MartyConlonOnTheRun wrote:Wolveswin wrote:Wallace_Wallace wrote:Do the Pelicans have the Lakers' 2023 pick/pick swap? What if they end up with Victor Wembanyama?
Yes. Lakers have 0.0% chance of drafting Wembanyama!
Lakers, Bucks, Wolves, Nets, 76ers, Clippers (forgetting anyone?) all have 0.0% chance at drafting Victor.
I still wonder if there is a play where Pelicans will release the pick swap for compensation if they continue to do well and Lakers continue to tank. Like I'm talking AD gets traded to a 3rd team and pelicans get a young starter and Lakers keep there pic.
Yeah it is fun to have the lottery ticket for the Pelicans, but in reality Lakers wont fully tank (without a chance at the lottery) and most likely scenario is 10th pick in 2023.
Would you rather have a 2023 10th pick or decent starter if you are the pelicans?
Lakers could then go full rebuild and be favorites for Victor.
Same reason you'd be willing to trade Davis' return for the 23 pick & a shot at Wemba, same reason NO's doesn't trade it. Wherever Lakers finish in the draft, top 4 will be a luck factor & I think the draft is deep enough to warrent the risk of not ending up with Wemba but atleast having an outside shot at the possibility. Lakers could decide to tank out the season but it does not guarantee a top 4 selection either. So your interest is the possibility of Wemba not the reality of him. Same as NO's.. The young player would have to be a game changer on rookie scale to even begin to consider. Who do you realistically have in mind ? What good young piece is a team giving up for an often injured Davis ?
The percieved benefit of bolstering the 24/25 pick by LA trading Davis is offset by Lebron, a top 10 pick & cap space in strong 24 free agent class.
After acquiring CJ & extending Zion, NO's are fast approaching luxury tax territory where adding young talent on rookie scale is important to both the cap hit & a constant influx of fresh talent, sustainability & control for a small market. A nice blend of vets, youth, max & rookie scale contracts balancing the roster makeup & contract obligations. The current roster is also deep where Pels need a consolidation trade to get the 8th pick into the 10 man rotation for PT & development.
The 2 roster spots NO's would like to upgrade moving forward are Jonas & CJ. This draft has 7 prospects that potentially fit that need that would be on rookie scale & control
- Wemba, Ware, Jackson (Jonas expiring)
Zion
Herb
BI
- Scoot, Wallace, Amen, Smith (CJ moved to 6th man)
What young player do you have in mind over these potential cheap talent upgrades, all things considered ?