re: Did we trade Asik for Mirotic?

What's depressing about the Boogie injury, as I've stated before, Dell needed to trade our 1st for a serviceable/above-average big, once we committed to,basically not playing Diallo (stalled development), Ajinca (archaic game), coupled with Asik's useless body (archaic game/medical retirement rumors/mystery illness).

This fact was readily apparent in late November/early December when Boogie would get exhausted at the end of games or in games involving Warriors/Rockets/etc. Also, one had to be concerned about injuries as well with your entire team's frontcourt,legitimately, consisting of only 2 players. Consequently, it was imperative to trade for a 3rd big (Miritoc/comparable player) and hopefully Dell could have also swindled and secured in said trade, an underutilized or developing SF/tall wing player (multi-team trade/Justin Holiday/Grant/Valentine) who could provided an alternative to Cunningham getting minutes at 3 and return Moore to a 6th man weapon.

Now, Dell has to do the same trick, except it's just to attempt to secure barely making the playoffs and a likely 1st round exit to Warriors/Rockets, instead of turning us into viable/serious contenders to battle Warriors in WCF.

I have to assume Dell was looking for a legit, starting-caliber SF, with our 1st rounder, but with Solo always assumed to be returning in February, as previously indicated by Dell, himself, and others, we needed to,shore up our 2nd unit with a solid 4/5 player and more importantly, a big who could allow for resting AD/Boogie considerably more, even in marquee games and during the playoffs.

IMO, if we lose AD in years to come, I will always believe that failure to make a trade for a 3rd big, especially after the revelation of Miritoc being secured by the Pels for a 1st rd pick/Asik's worthless contract,might possibly be Dell's biggest blunder in all his years. And I have been a staunch Dell supporter, who always defended Dell's GM skills/moves, due to injuries or unique circumstances (Laker trade veto, forced-hand resigning of E. Gordon (moonhead), necessity of a center to appease Davis, etc....

Felt Dell's only "bad moves" were, resigning Asik (Alvin vouched more for that re-signing) and the baffling trade for Jerry Bayless, utilizing our 1st round pick, only to jettison him to Toronto, after less than a month on the team.

But, again, with so much at stake for Dell and Alvin's tenure to continue in New Orleans or be terminated, based on making the playoffs AND a promising 1st round showing, I truly believe Dell has possibly committed his fatal flaw, suprisingly, due to inaction. Since drafting AD, Dell has pretty much traded all our 1st round picks (sans 2011 and 2017) with the hopes of attaining young, veteran help to surround AD with.

In December, once we started to flounder and endured, inexplicable losses, realized the physical toll playing AD and Boogie, especially, for 35-40+ min/per game, this year, 2nd unit needing a big to gain balance, player away from formidability/Solo return), etc., it was absolutely imperative and critical to this year's success, AD staying and quite possibly the franchise remaining in New Orleans, to TRADE FOR A 3RD BIG!!!!

NOW, even with an imminent trade of our 1st rounder and securing a viable big to play alongside and start with Davis, they would still be relegated to the same problem, to begin with.... Needing a 3rd big, to balance the team out!!

It's disheartening that, what could of have been our most promising team ever in New Orleans, present and immediate future, is likely ruined or worse, for reasons that Dell and Alvin will have to answer to, with their job firing.

Long post, but I wanted to share and get people's thoughts/ reaction, to this line of thinking.... ??????

With the Mirotic to New Orleans deal hitting a pause, the Jazz continue their pursuit of Niko….Per sources, they are still hesitant to include a first, but they are interested and feel Mirotic can help their roster – via Twitter tribjazz

the Pels have also been linked to the Hawks’ Kent Bazemore and the Lakers’ Jordan Clarkson. Hornets forward Nic Batum is too rich for their blood with his mega contract (three years to run at around $77 million).– via Sporting News

Trade deadline rumors

Agreed. IDK how we make Bazemore work. Maybe Clarkson, but only if we're getting Nance and sending out Asik and Ajinca.

This is the first trade from your link:

Atlanta Hawks Receive: C Alexis Ajinca, SG/SF Ian Clark, SF/PF Solomon Hill, 2018 first-round pick (top-10 protected), 2019 second-round pick

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: PF Luke Babbitt, SG/SF Marco Belinelli, C Dewayne Dedmon

Are they fricking retarded?

I'm not a big fan of the proposed Hawks deal; it does clear the books of all the Pels 'bad contracts' besides Asik.

Maybe we can throw in a Future 1st as well for the rights to Dan Dickau.

I don't think I've ever seen a Bleacher Report trade that I've thought made sense. Their goal always seems to be "how can we make the Pels worse"

I hope the Mirotic trade ends up being agreed to. The reason I question if it will: When has any Pelican trade went through after being leaked? The trades for Holiday and Boogie came out of nowhere, with little to no previous speculation.

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
about 7 minutes ago
This was reported widely yesterday, including here. Without option getting picked up, Mirotic won't agree to Pelicans trade. And Pelicans have tax concerns w/ plans to re-sign Cousins so aren't amenable to doing so. Doesn't sound like stances will change for now (or ever?)

Mason Ginsberg
@MasonGinsberg
Sounds like the Bulls may be trying to call Demps' bluff here. "We'll back out before we take both Asik AND Ajinca." Let's see what the next move is.