NBA ChoK16 - the Rich Cho Thread

[catch20two]

Despite it all Cho put together a decent enough team to be competitive in the East. We should easily be somewhere between the #3 to #6 seed in the East standings.

Cho’s most glaring flaw over the years may have been not being able to sign or keep a decent backup PG to Kemba so whenever Kemba came out of the game everything usually fell apart.

But Cho’s most fatal flaw and why he’ll be out of a job soon is gonna be the very same thing that became his crutch about 5 years ago and that’s sticking with Clifford as the head coach.

[Hugo The Hornet]

Despite it all Cho put together a decent enough team to be competitive in the East. We should easily be somewhere between the #3 to #6 seed in the East standings.

Cho’s most glaring flaw over the years may have been not being able to sign or keep a decent backup PG to Kemba so whenever Kemba came out of the game everything usually fell apart.

But Cho’s most fatal flaw and why he’ll be out of a job soon is gonna be the very same thing that became his crutch about 5 years ago and that’s sticking with Clifford as the head coach.

I think the main reason he'll be out of a job soon is because of the horrific drafting over the years.

[catch20two]

I think the main reason he'll be out of a job soon is because of the horrific drafting over the years.

I don’t know if Cho’s drafting was necessarily horrific. Sure he could’ve done much better but he also could’ve done even more worse. He could’ve drafted players that don’t deserve a place on a NBA roster and wash out of the league.

Players like MKG and Cody are quality starters. Biz was solid and would’ve been a good defensive anchoring big but was drafted right before the Heat and then GSW changed the league. Cho saw that Vonleh was busting and got rid of him for something of value at the time. Vonleh was considered a steal at the time based on projections. Frank is about what you’d expect of a late lottery pick unless you get a steal.

I’d say he’s been about a B-minus or a C+ on drafting if I had to grade it. The downfall to a lot of his drafting was poor evaluation of what the player’s strengths and weaknesses are from the start and not providing a environment for them to develop into the best version of themselves that they could be.

I still can’t put my finger on it to why MKG isn’t shooting 3pters after 5 seasons in the NBA. If I was a GM or coach I would’ve been gave him that ultimatum if he wanted to stay on the floor whereas I would’ve told him to practice on his 3pt shot every offseason. I’ve seen plenty of players that were worse off than MKG offensively like Luc Mbah a Moute and Al-Farouq Aminu turn into 3pt threats in due time.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

I still can’t put my finger on it to why MKG isn’t shooting 3pters after 5 seasons in the NBA. If I was a GM or coach I would’ve been gave him that ultimatum if he wanted to stay on the floor whereas I would’ve told him to practice on his 3pt shot every offseason. I’ve seen plenty of players that were worse off than MKG offensively like Luc Mbah a Moute and Al-Farouq Aminu turn into 3pt threats in due time.

This has been pretty well chronicled, in the Observer no less. Basically Cliff did give MKG that ultimatum and delivered on it by not giving him tons of minutes, especially in the 4th when the game was on the line in his first few years on the team. After the 2nd season they had a post-season meeting and Cliff basically admitted that good things happen when MKG is on the floor and that he didn't like the way the team played with him off. 3 pointers weren't reported as being mentioned there, but Cliff did start playing him more, though he still frequently sat him in the 4th if MKG was having a slow offensive night. MKG has worked on his shot, but that's another story. I do sometimes wonder what would have happened if Price had stayed on for another few years to complete the reconstruction.

[Hornet Mania]

Cho's an average GM, but he's playing with a handicap: he almost never gets to work with second round pick.

Crappy draft picks aren't considered that important, but ever year a player (or several) that turns out to be solid is drafted extremely late. On a semi-regular basis the second round yields an all-star(Jokic, Green, Gasol, Deandre Jordan, Thomas off the top of my head and that's just guys drafted since 2007). We treat those picks like guaranteed garbage and cash them in immediately, when the reality is if Cho had made seven choices in the second round he'd likely have at least one additional useful player and a low-but-not-impossible shot at adding a serious piece.

We have got to stop treating our second rounders as trash no matter who we add as GM, or they're going to be hamstrung by losing out on those extra swings and our roster will necessarily suffer. As a small-market franchise our only hope is to build through the draft, and hoarding (and just valuing in general!) draft picks is mandatory for success.

[catch20two]

MJ might’ve been traumatized by 2nd round picks after witnessing Jeff Taylor lol. We really tried to make him a player. Some people even dared to say that Taylor may be better than MKG at the time. The Viking!!

We drafted Bacon this year tho.

I can’t imagine a 2nd rounder getting the opportunity of a Draymond, Jokic, Gasol, DeAndre, or IT under Clifford as the coach. All of them 2nd round players had to usurp a respectable veteran in order to become what they became. Clifford doesn’t make bold decisions of that nature.

[Snidely FC]

Just wait till everyone realizes we traded our two 2nd rd picks this yr (projected to be 40 & 53) + BKN's '19 2nd to MEM for 3 months of Courtney Lee in 2016 . . .

[catch20two]

Just wait till everyone realizes we traded our two 2nd rd picks this yr (projected to be 40 & 53) + BKN's '19 2nd to MEM for 3 months of Courtney Lee in 2016 . . .

I’d say it was worth it to see what we had the potential to be in a pace and space offensive system. If it wasn’t for that trade Clifford would probably still be starting PJ Hairston for “defensive reasons”.

Practically it was a bad trade but theoretically since we have imbeciles for coaches it was a necessary evil that gave us hope.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

Just wait till everyone realizes we traded our two 2nd rd picks this yr (projected to be 40 & 53) + BKN's '19 2nd to MEM for 3 months of Courtney Lee in 2016 . . .

I’d say it was worth it to see what we had the potential to be in a pace and space offensive system. If it wasn’t for that trade Clifford would probably still be starting PJ Hairston for “defensive reasons”.

Practically it was a bad trade but theoretically since we have imbeciles for coaches it was a necessary evil that gave us hope.

Keeping Marv, Lee, and Lin would have made for a much better team long term.

[catch20two]

Keeping Marv, Lee, and Lin would have made for a much better team long term.

The possibility of keeping Lin is wishful thinking. He only came to Charlotte to showcase himself for a starting gig elsewhere. He even took less than his market value on a 1-year deal just to do so. He was as good as gone after that year.

Same for Lee. I’m unsure if he actually wanted to be in Charlotte. Especially when NYC was calling and offering good money.

Keeping Marv was ideal. That’s why you hardly if ever see me say anything about his current contract.

[Braggins]

I think Lee would have stayed if we offered him a starting Job. Lin was definitely gone, though.

[catch20two]

I think Lee would have stayed if we offered him a starting Job. Lin was definitely gone, though.

It’s possible. After we made Batum and Marv a priority he was the odd man left out anyway. I doubt we even showed much interest in him.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

Lin's public comment was that he assumed that he was coming back, and that the Nets showed interest a bit later, if I'm remembering right. I do think that the lure of starting was a big one for him, but I also think that he liked it here.

[catch20two]

Lin's public comment was that he assumed that he was coming back, and that the Nets showed interest a bit later, if I'm remembering right. I do think that the lure of starting was a big one for him, but I also think that he liked it here.

That must’ve been the PR friendly version. Lin only came to showcase his skills and prove that he’s not as bad as the Rockets lead on.

[yosemiteben]

Keeping Marv was ideal. That’s why you hardly if ever see me say anything about his current contract.

I assumed it was because you felt bad for trashing him so much back in the day. Don't think anyone saw his efficiency this season coming though.

I think we rolled the dice on Lin and Lee hoping they would want to stay, but both got more money and starting roles elsewhere, and when you are a small market team tough to sell on less money and no starting role.

[Snidely FC]

As much as it was obvious Lin wanted to "run" his own team and go to BKN where he could mate with Kenny Atkinson, I am still disappointed and surprised that Michael Jordan didn't do everything in his power to keep Lin. Jeremy Lin made CHA basketball relevant worldwide for the only time in franchise history. Marketing synergies between Air Jordan & Lin were off the charts.

At the time I posted that I thought it was a mistake to publicly avow that signing Batum was the priority [I still feel like we negotiated versus ourselves on the Batum ass-biter, but that is a whole other story]. I understood the team traded a #1 pick for Nic - but what Lin would bring to the team - basketball & beyond - vs Nic to me was a no-brainer. I would have publicly stated Lin was the priority. I would have told everyone loudly that Lin was the perfect playing partner for Kemba, that I would pay whatever it took to keep him, and that he would have a prominent role alongside Kemba going forward, pieces 1A & 1B.

I can't help but believe that any money or language the team had to lavish on Lin to keep him would have been paid back fourfold in marketing, merchandising & having Jeremy Lin be Michael Jordan's ambassador to the world. All-in-all, sadly ironic outcomes on both sides for Lin seeking greener pastures.

[Snidely FC]

which brings up my least favorite hallmark of the Cho era: someone in management's obsession with trying to resurrect skiddering veteran careers. A couple upside surprises (Josh McRoberts seemed to start the ball rolling) fed the obsession. Sure they came cheap, but either the players sucked (Roy Hibbert?) or they excelled out of our cap rate (zai jian Jeremy! adios CLee!); regardless the recidivism of relying on short term veteran contracts has led imo to volatility in important roster spots (C) (backup PG), to the detriment of the roster, and at the expense of organic growth through young players.

[fatlever]

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[countryboi]

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the hell....this dude had way too many not basketball loves. I need a GM that lives and breathes this ****