IND - SAC: DeMar to the Pacers

[psman2]

Do you think DDR is a sought after player?

Do you think Indiana would consider trading Nembhard for DDR?

Let's start with the 2nd, no.

Sought after? I don't totally know how to answer that. Do I think there is a team that will make a pursuit of him their top priority this off-season? No, probably not.

Do I think he is a player multiple teams are keeping tabs on if they can't land their primary target? Sure. Or at least I think they should be. Shot creation is still valuable. Especially if you aren't asking him to be your offensive anchor and nobody is asking that of him anymore.

But if a guy like Kyle Kuzma can have been seen just a few months ago as a potential answer by a win now team, I don't believe teams around the league think DeRozan is useless.

Kuzma and DDR are where desperation and opportunity collide. Teams with no better paths can talk themselves into them but the reality is they are career negative impact players that most teams should stay away from. If I was Dallas I am feeling a little desperation going into the next season, so I could see them offering up floatsam and some 2nds for him. He keeps you afloat in the regular season and hopefully can take a smaller role come playoff time. But I think I rather just pay up using the 11th pick for someone that doesn't have a long track record as one of the worst playoff performers of all time in DDR and take the swing somewhere else if possible.

[jbk1234]

I don't think the Pacers current level of shooting from the outside is sustainable, but if I'm wrong and they stay healthy, I have them getting to the Finals.

[Texas Chuck]

But I think I rather just pay up using the 11th pick for someone that doesn't have a long track record as one of the worst playoff performers of all time in DDR and take the swing somewhere else if possible.

I would too.

I'm just saying I don't think he's useless and I don't think NBA teams think he's useless. In some ways he's like a 4th or 5th starter in baseball. Yeah modern metrics tell us these are losing players, but they still eat 160 innings and save your bullpen and thus are still providing value to the club beyond just what RAPM or whatever shows us.

Not selling him as any kind of panacea. Just a still useful player.

[psman2]

But I think I rather just pay up using the 11th pick for someone that doesn't have a long track record as one of the worst playoff performers of all time in DDR and take the swing somewhere else if possible.

I would too.

I'm just saying I don't think he's useless and I don't think NBA teams think he's useless. In some ways he's like a 4th or 5th starter in baseball. Yeah modern metrics tell us these are losing players, but they still eat 160 innings and save your bullpen and thus are still providing value to the club beyond just what RAPM or whatever shows us.

Not selling him as any kind of panacea. Just a still useful player.

But the big difference here is come MLB playoff time your 5th starter is out of your rotation most of the time, NBA teams don't have that luxury with DDR. There are always desperate teams so I expect he will have some interest on the trade market, but nothing approaching the OP.

[Texas Chuck]

But I think I rather just pay up using the 11th pick for someone that doesn't have a long track record as one of the worst playoff performers of all time in DDR and take the swing somewhere else if possible.

I would too.

I'm just saying I don't think he's useless and I don't think NBA teams think he's useless. In some ways he's like a 4th or 5th starter in baseball. Yeah modern metrics tell us these are losing players, but they still eat 160 innings and save your bullpen and thus are still providing value to the club beyond just what RAPM or whatever shows us.

Not selling him as any kind of panacea. Just a still useful player.

But the big difference here is come MLB playoff time your 5th starter is out of your rotation most of the time, NBA teams don't have that luxury with DDR. There are always desperate teams so I expect he will have some interest on the trade market, but nothing approaching the OP.

No analogy is perfect lol.

And I agree the OP is terrible. The value is wrong and the team is wrong.

But I think DD can play 28-30 mpg in the regular season and if he can't hold defensively in the playoffs you can drop that down, but if the price to get him is cheap enough he's still helped.

But not really so much trying to talk any poster into him or any team into him. Just think he's better than the dialogue around him tends to be.

[Scoot McGroot]

Yeah, I think the DDR hate is overheated. He shouldn’t be anyone’s primary option. He also shouldn’t be anyone’s primary target. He’s a realistic or attainable target for many teams, though. And he still is a walking bucket, albeit not the sexiest. He doesn’t do great at creating opportunities for his teammates. The way he scores compacts the court and makes it a bit tougher for his teammates by bringing extra defenders inside. But man, can he score.


If Indy had some more tax flexibility and some less useful salary filler contracts (like Brogdon a couple years ago), he’d be a solid consideration. But alas, they don’t. The salary filler they could offer to match is too useful, and there’s tax issues. But even then, Indy doesn’t need a guy they can dump the ball to to create a tough bucket (like Siakam or Mathurin). Indy is confident that with their 3 PG’s and random offense, they can get easy shots and easy buckets for many of their guys.

DDR is useful. There are several teams that should realistically target him. I just don’t think Indy is one of them.