Bassman wrote:MasterIchiro wrote:To add,
I don't think it will be too long before we appreciate the criminality in landing a top-2 protected distant 1st round pick on top of this perfect fitting player we have in Charlotte's native son, Grant Williams.
Kupchak boned the Dallas front office like Debbie of the cult classic Debbie Does Dallas.
And Tre Mann looks like he may have a more successful career than Josh Giddey.
How does one acquire Mann, and Micic for that matter using Gordon Hayward?
Tre Mann is going to change opposing defense as a starter here. He does fit with LaMelo on or off ball. The Celtics are using a dual-PG backcourt in Jrue/D. White.
Indeed the return on those trades appears to be payback for all the disasters stacked previously. Particularly the Hayward deal…just bizarre. Agree on Mann…has potential to be THE answer next to Melo. Williams such a key fit. Micic is a fine bonus…so skilled. Seth is the icing on the cake, with Bert adding sprinkles on top.
I honestly don't see a fireable offense any worse than Presti once trading James Harden for Jeremy Lamb or swapping the picks that became Quickley and Jaden McDaniels for Poku. Presti lost big here on the Mann trade. I think the Thunder overextended their investment in Josh Giddey and Mann is a casualty of that.
Plus there were few large trades preceding this series.
Kemba for Rozier looks like a tie or a win, certainly no disaster.
Duren for NSJ is no disaster when you consider Kupchak turned Devonte Graham into Mark Williams in the same draft.
Miller over Scoot doesn't qualify as a disaster either.
If Mann turns into starting shooting guard and can impact the game like Derek White, Hornets have 5 solid starters in LaMelo, Mann, Miller, Miles, Mark and a potential 6th man in NSJ.
The next GM can likely concentrate on the bench and will have a decent wallet for it. Micic leading the second unit will keep games competitive because he knows how to play winning basketball.
I don't see a starting slot that can be significantly upgraded. Maybe Mann? But we have 1.5 seasons to audition him before his restricted free agency. We landed PJ on a discount contract in his.
I think we really need to upgrade Martin with a wing defender who can actually score and not commit stupid turnovers. And I think we need a stretch big (like WCJ) over Nick Richards.
In this market though, PG depth is so rare. LaMelo - Mann - Micic happens to be the best PG depth maybe in franchise history. Imagine selecting Topic in the draft. You move mountains to accommodate him.