Offseason 2025 Thread

[Diop]

Love that Aston is now a FA…let the Lakers sign him. I don’t want his slack ass here.

I’m telling you our target needs to be Day’Ron Sharpe. His coming here would be a full circle success story. Check out this YT video from 2 years ago on his journey from Greenville, NC to the Nets. Listen to how he was raised, how he conducted and conducts himself. Listen to what coaches said about him. High character, hard worker, continuous improvement. This guy is only 23, went to Carolina, comes home to make his pro career really take off. He’s not a star, but he’s a quality center for the MLE. Unless we’re trading Melo for a stud 5 Sharpe is our guy.

https://youtu.be/8QqktZJEKqw?si=S9aaQQZyNR8YKKxO

im in, he's definitely on the list if we can get him.

[MasterIchiro]

Dunno why some of yall are so fixated on Clingan.

which school did he go to?

Hint: 2X champion at the best school.

[LofJ]

Love that Aston is now a FA…let the Lakers sign him. I don’t want his slack ass here.

I’m telling you our target needs to be Day’Ron Sharpe. His coming here would be a full circle success story. Check out this YT video from 2 years ago on his journey from Greenville, NC to the Nets. Listen to how he was raised, how he conducted and conducts himself. Listen to what coaches said about him. High character, hard worker, continuous improvement. This guy is only 23, went to Carolina, comes home to make his pro career really take off. He’s not a star, but he’s a quality center for the MLE. Unless we’re trading Melo for a stud 5 Sharpe is our guy.

https://youtu.be/8QqktZJEKqw?si=S9aaQQZyNR8YKKxO

There's another big man with many of the same traits you mentioned that also happened to grow up in a small town in Eastern North Carolina. His name is Bam Adebayo, but unfortunately I doubt Pat Riley has any interest in trading him. Sharpe may be the best we can get without having to pay a high premium.

[vexco]

Dunno why some of yall are so fixated on Clingan.

which school did he go to?

Fair

[Diop]

Melo - Sexton - KJ
Sexton - Green - Sion- NSJ
Miller - Kon- Okogie- McNeeley
Miles - Grant - Salaun
Moose - Kalk


So we're like this at the moment?

I think Sexton has to start, he's too good not to. Mann is still to be decided and I could see us doing another trade, otherwise its use the MLE for a Centre then sign Mann with what ever. He might be a little redundant but he also might raise his value to be a good trade piece after

[Diop]

Read on Twitter

Lakers makes too much sense

[luciano-davidwesley]

Melo - Sexton - KJ
Sexton - Green - Sion- NSJ
Miller - Okogie- McNeeley
Miles - Grant - Salaun
Moose - Kalk


So we're like this at the moment?

I think Sexton has to start, he's too good not to. Mann is still to be decided and I could see us doing another trade, otherwise its use the MLE for a Centre then sign Mann with what ever. He might be a little redundant but he also might raise his value to be a good trade piece after

You forgot Kon

[Diop]

Melo - Sexton - KJ
Sexton - Green - Sion- NSJ
Miller - Kon- Okogie- McNeeley
Miles - Grant - Salaun
Moose - Kalk


So we're like this at the moment?

I think Sexton has to start, he's too good not to. Mann is still to be decided and I could see us doing another trade, otherwise its use the MLE for a Centre then sign Mann with what ever. He might be a little redundant but he also might raise his value to be a good trade piece after

You forgot Kon

good point, ive updated with him backing up the 2/3

[KingCat]

I want to sign Ayton purely so the Lakers don't get him. BS that, despite his issues, a quality player can just fall into their laps

[Braggins]

The narrative around Ayton has gotten so toxic that I'm not sure whether I should want him or not

I watched most Portland games last year.

I think that the Hornets center situation is so bad that if they did sign Ayton I would get it, but I can assure everyone that you'll all be pulling your hair out pretty quickly due to frustration with him if they signed him.

He sets some of the weakest screens ever. He doesn't like rolling hard or committing to be a lob finisher. After screens he usually just floats into short roll spot or around the free throw line and wants to catch the ball there to shoot a midrange shot or short floater.

He can be effective on defense, but often doesn't seem like he cares enough to want to be. Hes been a really frustrating player ever since he left the Suns after the one season he seemed really locked in.

[Diop]

Read on Twitter

[Diop]

Ayton probably needs the likes of Lebron to pressure him into playing defense. or he might go to Milwaukee and hide behind Giannis

[Braggins]

I can't believe Im about to say this, but Ben Simmons does make some sense. They need defensive impact players, they need PF depth, and they need passing. They actually have a ton of shooters now so he could be surrounded by spacing.

[Diop]

I can't believe Im about to say this, but Ben Simmons does make some sense. They need defensive impact players, they need PF depth, and they need passing. They actually have a ton of shooters now so he could be surrounded by spacing.

i agree, there will be less pressure here in Charlotte, he is a veteran backup point guard and defender.

if you are looking for an all star then you are right to scoff at hoping Ben Simmons can reach that again, but if you're looking for a strong, athletic defensive point forward to play a role of the bench. Then Ben seems like a good fit.

looks like only Toronto are linked to him at the moment.

[EmpireFalls]

Read on Twitter

Don’t worry, I’m sure he has no interest in us either.

Just for the record, I’m pretty sure Jeff/Lee’s “obsession with improvement” and other truisms would never see us sign a player like Ayton anyway. I don’t think they’re interested in rehabilitation projects or swings on questionable character. Their ideal is 10 guys who play their best even though they haven’t got much talent.

[King4Day]

Ayton probably needs the likes of Lebron to pressure him into playing defense. or he might go to Milwaukee and hide behind Giannis

Chris Paul, Booker, and KD couldn't get him to try. LeBron will pull his hair out playing with him.
Ayton needs a fish (money) dangled in front of him to be motivated. He reminds me of Andrew Bynum in that regard.

[amcoolio]

I always thought Ben Simmons should play center. IF he committed to it, I think he could resurrect his career...his passing and ability to play defense out to the permeter is so valuable. But I doubt he would commit to it.

I would have said yes to Ayton becuase it was a contract year. He's exactly the type of player to dial it up in a contract year. Now if he signs a MLE, no way.

[luciano-davidwesley]

I can't believe Im about to say this, but Ben Simmons does make some sense. They need defensive impact players, they need PF depth, and they need passing. They actually have a ton of shooters now so he could be surrounded by spacing.

i agree, there will be less pressure here in Charlotte, he is a veteran backup point guard and defender.

if you are looking for an all star then you are right to scoff at hoping Ben Simmons can reach that again, but if you're looking for a strong, athletic defensive point forward to play a role of the bench. Then Ben seems like a good fit.

looks like only Toronto are linked to him at the moment.

Ben is a coward. He's going to sign cheap for the Clippers or more likely the Lakers and ring chase.

You can guarantee if LA sign Ayton and Simmons they won't win it with that amount of malignant tumour added.

[Bassman]

Love that Aston is now a FA…let the Lakers sign him. I don’t want his slack ass here.

I’m telling you our target needs to be Day’Ron Sharpe. His coming here would be a full circle success story. Check out this YT video from 2 years ago on his journey from Greenville, NC to the Nets. Listen to how he was raised, how he conducted and conducts himself. Listen to what coaches said about him. High character, hard worker, continuous improvement. This guy is only 23, went to Carolina, comes home to make his pro career really take off. He’s not a star, but he’s a quality center for the MLE. Unless we’re trading Melo for a stud 5 Sharpe is our guy.

https://youtu.be/8QqktZJEKqw?si=S9aaQQZyNR8YKKxO

There's another big man with many of the same traits you mentioned that also happened to grow up in a small town in Eastern North Carolina. His name is Bam Adebayo, but unfortunately I doubt Pat Riley has any interest in trading him. Sharpe may be the best we can get without having to pay a high premium.

If we’re getting a center via FA, Sharpe is young enough to develop further with starter minutes, maybe become part of the core. Clint Capela is another option, but he doesn’t shoot 3’s, poor FT%, and is 31. HoopsRumors has Sharpe listed as the 22nd best FA available (this was 6/23, prior to the start of teams resigning). Their comments:

Of the players we’ve discussed so far, Sharpe has one of the thinnest NBA résumés. He has appeared in just 191 total games (14 starts) and averaged 7.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per night this past season. But he’s becoming one of the NBA’s best offensive rebounders and has some sneaky play-making skills. Notably, a Nets team that finished the season with a 26-56 record and a -7.3 net rating outscored its opponents by 2.1 points per 100 possessions when Sharpe was playing, which was – by far – the best mark of any rotation player who finished the season on Brooklyn’s roster. I won’t be shocked if the 23-year-old, who should continue to improve, gets an eight-figure annual salary.

[Rays Pompadour]

I don’t get the vibe that the Hornets are wanting to make a winning move with a big free agent center signing. I figure they’ll go into the season with Diabate as starter and Kalkbrenner as the #2. They’ll then sign a dude like Thomas Bryant or Biyombo as #3.