Update: TJ Warren out After Foot Fracture thru 2021-22 season

[Tom White]

Oh. He’s much better than an average to slightly above average player. He’s pretty good. Not a superstar, or even a star, but he’s a borderline all star guy.

OK, so if he isn't a superstar, or even a star, and is not an all star (I don't know where borderline comes in to play) then what is the next step down? Is there another step between all those things he isn't and , as I say, average to slightly above average? What do we call that?

As we’ve seen without him, it’s hard to replace an efficient 20 ppg wing scorer with size who plays pretty decent to sometimes good defense.

On this team it may have been difficult, but this was/is a bad team. Bad to the point of having g-league level players being amongst our more productive players at times. Who else did we try? LeVert? Yeah, that was a good idea. I don't think the league is hurting for players like Warren, only that we never got any of them.

[Scoot McGroot]

Oh. He’s much better than an average to slightly above average player. He’s pretty good. Not a superstar, or even a star, but he’s a borderline all star guy.

OK, so if he isn't a superstar, or even a star, and is not an all star (I don't know where borderline comes in to play) then what is the next step down? Is there another step between all those things he isn't and , as I say, average to slightly above average? What do we call that?

.

As I said, you could call him a pretty good player that might make an all star game some year. Like, the difference between an OG Anunoby level guy and Oshae Brissett?

As we’ve seen without him, it’s hard to replace an efficient 20 ppg wing scorer with size who plays pretty decent to sometimes good defense.

On this team it may have been difficult, but this was/is a bad team. Bad to the point of having g-league level players being amongst our more productive players at times. Who else did we try? LeVert? Yeah, that was a good idea. I don't think the league is hurting for players like Warren, only that we never got any of them.

We didn’t get any of them, because there’s not a ton of them in the league, and the teams that have them generally don’t trade them.

I get being upset he was injured and just refusing to consider re signing him just because. But he would likely be the single largest improvement we could realistically make this offseason.

[Scoot McGroot]

That seems pretty high to me. That number wouldn't really be a buy low for anyone. Sure, a buy low based on him being at his best, but not given the injury history. If someone goes that high I would imagine it would be a very team friendly deal with non-guaranteed money like Zach Collins got from SAS.

Doug’s getting almost $14m per. If Warren were healthy, would he get anything less than $25m? Remember, $15m per is less than 1/8th the salary cap, or around 12%. It’s not a whole heckuva lot. If we really think he’s a “buy low candidate”, it’s probably closer to $7-8m, right? Definitely not a vet minimum, unless he’s not going to be cleared for camp?

Even if he's completely healthy now it's a gamble if he will be for the contract. And there's not many teams with that kind of space so you're looking at a sign and trade or some sort of cap creativity. Which probably means burning an asset or two as well.

I'm not saying I'll be floored if he does get that kind of money. Teams take gambles and can make things work if they truly want even without space. There are a number of factors working against him getting more than a prove it deal though.

We're probably one of the few teams who can pay him decent money and not have it be a big problem if it doesn't work given where we're at. Maybe we pay that kind of money. Not sure I'd be a fan of it depending on the structure.

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But you clearly agree that a vet minimum is infinitely unlikely, which is what started us down this discussion path.

[8305]

Is TJ a better guy to offer than say Kyle Anderson?
I know Anderson will never be the guy TJ was in the fall of 2020 but, I’m not sure TJ will ever be that guy again either.
Anderson is probably a better defender.

[Wizop]

What do you call players who aren't all stars but get 30 plus minutes a game, I suggest "starters." Warren if healthy would get starters' money which is in the high teens to low twenties. I see two possibilities. One, a lightly guaranteed contract so an early season injury wouldn't be costly. Two, insurance.

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