Paul Pierce Out 2-4 Weeks

[NyCeEvO]

Trade him for Rudy Gay.

Toronto buys him out and lets him retire a Celtic.

You guys get a younger SF who enables you guys to go for it this year.

We've seen Rudy's contract and we've seen him play.

No thanks.

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[cram]

Trade him for Rudy Gay.

Toronto buys him out and lets him retire a Celtic.

You guys get a younger SF who enables you guys to go for it this year.

We've seen Rudy's contract and we've seen him play.

No thanks.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

He's playing a lot better than Pierce, and their salaries are essentially the same.

He's being a bit of a cowboy in Toronto, but I assume he reigns that in playing beside KG, Joe Johnson, and Deron.

[NyCeEvO]

Rudy's been playing "a lot" better than Pierce?

A healthy Rudy has a TS% of .460, an eFG% of .416, ORTG of 92, FTr of .253, and AST% of 12.8%

While Pierce has played bad, we know that he's been hurting with a sore groin, tweaked foot, and now a broken bone in his shooting hand.

Yet, Pierce has the same eFG% as Rudy, a higher TS% (.504), ORTG (95), FTr (.432), and AST% (16.5%).

While Pierce has stunk it up at least he's been attacking the basket, drawing fouls, and actually passing to his teammates.

Rudy should be a more dynamic scorer and yet Pierce even has a higher conversion raate of 2PT FGs (.424 compared to .384).

Gay should be embarrassed that a guy who's almost 10 years older than him and who's been injured is actually playing more efficiently and has been a more willing passer than he has been.

Even if Pierce tanks, he comes off the books at the end of the season. Rudy is definitely going to pick up his player option and struggle for another year with whichever franchise he's on.

I admit that I used to want Rudy Gay because I thought MEM might've caused a lot of his problems. No we're all seeing that the team isn't the problem, Rudy Gay is his own worst problem.

[cram]

Rudy's been playing "a lot" better than Pierce?

A healthy Rudy has a TS% of .460, an eFG% of .416, ORTG of 92, FTr of .253, and AST% of 12.8%

While Pierce has played bad, we know that he's been hurting with a sore groin, tweaked foot, and now a broken bone in his shooting hand.

Yet, Pierce has the same eFG% as Rudy, a higher TS% (.504), ORTG (95), FTr (.432), and AST% (16.5%).

While Pierce has stunk it up at least he's been attacking the basket, drawing fouls, and actually passing to his teammates.

Rudy should be a more dynamic scorer and yet Pierce even has a higher conversion raate of 2PT FGs (.424 compared to .384).

Gay should be embarrassed that a guy who's almost 10 years older than him and who's been injured is actually playing more efficiently and has been a more willing passer than he has been.

Even if Pierce tanks, he comes off the books at the end of the season. Rudy is definitely going to pick up his player option and struggle for another year with whichever franchise he's on.

I admit that I used to want Rudy Gay because I thought MEM might've caused a lot of his problems. No we're all seeing that the team isn't the problem, Rudy Gay is his own worst problem.

Okay.

1. Toronto's offense has no structure, so it's basically Rudy or Demar going 1 on 1 (or 1 on 3). Put him in a structure with Johnson, Williams, Lopez, and (to a lesser degree) KG and you'll see his efficiency go up.

2. Could be the injuries, but Pierce doesn't look like he can defend ANYONE right now. Rudy is Toronto's best defender.

3. What does the cap hit matter? Brooklyn is in cap hell next year regardless of whether you have Pierce or Rudy. Money doesn't seem like much of an object to your owner, so why not GO FOR IT while your veteran team has a chance.

Anyway, was just an idea. Stay with Pierce, if you think he's what your team needs.

[NyCeEvO]

1. But Rudy's had the structure of an offensive system before i MEM and he's failed there. Even on a better team in MEM, he was still pretty inefficient which is shame because he's got all of the physical tools to be a much better player.

2. I'll grant you the point on defense. I'm not sure if Pierce has been gun shy about playing active defense because of his groin and hand injuries. I'll wait until he comes back from his injury to judge him but at this point, Gay is definitely the better defender.

3. Our owner doesn't care about money, but why go into the repeater tax if you don't have to. Under the repeater tax, our cap hit would be way higher and then you'd have to think whether having someone like Gay here is worth the extra tens of millions that his contract could cost us by going into the tax. We've already got JJ taking a huge chunk of money from us. We don't need any more reasons to go into a deeper tax threshold than what we already have.

I wasn't trying put you down or anything. I just don't feel like whatever extra ability that Gay would bring to this team would outweigh the negatives that come along with his playing style and his contract. At least you guys could use him as a major expiring contract next year.

[cram]

Gay is hardly a great option, but I think he's way better than Pierce. Also costs the same this year, and if he takes his option for next year will be about 6-8M overpaid.

6-8M (plus tax) isn't great, but it's not world-ending either.

[jeff1624]

Gay is hardly a great option, but I think he's way better than Pierce. Also costs the same this year, and if he takes his option for next year will be about 6-8M overpaid.

6-8M (plus tax) isn't great, but it's not world-ending either.

One of our teams problem is too much ISO ball... and we fix that by trading for Rudy Gay?

[cram]

Gay is hardly a great option, but I think he's way better than Pierce. Also costs the same this year, and if he takes his option for next year will be about 6-8M overpaid.

6-8M (plus tax) isn't great, but it's not world-ending either.

One of our teams problem is too much ISO ball... and we fix that by trading for Rudy Gay?

ISO ball is more about Toronto's system (or lack thereof) than Rudy's style. Was he an ISO guy in Memphis? (where they had a nice inside-out system).

[jeff1624]

Gay is hardly a great option, but I think he's way better than Pierce. Also costs the same this year, and if he takes his option for next year will be about 6-8M overpaid.

6-8M (plus tax) isn't great, but it's not world-ending either.

One of our teams problem is too much ISO ball... and we fix that by trading for Rudy Gay?

ISO ball is more about Toronto's system (or lack thereof) than Rudy's style. Was he an ISO guy in Memphis? (where they had a nice inside-out system).

Gay has a higher Ast% this year than any year he had in Memphis. Rudy Gay is one of the most selfish ball hogs in the NBA and he had that reputation long before getting traded. He would hurt this team more than he would help. There's a reason Gay was traded by a team the same year they wanted to contend and that's because Gay is a losing basketball player.

[DarkAzcura]

Gay is hardly a great option, but I think he's way better than Pierce. Also costs the same this year, and if he takes his option for next year will be about 6-8M overpaid.

6-8M (plus tax) isn't great, but it's not world-ending either.

One of our teams problem is too much ISO ball... and we fix that by trading for Rudy Gay?

ISO ball is more about Toronto's system (or lack thereof) than Rudy's style. Was he an ISO guy in Memphis? (where they had a nice inside-out system).

That's the reason Memphis traded him. Trust me even at this point in their careers, Pierce is a much better overall player.

[cram]

In the games I've watched, Pierce looked like a corpse.

He could audition The Walking Dead as a walker. Honestly, not trying to be mean - he just looks finished.

[Paradise]

KG said Pierce kept asking the trainers why his hand kept hurting weeks ago.

So, he might have fractured it before and completely broke it at Houston after getting X-Rays or something.

I'm starting to wonder if our staff is that incompetent.

[NyCeEvO]

KG said Pierce kept asking the trainers why his hand kept hurting weeks ago.

So, he might have fractured it before and completely broke it at Houston after getting X-Rays or something.

I'm starting to wonder if our staff is that incompetent.

When it rains, it pours.

[FirstBallotKG]

Could you provide a link or source where KG made those statements?

I find that incredibly revealing and an ominous sign if the Nets conditioning staff is that obtuse. It would explain the rash of injuries seen on this roster. Players aren't tended to when they're initially hurt; and other players reluctant to play through injuries because of lack of faith in the Nets training staff.

Again, if possible a direct quote would be great. To me this would reveal why our team has looked like the walking-wounded after just a quarter of the season underway. Unbelievable.

[Paradise]

Could you provide a link or source where KG made those statements?

I find that incredibly revealing and an ominous sign if the Nets conditioning staff is that obtuse. It would explain the rash of injuries seen on this roster. Players aren't tended to when they're initially hurt; and other players reluctant to play through injuries because of lack of faith in the Nets training staff.

Again, if possible a direct quote would be great. To me this would reveal why our team has looked like the walking-wounded after just a quarter of the season underway. Unbelievable.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/TimBontemps/status/408339851554340865[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/RotowireATC/status/408349791731466245[/tweet]

[exculpatory]

KG said Pierce kept asking the trainers why his hand kept hurting weeks ago.

So, he might have fractured it before and completely broke it at Houston after getting X-Rays or something.

I'm starting to wonder if our staff is that incompetent.

I have been posting over & over & over & over that Paul MUST have FIRST fractured his hand 2 weeks/7 games ago when his shooting literally FELL OFF A CLIFF - after he shot a solid 46% during his first 8 games. Someone as elite as Paul does not shoot TS% 61% & FG% 48.5% after the ASG last season, & then suddenly drop off to a TS% of 50% & a FG% 36% - WITHOUT an underlying significant injury - such as a fractured metacarpal bone in his freaking shooting hand.

Sometimes, Paul being a tough as nails gamer & hiding injuries is a negative. The same exact thing happened in 1/2013 when he shot horribly because of a "non-publicized at first" pinched cervical nerve on the right. Then the injury improved & he put up All Pro numbers after the ASG/after Rondo went down.

And, yes, it sounds like the Nets trainers are freaking (Please Use More Appropriate Word)!!!

[FirstBallotKG]

Appreciate the links [one was to the NYPost where KG was quoted from]

I didn't feel the need for panic was necessary, but after reading that...yeah, I'm looking for that panic button.

As KG said in that article, “I knew something was wrong with [Pierce] because I’ve seen him play through a lot of different injuries, and for him to keep inquiring and trying to understand what was wrong with his hand, I knew it had to be something very, very serious and I mean, put it on the list."

Even KG could tell something was wrong when a gamer like Pierce was concerned about his health.

If the players don't have the utmost confidence in their conditioning & medical staff, that can lead to disastrous results with injuries and players seeking their personal doctors and not willing to risk or exacerbate mild injuries. This explains why this team has not had a full roster aside from opening week.

I'm speculating here, obviously, but they may not believe that their well-being is top priority here. Thanks for the links, but this is NOT good news. This looks like dysfunction from afar.

[exculpatory]

Appreciate the links [one was to the NYPost where KG was quoted from]

I didn't feel the need for panic was necessary, but after reading that...yeah, I'm looking for that panic button.

As KG said in that article, “I knew something was wrong with [Pierce] because I’ve seen him play through a lot of different injuries, and for him to keep inquiring and trying to understand what was wrong with his hand, I knew it had to be something very, very serious and I mean, put it on the list."

Even KG could tell something was wrong when a gamer like Pierce was concerned about his health.

If the players don't have the utmost confidence in their conditioning & medical staff, that can lead to disastrous results with injuries and players seeking their personal doctors and not willing to risk or exacerbate mild injuries. This explains why this team has not had a full roster aside from opening week.

I'm speculating here, obviously, but they may not believe that their well-being is top priority here. Thanks for the links, but this is NOT good news. This looks like dysfunction from afar.

Bingo! Paul will return healed & play frigging lights out.

[DarkXaero]

Could you provide a link or source where KG made those statements?

I find that incredibly revealing and an ominous sign if the Nets conditioning staff is that obtuse. It would explain the rash of injuries seen on this roster. Players aren't tended to when they're initially hurt; and other players reluctant to play through injuries because of lack of faith in the Nets training staff.

Again, if possible a direct quote would be great. To me this would reveal why our team has looked like the walking-wounded after just a quarter of the season underway. Unbelievable.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/TimBontemps/status/408339851554340865[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/RotowireATC/status/408349791731466245[/tweet]

Either that or our medical staff is just incompetent. Tbh, I don't have much faith in our medical staff, I know Tim Walsh has been with this team for a long time but this team has made mistakes dealing with player injuries over the years. Now they're overly cautious and something like this still happens.