Run it Back or Upgrade?
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Run it Back or Upgrade?
- GreekAlex
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Run it Back or Upgrade?
Most of the discussion lately has been how to improve the team. There’s lots of posters that want big names and others that want to upgrade around the margins like myself.
Where do you stand? Go on record with your choice and if you believe in a big upgrade, propose your deal.
I personally want to see this group’s internal growth with a healthy Ivey & Stew.
I think adding a big like Bobby Portis, Naz Reid, or Jabari Smith and upgrading THJ’s minutes is enough if we bring back our young core with Beasley & Schröder.
I think other teams have more draft capital to out bid us for the big names that might be available and some of the others that will be available like Zion are highly flawed and not worth the gamble imo.
Where do you stand? Go on record with your choice and if you believe in a big upgrade, propose your deal.
I personally want to see this group’s internal growth with a healthy Ivey & Stew.
I think adding a big like Bobby Portis, Naz Reid, or Jabari Smith and upgrading THJ’s minutes is enough if we bring back our young core with Beasley & Schröder.
I think other teams have more draft capital to out bid us for the big names that might be available and some of the others that will be available like Zion are highly flawed and not worth the gamble imo.
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
Nah, we need another guy on this team not necessarily on Cade's level but definitively better than everybody else on this roster. Someone who can create for themself and others.
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- GreekAlex
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
DetroitSho wrote:Nah, we need another guy on this team not necessarily on Cade's level but definitively better than everybody else on this roster. Someone who can create for themself and others.
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I agree but who are you thinking?
Let’s brainstorm actual names.
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- engelbert321
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
Naz Reid is at the top of my list. Pass on Zion
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
This was a fun run. Cade needs a legit #2 for us to move forward. I hope Ivey comes back to be good but you can't bet on that.
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
I've been on the Durant train for months. Then there's Lauri and a dark horse JJJ.GreekAlex wrote:DetroitSho wrote:Nah, we need another guy on this team not necessarily on Cade's level but definitively better than everybody else on this roster. Someone who can create for themself and others.
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I agree but who are you thinking?
Let’s brainstorm actual names.
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- engelbert321
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
DetroitSho wrote:I've been on the Durant train for months. Then there's Lauri and a dark horse JJJ.GreekAlex wrote:DetroitSho wrote:Nah, we need another guy on this team not necessarily on Cade's level but definitively better than everybody else on this roster. Someone who can create for themself and others.
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I agree but who are you thinking?
Let’s brainstorm actual names.
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I wouldnt touch Lauri, but JJJ would be a (very doubtful) dream
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
I'm not married to it, but why not Lauri?engelbert321 wrote:DetroitSho wrote:I've been on the Durant train for months. Then there's Lauri and a dark horse JJJ.GreekAlex wrote:
I agree but who are you thinking?
Let’s brainstorm actual names.
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I wouldnt touch Lauri, but JJJ would be a (very doubtful) dream
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- Phish Tank
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
If I were you, start looking at consolidating the kids and building around Cade

Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- ComboGuardCity
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
Beasley had an out of this world anomaly of a season. We cannot rely on him to repeat what he did in the regular season next year. Hopefully our young guys take another leap but I think we also need to go out and get more explosive talent.
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- GreekAlex
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
DetroitSho wrote:I've been on the Durant train for months. Then there's Lauri and a dark horse JJJ.GreekAlex wrote:DetroitSho wrote:Nah, we need another guy on this team not necessarily on Cade's level but definitively better than everybody else on this roster. Someone who can create for themself and others.
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I agree but who are you thinking?
Let’s brainstorm actual names.
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I could get behind JJJ but he didn’t really show up in the playoffs.
Lauri is cool but his contract is huge.
It’s difficult for me to want to pay with lots of assets for a player (JJJ or Lauri) that’s likely to under perform their contract.
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
DetroitSho wrote:Nah, we need another guy on this team not necessarily on Cade's level but definitively better than everybody else on this roster. Someone who can create for themself and others.
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100% The biggest offseason discussion has to be if Ivey can be that guy or do we need to move him with something to upgrade. Who? Idk.
It’s a shame that we have lost essentially 1 1/2 seasons of a 3 year pairing of Cade with Ivey so it’s hard to evaluate
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
How is contract amount a deterrent for wanting Lauri and not JJJ?GreekAlex wrote:DetroitSho wrote:I've been on the Durant train for months. Then there's Lauri and a dark horse JJJ.GreekAlex wrote:
I agree but who are you thinking?
Let’s brainstorm actual names.
Sent from my SM-S918U using RealGM mobile app
I could get behind JJJ but he didn’t really show up in the playoffs.
Lauri is cool but his contract is huge.
It’s difficult for me to want to pay with lots of assets for a player (JJJ or Lauri) that’s likely to under perform their contract.
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- GreekAlex
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
Phish Tank wrote:If I were you, start looking at consolidating the kids and building around Cade
It sounds good but for who and at what cost?
No offense to you as a Knicks fan, but the Bridges trade looks rough. I don’t want that path.
I think your ceiling is limited and the assets are gone.
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- GreekAlex
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
DetroitSho wrote:How is contract amount a deterrent for wanting Lauri and not JJJ?GreekAlex wrote:DetroitSho wrote:I've been on the Durant train for months. Then there's Lauri and a dark horse JJJ.
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I could get behind JJJ but he didn’t really show up in the playoffs.
Lauri is cool but his contract is huge.
It’s difficult for me to want to pay with lots of assets for a player (JJJ or Lauri) that’s likely to under perform their contract.
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I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear. They’re both in parentheses. I meant both.
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- VicVinegar
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
I mean Harris' expiring contract will have to be the moving piece, right? I don't think there's any other way to make it work. I think when his contract comes off the books we would still be over the cap so not like we could just sign a free agent, we'll have to move him for whatever piece we want.
I'd look to move Harris and 1st(s) and potentially Holland to bring in a big name forward. The plan should be that this is the core for the foreseeable future and the team will make playoffs for years to come. If that's the mindset I don't mind moving 1st round picks that we expect to be in the 20 range.
Durant will be 37 at the start of next season. That's an absolute non-starter for me. But I think Forward is definitely where we need the most help.
I'd look to move Harris and 1st(s) and potentially Holland to bring in a big name forward. The plan should be that this is the core for the foreseeable future and the team will make playoffs for years to come. If that's the mindset I don't mind moving 1st round picks that we expect to be in the 20 range.
Durant will be 37 at the start of next season. That's an absolute non-starter for me. But I think Forward is definitely where we need the most help.
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- engelbert321
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
DetroitSho wrote:I'm not married to it, but why not Lauri?engelbert321 wrote:DetroitSho wrote:I've been on the Durant train for months. Then there's Lauri and a dark horse JJJ.
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I wouldnt touch Lauri, but JJJ would be a (very doubtful) dream
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Primarily defense, which he’s okay. I’d rather a John Collins
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
John Collins ain't even better than Tobias at this point, at least not for us.engelbert321 wrote:DetroitSho wrote:I'm not married to it, but why not Lauri?engelbert321 wrote:I wouldnt touch Lauri, but JJJ would be a (very doubtful) dream
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Primarily defense, which he’s okay. I’d rather a John Collins
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- Snakebites
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
Eh. This poll was first and is the one people are posting in. I’ll lock mine.
I don’t think we need to be desperate to make a move, but we should be pursuing upgrades. This roster has room to grow but our young core does not top out as a contender IMO. We can afford to wait if a move at the right price isn’t there, but I’d like to upgrade the roster.
JJJ and Bam Adebayo would be great depending on the price. Guys like them aren’t usually attainable but their respective teams are potentially entering transitional periods.
I don’t think we need to be desperate to make a move, but we should be pursuing upgrades. This roster has room to grow but our young core does not top out as a contender IMO. We can afford to wait if a move at the right price isn’t there, but I’d like to upgrade the roster.
JJJ and Bam Adebayo would be great depending on the price. Guys like them aren’t usually attainable but their respective teams are potentially entering transitional periods.
Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
- MrBigShot
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Re: Run it Back or Upgrade?
ComboGuardCity wrote:Beasley had an out of this world anomaly of a season. We cannot rely on him to repeat what he did in the regular season next year. Hopefully our young guys take another leap but I think we also need to go out and get more explosive talent.
I agree. I think this was a clear outlier season from him.
I absolutely do NOT want Jaren Jackson Jr. He has been ATROCIOUS every time he's been in the playoffs, cant rebound to save his life and is up for a super max extension assuming he makes all nba.
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