Geometry: The Frank Kaminsky Thread

[Nuntius]

Its likely we just shopped Zeller, found a great deal that required Vonleh, and just said ynot

Do you think that your FO rated Vonleh higher than Zeller? Clifford's PT didn't indicate that.

most of us assumed with Vonleh gone that Zeller was staying.

Zeller did an admirable job last year defensively at Pf, was our best partner for the crappy Al

That makes sense, I guess.

On an unrelated note, I don't know why NBA fans harp on about their Centers so much. Al Jefferson definitely has his limitations but he has his strengths as well. Pacers fans complain about Hibbert as well and I'm pretty sure that a number of them would do backflips if they had Jefferson instead. I certainly think that both of these big guys are being unfairly criticized but I digress.

Defense is integral at the center position. Al is literally the worst defensive starting center in the league by a long shot. He came in out of shape the last two seasons and last year never got in shape and was constantly injured. All those people who were doing back flips would be ripping their hair out in a matter of weeks if you guys got Al.

Personally, I absolutely agree with that. Unfortunately, everyone else thinks that I'm a homer.

Still, Al has his uses. He just needs to be paired with an athletic PF that can protect the rim and space the floor (like Serge Ibaka).

[Absinthe]

I hope the FO is shopping Al Jefferson. I would see if Minnesota is interested in parting with Pekovich. Al Jefferson is a black hole that kills ball movement and doesn't play defense. I don't like the idea of running an offense through a front court player. That's just not how things are done in today's NBA.

[Nuntius]

I hope the FO is shopping Al Jefferson. I would see if Minnesota is interested in parting with Pekovich. Al Jefferson is a black hole that kills ball movement and doesn't play defense.

Pekovic is not any different than that.

[Braggins]

I hope the FO is shopping Al Jefferson. I would see if Minnesota is interested in parting with Pekovich. Al Jefferson is a black hole that kills ball movement and doesn't play defense.

Pekovic is not any different than that.

We need to trade him for a backup SF or a SG better than Batum. I don't see it happening though.

[JDR720]

I wouldn't consider Al for Pek, that Pek contract is 2nd to only Deron Williams in negative value.

[mattcampbell]

After I've gotten past the heat of the moment reaction and thought about it, the more I like this pick.

What irks me is we know exactly how Clifford is going to underutilize him. All he's going to be asked to do is set a few screens for Kemba, do a couple dribble handoffs, and feed the post to Al.

For so long we've bitched about drafting young prospects that can't shoot and need development. Now we finally take a seasoned ball player that can shoot with range and put the ball in the basket. I think he's going to be a solid player and contributor for us. Don't be fooled into thinking he can't improve anymore just because he stayed in school all four years, he can still grow as a player and get better.

[Elden Payton]

I am embarrassed to be a Charlotte fan.

This is absolutely disgusting and completely unacceptable.

[HornetsOz]

After I've gotten past the heat of the moment reaction and thought about it, the more I like this pick.

Pretty much the opposite going on here.

[catch20two]

The Chosciples are flipping out. Lol

[Braggins]

The Chosciples are flipping out. Lol

I feel so stupid because at no point did I ever even slightly consider the possibility that we were interested in Kaminsky. Not when Cho went to his game, not when people pegged him as a Cho pick, and not even when reports came out that MJ was interested in him. I put too much trust into our front office and circumstance such as Noel's injury and weak drafts veiled their incompetence enough for me to not fully lose faith. The worst part is that this pick reaks of the worst aspects of all three of the main guys in the Charlotte brain trust. The pattern is clear and undeniable now. The jig is up. It was never going to get better.

[mrknowitall215]

The Chosciples are flipping out. Lol

Now they feel our pain, but I actually like this pick of Kaminsky after they traded one of Zeller/Vonleh even though I preferred it to be Zeller. If Cho draft Winslow, I think that would've put them in a bind whereas to say although it may be a bad fit, let's see what happens. In turn, we would've been forced to play Winslow despite his ill fit as a lack of shooter just because we'd have to develop him only to compound on the issues we've had before

Cho made his mistakes in the past that are coming back to haunt him as do-overs. In 2013, Cho should've drafted Nerlens Noel over Zeller, and if he wanted to choose a legit stretch 4 instead of trying to mold a athlete into one as a project he should've traded down for multiple picks to select Kelly Olynyk and another piece like I suggested that year. In 2014, Cho should've drafted Zach LaVine or James Young to be the shooting guard of this team's future even though I didn't mind the Vonleh selection since I thought there was a necessary need of a upgrade at PF from Zeller if they wanted to play a offensive scheme that require the power forward to be a offensive threat

[Braggins]

Winslow isn't a bad fit. As it currently stands, ever single person that has a chance at backup minutes other than Biz is a good 3 point shooter. We've basically given up on interior defense and rim protection and we have 4 bigs that can't guard the perimeter. We still have massive holes at backup SF and PG and no cap space to address them.

[teleblaze]

Fans need to get involved in drafting, give output to teams since the team is as relevant as your fans make it out to be, look at it now, you guys all hate that dude, management and the team.
It just sucks when your team drafts a guy you don't want, total disappointment.

[mrknowitall215]

Winslow isn't a bad fit. As it currently stands, ever single person that has a chance at backup minutes other than Biz is a good 3 point shooter. We've basically given up on interior defense and rim protection and we have 4 bigs that can't guard the perimeter. We still have massive holes at backup SF and PG and no cap space to address them.

Marvin Williams or preferably Nicolas Batum would make for excellent depth at backup SF if Clifford/Cho took that into consideration rather than trying to fit square pegs in round holes every time they acquire a player that was a decent role player from another team

[Braggins]

Winslow isn't a bad fit. As it currently stands, ever single person that has a chance at backup minutes other than Biz is a good 3 point shooter. We've basically given up on interior defense and rim protection and we have 4 bigs that can't guard the perimeter. We still have massive holes at backup SF and PG and no cap space to address them.

Marvin Williams or preferably Nicolas Batum would make for excellent depth at backup SF if Clifford/Cho took that into consideration rather than trying to fit square pegs in round holes every time they acquire a player that was a decent role player from another team

Eh, Marv is too slow to guard SF's these days. Batum yes, but our front office already promised him a starting job and we don't have another proven player to start at SG anyways. Either way I would still much rather have Winslow as a backup SF than have Kaminsky as another stretch 4 option off the bench. We already added three good shooters this off-season. We didn't need to reach for another.

[BeesWax]

Winslow would have been the perfect fit. People keep saying that Batum does some of his best work as a small ball 4 and that opens a spot in the lineup for Winslow to play with him and MKG. Frank was exactly the wrong pick for us and was not BPA so there was zero reason to draft him other than we have to try to find players who can create offense all alone because our coach can put a set together that works.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

With Hawes, Marvin, & Zeller already duplicating large chunks of what Frank can do, he was no worse or better a fit for this team than Wenslow would have been.

I honestly think that the team is eventually going to be forced to trade Frank. Many fans are never going to forgive him. He's going to get more boos than any Hornets player ever. More so than pure basketball reasons, this is why drafting Frank was a terrible idea.

[Bassman]

I predict Frank will be our starter, with Cody coming off the bench as the energy big. Al & the Tank...a defense made for scoring.

[LofJ]

He also preaches size and doesn't like small ball. So, in order to get enough shooting we add big slow white PF/C's, while the rest of the league is loading up on long SF's who have the athleticism to match up with guards and strength to guard PF's... Heres to hoping Kaminsky can post up the likes of Lebron, Durant, Leonard, Igoudala, Butler, George, Gay, Antetakoumpo, etc, etc. Otherwise, we are going to get ran off the floor when other teams go small and we won't really be able to punish them.

Exactly!

Clifford and MJ are stuck in the dark ages.

Cho is a YES man who either can't evaluate talent or has no balls.

Either way he has to go.

I've always though Cho seemed smart but became too much of a yes man. I'm not sure if thats really the case anymore, but either way its bad...

I was critical of these off-season trades initially, but after further evaluation I started to feel like there was a plan emerging that would be punctuated at the draft. Boy, was I imagining things... If there was a plan it just fell flat on its face. I think the only way for this to all make sense is if we trade Al.

It may be really stupid, but I'm still holding out hope that an Al trade is coming. We'll work the UNC connection with Kupchak in LA and Karl in Sacramento and send Al to the Kings while they also get Russell and send us Thompson and Collison.

[vorbis]

why the hell would they trade al *now*? they just made all their moves solidifying his role as the one interior threat that makes the offense tick.