So is Center the biggest hole you see for the team? Any chance they could look at say point guard play or maybe even another wing, like Dorian Finney-Smith or Royce O Neal for example? Also, is there any move they could make to allow them to have any cap space in the offseason?
So center isn't necessarily the biggest hole, just the direction the money is pointing. Here is how I arrived at my conclusions:
- They have to operate within the tax frame work
- They have limited tradeable salaries, and JV is their biggest one
- Their window for trading JV is small, he will be an expiring this summer
- Moving JV means replacing his production
- They will not be free agent players so you can't replace him then
- Money for DFS or Royce needs to come from somewhere else. It can come from Larry, but it doesn't solve your JV issue.
- They desperately want a defensive big. It's why Lively was so high on their draft board.
Basically, if you opt to keep JV, you have to hope you can sign and trade him later, and that gets tricky. As an expiring his value in trades is solid as opposed to if he comes with the sign and trade restrictions. Turning JV money in to a wing or a guard is a nonstarter for me, unless they can find big man depth elsewhere.
Gotcha! Makes sense. I wonder how valuable other teams view Naji as well. With pels being a more private front office, there really hasn’t been much tea leaves at all, outside of Jake Fischer linking Allen/Pels
Great stuff! I’m curious where Daniel Gafford would fit in your/the FO’s opinion as a possible target? Seems like he’d fit the role they’re looking for as well.
Hey Chris, I think Gafford would be a poor fit. He's in my eyes a player that approximates what a guy like Jarrett Allen does but doesn't have the game sense to do it at a high level. I'm not a fan personally and I think the team would want a more heady player.
Just saw your Twitter post, asking about seating in the arena. I've been a season ticket holder since first game October 30th 2002. Sit on mid court line in first section in upper bowl. Would not change it for the world. Have been to every game since 2002, every game. Love your work and analysis. Keep up the good work
Just when you're ready to Jonas, he has a game like last night where he reminds you that even if he isn't the mobile big everyone wants, he's still pretty good at the things he does.
I'm open to the Jarret Allen option, or a low cost deal that brings in a back up big to ease the banging Larry Nance takes. Maybe I'm guilty of over-valuing assets we already have, but I'd prefer a transaction that doesn't send out Dyson, even if it costs some extra draft capital. I think Cleveland are hovering a smidge over the tax, so they might be interested in a deal that takes back less salary. JV + Naji for Allen works salary wise and you could still trade Kira somewhere to duck under the tax.
With Alverado out with illness, I've quite enjoyed watching the Dyson-Hawkins-Murphy trio operate together over the last couple of games. Dyson has a very Lonzo Ball-ish game: great connector as a passer, top-level defence, work-in-progress jumper, extreme reluctance to finish through contact if he can make a pass or take a floater instead. The things he'd good at, he's very good at and are useful to the team; and I think there's a lot of barely tapped potential to his offensive game. If the choice was between Dyson and a future draft pick, how likely would you be to draft a player as good as Dyson? Plus if you can develop his game, he may become an even more valuable trade asset later.
So is Center the biggest hole you see for the team? Any chance they could look at say point guard play or maybe even another wing, like Dorian Finney-Smith or Royce O Neal for example? Also, is there any move they could make to allow them to have any cap space in the offseason?
So center isn't necessarily the biggest hole, just the direction the money is pointing. Here is how I arrived at my conclusions:
- They have to operate within the tax frame work
- They have limited tradeable salaries, and JV is their biggest one
- Their window for trading JV is small, he will be an expiring this summer
- Moving JV means replacing his production
- They will not be free agent players so you can't replace him then
- Money for DFS or Royce needs to come from somewhere else. It can come from Larry, but it doesn't solve your JV issue.
- They desperately want a defensive big. It's why Lively was so high on their draft board.
Basically, if you opt to keep JV, you have to hope you can sign and trade him later, and that gets tricky. As an expiring his value in trades is solid as opposed to if he comes with the sign and trade restrictions. Turning JV money in to a wing or a guard is a nonstarter for me, unless they can find big man depth elsewhere.
Gotcha! Makes sense. I wonder how valuable other teams view Naji as well. With pels being a more private front office, there really hasn’t been much tea leaves at all, outside of Jake Fischer linking Allen/Pels
Great stuff! I’m curious where Daniel Gafford would fit in your/the FO’s opinion as a possible target? Seems like he’d fit the role they’re looking for as well.
Hey Chris, I think Gafford would be a poor fit. He's in my eyes a player that approximates what a guy like Jarrett Allen does but doesn't have the game sense to do it at a high level. I'm not a fan personally and I think the team would want a more heady player.
Just saw your Twitter post, asking about seating in the arena. I've been a season ticket holder since first game October 30th 2002. Sit on mid court line in first section in upper bowl. Would not change it for the world. Have been to every game since 2002, every game. Love your work and analysis. Keep up the good work
Just when you're ready to Jonas, he has a game like last night where he reminds you that even if he isn't the mobile big everyone wants, he's still pretty good at the things he does.
I'm open to the Jarret Allen option, or a low cost deal that brings in a back up big to ease the banging Larry Nance takes. Maybe I'm guilty of over-valuing assets we already have, but I'd prefer a transaction that doesn't send out Dyson, even if it costs some extra draft capital. I think Cleveland are hovering a smidge over the tax, so they might be interested in a deal that takes back less salary. JV + Naji for Allen works salary wise and you could still trade Kira somewhere to duck under the tax.
With Alverado out with illness, I've quite enjoyed watching the Dyson-Hawkins-Murphy trio operate together over the last couple of games. Dyson has a very Lonzo Ball-ish game: great connector as a passer, top-level defence, work-in-progress jumper, extreme reluctance to finish through contact if he can make a pass or take a floater instead. The things he'd good at, he's very good at and are useful to the team; and I think there's a lot of barely tapped potential to his offensive game. If the choice was between Dyson and a future draft pick, how likely would you be to draft a player as good as Dyson? Plus if you can develop his game, he may become an even more valuable trade asset later.