I saw one draft so bad that they forgot our pick. Lakers still had their pick. We gave our pick to Grizzlies. Wtf
The Ball may be gone, but the grass won't be Greener on the other side: NOLA Pelicans 2021-22 Thread
- Thread starter Inertia Creeps
- Start date
Hey y'all, been sick these past couple of weeks so haven't spent much time on here aside from some minor lurking in general. I wanted to wait until it was clear we were absolutely done making moves this offseason before giving my "verdict" on it anyway so that timed out well with me finally feeling better anyway. Overall as far as this offseason goes... I think it was ok. 
I think this roster is undeniably deeper and improved over last year's for sure... but a lot of that improvement was just addition by subtracting the mistakes of last offseason, and not at zero cost to us either. 
Although the media who still hates our guts for winning the Zion sweepstakes of course has completely sensationalized and over-exaggerated what we actually gave up in these trades; a top 10 protected Lakers first after they swapped out Dennis Schroeder for Russell Westbrook (that we keep if they somehow implode Dwight/Nash style) and a lottery protected first that conveys to two seconds if we keep it isn't much of anything if we are being 100%. It's not NOTHING for sure... but ask Danny Ainge how keeping all those mid to late 1sts, and all the no-name scrubs he used them on (that even Celtics fans have already forgotten the names of) worked out for him in the end. 
As far as the players we signed and traded for themselves, I like most of them and their contracts, JV was at worst the 2nd best, and very often the actual best player on a Western Conference playoff team. Devonte Graham very honestly might've deserved MIP over Ingram 2 years ago or at least a co-selection, Sato is a fine backup/3rd stringer at either guard spot, and I'm fine with Hart's coming back and on his new contract (although it'd be really nice if not every year is fully guaranteed). I see some people like @taker597 aren't happy about it, to which I'll point out; at the end of the day he'll be making a couple more million than what Alex Caruso of all people got, aka a lil more than the MLE. I think that's perfectly fine for what Josh gives you on both ends on and off the court. As I pointed out earlier and what this past week or so very clearly showed... Naji Marshall has absolutely no body of work or sustained period of consistent proven play at the NBA level. The idea that he was some obvious long term solution at the wing and made Hart irrelevant was silly; man was struggling to distinguish himself in goddam Summer League of all places. And not for any lack of trying either, man was playing disgustingly selfish a lot of those games. 
And didn't even put up particularly great numbers in the process. 
Garret Temple's extension is the only move that really made me go "Uhhh... why???" when I saw it.
On the topic of our rookies and how they've looked so far.... I am very happy. Herb Jones is almost comically inept offensively... but he is the real deal and an absolute force on defense. Which is exactly what was expected of him as a 2nd rounder; if his shot or his finishing become even halfway passable he will stick around in the league for a very long time, longer than basically everyone drafted immediately around him. And Trigga Trey.... whew
. No homerism and no cap, that young man was one of the top 5 all around best and most impressive players of anyone I watched in Summer League. Man shot 55/40/100 (!!!!) while legitimately locking up every highly touted lottery pick that was unfortunate enough to run into him in the games we played. The salt from the Golden Sate bandwagoners and they bytch ass bitter commentators last night as "Kum Bucket" (leave it to Warriors fans to come up with this travesty of a nickname 
) got put in the TM3 penitentiary and sent home with the L in the last seconds of the game last night was 
. Looking at this roster objectively and what you want next to BI and Zion I think by the end of this calendar year he should and will be starting. I don't know if a new first time coach with pressure to make the playoffs will have the balls to make that happen for the start of the season... but Willie already showed more creativity and willingness to adjust his lineups in 4 games than Stan did in 40+, so you never know. Trey isn't some raw 19 year old who doesn't know how to play, he is absolutely ready for it whenever he finally gets that opportunity. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later. I'd like to see NAW start along with him too, although I wouldn't absolutely hate it if Devonte got the nod over him at least early on. You can make arguments for either one of them next to TM3 and BI/Zion/JV.
I think if health permits (which is a BIG if as long time fans of this team are all too aware...), if JV can play at 90% of the level he closed out last season in Memphis, if Zion and/or Ingram can show even a little bit of damn pride and consistency on defense, and if NAW's ~20 ppg production as a starter last year wasn't complete fool's gold... this is a playoff team as currently constructed, even in a stacked West. With room, assets, and movable salary to improve further. Despite all the bitter media doomsaying to the contrary, I think the future is relatively bright, at least compared to this franchise's usual standard over the past ~20 years. Time will tell one way or the other...
I think this roster is undeniably deeper and improved over last year's for sure... but a lot of that improvement was just addition by subtracting the mistakes of last offseason, and not at zero cost to us either. Although the media who still hates our guts for winning the Zion sweepstakes of course has completely sensationalized and over-exaggerated what we actually gave up in these trades; a top 10 protected Lakers first after they swapped out Dennis Schroeder for Russell Westbrook (that we keep if they somehow implode Dwight/Nash style) and a lottery protected first that conveys to two seconds if we keep it isn't much of anything if we are being 100%. It's not NOTHING for sure... but ask Danny Ainge how keeping all those mid to late 1sts, and all the no-name scrubs he used them on (that even Celtics fans have already forgotten the names of) worked out for him in the end. As far as the players we signed and traded for themselves, I like most of them and their contracts, JV was at worst the 2nd best, and very often the actual best player on a Western Conference playoff team. Devonte Graham very honestly might've deserved MIP over Ingram 2 years ago or at least a co-selection, Sato is a fine backup/3rd stringer at either guard spot, and I'm fine with Hart's coming back and on his new contract (although it'd be really nice if not every year is fully guaranteed). I see some people like @taker597 aren't happy about it, to which I'll point out; at the end of the day he'll be making a couple more million than what Alex Caruso of all people got, aka a lil more than the MLE. I think that's perfectly fine for what Josh gives you on both ends on and off the court. As I pointed out earlier and what this past week or so very clearly showed... Naji Marshall has absolutely no body of work or sustained period of consistent proven play at the NBA level. The idea that he was some obvious long term solution at the wing and made Hart irrelevant was silly; man was struggling to distinguish himself in goddam Summer League of all places. And not for any lack of trying either, man was playing disgustingly selfish a lot of those games. And didn't even put up particularly great numbers in the process. Garret Temple's extension is the only move that really made me go "Uhhh... why???" when I saw it.On the topic of our rookies and how they've looked so far.... I am very happy. Herb Jones is almost comically inept offensively... but he is the real deal and an absolute force on defense. Which is exactly what was expected of him as a 2nd rounder; if his shot or his finishing become even halfway passable he will stick around in the league for a very long time, longer than basically everyone drafted immediately around him. And Trigga Trey.... whew
. No homerism and no cap, that young man was one of the top 5 all around best and most impressive players of anyone I watched in Summer League. Man shot 55/40/100 (!!!!) while legitimately locking up every highly touted lottery pick that was unfortunate enough to run into him in the games we played. The salt from the Golden Sate bandwagoners and they bytch ass bitter commentators last night as "Kum Bucket" (leave it to Warriors fans to come up with this travesty of a nickname ) got put in the TM3 penitentiary and sent home with the L in the last seconds of the game last night was . Looking at this roster objectively and what you want next to BI and Zion I think by the end of this calendar year he should and will be starting. I don't know if a new first time coach with pressure to make the playoffs will have the balls to make that happen for the start of the season... but Willie already showed more creativity and willingness to adjust his lineups in 4 games than Stan did in 40+, so you never know. Trey isn't some raw 19 year old who doesn't know how to play, he is absolutely ready for it whenever he finally gets that opportunity. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later. I'd like to see NAW start along with him too, although I wouldn't absolutely hate it if Devonte got the nod over him at least early on. You can make arguments for either one of them next to TM3 and BI/Zion/JV.I think if health permits (which is a BIG if as long time fans of this team are all too aware...), if JV can play at 90% of the level he closed out last season in Memphis, if Zion and/or Ingram can show even a little bit of damn pride and consistency on defense, and if NAW's ~20 ppg production as a starter last year wasn't complete fool's gold... this is a playoff team as currently constructed, even in a stacked West. With room, assets, and movable salary to improve further. Despite all the bitter media doomsaying to the contrary, I think the future is relatively bright, at least compared to this franchise's usual standard over the past ~20 years. Time will tell one way or the other...
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@Inertia Creeps
Actually I'm fine with it to be honest. He gotta improve his shooting and his lay up game, tho.
It was just a yikes because of all the Buddy stuff and some people where upset.
I like having Hart as a enforcer. Keep the bench in line. Also, it means more minutes to TM3 to break out and hopefully keep flashing his Superstar potential.
I'm just not sure about NAW. He have some flamethrower games, but he'll follow it up with a dud last season. I hope he can find some consistency. He looked great for Team Canada.
NAW can do a lot of damage as a 6th man, tho.
If TM3 takes over. I like to see NAW at the one.
There is a ton of versatile line up that we can work in to be honest.
Actually I'm fine with it to be honest. He gotta improve his shooting and his lay up game, tho.
It was just a yikes because of all the Buddy stuff and some people where upset.
I like having Hart as a enforcer. Keep the bench in line. Also, it means more minutes to TM3 to break out and hopefully keep flashing his Superstar potential.
I'm just not sure about NAW. He have some flamethrower games, but he'll follow it up with a dud last season. I hope he can find some consistency. He looked great for Team Canada.
NAW can do a lot of damage as a 6th man, tho.
If TM3 takes over. I like to see NAW at the one.
There is a ton of versatile line up that we can work in to be honest.
O.T.I.S.
Veteran
ALonelyDad
Veteran
The team is fully betting on NAW being that 2nd half guy because if he’s not that then they are in trouble. Personally I am not a big believer in Kira, small guard whose not that good at shooting. Still young but I expect even Sato to get more mins than him this upcoming year
ALonelyDad
Veteran
Is Hart market that bad that he took this?
He got screwed because he was a restricted free agent and teams knew that the Pelicans were going to match whatever offer they threw at him.
They're going to go one big last splash at some point before Zion's max rookie extension (maybe even supermax) kicks in and eats up cap space. I can't see them picking up year 2 if he isn't traded before then.
David Griffin trending for getting exposed by a NOLA paper
