re: Zach Lowe: Biggest winners and losers of NBA free agency

That's a quite generous read of what they have done with Davis.

It is worthwhile to point out that you can have roster stability and still have "churn" given how you use that roster.

Yes, injuries didn't help. But the bigger issue, to me, was that they miscalculated on Davis's evolution and locked him into a core (it's not about the draft) that never quite made sense as he grew

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I think the Pels will do pretty much everything possible to bring him back. 

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Ok. Good. I agree. Randle can still walk because he wants to, like Rondo. There's also Mirotic

I like the roster. I don't have an issue keeping those 2, being capped out, and filling in around the edges.

I don't see randle as one of your defensive minded centers.

Avg 0.5 blocks. 0.5 steals.

Yes there have been NBA champ centers his size. They rebounded better. Most a lot better.
Clifford ray 6 9.
Was C for Barry and Wilkes NBA champ.
Unseld 6 7 avg 18 boards year he won nba
COwens 6 9. Avg 13 rebounds career.

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Ok. Good. I agree. Randle can still walk because he wants to, like Rondo. There's also Mirotic

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By everything possible, I meant dip into cap space. Yes, he can still walk like Rondo, but the Pels were in a position where the most they could offer Rondo was the MLE. They aren’t in that situation with Randle, due to greater cap flexibility next offseason.

I understand they have the ability to clear space to make Randle a stronger offer.


Put all of that aside. Again, what's the plan? What is the framework they are working from to build a team? He walks, he stays, whatever. There must be an idea of what needs to be around Davis. They can survive players moving on if they have a deep understanding of how to maximize Davis's talents

And maybe they have the one they always wanted, if Davis is committed to being more of a 5. But let's not pretend that they have been thoughtful with their team building..... which is the entire point.

Yeah. I thought the Asik trade was a great move....the re-signing :( But the self-inflicted circumstances to trade for him is more where I'm coming from.

And I get the Boogie era was something they had to pursue and then end. But if some of the rumors about Jahlil Okafor or Dwight were true, yikes.

It makes me wonder how much Davis being reportedly resistant to playing the 5 more has handcuffed them. Would be curious to give Demps and some others some truth serum to ask about that

They always planned on packaging two or more of those guys for a better piece down the line. That wasn't a core they put together to last for 10 years. They added talent at good values (outside of Gordon) and could have had quality assets to move when an opportunity arose. But, of course, they all got injured at terrible times and lost their value.

The way Reno was playing before his injury, at that price tag, was a great trade asset. But.... Gerald Wallace. Gordon was matched with the idea that they could trade him later. But, of course... injuries. Jrue was on a fantastic bargain contract, but of course..... a two year injury.

Dell's plan made sense, but while other GMs got great luck, Dell got terrible luck. Then, he compounded some errors, trying to overcome the bad luck. He is not blameless. But this guys luck has been beyond terrible. If Cousins makes a free throw.... I can go on and on

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Dell's plan made sense

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The idea in general has merit. Not sure about the execution of Gordon/Evans/Anderson Pels

For example, I don't know how Holiday, Gordon, and Evans all generate great trade value playing together. In that system at that deliberate pace with the way those guys all had success up to that point in their careers

Sidenote- would be fun to take that team and drop this offensive system on them.


Then again, maybe it would have worked- very small sample was excellent.