M-C-G wrote:Jez2983 wrote:I wonder if people who think Exum isn't an NBA player felt similarly about Giannis?
I also feel our staff would do amazing things with Exum.
I finally wonder if some people would have done a Klay Thompson for Giannis trade last year (assuming Klay re-signed with us)
Exum for Mids would be interesting, but moving Knight instead would be better.
If Middleton was a lottery pick how would people feel about letting him get away?
I guess it depends where in the lottery. The second pick has been a graveyard. I was fully aboard the Exum at #2 train, but the weaknesses of Parker were nowhere near what I feared. Middleton has been great, but I just don't see him becoming the multiple all-star you expect out of a top 3 pick. I think he's a Wes Matthews sort of player. He could conceivably make an All-Star game or two, but he's more likely to be a top performing 3-and-D sort of player. If you can get somebody like that drafted at the 7-spot or lower, I'd happily take that. Middleton has clearly been giving that.
Exum's ceiling - at this time - exceeds that. I think things will come into focus about a year from now. By March 2016, we should be able to gauge Exum's trajectory more accurately. The other huge draw of Exum is that it further moves Knight off primary ball-handling duties. With the emergence of Giannis and an idea of what Parker can do, this sort of plan to bring in someone else is less pressing. Furthermore, Knight has both played off the ball more and has incrementally gotten better with the ball in his hands. I think Exum can be special regardless of situation. Middleton is great in present circumstances and seems to be getting better. It's an interesting situation posed.
