RealGM

Do you do it?

Zion for sure has the higher ceiling and potential and was a dominant scorer in the paint last season putting up a very efficient 27 PPG. If there were no health concerns for Zion it would be a no brainer. If Zion was locked into 5 years of a rookie deal like Cade is it would also be a no brainer. If Zion was in this draft he is easily our #1 pick this season.

That said, when you factor in everything we now know it makes not so clear cut for Zion. Right now Cade feels like he's going to be a very good player and likely a tier 2 star but he doesn't really have top 10 NBA player potential. I feel like he's a multiple time all-star and has a great career scoring 20+ PPG but I don't think he's the type of guy that puts a team on his back and carries them. Of course I certainly could be wrong about that. Zion does have what it takes to be a franchise cornerstone. There are just a lot of other questions around him as to whether or not he gets there.

Cade is more likely to be a Devin Booker, Khris Middleton, Klay Thompson, Jalen Brown, Bradley Beal... they are all great 2nd guys on a team top tier contending team but likely not good enough to be the best player on a legit championship contender.

If Zion gets his weight down and gets healthy, he is the guy more likely to carry a franchise on his back to playoff success from what we've seen out of both players.

One thing I mentioned before the draft was that I would trade the #1 pick for Ja Morant, who is putting up 24.1 PPG(12th), 5.6 RPG, 6.8 APG(13th), and has a PER of 24.47(10th in NBA).... and I'd still trade Cade for Morant who just turned 22 and also is an elite athlete that gives him more upside to be a legit top 10 player in the league and possible future MVP candidate. Of course the Grizzlies would never make that trade they are trending upward after making the playoffs last season in Ja's 2nd year they are now the 4th best team in the West at the moment and just getting better. Stephen Adams is the oldest player on their team at 28 and most of their core guys 2nd or 3rd year players.

With New Orleans being the worst team in the West right now even after beating us, and Zion being no where near ready to play.... and with Zion voicing his unhappiness being in New Orleans... I think its a safe bet that the smart move for New Orleans would be to try and see what type of return they could get for Zion at this point and for them to put in a tank year. Perhaps OKC would unload a bunch of assets to try and pair Zion with SGA and some of their other young guys.

No, as crazy as that is too say. Not with the health problems so far.

I'd be ecstatic if Cade ends up being a tier shared by Booker

But to answer, no. Zion is more injured and out of shape than he has played in this league. He's obviously got the higher ceiling but just too many question marks

I'm impressed someone simply posted this idea. Zion might go down as the most entertaining losing player ever. Hopefully at some point he goes Anthony Davis and leaves New Orleans, or even better - but seems far less likely - is that New Orleans becomes good. Love that town.

No shot. Zion unfortunately looks like he has a very high percentage chance of being one of the all-time biggest "what if" guys in sports.

I would probably at least consider offering this year's pick and grant or whoever in a draft-night type of deal though. Still risky, but probably worth the risk to have a potential Cade/Zion combo.

bstein14 wrote:Zion for sure has the higher ceiling and potential and was a dominant scorer in the paint last season putting up a very efficient 27 PPG. If there were no health concerns for Zion it would be a no brainer. If Zion was locked into 5 years of a rookie deal like Cade is it would also be a no brainer. If Zion was in this draft he is easily our #1 pick this season.

That said, when you factor in everything we now know it makes not so clear cut for Zion. Right now Cade feels like he's going to be a very good player and likely a tier 2 star but he doesn't really have top 10 NBA player potential. I feel like he's a multiple time all-star and has a great career scoring 20+ PPG but I don't think he's the type of guy that puts a team on his back and carries them. Of course I certainly could be wrong about that. Zion does have what it takes to be a franchise cornerstone. There are just a lot of other questions around him as to whether or not he gets there.

Cade is more likely to be a Devin Booker, Khris Middleton, Klay Thompson, Jalen Brown, Bradley Beal... they are all great 2nd guys on a team top tier contending team but likely not good enough to be the best player on a legit championship contender.

If Zion gets his weight down and gets healthy, he is the guy more likely to carry a franchise on his back to playoff success from what we've seen out of both players.

One thing I mentioned before the draft was that I would trade the #1 pick for Ja Morant, who is putting up 24.1 PPG(12th), 5.6 RPG, 6.8 APG(13th), and has a PER of 24.47(10th in NBA).... and I'd still trade Cade for Morant who just turned 22 and also is an elite athlete that gives him more upside to be a legit top 10 player in the league and possible future MVP candidate. Of course the Grizzlies would never make that trade they are trending upward after making the playoffs last season in Ja's 2nd year they are now the 4th best team in the West at the moment and just getting better. Stephen Adams is the oldest player on their team at 28 and most of their core guys 2nd or 3rd year players.

With New Orleans being the worst team in the West right now even after beating us, and Zion being no where near ready to play.... and with Zion voicing his unhappiness being in New Orleans... I think its a safe bet that the smart move for New Orleans would be to try and see what type of return they could get for Zion at this point and for them to put in a tank year. Perhaps OKC would unload a bunch of assets to try and pair Zion with SGA and some of their other young guys.

I may take a very malleable/portable two way #2 option over #1 who can't anchor a title team.

Not saying prime Zion couldn't but his health is basically the deterrent for this topic. I'm very skeptical of Ja staying healthy as well and the history of small PG's leading title teams as the guy is abysmal.

The Pistons timeline for becoming a contending playoff team is at least 2023 whether Cade or Zion is on the team. With that in mind, which player is likely to be playing 30 minutes a night consistently from say 2023-2027? I think there is a real possibility that Zion will not be available for extended stretches or will be playing with less athleticism over that span, making him ineffective. His ceiling is lower IMO with the foot not healing as expected and his weight, as his explosiveness will likely suffer going forward.

In other words, hell no.

That is all.

The injury is an obvious factor that makes this a no.

With Zion we also have a shorter time span before he walks if we haven't taken that next step, too.

So yeah, this one's a hard pass.

bstein14 wrote:Right now Cade feels like he's going to be a very good player and likely a tier 2 star but he doesn't really have top 10 NBA player potential. I feel like he's a multiple time all-star and has a great career scoring 20+ PPG but I don't think he's the type of guy that puts a team on his back and carries them. Of course I certainly could be wrong about that. Zion does have what it takes to be a franchise cornerstone.

All other considerations aside, if those statements are true, what's the logic behind trading a franchise cornerstone guy for a non-franchise cornerstone guy?

I mentioned this on an other thread....trade our pick this year (top4) evtl no1 for zion

This would be ok for me

I mentioned this on an other thread....trade our pick this year (top4) evtl no1 for zion

This would be ok for me

Zion's condition is the reason the answer is no.
But for Zion's condition, the question would never be asked.

I expected this to get a chilly reception but not 19-0. I'd be interested what the consensus is on their value among other fanbases.

I'd trade everybody else on this roster for Zion but not Cade.

I'm in. Yep, I'm the crazy son of a bitch who would actually do this knowing full well that it's a gamble and could blow up. But with another high draft pick on the way I'm swinging for the fences. Go big or go home.

definitely no for me we got a special guy in cade why get rid of him?

Cowology wrote:I'm in. Yep, I'm the crazy son of a bitch who would actually do this knowing full well that it's a gamble and could blow up. But with another high draft pick on the way I'm swinging for the fences. Go big or go home.

That's swinging big at a low outside fastball. The best move if New Orleans was looking to move Zion is to get him while keeping Cade. Cade at the moment doesn't look to be a risk while Zion is. Trading a first rounder and Grant or something like that would be a much smarter move.

Laimbeer wrote:I expected this to get a chilly reception but not 19-0. I'd be interested what the consensus is on their value among other fanbases.

For me it goes beyond just value. People can think that Cade isn't a cornerstone sort of player but he's the face of the franchise. Trading him now for Lunch Box would absolutely alienate the fan base immediately.