Said it before, will say it again. The guy to go after is Saddiq Bey. I’d love to go after a slightly flawed but (very) talented guy like Kuzma or, to a lesser degree, Collins, But the fact is, as people are noting, we probably don’t have the assets to get them.
So play a Chess game. Make less room for a player that is flying under the radar because of a non-chronic injury issue. Don’t try to get the player that will help immediately. Get a player that can and will be stashed for a while, on a good contract. Bey will be on injured reserve until after the break; this solves the current players under contract issue. Like I said, the difference between Miles Bridges and Saddiq Bey on court is actually small.
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PER36
FG% 3p% FT% PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF
Bridges .470 .347 .813 17.4 7.0 2.9 0.9 0.8 1.8 2.3
Bey .408 .352 .842 16.8 6.3 2.2 1.0 0.2 1.1 1.8
Bridges is a markedly better two point shooter. He scores a little more and is a better rebounder that gets more assists. Bey shoots a little better from distance (on more attempts), is a little better from the line and gets there more often (which makes up a lot of the 2 point efficiency difference), has a better A/TO ratio and fouls a little less. Both are high energy guys that play hard on both ends. Bey is 6’8” 215 with a 6’11” wingspan. Bridges is 6’8” 225 with a 6’9.5” wingspan. Bey is 25; Bridges is 26. Both came from great college programs.
I’m not feeling a huge discrepancy here. And for that difference … well, look at the numbers. Miles Bridges just signed a three year deal at around $25 million a year. My guess is we can get Saddiq Bey for literally a quarter to a third of that. A three year deal with a team and player option in the third year for $22 million? For the younger guy with less off court issues? I’d offer that in a heartbeat.