re: Pels trade future 1st round pick for Omer Asik

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Also, can you make the argument that as you move out of the top four or five picks in the NBA draft the quality of player can drop off quickly?

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history shows, yes

There have been a lot more Earl Clarks than Kawai Leonards

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So, in Dell's defense, he's actually using the logic that he can get more out of his first round pick by trading it for Asik?

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thats the way I see it... others may view it a different way

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They need help at SF, right?

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yeah, theres a rumor in the other thread of a Gerald Green and 14 or 18 pick tonight for Ryan Anderson... which I could get behind

They dont have enough cap space to take on Asik as is, so there is going to be another move made

People complaining about trading our 1st rd pick again.

Late round draft picks are a crap shoot in the NBA it is not like the NFL.

If you can get a proven player go for it plus he is only 27. We have a young roster. So giving up a few picks (this year and next) not a big deal.

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Also, can you make the argument that as you move out of the top four or five picks in the NBA draft the quality of player can drop off quickly?

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uh, yeah

1st round picks in the teens are seriously worth very little. they used to routinely get dealt for cash

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They need help at SF, right?

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yes, but we need an asik-like guy. not a star. defense and 3s

Watched him play all season. He was limited pt because of Dwight. He is a Solid player. Good free thrower as well.

that shite is hilarious

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First-round picks are valuable assets because they offer up to four years of cost-controlled production at rates that are, on average, far below market value. By contrast, the players New Orleans has acquired (Jrue Holiday last year, now Asik) are paid what they're worth, relatively.

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1. first round picks are great in terms of salary...if the players are productive. you're much more likely to get an austin rivers than a kawhi leonard, though, negating that argument

2. he admits we got holiday and asik for market value, so it's not like we're taking on overpriced salary teams are shedding

3. he ignores 2 major points about a team like nola acquiring talent: (1) to get FAs, we have to overpay b/c we're not a destination city. getting those 2 aforementioned players for market value means we made great deals. (2) to build a team that can win a title, you have to acquire lots of salary. not only does this open up your exceptions, but it also allows you to have salary to deal for other players making lots of money.

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As FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver once simplified, there are two ways to build a winning NBA team. One way is to pay more money than other teams. This avenue is surely not available to the Pelicans. The other is to be more efficient with your spending than other teams,

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this is right. acquiring asik for a reasonable salary while giving up a fledgling asset is being efficient with spending

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Trading first-round picks shortcuts the process of competing, but it comes with a long-term price. New Orleans has the luxury of spending more on veterans now because of the league's best bargain, Anthony Davis' rookie contract. Davis will be paid $5.6 million this season, when he could emerge as one of the league's handful of most valuable players. The Pelicans get that bargain for only two more seasons, however. In 2016-17, Davis' salary will likely jump to the max, making it far more difficult for New Orleans to clear cap space.

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once you get to the cap, you're at the cap. davis's savings mean nothing once we get to the cap limit. on the flip side, when he gets his max deal, it will mean nothing once we get to the cap (until we look at the luxury line)

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At that point, the Pelicans are going to wish they had reasonable rookie contracts to fill out their rotation rather than having to rely on scrounging for cheap free agents.

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there isn't much of a different in min FAs and 1st round contracts. both will cost about $1M/year

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Still, looking around the Western Conference, it's hard to see the Pelicans as one of the top four teams.

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we're not, at least for a few years

we will probably never be a title contender, so our goal is top four down the road, which is possible. the spurs are going to slide in a year, maybe 2. dirk will retire. etc etc

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There's even a chance, with more bad injury luck, they might miss the playoffs again.

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this always exists

The problem is there are only 2 models that work, being a big market talent poacher, or building through the draft, having an all time great coach, and drafting players without egos that care more about winning than maximizing earnings. Anything outside of the models we've seen compete for a title the past few years is doomed to fail.

But it's much harder to build a good roster if you don't have some guys on it who play way above their pay-grade.

Eric Gordon is really killing the roster.

No matter what, I've gone from not really caring about the draft to now wanting to watch the whole damn thing

sorry dupe

Has this been discussed?

I am not reading through all this:

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Michael McNamara is reporting that the Pelicans have to trade Austin Rivers or Eric Gordon in order to take on Asik, so there's likely more to come in this deal after the draft.

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