[festar35Participant]

 I ask this question in relation to 2 teams in particular, the Hornets and Grizzlies.

So both these teams are struggling big time this year, but they both have assets that could get seem some nice young pieces or draft picks. Guys like Walker, Batum, Howard, Williams in Charlotte and Gasol, Conley, Evans in Memphis.

It looks to be a very deep draft with some real talented young guys coming through so when do you think they should look to the future? For me I’m thinking if things don’t look any better in the first half of Jan you got to look to move on.

 

 

[jabbar_medvedenkoParticipant]

 I think when you’re a veteran team that’s clearly not a playoff team anymore, you go for a rebuild. Memphis in particular has been a major disappointment among all these injuries and stuff. They topped out as a 4ish seed in the West, were known for their grit and grind style for the last decade, but it’s time to move on, thought that a year ago too and now it’s official.

They have 2 aging players on big contracts who’re probably no longer in the all-star discussion, without much support. They didn’t do well drafting at all and can’t really call themselves a destination franchise. Good thing is they have their picks and, being 13 games under .500, should take advantage of a seemingly strong draft class. Even better if they can get more picks for Gasol/Conley to jump-start the rebuild.

As for Charlotte, they have also done poorly, particularly turning down Boston’s 4 first rounders only to select a bench big in Kaminsky at no. 9. Good thing for them is that their core of Walker, MKG, Lamb, Monk, Kaminsky, Bacon and Zeller is still relatively young, with oldest of them (Kemba) being 27. Don’t know if Batum or Howard are worth trading, but if they can nail their pick this year like Utah did with Mitchell, they can be an okay team. Think they’re better than their record.

 

[HitsterParticipant]

A lot depends when key players contracts are coming to an end and if you want to try to extend them. Atlanta seemed to go into a seamless rebuild as Horford, Carroll and Millsap left via FA. We don’t know whether Atlanta did offer them new deals similar to what they took elsewhere of course.

Dallas post Championship win and Kidd and Chandler moving on, tried to stay relevant but trod water before going into full rebuild.

A lot can also depend whether a team with a star tries to surround him with contending pieces or decides to cash in on him like Kings did with DMC or Chicago with Butler.

Memphis is an interesting one as Gasol’s contract is ticking down, he could be a FA in 2019 and he turns 33 next month so his trade value may not be high. But with Conley out, we don’t really know if Memphis would be much better. Conley would be harder to move so cashing in on Gasol might make sense. But the flip could be, they may get a really nice pick next year and if paired with Gasol and Conley could be a far better team next year.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 The Grizzlies are about down for the count.  Slowly alienating the entire city.

Wonder what it was like to be a Sonics fan, the last couple of years when they were in Seattle.

Can’t imagine it’s much different than it is now in Memphis.

Diehards are still there, but the bandwagoners are jumping off, and if too many casual fans stay away in droves this thing is in trouble.

Gotta clean house, definitely by the trade deadline.  I would do it by All Star Weekend.

Gasol or Conley for Cleveland contracts and the Nets’ pick.

Other than that, if we can’t get anything done, stretch Chandler Parsons’ contract, THEN try to move him.  If not keep him until he becomes an expiring contract then trade him (or use his contract in a draft night deal), move Brandan Wright instead to a contender for a late first rounder an a future second rounder, tank the rest of the season by shelving Conley, get a high pick, and then see what happens NEXT season.

Problem with that: MOST of the top guys are either centers or point guards, or a guy like Bagley who is technically a 4, but with Gasol taking up a lot of that air space, maybe Bagley/Gasol won’t be the best fit.

Then outside of Porter, Jr., who is injured (might be a reason why we DO draft him), if we go for "current need" then it looks like we would draft Mikal Bridges or Miles Bridges too high.

What we DO NEED is a DEFINITE top 5 pick, ANOTHER pick in the 8-10 range, and an extra mid/late first round pick.

Our 2019 pick is top 6 protected, so tank big time next year, too, then try to make a run in 2020 when our pick goes to Boston unprotected.

Ideally, Memphis gets 1 of Ayton, Bagley, Bamba, 1 of Sexton/Young, then one of Porter, Jr./Mikal Bridges/Miles Bridges…

Get all those guys, see how much we can develop Deyonta Davis, Jarrel Martin, Ivan Rabb, Dillon Brooks, and Kobi Simmons.  Tyreke Evans is a free agent but I think we should resign him to be our showcase player.  If Parsons and JaMychal Green stay then they become transition utility players along with Andrew Harrison.  Then go out and sign some Moneyball free agents.  Maybe even bring back a Grit/Grind guy like Tony Allen or Vince Carter.

Charlotte: semi-tank.  Rest some guys after the All Star break and go all out for a high pick, then see how they fit in with Kemba, Kaminsky, and some of those other guys.  See if you can put together a core centered around Kemba Walker that will be a fringe contender for 4 or 5 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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