Center Options

[euphorbus]

Was still a solid veteran center as recently as last year. Would be an upgrade to Biyombo IMO.

If he clears waivers, would be a good pickup.

Looks like he moved to the Raptors and was forgotten. Last season, with the Kings, he averaged .593 from the field in 15 minutes per game, with 6.1 rebounds.

I say show him the money.

[LofJ]

I've been an Alex Len fan ever since I read that story about him saving someone's life that had been caught in a rip current while on vacation.

[Diop]

My only beef with Len is that Bonnell raved about him.

I don’t this team is signing a veteran though

[JMAC3]

Raptors released Alex Len.

I have not seen him play in ages. Is he any good? Can he protect the paint and grab boards?

Was still a solid veteran center as recently as last year. Would be an upgrade to Biyombo IMO.

If he clears waivers, would be a good pickup

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You young bucks probably don't know this about Len, but he got some serious steam about being the potential number 1 pick in the 2013 NBA draft over Anthony Bennett in the final days leading up to the draft.

I don't love him, because I do not think he is really an improvement over Zeller and he is probably about the same level of overall player to Biz. If we did sign him it would be nice for depth, but I don't love having 5 centers on the team, plus PJ. My solution is cutting Darling, moving Richards to a two way deal and then trying to sign/trade for an extra shooter.

[Soul Rebel]

At this point, we are around the halfway point, if not past it for getting Zeller back.

We've been about a .500 team since he left, same as before. Unless we are seriously upgrading our team with a young upside center like Allen/Markannen/WCJ or taking a gamble with Bagley, why bother giving up assets.

[Chapelchilla]

At this point, we are around the halfway point, if not past it for getting Zeller back.

We've been about a .500 team since he left, same as before. Unless we are seriously upgrading our team with a young upside center like Allen/Markannen/WCJ or taking a gamble with Bagley, why bother giving up assets.

if we can get Len for nothing though, he may be worth a look.

[JMAC3]

Add Portland to teams that need a Center. Nurkic is out 4+ weeks now.

[Rays Pompadour]

You know...I've come to the conclusion that Mitch Kupchak is just plain boring. This do-nothing approach to roster construction and improvement does nothing for me. I'm not saying that his approach is wrong - there are many positives in letting a roster evolve - but, man, it's hard to abide.

Such obvious issues, so many potential solutions...so much inertia. Sigh.

[yosemiteben]

This do-nothing approach to roster construction and improvement does nothing for me.

This wasn't exactly a do-nothing offseason.

It was a tumultuous offseason with no summer league and a short training camp. I don't have any issue with holding off on moves until we're healthy, have had more coaching time, and see what we're working with.

[JMAC3]

You know...I've come to the conclusion that Mitch Kupchak is just plain boring. This do-nothing approach to roster construction and improvement does nothing for me. I'm not saying that his approach is wrong - there are many positives in letting a roster evolve - but, man, it's hard to abide.

Such obvious issues, so many potential solutions...so much inertia. Sigh.

Does not really seem like trades are happening all over the league right now. There has been 1 giant trade and that is it.

90% of NBA moves happen at the trade deadline, so I will hold off my judgement for then. I will say with limited big man options in the draft, limited options in free agency, it make more sense to try and solve it now why we have more contracts to trade then waiting until after the season is over.

[Chapelchilla]

You know...I've come to the conclusion that Mitch Kupchak is just plain boring. This do-nothing approach to roster construction and improvement does nothing for me. I'm not saying that his approach is wrong - there are many positives in letting a roster evolve - but, man, it's hard to abide.

Such obvious issues, so many potential solutions...so much inertia. Sigh.

So acquiring an all star caliber FA that filled a big hole in the roster and adding the probable/potential ROY was doing nothing?
The team is without their starting center but still winning a decent number of games while playing up tempo and fun basketball with the occasional amazing highlight play. That seems like the opposite of boring.
This isn't our year to go all in. The Lakers or Nets are those teams. Missing the playoffs and getting another good pick while not being a hapless push over is not a bad result for their future.

[BigSlam]

You know...I've come to the conclusion that Mitch Kupchak is just plain boring. This do-nothing approach to roster construction and improvement does nothing for me. I'm not saying that his approach is wrong - there are many positives in letting a roster evolve - but, man, it's hard to abide.

Such obvious issues, so many potential solutions...so much inertia. Sigh.

It’s going to be a slow burn. You can’t really blame Mitch for that.

Mitch inherited a broken roster that was in cap hell that had no real clear direction and had maxed out.

It’s not a quick fix.

Thankfully it looks like a great draft last year will help speed up the process, but it’s still going to take patience.

[Rays Pompadour]

You know...I've come to the conclusion that Mitch Kupchak is just plain boring. This do-nothing approach to roster construction and improvement does nothing for me. I'm not saying that his approach is wrong - there are many positives in letting a roster evolve - but, man, it's hard to abide.

Such obvious issues, so many potential solutions...so much inertia. Sigh.

So acquiring an all star caliber FA that filled a big hole in the roster and adding the probable/potential ROY was doing nothing?
The team is without their starting center but still winning a decent number of games while playing up tempo and fun basketball with the occasional amazing highlight play. That seems like the opposite of boring.
This isn't our year to go all in. The Lakers or Nets are those teams. Missing the playoffs and getting another good pick while not being a hapless push over is not a bad result for their future.

That win-later/let's-suck-for-picks ship sailed with the Gordon Hayward signing. And one free agent signing over market value is not the most creative, transcendent move. Picking Ball at #3 was the player who fell. Would have been just fine with Wiseman or Edwards. Charlotte got lucky there, in my opinion.

Roster construction is a perpetual enterprise. The stuff of not-boring is trading up or down in the draft, or acquiring more picks with cap space, or maybe even what the team did last year and play all the young players just because they had nothing to lose. Something progressive, creative, exciting! Yet...Biyombo.

Please understand, I'm not unhappy with what Charlotte is doing. Patience is the prudent ethic and I support the long-term plan. It's not an exciting approach, but it's likely the right one for the franchise. Mitch stuck his neck out in his own muted way with the Hayward signing, so there's that. Kept the board buzzing for a few weeks. Ball's star power keeps the Hornets on SportsCenter.

The boring part is what the Hornets are not doing NOW. Waiting for the trade deadline is still waiting and the Hornets STILL don't have a center solution and their future is built mostly on second round picks. The selfish me wants the team to exhibit some sense of urgency, a demonstrated desire to win, to not accept the status quo and strike out for the gold in them thar hills. Mitch won't do it. He's a plodder and that's just fine. I'm sure there will be a payoff somewhere down the line.

Meanwhile, .500, maybe. May we all aspire to such heights.

[Rays Pompadour]

You know...I've come to the conclusion that Mitch Kupchak is just plain boring. This do-nothing approach to roster construction and improvement does nothing for me. I'm not saying that his approach is wrong - there are many positives in letting a roster evolve - but, man, it's hard to abide.

Such obvious issues, so many potential solutions...so much inertia. Sigh.

It’s going to be a slow burn. You can’t really blame Mitch for that.

Mitch inherited a broken roster that was in cap hell that had no real clear direction and had maxed out.

It’s not a quick fix.

Thankfully it looks like a great draft last year will help speed up the process, but it’s still going to take patience.

Certainly not being critical of Mitch Kupchak, though it may seem like it. I actually supported much of what Rich Cho did on the fiscal side of the ledger, and Kupchak is doing similar things with roster and cap management. Being tactical and surgical are qualities all GM's should possess to some degree. The problem is with me. Patience is not a character trait I possess. A long career in sales has beaten it right out of me. Thus, my original post.

[JMAC3]

Roster construction is a perpetual enterprise. The stuff of not-boring is trading up or down in the draft, or acquiring more picks with cap space, or maybe even what the team did last year and play all the young players just because they had nothing to lose. Something progressive, creative, exciting! Yet...Biyombo.

The boring part is what the Hornets are not doing NOW. Waiting for the trade deadline is still waiting and the Hornets STILL don't have a center solution and their future is built mostly on second round picks. The selfish me wants the team to exhibit some sense of urgency, a demonstrated desire to win, to not accept the status quo and strike out for the gold in them thar hills. Mitch won't do it. He's a plodder and that's just fine. I'm sure there will be a payoff somewhere down the line.

Meanwhile, .500, maybe. May we all aspire to such heights.

So are you suggesting that you are willing to trade first round picks now to fix the Center spot? like multiple firsts?

There is a severe lack of talent at the center position in the league as a I have pointed out on numerous occasions. Hell in a game we won by 20 points a 4pt, 5 rbs and 2 block performance had the game thread losing their minds that we didn't pay Nerlens Noel.

I know Biz isn't a sexy option, but there are a handful of teams that he would be getting minutes for. I can't tell you how many box scores I look at where no backup center ever even entered the game... Nets last night, Pacers last night, Hawks Monday, and a million other times this season. It is because teams don't have the depth to play two decent centers right now.. let alone trade one away.

Wizards lost Thomas Bryant for year, Portland lost Nurkic for next month, Pacers lost Turner for maybe a month, Towns has barely played, Bulls without WCJ vs us Friday...That is just starters, if I listed out some of the guys playing 15-20 mins a night as backups you would respond with "who?"

it's not just us, so my guess is the few teams who have Center depth (Celtics and Cavs) aren't parting with it on the cheap.

[Rays Pompadour]

Roster construction is a perpetual enterprise. The stuff of not-boring is trading up or down in the draft, or acquiring more picks with cap space, or maybe even what the team did last year and play all the young players just because they had nothing to lose. Something progressive, creative, exciting! Yet...Biyombo.

The boring part is what the Hornets are not doing NOW. Waiting for the trade deadline is still waiting and the Hornets STILL don't have a center solution and their future is built mostly on second round picks. The selfish me wants the team to exhibit some sense of urgency, a demonstrated desire to win, to not accept the status quo and strike out for the gold in them thar hills. Mitch won't do it. He's a plodder and that's just fine. I'm sure there will be a payoff somewhere down the line.

Meanwhile, .500, maybe. May we all aspire to such heights.

So are you suggesting that you are willing to trade first round picks now to fix the Center spot? like multiple firsts?

Nope. Being non-boring doesn't mean being stupid. But it does require risk. Anything outside the box, creative involves some risk. Continuous improvement is impossible without a willingness to take some risks.

[JMAC3]

So are you suggesting that you are willing to trade first round picks now to fix the Center spot? like multiple firsts?

Nope. Being non-boring doesn't mean being stupid. But it does require risk. Anything outside the box, creative involves some risk. Continuous improvement is impossible without a willingness to take some risks.

I am not sure how much we can actually improve the center spot without trading a first rounder or opening up an equally big hole at another position. I get wanting to be opportunistic and outside the box, but what you are asking for is a near miracle to get a true difference maker without sacrificing good assets.

I mean if you pounding your fists over this is you wanting a guy who should be a 15 min per game center like Javale, Gafford or guys of that limited serviceability then I'm sure it is possible. However neither of them are answers long-term and are probably similar players to Cody Zeller in terms of the value they would provide.

[DY_nasty]

you don't need a miracle to find someone better than cody zeller and biz

[JMAC3]

you don't need a miracle to find someone better than cody zeller and biz

The only reason you think they are better is because you do not watch them but 5 times a year.. You really think Javale, Nerlens, Giles, Len, Okafor or whoever else you can get for small trades are significantly better than Cody? Those guys all have their own warts and huge flaws and that is why they are not starters, not able to stay on the same team for more than a year and why teams continue to pay them nothing in free agency. If you had to watch those guys play 10 straight games I am sure you would be able to tear them apart and point out all their flaws just like you do with Cody and Biz, only difference is you do not watch them play enough.

Hence why scouting departments all over the league continue to not make them a priority in free agency. I am pretty confident Zeller gets a MLE deal next summer either from us or someone else similar to what Favors, Tristan Thompson and Meyers Leonard got or maybe he signs with a contender for less, but he isn't signing on the Knicks or the Pistons for under 5 million, because there will teams that value what he brings.

[BigSlam]

[You really think Javale, Nerlens, Giles, Len, Okafor or whoever else you can get for small trades are significantly better than Cody? Those guys all have their own warts and huge flaws and that is why they are not starters, not able to stay on the same team for more than a year and why teams continue to pay them nothing in free agency.

This is completely contradictory to what you were continually exhausting us with pre-draft.

You professed over and over and over how easy it is just to buy low and plug and play any old center.

All you’ve done here, once again, is validate those who said taking a quality big with a high draft pick is absolutely justifiable because quality bigs are so hard to find.