Early (but not too early) 2023 off-season wishlist

[sturt]

1. There's more than one approach to this, so I'm not going to specify a favored trade proposal... but Tari Eason is at the top of that list. No, I don't think HOU wants to part with him, but yes, I do think there are reasons that they might.

The underlying premise here is that I'm hunting for the best young player I think could, as we continue down this path the next few years, become our version of Michael Cooper or Bruce Bowen... a Jayson Tatum neutralizer, you might say, formidable both on the wing and in the post.

2. I'll continue to pound the table for a legitimate 6th big, and even better, one who we can easily project to fill Capela's role eventually, if not sooner. Because I subscribe to the idea that Yeka's increasingly going to be both a C and a PF asset, I believe even if Bruno remains and continues on a ZaZa-like track, there's ample reason to add someone with legit rim protection skills and some regard for his defense.

So, you have to look for teams likely prepared to make significant moves b/c of their lackluster 2022-23 results first. Then, there's the question, "Is this a replacement for Clint, or an addition to Clint?"

For now, I'm content to think in terms of the latter, and surveying the field, I believe a deal with IND for Daniel Theis isn't hard to envision. He meets the qualifications indicated, but he's coming off an injury, he's nearing 30, and in his last year on his current contract... playing for a team that's likely not expecting to contend for another couple of years. Those are reasons they would part with him seemingly on the cheap.

More realistically--because Theis' $9m salary is a considerable monkey wrench--we use the 15th pick for Dereck Lively.

 

[theheroatl]

Jaylen Brown

[ABH]

[Wretch]

I think this is a good thread to gather all off-season commentary.

Boston is really the blueprint for my wishlist.  Looking at their offense, obviously they have that potent 1-2 punch...but the difference maker is all of the supporting guys that can just make shots.  Tatum and Brown create a ton of space, even Smart to an extent, and they have capable shooters.  If we had anything close to their level of spacing/shooting, we would have won that series easily...and these are just really good role players.

I love Cap and I love JC, but having them both on our frontcourt is KILLING us.  Same with OO.  Those three just don't compliment each other and Dre's some-timey offense is just not it.  We don't need a killer at either position, but somebody  between the 3 needs to be replaced by a stretch big.

I don't know how long I've been saying this, but we have to address the need for a sniper in the starting lineup. It's an uphill battle attacking the paint, drawing the defense, and basically having no way to capitalize on the space.

We get locked up and put up a prayer with every 3 pointer that goes up.... Meanwhile, our opposition rolls out waves of guys like Seth Curry, Danny Green, Tobias Harris, Jrue Holiday, Bobby Portis, PJ Tucker, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Max Strus, Derrick White, Marcus Smart, Malcom Brogdon and they rain open 3's on us.  We've got to address the spacing/shooting. Ball movement, player movement, trades...something....

I'm tired of hearing about "toughness and defense."  We're not perfect, but we have shown in this series that we can get it done when we need to.  Our "WOAT" defender has been noticeably more active and attentive on defense - particularly on in the passing lanes.  It's time to stop crying about that.  Obviously we should avoid targeting straight up matadors, but being a defensive ace that did 3 tours in 'Nam shouldn't be a prerequisite to our search.  We would have a legitimate shot at beating the Celtics if we had their spacing and quality perimeter shooting.  Conversely, no matter how good we are defensively...nobody is "stopping" offenses like that.

[sturt]

31 minutes ago, Wretch said:

I don't know how long I've been saying this, but we have to address the need for a sniper in the starting lineup.

All along, my belief had been we would see Dre eventually become that.

That's not happened.

And for that reason, I've been inclined to think, after Clint, Dre is the next most vulnerable player this off-season.

I'm just not confident that Quin's going to be okay with parting with either of those guys until he feels he's had enough time to assess how they perform within his system and philosophies.

[Wretch]

1 hour ago, sturt said:

All along, my belief had been we would see Dre eventually become that.

That's not happened.

And for that reason, I've been inclined to think, after Clint, Dre is the next most vulnerable player this off-season.

I'm just not confident that Quin's going to be okay with parting with either of those guys until he feels he's had enough time to assess how they perform within his system and philosophies.

I'm inclined to agree with all of this.  I really do like this team and I really wish we could get it worked out.  We seem to be, maybe not more consistent, but more confident and clearly better offensively under Snyder.  When you look back at this series, our confidence grew with each game.  Had we come into the series with the same mentality, I think we would have seen a game 7.

I do think though that regardless of what we do, the top priority must be getting a quality, veteran sniper in the starting lineup...however that has to happen.

[AHF]

1 hour ago, sturt said:

And for that reason, I've been inclined to think, after Clint, Dre is the next most vulnerable player this off-season.

This is me spitballing but I would think that in the absence of a big trade for a superstar that needs Hunter to get done, Hunter is one of the safest people on the roster.  I think he had his best playoffs yet (on both sides of the ball) and fills a role that is hard to fill.  If CC goes then OO becomes the first in-house option to backfill with JC also available.  If JC goes, JJ and OO are in line.  If Hunter goes, we have arguably better scorers and playmakers for his role on offense but I think he is very hard to replace on defense.  He isn't an elite defender but he is a good one and a versatile one.  That is hard to fill with a guy who is also good enough to be a legit threat on offense.

My ranking of how likely I think "core" guys are to be traded:

CC

JC

JJ/AJ (in the trade bait for a big deal involving one of the higher paid players category but nearly unmovable in a one-for-one deal)

DM (higher than Bogi because he has more juice as a trade target and is on an expiring deal but still unlikely to move)

Bogi (just extended, seems like the kind of gunner Quin wants on the roster, and health history tanks his trade value)

Bey

OO

Hunter

Trae

[JayBirdHawk]

Steve Koonin on radio just now; 

We need a B.A.B.

Spoiler

Bad Ass Big 

 

[sturt]

52 minutes ago, AHF said:

This is me spitballing but I would think that in the absence of a big trade for a superstar that needs Hunter to get done, Hunter is one of the safest people on the roster.  I think he had his best playoffs yet (on both sides of the ball) and fills a role that is hard to fill.  If CC goes then OO becomes the first in-house option to backfill with JC also available.  If JC goes, JJ and OO are in line.  If Hunter goes, we have arguably better scorers and playmakers for his role on offense but I think he is very hard to replace on defense.  He isn't an elite defender but he is a good one and a versatile one.  That is hard to fill with a guy who is also good enough to be a legit threat on offense.

My ranking of how likely I think "core" guys are to be traded:

CC

JC

JJ/AJ (in the trade bait for a big deal involving one of the higher paid players category but nearly unmovable in a one-for-one deal)

DM (higher than Bogi because he has more juice as a trade target and is on an expiring deal but still unlikely to move)

Bogi (just extended, seems like the kind of gunner Quin wants on the roster, and health history tanks his trade value)

Bey

OO

Hunter

Trae

 

Interesting. And plausible.

 

[sturt]

4 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Steve Koonin on radio just now; 

We need a B.A.B.

  Hide contents

Bad Ass Big 

 

 

I hear that Quin used to coach one of those.

Reunion?

[JayBirdHawk]

5 minutes ago, sturt said:

 

I hear that Quin used to coach one of those.

Reunion?

I have ZERO interest in Goberated and his $40+ million.

[Wretch]

I'll say this for the record.  I would not trade AJ for anything.  Nada.  It would take an absolutely mind-blowing blockbuster for me to consider it and I'll die on that hill.   

[kg01]

20 minutes ago, Wretch said:

I'll say this for the record.  I would not trade AJ for anything.  Nada.  It would take an absolutely mind-blowing blockbuster for me to consider it and I'll die on that hill.   

"Here lies the wretched one.  He was a real one ...."

(I can see them trading $wAG if it nets us a difference-making 5.  Your saving grace may be the fact that there's not really one on the market as far as I can see.)

[h4wkfan]

6 minutes ago, kg01 said:

"Here lies the wretched one.  He was a real one ...."

(I can see them trading $wAG if it nets us a difference-making 5.  Your saving grace may be the fact that there's not really one on the market as far as I can see.)

Honest question  - who is a difference making 5 in the modern NBA?

Embiid and Joker (who aren’t available) and … ? 

[kg01]

8 minutes ago, h4wkfan said:

Honest question  - who is a difference making 5 in the modern NBA?

Embiid and Joker (who aren’t available) and … ? 

I dunno anymo'.  I'd disagree, but I imagine some would say Ayton.

And I could see a world where JoeLLLL would make himself 'available'.

[NBASupes]

10 hours ago, h4wkfan said:

Honest question  - who is a difference making 5 in the modern NBA?

Embiid and Joker (who aren’t available) and … ? 

For us, it would be KAT. We need an offensive big

[Gray Mule]

10 hours ago, h4wkfan said:

Honest question  - who is a difference making 5 in the modern NBA?

Embiid and Joker (who aren’t available) and … ? 

My want isn't available either:  Mark Williams, Hornets.

[Spud2nique]

10 hours ago, kg01 said:

I dunno anymo'.  I'd disagree, but I imagine some would say Ayton.

And I could see a world where JoeLLLL would make himself 'available'.

You say Naz Reid I walk 

[Spud2nique]

20 hours ago, theheroatl said:

Jaylen Brown

This.

Thats it. Outside of him, Giannis. 
 

 

[kg01]

22 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

You say Naz Reid I walk 

 Ah, he's a 4.  I still want him, assuming they mercifully trade Collins ... even tho he showed glimpses of being what they need late in the series.  So I'm torn now.