Trade Deadline 2016

[Indy]

By keeping PJ it looks like we are going to try and retool in the off season and push for the playoffs again. His value seemed to be as high as it would go. Probably end up signing some third tier player(maybe Anderson) to a big contract in hopes of getting KD. Then when that fails push on with Bledsoe/Knight/Tucker/Anderson/Chandler.

Exciting.

I can see it now. 15 minutes or less per game for Booker/Warren/Len.

So let's say you are a newly hired GM. How far out should your horizon be? 3 years? 5?

Shrug

It isn't about a time frame. We need a home grown star. We aren't attracting a super star player to sign with us with all the average players we have. No one is trading a star worth having. So we need to play young guys and hope they turn into something. The problem is both Bledsoe and Knight have kinda hit that point where it is unlikely that they are just going to figure it out and reach that next level. Booker looks like he could be something special and we should have a chance at another possible star from the draft this year.

Of course you want to try to win but not at the expense of playing time for the young guys. The young guys need to be getting consistent minutes in the 20+ range. So you surround them with vets that are fine with less minutes.

Once one of the young guys become something special you can start to build a team around them.

Yeah, but most GMs are given a 2-4 year contract. You have to show success during that time or you don't get another contract. So that wasn't directed at us, necessarily, but just curious how you approach that job, when you also need to protect your own interests.

[Superbone]

@paulcoro: P.J. Tucker is among the Suns' better assets but a source said the Suns have told him that he will not be traded before today's deadline.

Dammit

WHY IS PJ TUCKER STILL ON THIS TEAM?????

No, no. Don't start that now. I will not be a part of it.

[Superbone]

I don't get the love that front office have for PJ Tucker. Maybe they think he is going to help them land his former college teammate superstar in the offseason.

You might be on to something. I would not put it past them. It fits their MO to a T!

[Superbone]

But but but i thought Gambo said Markieff has played in his last game...

Score one for Gambo.

[iLLmatic]

But but but i thought Gambo said Markieff has played in his last game...

Score one for Gambo.

I'm not complaining in the least bit. I'm glad I was wrong.

[Ring_Wanted]

Morey traded Donatas Motiejunas for Detroit's pick (top8 protected) and filler (Joel Anthony). Good move for both teams if DMo regains his 14-15 form. Otherwise the Pistons got screwed. I knew Detroit still had room for one real PF, thought it would be Kieff and it's interesting that the price has been basically the same Washington paid for Morris, yet Van Gundy refused to get the twins together. Morey doesn't mess around haha. The aforementioned filler was instantly traded to te 76rs for nothing.

Frye to Cleveland is interesting. That losing streak really killed Orlando's season. Portland made a very good move, not just for the pick. If Varejao can play, they need what he does. More ammo for Cleveland's title push, and even some L-tax savings. Frye at the 5 should mesh well with TT and LeBron.

Lance and a pick for Jeff Green is great for Memphis. Too little to move the needle for the Clippers.

[Ring_Wanted]

As for keeping Tucker, I don't hate it and I can see why they decided against a trade. Hard workers do have value and now it is a matter of the coach using him the way it should be, it is, energy role player off the bench, not 30mpg starter. Extracting LAC's 2017 from Toronto would have been nice, though.

[pickle]

Lance and a pick for Jeff Green is great for Memphis. Too little to move the needle for the Clippers.

Not a fan of the trade from LAC angle. Giving up a future first for someone who clearly won't help them beat any of the teams ahead of them, who becomes an UFA at the end of the season... I'm glad I'm not a Clipper fan.

[Mori Chu]

Doc Rivers as GM = poo.

[pickle]

I'm not that high on him as a coach either, actually, but I may be in the minority there.

[ShelC]

I think Doc's a little overrated as a coach. He's maybe been brought back to reality in LA because when he was on his way out of Boston, people were acting like he was in the Popovich/Phil Jackson league of coaches. I'd have respected him more if he would've stuck it out in Boston rebuilt from the ground up and been successful, like they've done. Maybe now he wishes he did stay.

[pickle]

He seems to be more of a director of players rather than a front line tactician type, and Boston is far better off with Stevens than him given their youth and depth and lack of specific identity. If Rivers stuck it out in Boston, I don't know that the Celtics would be so competitive with the current roster.

[Nodack]

I'm still OK with PJ. I don't get the hate. He isn't Micheal Jordan or anything but, name a better defender at his position on our team or one that puts out as much effort every night. I don't think he is great but, I think he is at least on par with the rest of the team at this point. If we could replace him with a young All Star that would be great but, that ain't happening any time soon.

[ShelC]

I don't care either way about PJ. I think he's a very good role player, defender but also (probably due to situation and coaching) thinks he's better than he is and plays that way. I'm OK with him still here because of TJ's injury but really, I don't care. I thought he was a fringe NBA player when we signed him and don't exactly view him as irreplaceable. If we could've moved him for a pick or a young player to develop, I wouldn't have minded.

I do think he was part of the Morris Bros/Archie clique and that doesn't exactly sit well with me. But whatever.

[Indy]

I'm still OK with PJ. I don't get the hate. He isn't Micheal Jordan or anything but, name a better defender at his position on our team or one that puts out as much effort every night. I don't think he is great but, I think he is at least on par with the rest of the team at this point. If we could replace him with a young All Star that would be great but, that ain't happening any time soon.

I can't speak for everyone here, but I don't hate PJ either. I think he goes all-out more so than nearly everyone on the team.

That said, I do hate how we use him. He is at his best as a spark, but you can't use him like that all the time. He is a jack of all trades, master of none, that tries really hard. The more you use a guy like that, the less effective he becomes.

And I will say that I do hate when PJ thinks he is MJ, which happens too often (because of our reliance and over-use of him).

[Ring_Wanted]

If there was not a 1stR on the table, keeping him is a good decision. Somebody has to demonstrate what playing hard means. He just needs to be brought off the bench for 15-18 minutes per game. That's the sweet spot where his rebounding and defense overcome his lack of offensive punch. Beyond that he becomes a liability unless he is hounding the best opposite player (which he has not done since 13-14 btw).

[Superbone]

Beyond that he becomes a liability unless he is hounding the best opposite player (which he has not done since 13-14 btw).

Not true. He did it in our most recent game against the Thunder and Durant.

[carey]

My problem isn't PJ the player, really. It's that he is blocking Warren's playing time. Am I shocked that PJ wasn't moved? Not at all. He's the only SF on the roster with Warren injured. We could put Booker here for stretches but it wouldn't be ideal. We could run Tele at SF and Leuer at PF, or Tele, Len, Chandler. None of those are great options though. I'm going to be pretty upset when PJ is brought back next year and blocks Warren's development some more.

[Ring_Wanted]

Beyond that he becomes a liability unless he is hounding the best opposite player (which he has not done since 13-14 btw).

Not true. He did it in our most recent game against the Thunder and Durant.

Not true indeed. PJ always plays the Thunder to the max. Perhaps I should have added Effectively. Last season he started out of shape and the same this year. 13-14 PJ was playing for a contract and it showed. But to each his own, you can rely on a high motor.

[Mori Chu]

I don't mind keeping PJ given that TJ is injured for a while. We do need a starting SF and PJ is a good soldier. If TJ were healthy, and/or if we could have gotten a future 1st for PJ, I might feel differently. But I'm fine with us keeping him for now.