False Rumor - Brandon Jennings to CHA (j/k nothing to see here)

[yosemiteben]

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Aaron McMannVerified account‏@AaronMcMann 12m12 minutes ago
Stan Van Gundy spoke to Brandon Jennings' agent this morning. Apparently he's headed to Charlotte.

Are we dumping both Roberts and Sessions?

[BlackOutBuzz]

My first thought would be Weber would already be gone, we won't know for a couple days though until he passes through waivers.

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[yosemiteben]

Will be an interesting test of loyalty.

[yosemiteben]

To state what is perhaps the obvious, may this was the reason for the lack of a deadline move. The question is did we know about this possibility when we signed Weber? Probably so IMO, would think we would have talked to his agent and known a buyout was likely and I actually don't think the two are related. Neither Roberts nor Sessions are getting it done, let's let them both go if we have better PG2 and PG3 options.

Then again, Jennings is a career 38.9% FG shooter, and is shooting 38.0% this season. Not clear that this is even an upgrade. He's been in the league since the 2009-10 season and only twice had a FG% at or above 40% - 41.8% in 2011-12 and 40.1% in 2014-15. He also doesn't have a three ball. He can pass though?

[Braggins]

Jennings is awful and I want him nowhere near this team. He's basically a dumb version of rookie Kemba that never evolved his game and has awful intangibles. He'll have some occasional nice games and might help us win a few, but thats only going to worsen our draft position and we should want no part of him long term, so I don't see the point.

[_tijo_]

So you're saying he's actually good, will help us win games, and that's not what you want, so that's why he's awful. Got it.

[Braggins]

So you're saying he's actually good, will help us win games, and that's not what you want, so that's why he's awful. Got it.

No. I'm saying hes awful, but will occasionally have some games where he gets hot and looks good. Most games he will help us lose. I'm saying the occasional games where he gets hot and helps us win aren't worth bringing him in because our playoff hopes are already mostly shot and we'd be stupid to keep him past this year anyways (has no future upside for us). He is also the exact opposite of the kind of character we usually look for in a player. I don't want him anywhere near our team and I don't see any point in bringing him in. We'd be better off just developing Weber.

[BlackOutBuzz]

To state what is perhaps the obvious, may this was the reason for the lack of a deadline move. The question is did we know about this possibility when we signed Weber? Probably so IMO, would think we would have talked to his agent and known a buyout was likely and I actually don't think the two are related. Neither Roberts nor Sessions are getting it done, let's let them both go if we have better PG2 and PG3 options.

Fair points, and it's also worth noting that Weber didn't officially sign until after Jennings' release. It's possible they didn't wanna drag Weber out for nothing but I doubt it.

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[fatlever]

1) I'd rather just stick with the roster at this point and see what we have in Weber, so I am hoping there is nothing to this rumor.

2) If we are going to sign Jennings, I'd rather we cut Sessions to make it happen. Doubtful we pick up his option this summer and he's hurt.

3) Cutting Weber, the same day we signed him would be a massive kick in the ball.

[BlackOutBuzz]

We're also assuming he clears waivers, there are four teams that could claim his $5M salary and get to the floor while only paying about a quarter of the whole amount.

UTH: $4.2M
MIN: $3.2M
DEN: $2.1M
BKN: $800k

Brooklyn would lose money in doing so, but Utah could save $3M by claiming him, Minnesota $2M, and Denver a little under $1M.

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[yosemiteben]

I personally think we're just cutting the cord on Sessions + Roberts and hoping to get more mileage out of Jennings + Weber, which I think is a more than reasonable move. Could view it as a FA tryout, since we were going to be in the market for a PG next summer anyway.

[yosemiteben]

This is the description in a highlight video of his that Down to Buck put up, feels oddly appropriate:

Spoiler:

Brandon Jennings quietly let himself into the Knicks' practice facility. It was two in the morning, and he was the only one there. Not able to ignore the slightly creeped-out feeling he was getting from the deserted place, he navigated the dark hallways until he got to a room that, until now, he had never visited.

The weight room.

Using his phone's flashlight as an aid, he eventually found the bank of light switches along the wall. Flipping just one of them on, lest any of the neighbors see the early-morning visitor and call the police, Brandon looked around in the dim light at the various machines and weights around him.

It was all very overwhelming, the amount of equipment there, and Brandon almost gave up his mission right then. But there was another desire in his mind, a stronger one yet more secret: the desire to learn how to lift weights. It was this desire that spurred him to set down his bag and walk over to the rack of dumbbells.

Brandon only had a vague idea of what one was supposed to do with dumbbells. He knew that the number on the side was how much the thing weighed, so he picked one of the heavier ones, a fifty, and tried to pick it up. It didn't budge, no matter how much he yanked with both arms. He moved a few down the row until he got to one that read 25, but this one he also couldn't pick up with two arms, much less one arm.

Already feeling like this had been a stupid plan that should have never been attempted, Brandon grabbed a five-pound weight. This one, he could lift with his arm, just barely. He grabbed the other one in the matched set and stood with them hanging limply by his sides. Searching the vast reserves of his memory, Brandon tried to remember what kind of exercises he should be doing. He had always staunchly avoided the weight room of every organization he had played for, and had never even observed another player doing any kind of weight training. Eventually, he recalled a vague idea of a "bicep curl", and tried to replicate the movement he thought he remembered.

The weights didn't move. Brandon strained and strained, but the weights would not lift themselves even two inches away from their resting position. After all that exertion, he was sweaty and exhausted, but he was determined to try again.

"Brandon? What're you doing here?" asked a familiar voice.

Brandon dropped the weights to the floor and turned around. "Nothing. What're YOU doing here?" he asked his teammate Kristaps Porzingis.

"I thought I would have the place to myself," Kristaps said sadly. "I was going to start trying to lift weights like all the other guys do."

"That's stupid," Brandon scoffed. "You must really suck if you don't even know how to lift weights. Wow, I didn't know somebody could be so dumb."

Kristaps' sad expression grew sadder. "Yeah, it's really embarrassing. But maybe you can help me, since you are so dedicated to it that you come in at two in the morning." Kristaps expression had become hopeful.

"No way, I don't work with beginners," Brandon said dismissively. "I'm gonna put these back on the rack and leave you to it." But he was so tired from his failed bicep curls that when he bent down to pick up one of the dumbbells, he couldn't get it off the ground. Hoping that Kristaps hadn't noticed anything, he said, "Actually, I'll just leave those there for you. See you around." He grabbed his bag and annoyedly bustled past his teammate, back into the dark corridors of the facility.

As he walked back to his car, he wondered if any of the local gyms ever had people in them so early in the morning.

[GlenRiceARoni]

Lol jennings is awful but so is roberts. Not sure how this affects our tank but it definitely doesnt change our 0% playoff chances

-------------------------------------------------------------------
I invented the Piano Key Necktie.
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NOTHING!

[yosemiteben]

Hold yer horses:

David AldridgeVerified account‏@daldridgetnt 5m5 minutes ago
Hearing from several places that Brandon Jennings not a lock to go 2 Charlotte; Wizards among teams still working. (All due respect to SVG.)

[fatlever]

I'd be happy with Jennings if we got the version who played amazing defense vs Sessions earlier this seasons, to the point where Ramon could barely get the ball over halfcourt.

[fatlever]

Blackout, what is the most we could offer Jennings on a two year deal? Is the room exception open? If that was possible, we'd solve our backup PG problems for next year and could focus draft and MLE on improving a different part of the team (or taking a flyer on a PG with upside that might need to sit for a year).

[yosemiteben]

(or taking a flyer on a PG with upside that might need to sit for a year).

[amcoolio]

Jennings is good enough. Didn't you guys watch him against us this season? He's just what we need.

What a weird turn of events. Still think we should tank though. I really don't want to make the playoffs just to get crushed in the first round again.

[BlackOutBuzz]

Blackout, what is the most we could offer Jennings on a two year deal? Is the room exception open? If that was possible, we'd solve our backup PG problems for next year and could focus draft and MLE on improving a different part of the team (or taking a flyer on a PG with upside that might need to sit for a year).

Room exception is correct, however it's deceased in value. Off-hand estimate would be about $1.6M of it left.

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[BlackOutBuzz]

@ESPNSteinLine
Hearing that the Hornets, despite Stan Van Gundy's prediction, are happy with the Briante Weber move and unlikely to pursue Brandon Jennings

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