Road to a Championship start here, 2022 Draft.

[Whole Truth]

Nic Claxton at 108.2, has basically the same defensive rating as Allen 108.1

Take note, Mobley who shares the front court with Allen also has a 108.1 defensive rating. Better believe his help side defensive is conducive to Allens numbers & vice versa.

With Claxton expiring & facing a similar 20m extension -

NO's trade (Kira, Zeller, EJ & strong pick package) for (Claxton, with an agreement to extend?)

With NO's star players ZIon/BI/CJ, a deep roster & little time or minutes for rookie development with ample mid to late picks on the way.. Maybe the best way to consolidate some of these picks is on a player like Claxton & not waiting on a stars availability.

In adding Claxton for a pick package, while dropping Kira's salary...

With Jonas you have an efficient post big that can advantage weak front courts
With Nance you have an athletic small ball 5 that can step out & hit the occasional 3
With Claxton you have your mobile defender & rim runner

A solution for all situations with this teams depth still in tact. Keep the LA pick to draft a big man. If necessary, I would give up the Bucks 27 unprotected to keep the roster in tact.

Jonas - Claxton - Nance
Zion - Murphy - Nance
BI - Naji - Ryan
Herb - Hawkins - Jose
CJ - Daniels - Jose

[Whole Truth]

That way depending on how the season unfolds. A better decision can be made on extending Jonas & the type big man drafted in 24.

[Whole Truth]

I'm not a fan of the misrepresentation of the truth either by mistake or intent.

A poster claims Jokic's raw average against the Pels is directly related to his play against Jonas. When Jokic averages 36mins to Jonas 23. Which would mean for that posters post to be accurate Jokic would have to be held to zero's across the board in his 13mins on court where Jonas is not playing.

Take the first loss of the season vs Denver 134-116 where Hawkins got the start in CJ's injury.

Jokic put up 35 - 14 - 12 in 36mins

I went through the play by play - In Jonas 23 mins Jokic put up 22-5-5 on 9-13 shooting.
That means in the 13mins Jonas didn't play Jokic put up 13-9-7 on 5-11 shooting

Nance/Zeller held him to a lower shooting % but they gave up 9 of his 14 boards & 7 of his 12 assists in half the mins Jonas played.

The strategy of a defensive coach, the offensive big man Jonas had 6 touches in this game so Jokic had nothing to wear on him defensively. Easy to expend offensive energy when your not asked to defend anything. While Green asked the offensive big man to contain Jokic, defensively.

In line with half Jokics production coming in the 13 mins Jonas was off court, here's the +/-

BI - 29
Herb - 23
Hawkins - 15
Zion - 11
Jonas - 10

Zeller 4 mins -9

Nance +2

Jokic +16

[Whole Truth]

In the Pelicans win, 3 factors changed.

Daniels starting over rookie Hawkins with Herb. Ball pressure, Daniels +12
Jonas getting more than 6 touches to go at Jokic so he's not only playing offense.. fatigue factor.
Nance was lost to injury, so Jonas mins went from 23 to 34 matching Jokic's 36

Results of these changes -

Jokic in his 36mins put up 26 & 16. He had 18 assists, most of which were Gordon losing his defender.

So with Jonas going from 23mins to 36mins, Jokics first game of 35pts went down to 26pts on (10-20) shooting.

Large part of that drop in efficiency was due to Jonas increased offensive usage from 6 FGA's to 18 FGA's, which unlike game one didn't let Jokic not have to expend energy playing defense.... Jonas 22 & 8 on 10-18 shooting paced Jokics 26 & 16 on 10-20 shooting.

In Jonas going at Jokic offensively for a fatigue factor, Zion was +21 with 26 & 4 on 10-17 shooting.

[Whole Truth]

Long story short, the mere fact you attribute Jokic's totals against NO's to Jonas play against him, shows your slander. Jonas averages 10-12mins less a game than Jokic & in the one game Nance was not available to where Jonas played a matching 34mins. Jokic put up 26 & 16 .. I didn't even bother to see what he produced in the non Jonas 2 mins because it makes it's point.

[Whole Truth]

See a link that Jazz will listen to anyone on their roster which means for the right price Kessler could be had.

Knowing Ainge to pry Kessler would be costly.

Smart move IMO is to look to a cheap rookie contract in the draft.

If not for refs intervention in the Lakers 2 games vs Clippers & Raptors recently, they'd be 5 games, not 1 under 500. Jazz are about to surpass them & would have already if not for outside intervention.

[Whole Truth]

I see CJ brother still pushing to trade Jonas talking about the starters with Nance .. The "big 3" without Jonas.

Jonas - Zion - BI - Herb - Daniels over CJ = (89mins) +21
CJ - Herb - BI - Zion - Nance over Jonas = (24mins) +22

Jonas 15m, Daniels 8m = 27m
CJ 35m, Nance 11m = 47m

Jonas - 14.2 pts, 9.7 rebs, 2.3 ast (57/38/80) 61% eFG. 4.3 win shares @15m cost production.
CJ - 19.7 pts, 4.2 rebs, 5 ast (46/44/79) 58% eFG. 2.8 win shares @ 35m cost production.

Jonas is putting up 14.2pts on 9.8 FGA's (low usage efficiency)
CJ is putting up 19.7pts on 15.1 FGA's (6 more shots for 5 more points) higher usage.

Nance can shoot the 3 ball, Allen doesn't take any, more less make any
Daniel's in cheaply replacing CJ has 2 way potential, Allen increasing Jonas salary, does not.
Jonas is 15m expiring flexibility in drafting a rookie big 24, CJ 2yrs is blocking Daniels development.
Daniels is an in house replacement that doesn't cost assets.
Jonas being an expiring means you lose his court value in trade as such.

I could go on ..

Jonas 4.2 win shares at 15m, CJ 2.8 at 35m ...

As I've said before, like Derozan fans, CJ fans are the ones pushing Jonas trade talk because this team could move CJ with similar or better results while cutting cost by about 20m.

[Whole Truth]

It was 19-18 when Jonas was subbed. They now down 16

[Whole Truth]

Look at all the defensive breakdowns, better get Jonas off the court... lol

[Whole Truth]

Losing these minutes with Jokic off court.

[Whole Truth]

Down 15 at the half, Jonas is -2 going against Jokic.

[Whole Truth]

Anyone know if the big 3 going to play tonight?

[Whole Truth]

You not doubling but nobody is guarding Gordon, make it make sense.

[Whole Truth]

Every run Pelicans made was off the back of Daniels defense.

[Whole Truth]

Dyson +7

[cedric76]

I honestly don't know.

I doubt Murphy is even on the market. His logo range is the best fitting piece with Zion. I was just speculating it might be Murphy Masai is trying to leverage because he's one of 2 players he wanted for OG.

I think he ll be a perfect fit in Orlando at SG

Suggs, Murphy, Franz, PB, Wcj

We have plenty Young players and picks available for trade

I read an Athletic article suggesting Isaac for Laving because your team needs spacing. I agree, Murphy would be lethal in your teams rotation but I don't think he's available to trade & if he were it would most likely requires an overpay to pry him.

I d rather Murphy than lavine

What would be an overpay to your eyes?

His Murphy Happy with his playing time?

Orlando has plenty of expiring contracts and all their 1st and 2 extra 1st. So plenty ammunitions

[Whole Truth]

I think he ll be a perfect fit in Orlando at SG

Suggs, Murphy, Franz, PB, Wcj

We have plenty Young players and picks available for trade

I read an Athletic article suggesting Isaac for Laving because your team needs spacing. I agree, Murphy would be lethal in your teams rotation but I don't think he's available to trade & if he were it would most likely requires an overpay to pry him.

I d rather Murphy than lavine

What would be an overpay to your eyes?

His Murphy Happy with his playing time?

Orlando has plenty of expiring contracts and all their 1st and 2 extra 1st. So plenty ammunitions

NO's have to first figure out what they are doing with ZIon & BI before they start "complimenting" the roster.

Me. I would trade CJ for Isaac & an expiring filler just to get Green to stop starting him with this roster.

[Whole Truth]

If you think Allen was going to cleanup all those missed rotations & breakdowns, you're kidding yourselves.

This is what it looks like on a cold shooting night..

3 times this team made a run to get back in & all 3 times included Daniels ball pressure.

[Whole Truth]

Jokic's 1Q play by play

10:42 - Jokic makes 2 point shot
8:46 - Pope makes 3pt shot, Jokic assists
8:39 - Jokic misses 4 foot shot
7:36 - Jokic misses 15 footer
7:17 - Jokic makes driving dunk in transition
6:39 - Jokic misses 4 foot shot
6:25 - Porter 2pt shot, Jokic assists
5:59 - Jokic makes driving layup (18-15) NO's

In the first 6mins vs Jonas, Jokic (3-6) 6 pts, 2 assists, (3 of his 4 misses in the game)

4:57 - Murray exits the game for Denver & Nance enters game for Jonas. (19-18) Denver. 1pt game
4:27 - Jokic makes 3pt shot
4:00 - Gordon layup, Jokic assists
2:57 - Jokic offensive rebound
2:52 - Jokic 2pt shot
1:55 - Jokic defensive rebound
1:51 - Watson 3pt make, Jokic assist
1:37 - Jordan enters game for Jokic, 29-22 Denver for an 10-4 run in 3 mins

In this 3min span vs Nance, Jokic (2-2) 5 pts, 2 rebounds, 2 assists

Jonas left the 1st Q playing all his 7 minutes against Jokic. (19-18) Denver. They finished the Q (37-25). Which is a 18-7 run in the final 5 minutes with Jokic playing in 3 of the 5 mins opening a 7pt lead, for a 12pt 1st Q lead they never relinquished.

Poster/troll after 1Q, Jonas is the worse Jokic defender in the league, lol,

[Whole Truth]

If you're checking, Jokic (5-8) 11pts 2rebs, 4assists in the first Q

He went (6-1) 8rebs, 10 assist for the next 3Q's

Guess who was a team high for Denver ..... Murray +18
Guess who was a team high for NO's .... Daniels +7

Credit CJ, he's put in work defensively but until Green starts thinking of CJ as a 6th man, streaky shooter, this team is going nowhere.

You're thinking Allen is the solution, you will only compound the issue going with a big man that has no range because it masks not solves a problem. No center was going to defend/cleanup the defensive breakdowns this team had last night. No defensive big was going to help a poor shooting night.

Just so you know, Nance was 3-4 from 3. I'd like to see Allen do that when they force him to play the same way. As a matter of fact the center rotation was 4-6 from 3. Allen takes & makes none. Does he fix those defensive issues or does he compound the offensive ones. Pretty sure Denver had 9 early transition points off the lack luster offensive performance.

Outrebounded 48-30 with Jokic pulling down 10.