06-18-2024, 10:53 AM
(06-18-2024, 10:23 AM)mvossman Wrote: I'm curious why you think this given the direction this FO seems to be taking? Lively, Grant, PJ, Gafford and even DJJ are all young players. Are you thinking the mindset is that we are close and now is time to push all in on a vet? Maybe they will, but I hope they continue the youth movement and focus on long term, especially given how well it worked the first year they did it.
Yes. I kind of expect them to try the two year window approach. Try to secure a veteran with low asset costs and then re-load in 12-18 months with somebody like Simons or Sexton, when they are (close to) expiring. Maybe they will even use DeRozan´s contract to match that. I´d also prefer the younger approach now, but I´m not sure it will be there asset management wise. So I´m not saying it will be a change of philospohy, just a detour to get there.
Me personally I´d make Jalen Smith my #1 realitistic summer target. A young stretch four/five with good rebounding is a perfect addition to Washington/Lively/Gafford/Kleber. Shame he allegedly opted out. I´d have loved to get him for Powell in a trade, then pay him in 12 months, if everything works out. Once again my drawing card here would be that lob threat Luka gets you paid and on top you get plenty of the (often injured) Kleber minutes. Maybe we´ll find a way.
The guard/playmaker has to happen. Maybe you wait six months as the leverage for Utah and Portland decreases on Sexton/Simons. Henderson might take a leap and Portland decides it´s time to go Henderson/Sharpe starting backcourt, plus potentially a new draft pick to factor in. You could also get six months to see how Lavine returns, but above all you get an extended run of Jaden Hardy, just not as the primary ballhandler.
One of favourite waiting trades is still
Micic + 2024 2nd round pick from Houston for THJ + 2025 Toronto 2nd round pick + removal of the top 2 protection on the Washington pick.
That should give us some wiggle room for DJJ and maybe even a S&T of Smith for Powell + Lawson.
Micic can share the back-up PG minutes for the next two years with Exum, while we finally put Hardy and Green in their proper off ball positions. I want to see Hardy play 25-28 MPG as a SG early in the season. He shot 40.7% from three in the play-offs, got his regular season number up to 36.2% after an atrocious start, but his 2pt shooting percentage is still awful. Take the ball out of his hands, but feed him three after three. Once people respect his 3pt shot, he has a nice little escape dribble mid range jumper, but damn if he tries to get all the way to the rim. Build his game from the outside inwards.