Building Around Cooper: A Backward-Looking Thought Experiment

[cow]

The glaring holes are obvious.

It's why I'm not concerned with Gafford drawing little interest around the TDL.  He's had a rough patch with injuries and was brought here to play with Luka and Kyrie.  I figure once Kyrie is back, the Gaffords and PJWs of the team will be back to their old self's and their value will rebound.  We sold AD at his all-time lowest value (no judgement one way or another) and I hope we don't do that with players who will most likely bounce back from this years slump.

[vfromlmf]

Totally agree. The elephant in the room is we took an MVP caliber player and turned him into a (talented) rookie who sometimes still gets lost trying to find the restroom. Flagg has the potential to be as good or better than Luka but you can’t swap an MVP for a rookie and expect a seamless transition. Luka made guys better and beyond the 30+ triple doubles, that’s why he’s 1st All NBA.

The Mavs just don’t have enough talent on the roster to realistically blame PJW or Gafford. To put it another way, I’ll really start complaining about PJ when the Mavs have five wings who are clearly and consistently better than him. Until then, I’m focused on finding an elite player in the draft.

[F Gump]

 Until then, I’m focused on finding an elite player in the draft.

This ^.

This draft is going to be a HARD one to draft, just about anywhere you pick. Basically EVERY player - even those at the top - has some measure of iffiness. 

For example, I'm not convinced Peterson goes #1, even though he's the best talent, because he's a major flake who doesn't show up half the time. (I don't mean he doesn't play well - I mean he sits out, for really weird reasons that no one really gets, including his coach.) When he plays, he's great, but you can never tell if he'll play, and he might play a half and then can't go in the 2nd half. Prima donna? Brittle? Some odd disease? Who knows. 

I watch some of these highly touted guys play, and sometimes they don't look like the best guy on the floor. Or even a guy who has anything special. 

The tournament should tell us a lot more. The combine too. 

The question of whether you draft using perceived potential, or do it more on who produces, is there for pretty much all of them. I'd love to have extra picks in the teens, maybe try to get the 2nd pick of someone who has an earlier one too, maybe it's available and reasonable cost. It feels like such a crapshoot - with the expectation that some of these guys will probably be really good, but it's going to be hard to be sure which ones, so an extra bingo card might pay off. I can find guys everywhere I'd love to have a shot at.

[JamesConway912]

It's why I'm not concerned with Gafford drawing little interest around the TDL.  He's had a rough patch with injuries and was brought here to play with Luka and Kyrie.  I figure once Kyrie is back, the Gaffords and PJWs of the team will be back to their old self's and their value will rebound.  We sold AD at his all-time lowest value (no judgement one way or another) and I hope we don't do that with players who will most likely bounce back from this years slump.

What if Coop is at his best with a stretch big? 

I think we need to start evaluating the actual oncourt fit of Coop and PJ//Gaff/Marshall/Christie more decisively and make decisions based on that. Just bc some of these guys were great fits alongside Luka that doesnt mean they are next to Flagg as well.

So far the results have been horrible for Marshall / PJ alongside Flagg. Id be very cautious declaring any of those two building blocks.

Sure we can wash away all the bad lineup stats despite the big sample sizes by making the point its a rebuilding season but I think that’d be lazy and dishonest. Flagg played nearly 1000 minutes next to a few of those guys and they are just getting killed out there.

I think we severely underestimate how far away this team is from being just a playoff squad. Luka, just like Dirk, was the safety net. Without a clear cut All NBA 1st team guy like them the wheels come off quickly in this league given the level of competition. 

We have already missed the playoffs twice and the results since dumping Luka are absolutely dreadful. This isnt the team anymore that went to the Finals. Outside of Flagg anything and anyone should be on the table.


Another thing I thoroughly dislike is the fact that they just let all this tome go by without a new GM. An external new guy will have next to no time to evaluate the roster (except from afar) and the draft before having to make some major decisions.

[Mavs2021]

I think we severely underestimate how far away this team is from being just a playoff squad.

Hard disagree,  if and that´s a big IF Kyrie and Lively stay healthy. In that case this is a top 8 team in the West, that will leave a few of Portland, Golden State, Phoenix, Clippers and Utah behind them. Imho Lively/Flagg can be the best defensive frontcourt in the whole league. We have seen the small glimpses already.

..but it could also be a bad team, if they don´t stay healthy.

[ballsrchr]

This ^.

This draft is going to be a HARD one to draft, just about anywhere you pick. Basically EVERY player - even those at the top - has some measure of iffiness. 

For example, I'm not convinced Peterson goes #1, even though he's the best talent, because he's a major flake who doesn't show up half the time. (I don't mean he doesn't play well - I mean he sits out, for really weird reasons that no one really gets, including his coach.) When he plays, he's great, but you can never tell if he'll play, and he might play a half and then can't go in the 2nd half. Prima donna? Brittle? Some odd disease? Who knows. 

I watch some of these highly touted guys play, and sometimes they don't look like the best guy on the floor. Or even a guy who has anything special. 

The tournament should tell us a lot more. The combine too. 

The question of whether you draft using perceived potential, or do it more on who produces, is there for pretty much all of them. I'd love to have extra picks in the teens, maybe try to get the 2nd pick of someone who has an earlier one too, maybe it's available and reasonable cost. It feels like such a crapshoot - with the expectation that some of these guys will probably be really good, but it's going to be hard to be sure which ones, so an extra bingo card might pay off. I can find guys everywhere I'd love to have a shot at.

A comparison in the NBA is the diva Kawhi Leonard who doesn't play much until he starts getting ready for the playoffs.  Yeah...Leonard is a pretty good player but you can't depend on him during the regular season.

[ballsrchr]

What if Coop is at his best with a stretch big? 

I think we need to start evaluating the actual oncourt fit of Coop and PJ//Gaff/Marshall/Christie more decisively and make decisions based on that. Just bc some of these guys were great fits alongside Luka that doesnt mean they are next to Flagg as well.

So far the results have been horrible for Marshall / PJ alongside Flagg. Id be very cautious declaring any of those two building blocks.

Sure we can wash away all the bad lineup stats despite the big sample sizes by making the point its a rebuilding season but I think that’d be lazy and dishonest. Flagg played nearly 1000 minutes next to a few of those guys and they are just getting killed out there.

I think we severely underestimate how far away this team is from being just a playoff squad. Luka, just like Dirk, was the safety net. Without a clear cut All NBA 1st team guy like them the wheels come off quickly in this league given the level of competition. 

We have already missed the playoffs twice and the results since dumping Luka are absolutely dreadful. This isnt the team anymore that went to the Finals. Outside of Flagg anything and anyone should be on the table.


Another thing I thoroughly dislike is the fact that they just let all this tome go by without a new GM. An external new guy will have next to no time to evaluate the roster (except from afar) and the draft before having to make some major decisions.

PJ is a good to great player, but he just doesn't fit with Flagg.  Marshall is also turning out to be a good to great player.  If he can improve his outside game...I think he can stay on the court with Flagg.

[ballsrchr]

Hard disagree,  if and that´s a big IF Kyrie and Lively stay healthy. In that case this is a top 8 team in the West, that will leave a few of Portland, Golden State, Phoenix, Clippers and Utah behind them. Imho Lively/Flagg can be the best defensive frontcourt in the whole league. We have seen the small glimpses already.

..but it could also be a bad team, if they don´t stay healthy.

IF is a big word.  Kyrie can stay healthy IF they don't overuse him.  Lively hasn't shown that he can stay on the court, so he is a big IF.

[Smitty]

Lu Dort average 31mpg on a Championship team last year. smh

I hate to keep standing on this soapbox but starter, bench, guard, wing, 3&D, your mom’s tenpenny granny. What’s the difference?

Dort’s got flaws but dude can play

We get too hung up in roles that were defined in the 1960’s. Kidd says he just wants basketball players. Why don’t we listen?

Let’s say Flagg starts knocking down 3’s at 38%. Are you telling me he can’t play with PJ Washington?! Dude. PJ can guard 1-5. He’s a downhill driver. Strong in the paint. Can get 15ppg and 25+ if you dont guard him. Rebounds. Sets the tone with force. Sure I’d love if PJ were a knockdown shooter but he makes up for it in other areas. Taken together, there are plenty of better overall players… but PJW can play. He needs stars around him but that’s why he not a star. PJW is a HIGH END role player. Maybe the best role player on this team. You don’t dump him because he’s not a star. Kyrie and Flagg are stars. And hopefully the Mavs land another one in the draft.

Totally agree. The elephant in the room is we took an MVP caliber player and turned him into a (talented) rookie who sometimes still gets lost trying to find the restroom. Flagg has the potential to be as good or better than Luka but you can’t swap an MVP for a rookie and expect a seamless transition. Luka made guys better and beyond the 30+ triple doubles, that’s why he’s 1st All NBA.

The Mavs just don’t have enough talent on the roster to realistically blame PJW or Gafford. To put it another way, I’ll really start complaining about PJ when the Mavs have five wings who are clearly and consistently better than him. Until then, I’m focused on finding an elite player in the draft.

Say it with your chest! Great stuff here vfromlmf. Glad to know there's another one in the trenches with me. Agree with everything here but felt like one of your comments in particular needed a little more attention...

[meistermatze]

Say it with your chest! Great stuff here vfromlmf. Glad to know there's another one in the trenches with me. Agree with everything here but felt like one of your comments in particular needed a little more attention...

Sorry, you guys, I don’t want to be mean, but I think you’re missing the point here.

Of course, PJ is a very good NBA player and, in a vacuum, for example, a much better player than Dort.

But the NBA is all about fit. If you have Flagg, who plays 40+ minutes in big games, and you also have PJ, who does almost exactly the same things as Flagg, just mostly worse, when does he play? They don’t really complement each other, so their strengths are redundant and their weaknesses get exacerbated.

Sometimes this can work if the rest of the team compensates for it, so strengths and weaknesses level out. That’s where Naji comes into play, another problematic piece, because he is also an okay creator, a great inside player, high usage, and a bad outside shooter. Exactly like PJ and Coop, who obviously has the most upside.

For the same reason, Christie is a future building block, because he has a different skill set. He complements Coop better than those two and is cheaper. That’s why you have to prefer him over Naji and PJ, even though they are better players than him. Sounds counterintuitive, but it’s really that simple.

If those are three of your five best players and they also command that kind of money, that’s poor roster construction. Yes, PJ, Naji, and Flagg together are a more talented trio than, for example, Flagg, Dort, and Max Christie, but the latter group excels at what they do best, spacing, off-ball play, and defense (Dort obviously, Max to some extent), which amplifies Flagg’s strengths, especially his inside game and high usage, makes him better overall, and vice versa.

Yes, you need backup players with similar skill sets to your stars, like Flagg. And if Naji or PJ were paid like backups and were fine with 12–18 minutes a game, great. But they’re not.

So they are not what a team built around Flagg needs.

Full stop.

TLDR: It may be okay to keep PJ and Naji for now because you want to accumulate talent and assets. That’s fine. But if you want to build a contender, they cannot be around for the reasons given. They have the same strengths as your star player, Flagg, and the same weaknesses. So they can’t really play together, but they are too good and too expensive to just be backups.

It’s not a matter of talent. It’s a matter of fit, timeline, and money.

[Smitty]

Sorry, you guys, I don't want to be mean but I think you are missing the point here.

I get the point. I just disagree with it. I think a player like PJW can be a fit with Flagg. His level of play currently? No. The player he's been throughout most of his career? Yes.

He's a role player, playing outside of his role this season. If he were putting up counting stats similar to last year (mostly his shooting splits), we wouldn't even be having this conversation. If he was back in his proper role offensively, not being asked to create offense, I think he'd look similar to last year even with the ankle injury. He's shown to be a versatile, impact defender that can change games. He's proven that he's a plus outside shooter on above average attempts per game. 

Of course, if any of the better players on the team are playing poorly, they're not going to be a fit with anyone. If Max has a season where he shoots 30% from 3PT next year, he's not an ideal fit. If Naji has a 38% 3PT season next year, he will be an excellent fit with Coop.

The question is, what type of player is ideal next to Flagg? We've all kind of touched on it. But if you think there's a Wing out there that is a bigger/better more versatile defender than PJ, that also provides rim protection, who can also shoot 35-36% from deep on more than 5 attempts per game, for around MLE money, name him.

[meistermatze]

I get the point. I just disagree with it. I think a player like PJW is a fit with Flagg. His level of play currently? No. The player he's been throughout most of his career? Yes.
He's a role player, playing outside of his role this season. If he were putting up counting stats similar to last year (mostly his shooting splits), we wouldn't even be having this conversation. If he was back in his proper role offensively, not being asked to create offense, I think he'd look similar to last year even with the ankle injury. He's shown to be a versatile, impact defender that can change games. He's proven that he's a plus outside shooter on above average attempts per game. 
Of course, if any of the better players on the team are playing poorly, they're not going to be a fit with anyone. If Max has a season where he shoots 30% from 3PT next year, he's not an ideal fit. If Naji has a 38% 3PT season next year, he will be an excellent fit with Coop.
The question is, what type of player is ideal next to Flagg? We've all kind of touched on it. But if you think there's a Wing out there that is a bigger/better more versatile defender than PJ, who can also shoot 35-36% from deep, on more than 5 attempts per game, for around MLE money, name him.

Gotcha, although I still think you’re wrong, because

a) you neglect the money aspect,
b) you underestimate the role part, and
c) you overestimate the pure on-court fit.

c) is maybe debatable, because most of the issue really comes down to spacing. If PJ were our fourth-best player, shot 42 percent from deep, and mostly played off ball, he might actually be perfect next to Flagg, especially if Coop also stayed efficient from outside.

But I’m not sure PJ can do that. If he shoots 38 percent, which he has done before, it might work, but it heavily depends on the rest of the team. Flagg’s ability to space the floor matters a lot here as well. Does he shoot 30 percent? 35? 40? That’s a huge difference. Then there’s Naji, who just plainly sucks from deep. Of course we could wish, that he suddenly becomes a sniper but yeah, we can not base our arguments on that. We also can not argue against Christie, assuming he falls of a cliff. Of course, both is possible but not likely. Christie got better every year, the others have proven to be inconsistent at best. That leaves very little wiggle room, and PJ would most likely have to be excellent himself to make it work between the three, or even just two of them.

I can see how you could believe it works. I just don’t. As I said, this part is debatable because it depends on several variables.

But a) and b) are the real defeaters of your argument. PJ is simply too expensive to mostly bring the same skill set as your star player. The same will be true for Naji once he signs his next contract. They also want to play big minutes, and when they’re on the court, they demand the ball.

Of course, we could assume that PJ and Naji suddenly become snipers and also stop commanding the ball so much, but recent history suggests otherwise. At least to me, their iso-heavy play has more to do with their ego and self-perception as go-to guys than with them just filling a role. With Naji, this is especially obvious. He attacks the rim and finishes excellently, but he rarely looks to pass. That might work in the regular season at home against the Pelicans, but once efficiency drops, playoffs, big moments, is that really the kind of offense you want?

PJ, to a lesser extent, is guilty of the same thing. He calls for his isos and dribbles the ball, often off his foot.

You can make the argument, which you essentially are making, that they played outside their ideal role because the team and coaches needed them to. But my money is on this being who they are as players and as personalities. They both see themselves as leaders and as two of the team’s best players. That might be true right now, but they should not be the case on a contending team. And you should not a) pay them as if they were.

Agree to disagree, I guess.

[KillerLeft]

Lu Dort average 31mpg on a Championship team last year. smh

I hate to keep standing on this soapbox but starter, bench, guard, wing, 3&D, your mom’s tenpenny granny. What’s the difference?

Dort’s got flaws but dude can play

We get too hung up in roles that were defined in the 1960’s. Kidd says he just wants basketball players. Why don’t we listen?

I agree with this. What I'm talking about isn't this. 

I'm talking about the changing economics of roster building, not how basketball works. To be even more clear, I HATE how it's all changing. But, I can't deny that teams are less and less interested in players who aren't high minute contributors making even decent salaries. 

Contracts like Gafford's, Washington's...they deserved them. But, that doesn't mean they'll age well. It's getting tougher to predict what will/won't be "tradable."

[KillerLeft]

I get the point. I just disagree with it. I think a player like PJW can be a fit with Flagg. His level of play currently? No. The player he's been throughout most of his career? Yes.

There's correlation in what YOU wrote above that you're willfully not seeing.

[Smitty]

There's correlation in what YOU wrote above that you're willfully not seeing.

Correlation as in no Luka or Kyrie this season or something else?

[KillerLeft]

Correlation as in no Luka or Kyrie this season or something else?

Kind of...

Complementary players tend to come alive when they're complementing the right guy(s) and look like JAG's when they're complementing the wrong guy(s). Almost NO ONE here wanted PJW when the Mavs traded for him. I was ecstatic and told everyone they'd love him. But now, everyone is wondering why he doesn't look as good, and I think it's pretty obvious. HE hasn't changed, the TEAM has. PJW isn't playing worse this season - there's just less of a way for him to make an impact.

I get that Flagg can't/shouldn't be pigeonholed now, but neither should he be asked to go away from what he's clearly ALREADY able to do in the name of fitting with players who should, in theory, be trying to fit with him. Flagg IS a forward. He IS an inside player. Sure, he'll get better at shooing, and sure, his iso game is already good and will continue to improve. None of that is why I've said anything I've said about terms of fit this whole year, and frankly, when someone inevitably says some version of "give up the 90's positional paradigms," they're betraying an imperfect understanding of the point being made by the other side of the argument, not a flaw in it. 

It literally could not be more obvious: What Flagg needs in order to continue developing his offensive game at the fastest rate possible is space - the kind offered by guys who can shoot off the catch. Unfortunately, that is the one glaring weakness the other two (or 3, if you count Martin) forwards on this roster have. 

Further, we as Mavs fans have, until recently, always followed teams with tons of shooting and not enough defense, and I believe we've been desensitized to the benefits of shooting. And, part of the reason the Mavs never had enough defense is that it's REALLY difficult to build a great defense around a star who either can't or doesn't try to defend at a reasonably high level. Even with our homer glasses on, I hope we'd agree that both Dirk and Luka fit into one of those two categories, but, and this is key: FLAGG DOES NOT. He's going to be one of their BEST defenders, and for a long time.

Mix all that together, and what made guys like PJW such a dream fit here just isn't there anymore. He's a great player, and it sucks to feel like they should move him, but that is how I feel. Same goes for Marshall, especially if he's about to get a raise.

[mvossman]

First of all PJW shouldn't be creating anything. He's being asked to do too much, just like Max. These are role players. Bullpen wings. Shaq's "others".

Second, fine. Swap Dort for PJW. What's that going to do for the win total?

EPM widely considered the most accurate "all-in-one" advanced metric reflecting overall impact on winning tells us .... Overall EPM:

Dort: -0.2

PJW: 1.1

Defensive Parity: Both players are performing as elite defenders this season. Dort maintains his reputation as a premier perimeter stopper with a +1.3 D-EPM, but PJ has actually graded slightly higher (+1.5) due to his superior interior rim protection and rebounding.

Offensive Gap: The primary reason Washington leads in "Wins" is his offensive floor. While both have negative O-EPM ratings (meaning they are below league average offensively), Washington’s 14.1 PPG and 7.1 RPG provide more value than Dort’s 8.7 PPG and 3.9 RPG.

Efficiency Concerns: Dort's impact is currently hampered by career-low shooting numbers (39.5% FG), which significantly drags down his Offensive EPM and total wins added.

Workload: Washington's lead is also influenced by volume; he has played more total minutes per game (30.7) compared to Dort (27.8), providing more opportunities to accumulate "wins" over a replacement player.

Now ... you can argue with EPM, which is fine, but both of these guy averaged 30+ mpg on Finals teams. Dort won a Championship. Oviously you need your Lukas, SGAs, Tatums etc., but you also need high end role players and PJW is proven to be one. I already said I'd trade him for a lottery pick but he's certainly not at the top of the list of problems. This team is relying on guards with borderline NBA talent and probably at least 2 rotation wings who are below replacement level. Powell and a two-way are getting rotation center minutes. The glaring holes are obvious.

Not sure what you are looking at with EPM numbers?  Dort has been higher than PJ just about every year and he is clearly higher overall.  

Dort probably makes them a little better, but the goal should be to find a quality 3&D player for the MLE.  

Its not that PJ is the top of the list of problems.  Its simply that PJ, Gafford and Klay are probably not what you want as starters next to Flagg and they are all making more than the MLE.  If you can move any of them for better fitting parts, they should do it.

[KillerLeft]

Complementary players tend to come alive when they're complementing the right guy(s) and look like JAG's when they're complementing the wrong guy(s). Almost NO ONE here wanted PJW when the Mavs traded for him. I was ecstatic and told everyone they'd love him. But now, everyone is wondering why he doesn't look as good, and I think it's pretty obvious. HE hasn't changed, the TEAM has. PJW isn't playing worse this season - there's just less of a way for him to make an impact.

To expand upon the above, I think the same goes for Gafford. He's also not playing worse this year, there's just less of a chance for him to make the impact he made when first coming here. His value was significantly contingent him being a dream of a fit with Luka on offense. He's still the same good player now he was then, but the Mavs aren't the same team. Do they want to be a pick and roll team? Should they, when building around Flagg? If they do, should he be the ball-handler or the screener, or even a mix of both? Surely, we don't want him (Flagg) to be relegated to spacing from the corner, so I'd say questions like this are and should be pretty much all that matters for a while. To me, this is made MORE sensible by the desire not to pigeonhole Flagg, not less, because the guys in question (Gafford and PJW) already are pigeonholed, basically. I think the hope of molding Flagg into something that could make a team work WITH THEM runs a high risk of limiting what he can be. 

The same goes for Marshall, only in reverse. He was a tad underwhelming as a fit with Luka, mostly because they discovered that his best role on that team was to try to do a poor man's imitation of Luka while Luka sat, only...Luka doesn't sit very much in important games. He looks GREAT this year specifically because this team is so starved for ball-handlers that he's being allowed to dominate the ball at will, basically. However, that has obviously not resulted in WINS, and as wins become more and more the focus moving forward, I believe those opportunities for Marshall will consistently diminish. In fact, I'd say the two go hand in hand. In a year, maybe two, we'll be talking about he's "fallen off," only what will really have happened is that he won't have the same freedoms in the flow of the offense - those freedoms will go to Flagg and whomever they draft this summer, probably. 

Fit matters in the NBA. It's not 2k, where you just try to amass the most overall talent possible.

[Smitty]

Kind of...

Complementary players tend to come alive when they're complementing the right guy(s) and look like JAG's when they're complementing the wrong guy(s). Almost NO ONE here wanted PJW when the Mavs traded for him. I was ecstatic and told everyone they'd love him. But now, everyone is wondering why he doesn't look as good, and I think it's pretty obvious. HE hasn't changed, the TEAM has. PJW isn't playing worse this season - there's just less of a way for him to make an impact.

I get that Flagg can't/shouldn't be pigeonholed now, but neither should he be asked to go away from what he's clearly ALREADY able to do in the name of fitting with players who should, in theory, be trying to fit with him. Flagg IS a forward. He IS an inside player. Sure, he'll get better at shooing, and sure, his iso game is already good and will continue to improve. None of that is why I've said anything I've said about terms of fit this whole year, and frankly, when someone inevitably says some version of "give up the 90's positional paradigms," they're betraying an imperfect understanding of the point being made by the other side of the argument, not a flaw in it. 

It literally could not be more obvious: What Flagg needs in order to continue developing his offensive game at the fastest rate possible is space - the kind offered by guys who can shoot off the catch. Unfortunately, that is the one glaring weakness the other two (or 3, if you count Martin) forwards on this roster have. 

Further, we as Mavs fans have, until recently, always followed teams with tons of shooting and not enough defense, and I believe we've been desensitized to the benefits of shooting. And, part of the reason the Mavs never had enough defense is that it's REALLY difficult to build a great defense around a star who either can't or doesn't try to defend at a reasonably high level. Even with our homer glasses on, I hope we'd agree that both Dirk and Luka fit into one of those two categories, but, and this is key: FLAGG DOES NOT. He's going to be one of their BEST defenders, and for a long time.

Mix all that together, and what made guys like PJW such a dream fit here just isn't there anymore. He's a great player, and it sucks to feel like they should move him, but that is how I feel. Same goes for Marshall, especially if he's about to get a raise.

I appreciate the well thought out response. I've already given the reasons why I think PJW and Flagg can fit together. So, we'll just agree to disagree there. Just note that you're talking to the wrong guy when you say almost NO ONE here wanted PJ when the Mavs traded for him. I have been talking about the Mavs trading for him a long while. I posted several receipts after they actually pulled it off... [ Many on Dicord can attest, as I bring it up often (; ] .... And maybe just maybe that's clouding my judgment when it comes to forming my opinion on his fit with Year 2 Flagg. We all have our favorites in the NBA after all...

Say for the sake of argument, who in the $15M-$20M, is a better fit with Flagg than PJ? If you were the GM, who would you trade PJW for? Who checks all of your boxes?

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

I'd love to have extra picks in the teens, maybe try to get the 2nd pick of someone who has an earlier one too, maybe it's available and reasonable cost. It feels like such a crapshoot 

Let's say OKC's Clippers pick lands at 16. Would you swap the Lakers' pick for it straight up?  I'm assuming OKC is in both a financial and roster crunch and may want to roll present day assets to the future. 

I'd jump at anyone looking to move off of picks this year. 

Peat, Cenac, Yessoufou, Anderson or Burries could make for a nice secondary pick.