Offseason 2025 Thread

[yosemiteben]

are we just gonna be stuck forever in this limbo between "LaMelo would play more games if they mattered" and the arbitrary hurdle of "making it through a season" that he has to jump before we're allowed to make a an actual strong move toward winning or what

I don't think Melo would play more games if they mattered.

I don't think it makes sense to spend big on a marquee piece if we don't have a set foundation to build on and aren't ready to start winning because we don't have appropriate depth. Once you enter the tax, you have 3 years before repeater tax world where things get punitive. We need to have things aligned and be ready to win before we do that.

[MasterIchiro]

The front office added exactly 1 multiyear deal this offseason, a small one to Tre Mann. The other multiyear deals were 4 rookie scale contracts

There's a huge gulf between spending big and spending small.

I feel we are limited to small spending, which just prolongs losing. We are saying we're ready...to keep losing just enough to add more rookie scale contracts.

[Chapelchilla]

I think we are keeping future cap space available for next year to sign a big contract/trade for one and be able to retain Miller.

[yosemiteben]

The front office added exactly 1 multiyear deal this offseason, a small one to Tre Mann. The other multiyear deals were 4 rookie scale contracts

There's a huge gulf between spending big and spending small.

I feel we are limited to small spending, which just prolongs losing. We are saying we're ready...to keep losing just enough to add more rookie scale contracts.

From this (https://www.spotrac.com/nba/cash/_/year/2024) it appears that last year we spent more than HOU, DET, OKC, SAS, and ORL, and only spent like 1% less than the median. I don't take them using draft picks as evidence that our FO is specifically unwilling to spend, particularly when we sorely lacked depth last season and resorted to random G league signings to try to have a full active roster.

[SWedd523]

I just cannot accept that we had a solid core when 2/3 of that core shouldn't be expected to play more than half of a season.

Then stop Tyson Chandlering around, trade them, and actually start over with a rebuild

They're going to get a trade demand in the next year or so at this rate anyway

Well we did trade one, which is part of what prompted the complaint in the first place.

I personally am not at all concerned about a trade demand from Melo, until he stays healthy we're not getting good value for him anyway. We just saw this go down with Mark, we moved him and lots of folks are mad that it wasn't better value and think we should have kept him.

It seems very possible that they think Melo's long term health outlook is better than Mark, and also that he's more impactful when actually able to play, and so they are willing to ride the ride longer with him. But I also think they aren't committed to keeping Melo long term if he never shows an ability to stay healthy.

I think it is smart to not make moves that move us into the tax before we have reason to believe that at least the core parts of our foundation can make it through a season.

So are they rebuilding or in a holding pattern because they're too cowardly to actually do something?

At what point would you feel comfortable with them doing something? Three years of injury seasons in a row.

We'll just recycle all the talking points next year when Melo has another inevitable injury:

-He could play more if they were actually trying to win
-No need to risk it
-Theyre building for the future

Then next off-season we'll recycle these same talking points:

-Have to wait to see if they can stay healthy
-Can't make a decision until we see them play a full season
-They need another year to figure it out
-At least they added another "winner" in Bennett Stirtz/Thomas Haugh as a prize for their 22-60 record

[yosemiteben]

I was ready to cut bait on Melo when I saw he was having surgery last season, until I saw it was elective and with a short recovery time. This is the last season I'm willing to play the "can he stay healthy" game and, if he misses a ton of games again, I'll be 100% out on him as a long term part of our team.

[LofJ]

Fox and Young are both unrestricted free agents next summer. If we trade LaMelo I hope ownership makes it clear that it isn't a signal to keep tanking. That Peterson needs to build a competitive team ASAP. So trade LaMelo, draft a lead playmaker, make a big signing, and trade for a difference maker. We can't keep perpetually rebuilding.

[fatlever]

I was ready to cut bait on Melo when I saw he was having surgery last season, until I saw it was elective and with a short recovery time. This is the last season I'm willing to play the "can he stay healthy" game and, if he misses a ton of games again, I'll be 100% out on him as a long term part of our team.

it's one hundred percent do or die season for any remaining patience I have for melo. I'll trade him for 20 cents on the dollar next year if he doesn't play more than 50 games.

[fatlever]

Read on Twitter

[Braggins]

If you guys see this as a do or die season for LaMelo I don't understand how you are so positive about this offseason. They didn't put a remotely serious roster around him for him to succeed. The team isn't going to be good and they are going to have every reason to be as conservative as possible with injury management. This season likely isn't going to tell us anything we don't know about LaMelo.

[fatlever]

If you guys see this as a do or die season for LaMelo I don't understand how you are so positive about this offseason. They didn't put a remotely serious roster around him for him to succeed. The team isn't going to be good and they are going to have every reason to be as conservative as possible with injury management. This season likely isn't going to tell us anything we don't know about LaMelo.

Not do or die in the sense that any of us expect this team to be a solid playoff team. Do or die in the sense that we need to see some real growth in his game on both sides of the ball and we need to see that his ankles are healthy enough for him to play 50 games. That's what I mean by that. I don't think there was any logical move out there this summer that would have made this team a solid playoff team.

Let melo prove that he has matured and can stay healthy and then you pull the trigger to cash in on the picks and put Whatever necessary veteran next to him. I think this season is all about seeing exactly what they have between him and Miller. And then they can figure out what available veteran pieces are out there that compliment or add to the two of them or if They truly need to have our move on.

[yosemiteben]

Agreed with fats.

I don't think Melo carrying the offensive load in terms of usage and shot attempts last year was a good thing for him or the team, although I don't fault him for it given the injuries we had and offensive options that were available. I also think having such a limited number of perimeter scorers for him to distribute to was also not a good thing for him. I actually think he will radically benefit from adding an elite C&S perimeter scorer like Kon (and hopefully Liam if he bounces back) and guys who can soak up on ball usage like Sexton and Mann (if he can stay healthy).

ETA: And for what it's worth, we are barely past the first official day of free agency and haven't even officially announced a move we made and have another move that we're going to need to make by 7/15 (Okogie), so I think it's too early to act like we know what our plan is or what our roster will look like when the season starts.

[SWedd523]

If you guys see this as a do or die season for LaMelo I don't understand how you are so positive about this offseason. They didn't put a remotely serious roster around him for him to succeed. The team isn't going to be good and they are going to have every reason to be as conservative as possible with injury management. This season likely isn't going to tell us anything we don't know about LaMelo.

Not do or die in the sense that any of us expect this team to be a solid playoff team. Do or die in the sense that we need to see some real growth in his game on both sides of the ball and we need to see that his ankles are healthy enough for him to play 50 games. That's what I mean by that. I don't think there was any logical move out there this summer that would have made this team a solid playoff team.

Let melo prove that he has matured and can stay healthy and then you pull the trigger to cash in on the picks and put Whatever necessary veteran next to him. I think this season is all about seeing exactly what they have between him and Miller. And then they can figure out what available veteran pieces are out there that compliment or add to the two of them or if They truly need to have our move on.

I don't see how you can expect growth when you're likely giving heavy minutes to Kon, Tiddy, Moose, and the big white Kalk.

He's going to be hunted defensively because there's no big to help nor anyone else on the roster capable of doing anything.

He's going to be swarmed on offense and carry a heavy usage because Miller may or may not be back and effective and nobody else can create offense.

He is set up to be a high usage chucker who is going to get beaten up again.

It's the same self licking ice cream cone from the past 5 years

[yosemiteben]

He's going to be swarmed on offense and carry a heavy usage because Miller may or may not be back and effective and nobody else can create offense.

Sexton, Mann, and Dinwiddie can all help with this, and Miles was much better in the second half of the season.

Defense is definitely going to be a challenge, but offensively we're a lot better with what we've done so far.

[KembaWalker]

Is there anyone here that would actually be particularly reassured if LaMelo played 65 games next year that someone that sets some norm or baseline for him in 26-27 and suddenly worth making a move to bring in some real help. He could play 82 games next year and go right back to rolling exploding ankles. They need to be thinking independently of LaMelo, add talent because they need to get the loser stink off this team. If you’re going to draft role player ceiling players with real talent on the board then your priority needs to be playing functioning NBA basketball now not crippling Plumdog ball wasting everyone’s time

[SWedd523]

He's going to be swarmed on offense and carry a heavy usage because Miller may or may not be back and effective and nobody else can create offense.

Sexton, Mann, and Dinwiddie can all help with this, and Miles was much better in the second half of the season.

Defense is definitely going to be a challenge, but offensively we're a lot better with what we've done so far.

There is still no balance

No team has to worry about post scoring. They've shown that they want Melo to be the primary intiator, and they're not going to play Sexton, Mann, and Spencer at the same time. They all play the same positions.

You're going to see Melo continue to be top 3 usage in the league, which I think we've all agreed is not a recipe for success (personal or team)

[Liver_Pooty]

I think Miller makes a huge jump and everything works out.

[yosemiteben]

He's going to be swarmed on offense and carry a heavy usage because Miller may or may not be back and effective and nobody else can create offense.

Sexton, Mann, and Dinwiddie can all help with this, and Miles was much better in the second half of the season.

Defense is definitely going to be a challenge, but offensively we're a lot better with what we've done so far.

There is still no balance

No team has to worry about post scoring. They've shown that they want Melo to be the primary intiator, and they're not going to play Sexton, Mann, and Spencer at the same time. They all play the same positions.

You're going to see Melo continue to be top 3 usage in the league, which I think we've all agreed is not a recipe for success (personal or team)

You might be right, we'll see. I just don't think you can look at our moves so far and say they've done nothing to try to bring in any offensive support.

Just fyi, last year Sexton shot 44% on C&S 3s. The year before that was 45%.

Last year Mann hit 45% on C&S 3s. The year before that was 41%.

Kon hit 43% on C&S 3s last year.

Adding C&S 3 point shooters is definitely an offensive needle mover.

[Bassman]

So much depends on how these gazillion guards mesh with each other. That and health….and how many nights our fragile bigs limit the inside destruction of our front line, or after adjustment, does the team give up drive after drive breaking down perimeter D.

Yes we’ve added some real NBA players thank goodness. We also shipped out 2 NBA centers, returned a clearance sale 34 yo, and still have little to nothing dependable behind Miles.

[JustBuzzin]

If you guys see this as a do or die season for LaMelo I don't understand how you are so positive about this offseason. They didn't put a remotely serious roster around him for him to succeed. The team isn't going to be good and they are going to have every reason to be as conservative as possible with injury management. This season likely isn't going to tell us anything we don't know about LaMelo.

Let melo prove that he has matured and can stay healthy

We do this every off-season with Melo. He's 5 years in he's not maturing that's simply not his personality. He's not going to play 70 games that's not in his DNA.

5 years in Melo is what he is. It seems every season we asking the same question.