re: Jesus Mac, start the GD game thread edit: f it this is the game thread

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We have CJ for two more years. After that if none of this works out it’s back to square one building around ingram

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That why it’s so important to hit on one more draft pick. We have the ammo and the flexibility. If Zion wants to walk, let’s have that discussion now and continue with Jaxson. Use our capital to target CJ’s replacement.

I know it’s been a while, but no-Zion likely means this team caps out as a 1st or 2nd round team

Jax’s development is nice, but I think realistically most are hoping he turns into a top 50 player a few years from now, BI a top 10-15, and CJ can stay top 35, Herb can be All DPOY and a mini Draymond with a better shot. That’s a competitive core, and I’d have some fun watching it, but Zion has MVP potential and best player in the league as his ceiling.

That guy and our pieces can win a championship. That’s kind of not happening if Zion’s gone.

I also don’t think we need to find out by June. We have next year to see if Jax has another leap in him.

As is I think the plan should clearly be you roll 85% of this team back next year. Only making moves on the margins where you need, like bolstering depth through the draft(come on Lakers), and maybe some trades like Devonte for someone that fits more naturally as the sixth man(I know people hate him, but Eric Gordon would be a great sixth man, and I understand why Griff was rumored to be interested, probably not him anymore, but in that mold).

I said it in jest dude, good lord. Did you not see the and I said I enjoy our back and forth. Not every post has to be you trying to showcase your knowledge.

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precisely
you can build around zion or you can build around no-zion. Hayes is a fit in the latter but not the former (on a second contract). We have to know in June what’s going to happen

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Let’s just buy the team and move them to terrebonne.

I agree 100%. No more of this passive-aggressive, one foot in-one foot out shite. NOLA basketball is ready to roll.

I give Zion a lot of lee-way because he is only 21. I'd absolutely love for him to take the Giannis approach and become his own man. Frick the talking heads with their ulterior motive-driven advice.

If he really sits back and evaluates, NOLA is the best option for him longterm. He's with a young ascending team with a great coach/mentor in WG. He has great teammates, the city is hungry for a winner and will back him 100%, and his skill-set is perfect for him to grow and develop his game.

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I think we do need to find out about zion, in June. Especially for the reason you noted, that the team can’t win without him and they need to try to replace him, now while CJ is under contract

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I mean everything we are going to need to find out with regards to Zion we will find out when we inevitably still hand him a max extension, though probably with some Embiid like clauses to protect the team.

If it’s reported he is going to in fact fulfil the east coast medias wet dream of turning down an extension and playing on his qualifying offer, so be it. He’ll have to live with that and his teammates will immediately realize what he thinks of them and Zion is a POS and we SHOULD move on. I don’t actually think it goes down like that, I think he either signs the extension this summer or signals heavily he’ll play to get whatever clauses are there out of it, but will do like most players do and secure the richest bag they can get and then go from there.

The bigger question with Zion is can he actually stay healthy? Is this an Embiid situation? Or is this a Porzingas situation? Where both suffered injuries and continue to, but one is arguably a top 3 player and other’s injuries have turned him into a shell of his once ascending self.