AKME's Best Moves?

[sco]

I've spent a lot of the season bashing AK (do we really think ME adds much?). I thought some kudos on his talent evaluations this season based on recent team play.

[Jcool0]

I've spent a lot of the season bashing AK (do we really think ME adds much?). I thought some kudos on his talent evaluations this season based on recent team play.

Does he get props for trading a 2x All Star and one of the main pieces back was averaging 7.9 points (30% from 3), 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists, had a -6.1 on-off and looked done. This month: 15 ppg, 4.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists and overall is a +14.5 on-off. Numbers he hasn't had in 2 seasons. I am not sure AK was like if we can rehab Huerter & Jones we can make a run at this. The reporting at the time was the Bulls were looking to unload both and probably got nothing offered. This run seems more a happy accident.

[kodo]

I've spent a lot of the season bashing AK (do we really think ME adds much?). I thought some kudos on his talent evaluations this season based on recent team play.

Who knows, ME might be doing all the work and AK is just the hiring manager who hires talent. It was definitely reported that Derozan was 100% Eversley, he had that relationship back from Toronto.

[sco]

I've spent a lot of the season bashing AK (do we really think ME adds much?). I thought some kudos on his talent evaluations this season based on recent team play.

Who knows, ME might be doing all the work and AK is just the hiring manager who hires talent. It was definitely reported that Derozan was 100% Eversley, he had that relationship back from Toronto.

I remember that, and that was the last time I heard his name in terms of doing anything. I feel like ME is the "cool guy" who can connect with NBA players.

[MrSparkle]

Fwiw , a lot of Murphy’s Law happened with AK.

1. Lonzo injury

2. Zach injury after the Vuc deadline (when we gave up the pick that became Franz).. missed like 3 weeks in the last month of a shortened season.

3. Pat & Coby season-interfering injuries in 2021/22 (along with all the other ones… but Pat missing a full year hurt his development, evaluation, or at the very least as a trade chip, when he still had some buzz.

4. Being in perfect position to give Spurs a 10-12 pick this year, until the deadline. AK successfully fixed this blunder.

5. The 2nd apron rules, and how they helped really kill Zach’s trade market after the max was signed.

Even now, kinda winning games when we were in a good tank position, while much more talented/contender-worthy squads are taking our Flagg odds (particularly Spurs, Pelicans & Sixers). I don’t expect those 3 to all “bounce back” because Wemby, Zion and Embiid all need to get a clean bill of health, but I also wouldn’t write them all off (the #1 pick would do them wonders): nobody would gamble on ALL 3 superstars under-30 having a Lonzo-esque career-bender. It’s a little crazy these teams all have such strong odds.

But reviewing everything, there is still 1 major talent misevaluation with lingering consequences (Vuc), and 1 minor trade/prospect misevaluation that’s cost us (Lauri), and I think both were basically too lightly hedged (top-4 protection and POR future 1st) as opposed to being straight-up horrible trades (nevertheless, disastrous in hindsight). Top-8 protection on the 22 FRP and top-10 on Portland’s MIGHT’ve flown if AK bargained harder. Crazy to think how much of a better position we’d be with those minor protection changes; all a sudden Blazers’ late lotto position is threatened, and of course we’d add Franz.

Now granted, the last 3Y, AK had time (along with the rest of us) to see that we were on course for all these worst-case scenarios. He navigated out of them too patiently for everyone’s liking.

But so far, Matas’ drop in the draft, Giddey’s turn-around, and managing to get our pick back and ‘26 expirings for Zach… they’re 3 life-lines AK needed. Curious to see what happens next. Having Queen drop to us and become a Cousins/Vuc type B-star could be another catch (even though I don’t like the idea of continuing bad rim protection).

Contrary to some, I don’t think he’ll make another impulsive Demar/Vuc trade, or bringing in past-prime guys. Part of the reasoning was to speed up the farm’s development, but it backfired as much as it might’ve helped (particularly Demar).

However , I can see a Lonzo-level injury risk taken in. It seems like AK doesn’t entirely worry about gambling with injury risk (Pat, Zach extensions as most recent examples; Giddey coming up). So Zion, Mark Williams… well, maybe those teams get calls.

I’m very skeptical of his decisions at this point, but spending more picks for another mid star after 3+ seasons of train-wreck seems highly unlikely.