Big Nick Energy: The Nick Richards Thread

[MPM]

Seriously - cut Jefferies and sign either Biz or Javale.

[KembaWalker]

Interesting that when it comes to Mark all we get is vague reporting and avoidance “it’s a back injury” “foot tendon”

And nicks injury is described to the point where I know which individual rib has a cartilage tear

These are signs of deceit

[Braggins]

comical.
you rely on a player who hasnt played in a year, this is what happens. you get taj gibson and diabate.

Hopefully Gibson and Diabate are how you get Cooper Flagg

[SWedd523]

Richards will be reevaluated “every other week,” Hornets say, making it uncertain when the big man will return.

I've seen this before. See you in 2025 Nick

[yosemiteben]

Seriously - cut Jefferies and sign either Biz or Javale.

I don't see the point of carrying 5 exclusive centers (Mark, Nick, Moussa, Taj, random signing).

I'm not in a hurry to add a center, I'm ok with having Moussa and Taj on the depth chart with space behind them filled by Grant and Tidjane.

IMO center depth is not significantly contributing to our win - loss record or DRTG right now.

[SWedd523]

I strongly disagree. They have been punished inside almost every night and are trying to game plan around that extreme deficiency.

No team can sustain any sort of competitive team with the corpse of Taj Gibson and a two way player.

Them making a move for another center or not is going to be the sign to how seriously they want to compete this year.

[countryboi]

I dont know what is going to happen but I know we cant continue starting Gibson

[Diop]

Bring in Taco Fall, I love em long

Spoiler:

Hi Swedd

[yosemiteben]

I strongly disagree. They have been punished inside almost every night and are trying to game plan around that extreme deficiency.

No team can sustain any sort of competitive team with the corpse of Taj Gibson and a two way player.

Them making a move for another center or not is going to be the sign to how seriously they want to compete this year.

IMO until we can have perimeter defenders that don't require help to stay in front of their men, bigs are not going to make a difference.

[amcoolio]

Let's be honest, season was over anyway with the lack of a starting center before this. Disappointing the team didn't want to address it and just tank, but I guess the draft is strong next year. Just use the remaining 75 games to develop Mann, Tidjane, and Miller. Time to start the 2026 NBA draft thread

[SWedd523]

I strongly disagree. They have been punished inside almost every night and are trying to game plan around that extreme deficiency.

No team can sustain any sort of competitive team with the corpse of Taj Gibson and a two way player.

Them making a move for another center or not is going to be the sign to how seriously they want to compete this year.

IMO until we can have perimeter defenders that don't require help to stay in front of their men, bigs are not going to make a difference.

Cody and Green are supposed to be those guys, but reality would dictate that any team giving Melo heavy minutes will ALWAYS need a serious defensive interior presence.

There really is no defending the FO decision to bank on the shadow of Mark, Nick, and Taj being the Center rotation

[Bassman]

I strongly disagree. They have been punished inside almost every night and are trying to game plan around that extreme deficiency.

No team can sustain any sort of competitive team with the corpse of Taj Gibson and a two way player.

Them making a move for another center or not is going to be the sign to how seriously they want to compete this year.

IMO until we can have perimeter defenders that don't require help to stay in front of their men, bigs are not going to make a difference.

Your point on perimeter defense is valid, but your feigning dispatch of our disaster at center is ridiculous IMO. Everyone defends better when you have size, defense and shot blocking in the lane. This team took a huge gamble on Mark, knowing they had no idea if he would be able to recover and play. Foot tendon? They still have no idea if his back will hold up.

[fatlever]

It's not just a lack of a defensive center either. It's a complete lack of interior big men With size or the Ability to deter and prevent teams from getting in the paint. Both of our power forwards are on the shorter side. neither Is a particularly shot blocker or rebounder. Grant may be a slightly above average defender purely on positioning.

[JDR720]

Taj isn't an NBA player at his age, he was meant to be a veteran mentor on the bench. Diabate isn't good either. Say what you will about Richards, but he's statistically productive and really good at a few things (lobs, rebounds, screens).

We messed up by not bothering to get him a backup (Mark is out forever until proven otherwise) and now we're stuck without a center for an extended period of time again.

[Diop]

I just found out it’s Tacko Diop Fall

Seems like a no brainer

[KembaWalker]

I strongly disagree. They have been punished inside almost every night and are trying to game plan around that extreme deficiency.

No team can sustain any sort of competitive team with the corpse of Taj Gibson and a two way player.

Them making a move for another center or not is going to be the sign to how seriously they want to compete this year.

IMO until we can have perimeter defenders that don't require help to stay in front of their men, bigs are not going to make a difference.

You can play a lot better defense on the perimeter if you know it’s not a free basket every when you get beat. It’s one thing to get beat and draw help and it leads to a basket but when you have Grant Williams at center it doesn’t even matter, they were just throwing it over his head whether he helped or not. If anything it should be embarrassing to Minnesota and Gobert specifically that they couldn’t score every single time in those minutes

[Bassman]

So, one more time…

Had the Hornets taken Clingan, OR traded back to get an asset then choose Edey or Ware, we would have a stronger center option behind the invisible Mark and now injured Nick.

[SWedd523]

So, one more time…

Had the Hornets taken Clingan, OR traded back to get an asset then choose Edey or Ware, we would have a stronger center option behind the invisible Mark and now injured Nick.

or drafted Tiddy and signed a serviceable vet since we already have one young guy they're trying to develop

[MPM]

Pacers - backup C jackson gets hurt. Looking at Javale.

Hornets - no healthy center on roster for an indefinite amount of time and…

[KembaWalker]

Pacers - backup C jackson gets hurt. Looking at Javale.

Hornets - no healthy center on roster for an indefinite amount of time and…

I've never been a huge Biz fan even but damn, dudes just sittin at home and we have literally nothing lol