re: Can the Pelicans assemble a Super Team?

I wouldn't pretend to know. I haven't spoken to AD, but maybe you are correct. And if he doesn't agree to sign the extension, he is traded anyway. If he does, he will have no leverage to say how Griffin builds, so it won't matter what he thinks any way.

But I won't pretend to know what AD thinks or is going to insist upon.

Here’s my problem with keeping AD. Let’s say he agrees to a super max and in a year or so he starts pouting again. He put forth so little effort on D once he started his charade that it was repulsive. Him doing that again would be a total gutshot for me. Just move his arse now and build this the right way. If Jrue wants to be a part of that, cool. If not, no hard feelings. Move him and continue to accrue assets.

He wouldn't sign the extension and you wouldn't give it to him if that were a possibility.

I think most of you are remembering it wrong. AD was willing to play hard for as long as he was here. It was the staff that was pulling him in 4ths and limiting his minutes. Anybody remember his first game post trade request?

I know we all remember the most recent things, but the fact is that he did not quit immediately after the request. The team tried to get him to go home and then limited the minutes, sat him out in 4th of close games, etc. You set that precedent and it tells him you don't care about winning.

You tell him you need him all in and he signs, he will be all in again. For at least 3-4 more years. If he don't want that, he will let it be known and he will be traded. There is no middle here IMO. In all likelihood he will say he still wants to be traded and thats fine. But he isn't going to sign and then sulk/not be all in. I don't see that outcome even having a 1% possibility

If NYK gets the number one pick and is willing to do a Zion centered package, do you take that deal even if AD is willing to sign an extension here? I can't imagine finding a better package in a couple years (assuming things don't work out) than one centered around the best prospect since LeBron that would be under team control for at least 8ish years. But maybe I'm wrong.

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If NYK gets the number one pick and is willing to do a Zion centered package, do you take that deal even if AD is willing to sign an extension here?

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I would. You'd also be able to get more than what NYK (or whoever had the #1) would originally be offering for AD on a one year deal. You could potentially extract more first rounders and the Knicks aren't really a sure thing to be competitive even with AD. It's contingent on numerous moves. Plus the Knicks have a mental case of an owner in Dolan and haven't been consistent winners since around 2000. Decent chance any future draft picks would be of good quality.

Davis probably wants to be on a team that gives him best chance of winning now. Unless Pels get the #1 pick, I dont see how he changes his trade request.

Griffin can share his vision where they can really compete in a couple years but honestly that will just be talk to Davis in all likelihood. Davis knows be can attract free agents in bigger markets.

We went through this with Chris Paul. Dell came in to try to persuade him otherwise and Paul's mind was made up.

Yes, different circumstances this time around but this franchise has a history of losing and Griffin's vision isnt going to change that perception in Davis' mind right now.

Problem is that the idea of Zion may be far better than what we get.

Remember, the last trade like this involved flipping Wiggins for Kevin Love. You think the Wolves are happy with that return given how Wiggins has shown growth that requires an electron microscope to detect?

The big question I'd have with Kemba is "Does his size make defense a problem next to Jrue?"


Pairing him and Jrue means you have a 6'1" and 6'4" backcourt.

The average point in the NBA is 6'2" and it is common to see them as tall as 6'4".

The average shooting guard in the NBA is about 6'5" and ranges from 6'3" to 6'7".


Kemba can score buckets left and right but I'd want a stats geek to break down how well he defends taller players and how that affected his defender next to him in Charlotte.


Call me cautious, but throwing huge money over 4 years at a guy makes me want to be sure how well he meshes in a backcourt with Jrue.

Kemba is a name.. He can get big points, but hes not a good defender.. We can keep Elfrid, or sign Rozier, who are both better passers and better defenders than Kemba is for probably in the neighborhood of 20 mil per year less (23-25 in elfrid's case)

It’s not as far fetched as you think, provided that Randle opts out but would also require sending out Hill and either Moore or our pick.


If Randle opts out and we denounce all Bird rights, we have $80m in commitments to 8 players and another $4m in roster holds, meaning about $26m in free space to offer a FA.

Those numbers are wonky because the cap hold for our first rounder isn’t set until the lottery.

It means if we were to, say, get salary relief from Moore and Hill, we could afford Durant but would then be dumpster diving to fill about five roster slots including two starters (one guard and a center-forward)



Needless to say, it is extremely high risk because any damage to Jrue, Durant, or AD and we’re fricked.