Which 3 moves drive us North in the Standings?

August Us Seazr · Post #1 » by **August Us Seazr** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 5:33 pm

Hey guys, I've been following but not doing much online lately. I did notice Dexmor's thread that kind of got bogged down. So in the interest of proceeding with a little more flow... I want to ask you which three roster spots do we need to improve before we can realistically hope to contend for something other than an 8 seed?

I'll go first, and speak on mostly general terms. I won't even touch Coach Brown's recent acquisitions. There's too much new acquisition smell there for me to even broach the "regifting" thingy. 8-)

Move one- I'm tired of the doughnut sitting in the stands. We are in the last year of his contract. Are we going to pay him the ENTIRE season's salary to wear his suit? MJ needs to come up with a buyout...FAST. Stick a fork in McMay...He's done!

Move two- We need an upgrade in the second unit small forward position. I think I like what I see in the upcoming draft a little better at this position than most others. I'll ship this idea to the war room.

Move three- I like what LB did getting Diop, but we are still anemic scoring and rebounding in the paint. We need a big that can score plenty, but not be a defensive sieve. Expensive, and not many around. Another draft project? Maybe. But if we are heading for the top of the conference, a dry scoring front court is NOT a way to get long playoff burn.

What say you?

e4Nf6 · Post #2 » by **e4Nf6** » Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:28 pm

The stating unit is doing fine, the problem is the bench. DJ has been good overall but he has his "Ammo" nights sometimes, and he is hurt right now to boot. Howard has been good, but old guys tend to get injured and or retired. (if we are thinking long term) Diop will be useful if we don't expect to much. I like the idea of getting a project wing player to compete for minutes with Ammo and maybe take Raja's job one day. Gerald Green, CDR, Bellinelli, a lot of teams seem to have guys like that. Or maybe throw a 10 day contract at Coby Karl or James White.

August Us Seazr · Post #3 » by **August Us Seazr** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:52 am

E4-

Would a CD-R be available to us? If we could land someone of his caliber, I would say our team makeover would be complete for 2008-9. We could then start building the chemistry for next year and possibly make noise the rest of this year. We are somewhat handicapped by our depth in the standings- but one more deal would be a good enough start in the roster makeover phase.

I thought CD-R was underrated during the draft. He carried Memphis in the NCAA's last year. I liked him better than Rose. But wings are a more common commodity than point guards, so I understand. He would be a nice pickup- solid and a core type of guy once he gets a couple of years under his belt.

My longer term concern is this- If we use the "Detroit" model, where is our scoring big- our Rasheed Wallace, if you will? Our bigs roster- Okafor, Mohammed, Diaw, Diop, and Ajinca- are not known as a collective group as people who have to have attention on offense. Okafor is marginal at best, Diaw has skills, but the other three have______________(what?) To compete season long with the Atlantas, the Bostons, the Clevelands we need a big offensive weapon. And as I'm seeing it now, our cupboard is pretty bare in that area.

Bassman · Post #4 » by **Bassman** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 2:01 pm

I think LB envisioned Ajinca as his future Rasheed when he drafted him. I don't see it but I sure hope for our sake he develops his game, size and strength for next season. Ajinca has a nice shooting stroke for a big man, but it only works if the ball goes IN the basket.

The front line is working well now, but it also presents a dilemma. Okafor plays his best at Center, but LB is convinced he can be a 4 (I don't see it). Diaw plays his best at the 4 but is undersized there for rebounding. He can play the 3 well enough (with the right mix of players) but that means....moving Wallace, who at times is the best player on the court, bar none.

I say keep the frontline together and developing unless a monster deal makes it worth moving one of them. With the right backcourt and bench production we could get very close. I do think the #1 need is for a prime time SG.

spectre_ · Post #5 » by **spectre_** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 2:09 pm

e4Nf6 wrote:The stating unit is doing fine, the problem is the bench.

I like the idea of bringing in Coby Karl on a 10 day....big PG who could probably play some 2 and can shoot.

McCants might also be an option...per a suggestion on the trade board Ammo/Nazr for McCants/Cardinal would work. That would lose 1 year on Nazr's deal and get us out of Ammo's last year.

Post #6 » by **BigSlam** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:27 pm

Bassman wrote:Okafor plays his best at Center, but LB is convinced he can be a 4 (I don't see it).

LB went on record at the start of the season saying that EO50 is a 5 and Crash is a 3 and that is where he intends on playing them. I think that is still the case, it's just that now when we go up against big front courts he has the option of playing Diop and EO50 against them.

Of course, I'm not sure why he couldn't do that with Nazzy?

Post #7 » by **BigSlam** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:29 pm

spectre_ wrote:
e4Nf6 wrote:I like the idea of bringing in Coby Karl on a 10 day....big PG who could probably play some 2 and can shoot.

I'd personally like to bring in Marcus Williams (the Arizona one), Derick Byars or James White in on a 10 day.

McCants might also be an option...per a suggestion on the trade board Ammo/Nazr for McCants/Cardinal would work. That would lose 1 year on Nazr's deal and get us out of Ammo's last year

The one I saw was McCants and Collins for Ammo and Nazzy - which I would be all over as both MccCants and Collins expire at the end of this season.

dmutombo321 · Post #8 » by **dmutombo321** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:53 pm

e4Nf6 wrote: I like the idea of getting a project wing player to compete for minutes with Ammo and maybe take Raja's job one day. Gerald Green, CDR, Bellinelli, a lot of teams seem to have guys like that.

I was mildly disappointed that Charlotte didnt snatch up Gerald Green as an add-on in the Diop deal. He's making the minimum and only plays about 10 mins a game for them behind A Wright, Terry and now carroll.

The one thing we're missing now to put us over the top is a 2-guard who can score, demand double teams and take over games down the stretch. Slam, liver pooty and I were discussing Green vs. Derozan in the college prospects thread last week and I think Green's the only "project" out there who has superstar potential.

It's kind of distressing looking at the draft and free agency for filling this hole as there really isnt much out there. Aside from James Harden (who'll be gone top 2), there are no notable two-guards in the draft. Derozan is looking like a disappointment and has only had 2-3 decent games in college. And he might end up just staying in school if he continues to look so mediocre. I see no real candidates in 09 free agency either.

spectre_ · Post #9 » by **spectre_** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:35 pm

BigSlam wrote:
spectre_ wrote:
e4Nf6 wrote:I like the idea of bringing in Coby Karl on a 10 day....big PG who could probably play some 2 and can shoot.

I'd personally like to bring in Marcus Williams (the Arizona one), Derick Byars or James White in on a 10 day.

McCants might also be an option...per a suggestion on the trade board Ammo/Nazr for McCants/Cardinal would work. That would lose 1 year on Nazr's deal and get us out of Ammo's last year

The one I saw was McCants and Collins for Ammo and Nazzy - which I would be all over as both MccCants and Collins expire at the end of this season.

I think Karl would have more BBIQ which is what LB loves...but I don't follow any of them so I really don't know.

I know it was Collins, but I doubt even KM would do that one...much less the one I just put up. If I were them I'd just let those expire.

Heck, they'd probably want incentive just to swap out McCants for Ammo. I would.

ohara · Post #10 » by **ohara** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 5:24 pm

dmutombo: Harden is going Top 3, no doubt. But keep your eye on Teague of Wake Forest. He's only 6-2, but that's not diminutive. He loves to take it to the hoop, has a solid outside game, and very good handles. He's only a Soph, but it the leading candidate for ACC POY so far. Led the undefeated #3 Deacons over previously undefeated #9 Clemson at Clemson. Deacons likely to be #1 in the country with the new polls. ESPN has him at #18, but he is rising. If we dont make the Playoffs, we are looking at the pick being late Lottery, so I hope he doesn't rise too far. Watch him, the kid is a major talent! He'd fit us just fine.

Post #11 » by **Paydro70** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:13 pm

Yeah, we definitely need another point guard or undersized 2....

spectre_ · Post #12 » by **spectre_** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 6:21 pm

...vs. an unathletic 3 who seemingly can't throw it in the ocean when he has a bad hair day? :lol:

We're only talking 10 day contracts here on guys like Karl. He would bring BBIQ at the 2 as well as passing/handles and scoring. That's a little different than the only other backup 2 we have besides Felton in S. Brown. McCants is better than Brown and has long arms that helps him defend well. He'd certainly provide more than Ammo would.

But hey...maybe only 2 guys that can legitimately play the 2 is enough?

Post #13 » by **Paydro70** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 8:12 pm

No, no, that was my response to Ohara's suggestion we draft Teague. Actually a worse decision than Curry, for this team. 10 day contracts... whatever, we're not getting anyone better than replacement-level, we could use another SG so pick up whoever. McCants is not a 10-day option though, since he's under contract with the T-wolves we'd have to give something up for him.

spectre_ · Post #14 » by **spectre_** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 8:18 pm

Paydro70 wrote:No, no, that was my response to Ohara's suggestion we draft Teague. Actually a worse decision than Curry, for this team. 10 day contracts... whatever, we're not getting anyone better than replacement-level, we could use another SG so pick up whoever. McCants is not a 10-day option though, since he's under contract with the T-wolves we'd have to give something up for him.

Ah ok...apologies. My post was only about 2s as well, hence the confusion.

Yah I know in regards to McCants...which was why I brought up Ammo (based on a speculated Ammo/bad contract for McCants/slightly bad contract).