provecy15 wrote:Richard4444 wrote:provecy15 wrote:How I would approach this offseason: (outsider looking in)
1. Time to trade Randle. It's a weak draft, but still some decent players who could become stars. Package Randle + Smith +8th pick to Charlotte for Terry Rozier and the 3rd pick in the draft. The salary's closely match-up. Rozier becomes the new starting guard and forms a backcourt with Rj Barrett.
2. Draft Obi Toppin. He would't be your typical rookie. He;s 22 years old, has great energy and can stretch the D from 3. Also he's the NCAA player of the year. Why this guy isn't being talked about more as a top 3 pick is beyond me.
3. Sign Marc Gasol to a veteran's minimum. He's not what he used to be, but he still can stretch the D with his 3, and he could be a great mentor to Mitchell Robinson. He has a championship and has been an all-star. This is mainly a character move. Let Portis walk (club option)
4. 27th pick: Draft Elijah Hughes. Great shooter,great athleticism, and he played at Syracuse. Knows how to mix it up between playing man and zone.
5. Sign Danilo Gallinari. Bring him back. Pair him in the front court with Mitchell Robinson.
6. Trade Taj Gibson+ Elfrid Payton to Sacramento for Cory Joseph and Nemanja Bejilica. Sacramento needs backup PG to Fox, and could use a big to backup Bagely.
Now your team looks is a mixture of character, veterans, and still holding your young core together while adapting to the NBA of today. You also keep most of your cap flexibility
Robinson/Gasol
Gallinari/Bejilica
Toppin/Knox/Hughes
Barrett/Ellington/Bullock
Rozier/Joseph/Frank N.
Charlotte will not trade down to get Randle and Dennis.
Obi is a bad choice for #8. It's an awful choice for #3. And he is a PF (maybe lowball center).
Gasol is not taking the minimum to play for us. He might come back to Europe.
Hughes is a reach at #27.
Its a bad deal to take 10M Taj team option. Kings need cap relief. I would not be surprised if they just unload Bjelica for free. I would only take Cory Salary for a pick. And his style is quite similar to Frank.
If Obi Toppin was to fall to the Knicks at 8 ( which he won't because GM's know he's a top 3-5 talent), only the Knicks would not pick him. This guy is way more refined than Pascal Siakim was at the same stage of development, and might even be a better shooter right now. Pairing this guy with Rj Barrett, could be a dynamic combination for years to come. And this whole argument about playing 3 or 4...the NBA is essentially a position-less league. He's a high flyer, great motor, shoots 40% from 3, plus averages a steal and a block a game. If for some unforseen reason he's available at 8 and the Knicks don't pick him.....WOW. You really are cursed. SAS would lead a box-office rant the next day on First Take lol
Pascal had 5 less blocks his freshman year than Obi had in his two years combined, he's a better offensive player sure but Pascal is way ahead of him as a defender. When people say the NBA is position less they really mean that on offense, on defense though there are clear positions and you are what you can guard. With the way he moves it's unlikely that he'll be able to guard 3s, so he'll have to play the 4, and you need a good defender at the 4 in the NBA, that is the linchpin of a good defense. It's why so many teams play 3s there now, because the ability to switch or close out to shooters is very important. I don't know how good of a defender Obi can be, but he moves like Tobias Harris on that side of the ball which isn't really a good sign.
