Around the League: Week 8 12/12-12/18

[carey]

Houston has 3 minutes to make 2 3-pointers and break the record for 3's in a game.

[carey]

Food for thought for anyone who's keen to take a flyer on Demarcus Cousins

Word is he is facing a suspension. Maybe a couple of games.

[carey]

Rockets hit 24 3's on 61 attempts. Both an NBA record.

[Gladiator]

https://twitter.com/DerekBodnerNBA/status/809976975662215170 Noel's going to be on the trade block pretty soon with this kind of talk

[carey]

He's not wrong and he's already on the trade block.

I'm curious about his health though. He just came back and has only played in 2 games.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Philly have Embiid already in place, so wich one should they keep between Okafor and Noel? Does Knight really could aford us one of them?

I get the contract situation goes big time in Okafor's favor, but wouldn't Noel fit better? For us, could it be the opposite? I mean, having Bender (potential stretch four) and Chriss (already designated future DPOY) in place, wouldn't be better to have an offensive threat on the block? I hope Okafor can become average on D with Bender and Chriss taking the hardest asignment.

[Split T]

I think the 76ers would give us Noel for Knight, I don't think they'd give us okafor

[Ring_Wanted]

I think the 76ers would give us Noel for Knight, I don't think they'd give us okafor

Give them some incentive. Send Tucker elsewhere and see if the return can make up the difference in value. Or even better, use Bledsoe as well and rebuild already.

[ShelC]

I'm really not interested in Noel. He's useless offensively which makes it tough to play him as a 4 (where we also have to develop Chriss and Bender) and is probably too small to play the 5, where we already have Len and Chandler.

Despite the knocks on his defense, I've always been a fan of Okafor because of his low-post offense. He's THAT good down low. And if you were to pair him with a defensive 5 like Chandler/Len, you'd have a great combo. Conversely, Noel and Embiid may make for a better combo because Embiid can play at the 3pt line while Noel sticks to being around the basket. Our problem again tho, is what to do with Chriss and Bender if we were to get Okafor.

[carey]

I don't want to do Noel for Knight. I'm already worried sick about Len's contract situation this Summer. I don't want them to trade for Noel and have to deal with negotiating two RFAs at the same time. Unless you're talking about moving Len somewhere and taking Noel in place of him? In which case... I don't know. I don't know that Noel is that much better than Len. His hands are bad, he's just as limited offensively, maybe he is a bit better defensively but I'm not sure about that either. Also, there are recent rumors of a massive attitude problem. They've worked hard to rid the team of guys like that.

With Okafor you're getting an entire skill set that the Suns don't have and that they desperately need. Someone you can dump it off to in a half court offense and say, "Get a damn bucket." Right now all they have is Bledsoe either taking a super long jumper or driving to the basket heaving up a prayer. Defenses smother Booker so he isn't usually an option. Having someone like Okafor could possibly open Booker back up because of the attention he would draw. Just my 2c.

[O_Gardino]

I like the theory of Okafor a lot. There are concerns about his character, but it's hard to tell what's is him and what is just the bad culture of that team.

The other concern a GM should have is about player development. Can we develop Okafor + Bender + Chriss? Or do we move one of our rooks for a pick?

[Split T]

I'm really not interested in Noel. He's useless offensively which makes it tough to play him as a 4 (where we also have to develop Chriss and Bender) and is probably too small to play the 5, where we already have Len and Chandler.

Despite the knocks on his defense, I've always been a fan of Okafor because of his low-post offense. He's THAT good down low. And if you were to pair him with a defensive 5 like Chandler/Len, you'd have a great combo. Conversely, Noel and Embiid may make for a better combo because Embiid can play at the 3pt line while Noel sticks to being around the basket. Our problem again tho, is what to do with Chriss and Bender if we were to get Okafor.

I think you'd have to play Okafor at the 5, Chriss and Bender are decent fits with okafor as they both can stretch the floor. If we could turn Knight, Tucker, and say the crappier of the Miami picks into Okafor, I'd do it, but I'm not sold on Okafor and wouldn't move Bledsoe to get him, unless we were getting a pick in the trade as well.

I think you play Noel at the 5 as well, he's very gifted defensively and while his offense is very limited, we'd only be giving up Knight to get him. I'd probably move on from Len at that point, but I guess we could play them both and determine at the end of the year which one we want to keep. Probably tough to do with Chandler getting minutes as well.

[ShelC]

Down the road you can probably try Chriss/Bender at the 4 with Okafor at the 5. Remains to be seen whether Chriss or Bender are good enough interior defenders to cover for Okafor's weaknesses. That would be the long term look. Not sure you'd be able to trade both Chandler and Len right now to put Okafor at center.

[Split T]

Down the road you can probably try Chriss/Bender at the 4 with Okafor at the 5. Remains to be seen whether Chriss or Bender are good enough interior defenders to cover for Okafor's weaknesses. That would be the long term look. Not sure you'd be able to trade both Chandler and Len right now to put Okafor at center.

Ya, I was looking more long term. I think you'd keep Chandler in the short term. I see no reason to pay Len with Okafor here.

[Mori Chu]

I see no reason to acquire a guy like Noel right before he is about to get paid a crazy big contract. He's going to be one of the top candidates this summer to get way, way overpaid.

[Split T]

I see no reason to acquire a guy like Noel right before he is about to get paid a crazy big contract. He's going to be one of the top candidates this summer to get way, way overpaid.

I think Len is just as likely to get way overpaid. If last offseason was any indication, the going rate for big men starts at 10 million per year. If they are at least 6'10 and can do at least one thing on the court, their getting 8 figures.

[ShelC]

Guys, the going rate for average (at best) players will be 10mil. That's going to be the new MLE. So the thought of signing Len to a deal for 15-18mil a year shouldn't come as a surprise. There's going to be some initial sticker shock, but the salaries are going up. I think if you can get Len at 4 years starting at 15mil, do it. He's still 7-1, still only 23 years old and has improved defensively to become a legit shotblocking presence. Even if he's not a starter, he can still play a serviceable role.

[Mori Chu]

I also think I like Len better than Noel, and that Len is more likely to give us a reasonable deal than Noel. Noel if he came here would be a mercenary, trying to get the highest offer. And he's already complaining about his role and minutes in Philly, so I am concerned about his attitude. Len seems to be a good soldier and seems to like it here. I think he's less likely to hold us hostage and stretch us about the money. We shall see.

Shel is 100% right about the price range, though. You have to almost double what you think is the right amount to be calibrated properly for the new CBA. The average salary is going to be like $9m, so players with actual talent and potential are going to bring in much more than that.

[Superbone]

I think Len has already proven he's a starting center in this league. In fact, he plays better when he starts. I'm way more prepared to pay Len than Noel. (Even if it is Christmas time.)

[EDC]

I think Len has already proven he's a starting center in this league. In fact, he plays better when he starts. I'm way more prepared to pay Len than Noel. (Even if it is Christmas time.)

I agree with you he should be our future starting center. He will be paid a lot but that is the going rate for good centers. Heck the going rate for bad centers is high as well.

His defensive numbers this year have been really good. The % he allows within 6 feet of the basket is 5th in the league for centers.

http://stats.nba.com/league/player/defe ... Position=C

We will regret it if we trade him or let him go.