Discussing Other Teams' Moves Part 4

[payitforward]

The NBA is a weird "market." Paul Pierce was a bit more productive per minute than Marion (Pierce's PPA was 131; Marion's 118). But, Marion was his usual healthy self -- 2400+ total minutes, which was about 300 more than Pierce played. And Marion can't find a team to hire him while Pierce gets full MLE.

On the minimum salary deal Marion ends up getting, he's going to be one of the biggest bargains in the league.

Yeah, I think something is up. Either Marion has a health or personal/legal issue that isn't public, or he has a way inflated sense of the market and refused to sign for something less than, say $8M. Even with our crowded and imbalanced roster, I'd sign him today if he'd take the minimum and make a trade later to rebalance the roster.

Me too. Marion play SF and PF. He's still an excellent defender (he was basically tied with Ariza in defensive impact in my system). And, he doesn't need a lot of shots to feel good about himself at this point in his career.

Oh, wow -- I haven't been following FAs closely the last couple of weeks. Are you saying Marion doesn't have a job and is available for a vet minimum salary? Inconceivable. But... what? We've made a promise to Al Harrington? Marion would be the last jewel in the crown of old players (but... good ones!) we're creating. Grab him!

[Nivek]

Yeah, I think something is up. Either Marion has a health or personal/legal issue that isn't public, or he has a way inflated sense of the market and refused to sign for something less than, say $8M. Even with our crowded and imbalanced roster, I'd sign him today if he'd take the minimum and make a trade later to rebalance the roster.

Me too. Marion play SF and PF. He's still an excellent defender (he was basically tied with Ariza in defensive impact in my system). And, he doesn't need a lot of shots to feel good about himself at this point in his career.

Oh, wow -- I haven't been following FAs closely the last couple of weeks. Are you saying Marion doesn't have a job and is available for a vet minimum salary? Inconceivable. But... what? We've made a promise to Al Harrington? Marion would be the last jewel in the crown of old players (but... good ones!) we're creating. Grab him!

I didn't even think of that. If they keep Harrington when they could have had Marion at the same price... Well, that would be absurd.

[LyricalRico]

^ Of course that assumes that Marion would agree to come here. If he truly is down to sifting through equal minimum salary offers, there might be other situations that he finds more attractive. But I don't think he's quite down to that yet. There's a bunch of teams that have the room exception left. I can't imagine he signs for less than that.

[Nivek]

^ Of course that assumes that Marion would agree to come here. If he truly is down to sifting through equal minimum salary offers, there might be other situations that he finds more attractive. But I don't think he's quite down to that yet. There's a bunch of teams that have the room exception left. I can't imagine he signs for less than that.

This is very true. I'm just saying that if Marion was an option for the team (meaning that he would agree to come to the Wizards) at the minimum, it would be absurd to keep Harrington at the same price.

[Severn Hoos]

I am hopelessly out-of-touch, who the hell is Will Cherry? (Per the Tap)

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/will-cherry

http://basketball.realgm.com/player/Wil ... mary/13470

I never heard of him either. Thanks to Google I found out he finished playing NCAA ball at Montana in 2013, and played last season in D league. He got tased and arrested last year. He is originally from Oakland. He is a smallish defensive point guard who apparently looked good in summer league.

His PER in summer league was 22.6. However, his D League PER was just 13.4 with pretty bad shooting.


Sent from my SGH-M919 using RealGM Forums mobile app

CCJ, I can't believe you missed the obvious reference here, it's only one letter difference. (OK, maybe it was just me, but this was all I could think when I saw the note on the Tap.)


[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe1ScoePqVA[/youtube]

[hands11]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/23 ... -Cavaliers

Wolves-Narrow-Kevin-Love-Trade-Talks-Down-To-Cavaliers


Shocking I tell you. Never saw that coming.

[rockymac52]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2138 ... rek-fisher

Serge Ibaka is working on his post moves a lot this summer, and he's training with a former pro big man... Michael Ruffin.

Couldn't help but laugh out loud when I read that. Michael Ruffin might literally be the last player I would ever want teaching me how to score in the paint.

[Nivek]

Wow, Ruffin? Maybe Ruffin has know-how, but couldn't actually do the moves himself?

Maybe Ruffin is just playing "defense" and not really teaching much about the offensive moves?

It would have made a lot more sense if Ibaka had said he was working with Ruffin on conditioning or strength -- Ruffin was a fitness freak. Looks like he still is from that video.

Weird.

[keynote]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2138355-serge-ibaka-talks-recovery-lessons-from-the-spurs-okc-future-and-derek-fisher

Serge Ibaka is working on his post moves a lot this summer, and he's training with a former pro big man... Michael Ruffin.

Couldn't help but laugh out loud when I read that. Michael Ruffin might literally be the last player I would ever want teaching me how to score in the paint.

Hilarious indeed. Of course, for all we know, Ruffin could be a great coach. He's a smart guy in general (chemical or civil engineering degree, if memory serves), and he may know more about post moves than his stiff, uncoordinated body let him execute.

We as fans always get excited about our players working with famous, retired stars like Hakeem, Kareem, or GP -- or even retired fan favorites like Cassell. But I don't have enough info to know whether those guys are truly better at one-on-one coaching than less-talented gym rats like Ruffin.

[montestewart]

Wow, Ruffin? Maybe Ruffin has know-how, but couldn't actually do the moves himself?

Maybe Ruffin is just playing "defense" and not really teaching much about the offensive moves?

It would have made a lot more sense if Ibaka had said he was working with Ruffin on conditioning or strength -- Ruffin was a fitness freak. Looks like he still is from that video.

Weird.

I always thought Ruffin did a great job of playing within his rather severe limits. His most famous moment notwithstanding, I considered him a pretty smart player, though that wouldn't necessarily translate to being a good coach for someone without those limits.

[Nivek]

Ruffin was one of my favorite people back when I went to the games on press pass. Very smart. Thoughtful. Always ready to talk about what they were doing and why. Crazy work ethic. The guy had muscles on top of his muscles. In terms of strategy, Xs and Os, ability to communicate, I thought he'd make an excellent coach. But, I wouldn't have envisioned him being hired to tutor a big man on his post moves.

Although, it's not like post moves are some kind of esoteric dark art known only to a select few. Knowing what to do and being able to do it successfully against NBA competition are different things.

[payitforward]

Ruffin was one of my favorite people back when I went to the games on press pass. Very smart. Thoughtful. Always ready to talk about what they were doing and why. Crazy work ethic. The guy had muscles on top of his muscles. In terms of strategy, Xs and Os, ability to communicate, I thought he'd make an excellent coach. But, I wouldn't have envisioned him being hired to tutor a big man on his post moves.

Although, it's not like post moves are some kind of esoteric dark art known only to a select few. Knowing what to do and being able to do it successfully against NBA competition are different things.

Doesn't seem uncommon for a coach to be unable to actually *do* the things he's teaching his players to do. Seems pretty common, in fact.

[Rafael122]

Am I the only one who thinks Flip did great in getting Young, Wiggins AND a pick for Kevin Love?

[I_Like_Dirt]

There is a distinction between being able to do something, and being able to do it at an absolutely elite level. Otherwise Wes Unseld would be a better coach than Greg Popovich and Tom Thibodeau.

[Nivek]

Am I the only one who thinks Flip did great in getting Young, Wiggins AND a pick for Kevin Love?

It's always tough to get equal value for a guy as productive as Love, but I think Saunders probably got as much as good a deal as could possibly be made if he had to trade Love.

[montestewart]

There is a distinction between being able to do something, and being able to do it at an absolutely elite level. Otherwise Wes Unseld would be a better coach than Greg Popovich and Tom Thibodeau.

Ruffin wasn't elite at anything, but he's pretty smart. Maybe he leans more Popovich than Unseld.

[Ruzious]

You can't teach good hands, body control, hand-eye coordination (well, a little bit), fluidity, instincts, ear-twitchability, etc. If you could, Ruffin would have been... better.

[montestewart]

You can't teach good hands, body control, hand-eye coordination (well, a little bit), fluidity, instincts, ear-twitchability, etc. If you could, Ruffin would have been... better.

If you could combine the toughness of Ruffin with the length and agility of Vesely, you would have Ruffely.

[verbal8]

You can't teach good hands, body control, hand-eye coordination (well, a little bit), fluidity, instincts, ear-twitchability, etc. If you could, Ruffin would have been... better.

If you could combine the toughness of Ruffin with the length and agility of Vesely, you would have Ruffely.

I thought you would get Laron Profit with that combination.

[mohammed10]

Am I the only one who thinks Flip did great in getting Young, Wiggins AND a pick for Kevin Love?

IDK - I think Saunders got the best package he could for a guy who wanted out of Minny. However, I thought he would have gone for a guy on his rookie deal (Bennett) over someone who could walk in a year when his contract is up (T. Young).