re: Official Free Agency and Trade Thread: Latest Pels sign Charles Cooke to 2 way

106 pages and we've made essentially no moves.

This has got to be the most anti-climactic offseason in awhile. Fans are obviously jonesing for something and we just can't make it happen because of the corner we've been painted into.

Tough.

That might be the play we have to make. Just try to get by with what we've got until close to the deadline, when deals like QPon and Ajinca might be easier to move.

But the depth on this team might be the worst we have seen in a long time. The back half of our bench is rough.

quote:

---

I'm officially on the mid season trade boat

---

One thing about waiting is that if you're going to stretch Asik you need to do it by the end of August or his salary for this year is on the books for this year.

quote:

---

so thats an interesting point re: Holiday, Evans, Gordon

ignoring the injuries.......how much of that is the system Monty ran w/ narrow roles- ball handler, shooter, finisher, etc. v how much of that is just the nature of their games?

with the system they say they are trying to run, you need multiple guys on the floor who can do multiple things on offense, often in the same possession. those labels just dont matter as much

---

Well we have to remember that AD wasn't really the center piece of the offense at that time. And the Ryno/AD combo never maximized either of their skills. EG, Jrue, and Tyreke would be much better now on this team than back then but Tyreke's shooting is a hole no matter what offense he's in.

Not to mention I think Monty's system was more based on defined roles within an undefined system. What we have now are less defined roles (because Jrue, Moore, Solo, and AD will all cutting and spotting up on offense) in a defined system.

quote:

---

I'm okay with resigning Jrue to try to keep DMC. I'm not okay with taking on Brandon Knight and losing DMC.

---

That would literally kill me.

Ok that's perfectly fine in waiting but the problem we have is that the Pelicans do not have assets to trade, and we don't have any young players that can make a significant impact. So we would need to rely on signing FA's to make this team better. And if we want to sign a someone better than Bledsoe (because you mentioned Bledsoe does not move us up to the next level) we would probably need to give them the max. And when in the next 5 years will we have max money to offer?

Because I get not wanting to make short-sighted moves. But there is a balance because if we are not a little aggressive and take a little bit of a risk, we are going to come up empty on this Boogie/AD pairing. And if Boogie walks next summer and we don't replace him with another top tier player, I doubt we will be able to convince big name to sign here, and we wont have the assets to trade for one. And I think that would put us on a quick downward spiral

quote:

---

When was the last season AD/Jrue

---

Last year. I don't really lump Lauren having a brain tumor in with injury problems.

It just baffles me there is no way to get rid of Ajinca and QPs contracts. Asik isnt going anywhere- he is not talented/healthy enough to stay on the floor so there is no team who will take him on. Nobody, besides Rondo is left on the market, at least nobody with the potential to make a drastic difference. I would be doing everything I can to bring him in on a 2 year deal with the 2nd being a team option.

quote:

---

If we are fully healthy-AD and Cousins have to put up god like numbers to get into the playoffs.

---

There have been several models that predict the Pels will be 7th in the West based on their current roster. They just have to be normal, and as you said healthy, and things will be fine. Teams are shifting to Small Ball and aren't going to have a good answer for AD/DC during the regular season.

When you have two players like AD/DC and a third player like Holiday, you damn sure should be in the playoffs.

But just take a look at the rest of this roster...Jesus. It might actually be worse than last year because we lost Frazier, replaced him with no one (Quinn Cook?) and it seems we won't have Cunningham back either, so far.

Just...damn. What a weird and disappointing offseason.

I have high hopes for Diallo and Jackson, but your plan can't be to go into a season with so much riding on it, relying on Diallo, Jackson, and Quinn Cook to be heavy contributors.

quote:

---

relying on Diallo, Jackson, and Quinn Cook to be heavy contributors.

---

but if these players develop and get better, we're making our future brighter without spending a nickel. i think the nba does a poor job of developing young players. they don't get better not playing.