, but a guy that should be able to carve out a legitimate role in an NBA rotation.

Noah Clowney is a very young, head at or above the rim leaper, with above average length. That matches well with his NCAA rebounding and defensive abilities, but he shot a poor percentage on decent volume from outside for much of the season. If Clowney develops a solid jumper then he has a chance to be a playoff caliber starter, but he is going to struggle to see the floor until that time and could wash out of the league completely if he shot never develops. Thankfully for him shooting does tend to be a skill that develops over time, while length and athleticism do not.

EJ Liddell is a wild card IMO. His body type and NCAA production is almost identical to Grant Williams, who seems to be following the PJ Tucker model of short and stocky interior defenders, with a quality catch and shoot 3pt shot. If his 3pt shot proves reliable then he could be a find and really help as a backup. However, his standing reach is the same as Shaedon Sharpe (8’7”), so he will need to prove he can both play physical below the rim and keep the floor spaced to be playable.

PJ Washington is similar player to Murray IMO and showed his ceiling by being fairly inefficient when pushed into a more prominent role this season. Really not super interesting at his likely price tag.

John Collins’ contract is so expensive that he is almost impossible to fit on the Pels, but he has proven the ability to be an all star level performer at his peak, however the disappearance of his shooting ability is crushing to his value. I don’t know what the story is there, but without a reliable jump shot he’s PJ Washington with better hops, which is still good but not $25-26mm good, although the rising cap limit may make $26mm a relative bargain at some point. I’d much rather have Collins at $25-26mm than PJ Washington at the $20mm he has asked for on his next contract.