Fake Trade Thread #7

[JMAC3]

If you can consistently find rotation worth players in the draft, that is a big deal. No one is saying that all our rookies are the best rookies in the draft, but it is hugely valuable to be able to find contributors deep in the draft and I think a FO that can do that should disproportionately prioritize draft picks.

Yeah, so far we have drafted Salaun, Kon, Liam, KJ, Sion and Kalk.
I would say we will feel good if 3 guys work (50%) out long-term, I wouldn't say that the FO has shown to be a masterclass at drafting quite yet.

I wouldn't either, but I feel a lot more confident in their ability to identify draft talent than I did a couple months ago.

My point was just that "do all our draft picks finish inside the top 10 on the NBA rookie ladder" is not a reasonable barometer of drafting success of the FO.

I understand that but right now with 3 rookies in the top 10 I think we are probably at peak.
I doubt Kon wins ROY, I doubt Sion and Kalk finish top 10.
Doesn't mean we will be disappointed at end of day but I think right now it is easy to overrate what it means because it's best case scenario in the middle of November.

Especially as LaMelo, Miller, Grant come back and the rookie mins start to go down.

[yosemiteben]

Yeah, so far we have drafted Salaun, Kon, Liam, KJ, Sion and Kalk.
I would say we will feel good if 3 guys work (50%) out long-term, I wouldn't say that the FO has shown to be a masterclass at drafting quite yet.

I wouldn't either, but I feel a lot more confident in their ability to identify draft talent than I did a couple months ago.

My point was just that "do all our draft picks finish inside the top 10 on the NBA rookie ladder" is not a reasonable barometer of drafting success of the FO.

I understand that but right now with 3 rookies in the top 10 I think we are probably at peak.
I doubt Kon wins ROY, I doubt Sion and Kalk finish top 10.
Doesn't mean we will be disappointed at end of day but I think right now it is easy to overrate what it means because it's best case scenario in the middle of November.

Especially as LaMelo, Miller, Grant come back and the rookie mins start to go down.

I'm cool if you're telling me your cautionary take that you have for other people. My point was and is that if we drafted 4 rotation worth guys in the same draft, I'll view that as a major win and a reason to be more bullish on holding on to picks. I don't care that, at season's end, 3 of them may be outside the top 10 in the draft.

[amcoolio]

The Hornets are basically just a Wembanyama, Luka, or SGA from being a contender

[Diop]

Would we? I would at least feel like we were trying.

Spending future assets to still miss the playoffs but just guarantee a crapper draft pick??

Sounds genius

I mean sure if you judge it from the standpoint they knew that was the end result of missing guys and being bad sure.
I am saying I don't think fans would be mad if in the off season we traded for Bam and Sabonis and the season was playing out this way.

Again, it would signal we were at least trying to win. Right now, hard to say what we are trying to do. Other than we are playing rookies a lot losing games.

Bam and Sabonis? Yeah sure, but that’s not happening.

I think the front office reasonably thought to wait and see how Ball and Miller returned from injury and to see if they could prove themselves to be worth building around.

I remember when charlotte spent a lot money resigning batum, zeller and co in one off season and the general chat was positive that we had committed to the team.

Now it’s all hindsight of how stupid the front office was, how could they give those bums so much money and how it set the franchise back.

They have to be careful when to go in hard

[Diop]

Would we? I would at least feel like we were trying.

Spending future assets to still miss the playoffs but just guarantee a crapper draft pick??

Sounds genius

What do you recommend? Keep sitting on our asses hoping and praying they'll magically become healthy (and still not be good enough to be a serious playoff team)?

I understand the ptsd from the lOlcatz trauma but I remind myself that these guys just got the team in 2023. Salaun looks like a bad miss but that was a historically bad draft, so much so that spurs just punted their way out of the first round for a pick years away.

Their draft this year combined with finding Moose has given me some hope that with patience they could build something decent.

I think if they could have traded ball and miles already for decent assets that didn’t cause the fan base to completely turn away from the club they would have.

They’ve somehow got the second best shot blocker this year out of the second round and found the next Chris Mullins in Flaggs shadow.

They’ve earnt a little grace from me

[SWedd523]

Same generic argument that has been had for the past year+


The FO inherited the team in 23

the players didn't. the fans didn't. the "assets" we're talking about don't exist in perpetuity, salary decisions have to be made, etc.

it isn't just some pop up expansion franchise. I'm not going to look at them as such and I think it shows a distinct comfort with just existing as an also ran.

[Braggins]

Have to say that the general idea of building through the draft is a lot more interesting after our last draft.

Eh, if it holds it might be the first good draft Jeff Peterson has ever been involved in. I'm still fine with building through the draft and think it generally needs to be the main team building method for the Hornets (although I think they are poised to push some chips in atm), but I'm not ready to believe this current front office can draft.

[Braggins]

I think if a legit high impact player that fits the roster and isn't too old/injured becomes available they should make an aggressive offer, but I don't think they should necessarily be trying to force a big move. If no appropriate big moves are available I still think they could use a small amount of draft capital to add some medium impact guys that might not make a huge difference this season if their core guys aren't healthy, but could still speed up the timeline over the next couple years (for example, PJ Washington).

I don't think they are low enough on talent where they necessarily need to bottom out considering the diminishing returns on this due to the stupid lottery odds. I think it would be fine if they added a solid guy or two and finished with the 8th-10th worst record.

[yosemiteben]

Have to say that the general idea of building through the draft is a lot more interesting after our last draft.

Eh, if it holds it might be the first good draft Jeff Peterson has ever been involved in.

I don't hold draft picks against him if he's not the GM, for all we know he wanted a different guy

[Diop]

Same generic argument that has been had for the past year+


The FO inherited the team in 23

the players didn't. the fans didn't. the "assets" we're talking about don't exist in perpetuity, salary decisions have to be made, etc.

it isn't just some pop up expansion franchise. I'm not going to look at them as such and I think it shows a distinct comfort with just existing as an also ran.

I think they have ambitious plans and I’m hoping they can achieve something good.

It’s also easier said than done to say, why didn’t they just trade for player X? Sometimes you just can’t. Bam is mentioned a ton, but I have never heard Pat Riley ever consider him remotely available. He’s very loyal to his players. Markkenen is too much of an injury risk to pay Ainges typical kings ransom.

We were all angry at the crappy centre rotation but we should really be apologising and admitting we got it wrong. Kalk and Moose have been at minimum solid.

[wilson115]

Two things worth a small/quick fix deal, the back-up 4 spot so we don't wear out Grant when he comes back from the injury (though Sion could help here), and the BBIQ situation when Kon sits down. A 40-pt swing with Kon out is completely absurd and HAS to be paid attention if we're supposed to get anywhere near a culture change.