Road to a Championship start here, 2022 Draft.

[Alonzo_Morning]

It's official with Lakers losing to GS. NO's are entering the draft with no worse than the 8th pick.

We go to the lottery drawing with no worse than 8. Theoretically three teams could still leapfrog ahead pushing us back to 11 and missing the pick. Although it would be likely that our own pick is one of them.

[Whole Truth]

It's official with Lakers losing to GS. NO's are entering the draft with no worse than the 8th pick.

We go to the lottery drawing with no worse than 8. Theoretically three teams could still leapfrog ahead pushing us back to 11 and missing the pick. Although it would be likely that our own pick is one of them.

I know the odds are slight but that's what I was accounting for not definitively claiming the 8th pick.

The good news is at worse there will be an upside 3 & D wing/guard of interest in the picks range & at best an outside shot of landing 18yo Jabari to compliment Zion with a future stretch 5 that can defend the perimeter currently better than post with his body still maturing... His potential & potential fit would be off the charts for this team/Zion IMO.

Having Jonas tied up for the next 2yrs will give NO's a nice development gap for that transition much like Memphis used him with 3J... & 3J having large set backs because of injuries.

Personally I'd love Mathurin at 8 but think, if possible, NO's should explore overpaying to trade up for Smith if there's no lotto luck.

[Whole Truth]

Everyone wants PO's but with NO's currently in a win/win situation & Zion not currently playing. Just missing out is logically the best thing that could happen..

Charlotte would then get 2 2nds instead of a first for Graham
NO's settle it's debt with Portland with a 12-14 pick or jump & retain it's pick top 4.

If that NO's pick were to jump... NO's could be looking at Jabari top 4 & Mathurin 8th.

Then next year this team that played just over 500 with BI healthy & 50 pace with both BI & CJ. Would be adding not just Jabari & Mathurin but Zion as well. That's something to salivate over.

Unfortunately it doesn't come without implication.

Adding both Zion & potentially Smith means one or both Hayes/Nance might have to be moved. With all of BI, Herb & Murphy capable of playing minutes at the 4.

Adding a big guard would require moving on from Graham's 4/11.

[Whole Truth]

Lastly, for Zion & BI to peak they need to be surrounded by defenders as much as they need spacing. Jonas & CJ do not compliment this roster defensively which will cap it's ceiling having only Herb as a plus defender as good as he is.

Move Graham & put CJ into a Manu type role with this team as the microwave scorer/spacer off the bench. Replace him in the starting rotation with a gritty perimeter defender, that can both shoot & handle the ball enough to be a reliable secondary option to point Ingram

(Top 4) - 6'10"Jabari. Will mature enough to play the post who's shown in college he can effectively guard the perimeter
Zion
Herb
(LA pick 8) 3&D wing/guard - Sharpe/Mathurin/Griffin - passable PG skills, defense, athleticsim & range
Point BI

This increases the teams defense, length & spacing in the starting rotation while emphasizing point Zion & point Ingram.

Jonas gives them a different look & effficient post option off the bench, a 2yr development gap for 18yo Jabari to mature, if NO's are fortunate enough to jump lotto or DG gets aggressive & trades up with NO's impressive pick stock.

CJ would be a 6th man of the year candidate maxamizing both units.

Projected future, development draft & trade.

Jabari - Jonas - Hermangomez
Zion - Nance - Murphy
Herb - Murphy - Naji
Mathurin - CJ - Naji
BI - Alvarado - Kira

[Whole Truth]

NO's playing with house money going into their Spurs match where losing is "logically" the better outcome.

At worse this better than 500 squad, post bad start, will be adding Zion & a top 8 pick.

Some good fortune their pick jumps to add Zion a top 4 pick & a top 8 pick

At best Zion & both picks jump top 4, where NO's could potentially draft Jabari & trade the other in combination for SGA.

[Whole Truth]

I only post here but read everything Pel related on any & all forums. I know some of the things I've said here has found it's way onto other platforms. I want to address the idea that making the playin or PO vs draft is what will help this team make a leap. It isn't

As I stated in an earlier post above adversity exposes things, both good & bad... it's the response to that adversity that leads to either growth or failure. PO's no playoffs. The start of the season exposed alot both good & bad.

Correct me if I'm wrong... Suns had a good run in the bubble which was the equivalent to an end of season run, they didn't make the playin or PO's... What happened?... they saw & found success with Rubio running point, they new what they needed & swapped him out for Paul.. Rest is history. The next season, they go from bubble to finals.

The early season adversity for this team already showed most of the issues & success with this roster. It's all in my offseason hopeful plans above.


- BI can run point
- Herb is a DPOY candidate with range & potential.
- Jonas is an efficient big man limited in space
- Herb as good as he is cannot cover the starters defensively
- The bench at the start of the season was weak, post allstar. Naw's struggles gone, new additions bolster.

etc.... There's quite a few to list but hopefully the ggist of it is there.

[Whole Truth]

So if you were paying attemtion what did adversity show us so far PO's or no PO's ?

As good a big man as Jonas is, the team still needs a rim protector, a big who can gaurd the perimeter & in combination space the floor for the team best player.. So with some luck that ansswer sits top 4 in the draft which NO's could have 2 shots at, IMO an ideal fit for this team & ZIon. Jabari at 18 & still needing development would have Jonas to provides a different look & 2yr development gap on a value contract.

C - Jabari top 4 - Jonas/Hermangomez/Nance

Hayes showed he's best suited at PF & that he has barely scratched his surface but what happens when Zion returns ? NO's have Nance, BI, Herb & Murphy & potentially Jabari top 4 all capable of playing minutes at the 4... This raises the question of trading Zion or Hayes with all things considered.

PF - Zion or Hayes traded ? - Nance/Jabari

Last season & this season showed both point Zion & point Ingram don't need a traditional PG... with the kniwledge that neither of the teams top players are + defenders.so how do you compliment them? with defense, shooting & the ability to play secondary roles off ball & take care of it.

PG - Zion/BI + big guard who can defend, shoot, take care of the ball in an off role.

With the need to compliment the teams top players defensively, enter this yrs revelation Herb Jones.

SG/SF/PF - Herb Jones - Murphy/Naji/(drafted wing/gaurd)

Many will disagree with me but I think CJ's scoring prowess & lack of defense in this situation would be best served in the Manu/6th man role nstant offense off the bench...

6th man - CJ, Graham's 4/11 moved if possible.

Brongs me back to not needing a natural point with the ball in Zion & BI's hands... There's a greater need for defense & shooting than a lead PG SO a big gaurd who can defend, shoot & play a secondary playmaking role/take care of possession would be a better fit here than CJ.

PG/SG - Sharpe - Mathurin - Griffen - TY TY with Lakers pick #8

(Smith) - Jonas/Hermangomez
Zion - Nance/(Smith)
BI - Murphy/Naji
Herb - CJ/(Sharpe, Mathurin/Griffin/TY TY)
(Sharpe/Mathurin/Griffen/TY TY) - Alvarado/Kira

Now tell me some version of these improvements would have needed PO's to be better next year. As I would ask if the Suns didn't recognixze & address the need for Paul if they would have still made a title run off their bubble run...

Once again ,it's not because of adversity but what you do with it.

[Whole Truth]

Congrats New Orleans on the win. I could wright pages on it so I'll try & summarize.

POG Herb Jones - Doris Burke "I wish I could change my vote"

CJ in that 6th man role with Jonas + bench scored I think 19pts 2nd Q when BI got in foul trouble.

BI in foul trouble struggled 4th Q & was -2 in a comfortable win.

JoNAs is UNplAyabLe - Spurs playing 4 gaurds in small ball, Jonas had to be subbed in 3 times on short rest to prevent large leads from slipping. 22/14/3/1/2 + 11 behind CJ +16 while an off night from the line & getting no favors from the officials

People talk about CJ & BI's offense last night because of the lines they put up but the teams offense didn't flow as well with Jonas off court, reason why I keep harping on the fact that Jonas team ratings will always be better than his individual rating. His screens, rebounding & the attention he draws in the post is part reason why CJ is putting up career numbers across the board.

NO's should have won this game 3rdQ but at best refs were trying to make a game of it, at worse steal it. That great out of time out play by Pops was another masterpeice from a coaching legend the game will certainly miss when he's gone but Peotle set a massive moving screen on Herb which resulted in an open 3 for Vessel to get the game to within 6. A position the Pels should not have found themselves without "poor" officiating.

Clippers next. Pretty sure they will get some home cooking seeing the way NO's were officiated at home. Doesn't matter, NO's playing with house money where everyone wants to win but a loss means they settle a debt at worse, a top 4 pick at best.

[Whole Truth]

Trey was solid but needs to work on those handles.

[Whole Truth]

Embiid averages 12 trips to the line a game, some weak & questionable.

Jonas is an efficient post player, he's top 5 in rebounding & he plays a physical game but only average a FT a game.

Why?

It's not as though he's not drawing or getting contact. It's visible as some of Embiid trips are questionable.

He has a clunky efficient post game, no fancy passing like Jokic or above the rim play like Embiid which makes him harder to market. 5-10 more trips for him to the line on average takes him from 18 PPG on good efficiency to 23-25...

Memphis have a better record without JA who's a questionable defender.. what makes him so important to Memphis' success?

Marketability..

[Whole Truth]

This team is a reflexion of it's coach. That 4th Q speach is the embodyment of this team & the year they've had.

Young team on the road, playing 5vs8 & shooting 50% from the FT line, pull out a big comeback win in a an elimination type match against an experienced team.

Congrats NO's on making the PO's.

Deserved.

[Whole Truth]

There's a narrative that's upsetting me that I want to address. NO's have played the Clippers 5 times. In 3 blowout wins Jonas was prominant & dominant, In 2 losess the complete opposite ignored & run off the court.. So how come he was dominant in 3 wins & completely ineffective in a loss & a close win.

Jonas in 3 wins playing with a gritty defender in Hart who was setting him up where he was a prominant option.

Game 1 - Jonas (7-12) 31 / 16 / 2 + Hart defense (4-12) 5 assists = 113 - 89 blow out win, with PG playing away
Game 2 - Jonas (15-24) 39 / 15/ 3 + Hart defense ((1-9) 9 assists = 123 - 104 blow out win, with PG home before injury
Game 3 - Jonas (10-19) 26 / 13/ 2 + Hart defense (9-14) 4 assists = 94 - 81 win

Jonas in 2 games one win, one loss with CJ who's an offensive weapon but defensive liability which expoises Jonas in space.

Game 4 - Jonas (4-6) 8 / 9 / 1 + CJ's lack of defense, lack of efficiency & distibution (19pts on 18 shots 2 assists) 119 - 100 loss

Last night CJ was 9-24 for 19pts on 24 shots while Clippers exposed him at the point of attack. He didn't get his first assists till the 4th Q which was a lob to Nance & once again with CJ & Jonas not getting touches (3-9) he compounded the issue of Jonas guarding in space & decreased offensive efficiency...This is why both Jonas & Hayes were the biggest negative in the starting rotation. To cover for CJ's inefficiency to gaurd in space Nance was the key. Whereas with Hart, NO's had no trouble in 3 games handling the Clippers with Jonas as a prominant efficient option. Hart did more to get him to his spots while he got after it on the perimeter.

Jonas getting played off the court coincided with not getting touches, CJ's lack of efficiency, 19pts on 24 shots & his combined exposure on defense.. Clippers are a strong perimeter oriented team on both ends. They locked up CJ offensively & attacked him relentlessly on D with neither Hayes or Jonas capable of covering that exposure with a combined lack of offensive involvement..

[Whole Truth]

There's people out there that like to blame the slow footed big man for a guard inefficiently chucking while playing no defense.

CJ's 19pts on 24 shots while being the point of attack by clippers is why they were even in this. If Clippers had PG, this was a loss like game 4.

As mentioned, CJ didn't have his first assist, with 24 shots, till the 4th Q, while he was getting exposed defensively. 19pts on 24 shots efficiency..

NO's needed a better defender in space to cover for that lack of efficiency & defense, that is why Jonas, Hayes were run off the court & my concern when Zion returns, requires CJ's touches... This is why I have CJ in that 6th man role to ignite the offense. While NO's better compliment the starters with a big guard defender... Someone like Hart with better range

It was Murphy who came in & broke the Clippers zone defense that saved the Pelicans season 4th Q. Big game Trey is making a habit of it.

[Whole Truth]

You know what's funny to me..

All the people that say it's a loser mentality to see the benefit of the draft in this scenario already believe this team won't win a series they haven't even started. Statements like, they will likely get swept, I'm hopefull for xxx lol.

**** that.. I think & believe this team can win.

NO's fans, players... What do you believe ?

[Whole Truth]

Suns not even bothering with Hayes camped in the corner.

[Whole Truth]

Did u see that BS call on Herb lol NBA is fake trash

[Whole Truth]

Herb locks up Booker & with no time on the clock, Johnson jumps into Herb with no chance to make his shot & gets FT's fouling out Herb... they get Herb off Booker, Suns 9-0 run instead of having the ball down 7.

[Whole Truth]

Lets go, down 14 though Pels couldn't have played any worse.

[Whole Truth]

lets gooo

[Whole Truth]

NO's didn't play well at all. Yet Paul had to go off for them to win by 10