[high floorParticipant]

Not kidding…. if the Pels had a league average (or even slightly below league average) small forward on this team they would win 7-8 more games. Their wing depth has been abysmal since AD joined the team… and if they could somehow find a way to acquire a player of like CJ Miles / PJ Tucker /Jonathan Simmons / Al Farouq Aminu quality they would vault to 47 + win territory, almost assuredly. But they’ve never addressed this problem with serious intentions, and outside of offering future 1st rounders they will for sure have to give up either Holiday, Cousins, or Davis to make that happen. Do you guys have any solutions to how New Orleans can finally end this stretch of playing replacement level SF’s on their team??

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Evan_MilbergParticipant]

They don’t really have a starting caliber SG either, unless you think Rondo and Holiday can play in the same backcourt. I’ve said this before: they should trade Asik for a wing player. Asik is a quality backup center who just doesn’t fit in New Orleans. 

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 Not likely. Asik has one of the worst contracts in the league and still has 2 fully guaranteed years left. He has virtually no trade value at this point. The only way new Orleans could realistically get out of his contract at this point is to attach him to a deal involving one of their stars or future draft picks.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 Matt Barnes is still out there.  Solid 3 and D wing guy.  Solid passer and solid rebounder.  With Davis, Cousins, Holiday, and also Rondo hogging the stats, Barnes can space the floor and help you out and both sides of the ball.

Tony Allen is still a free agent, too.  More of a 2 guard than a 3, but can guard muliple positions, and should probably play the 3 now since he (still) can’t shoot.  Good at getting to the basket though and can also help out on the boards.  

With Barnes and TA you play ’em each 15-20 minutes a night ideally… Of course, they can each play 25 minutes to 30 minutes a night and you are basically ok.

And, as long as Davis, Cousins, and Holiday are firing on all cylinders you can have BOTH of the former Grit ‘n Grinders (Allen and Barnes) out there on the perimeter at the same time.  Each guy can give you 6 or 7 points per night (at worst), 4 or 5 rebounds each, some steals, assists, with Barnes being able to also hit the 3.  Better than average on perimeter/wing defense.  You could do worse than throwing Barnes, Tony Allen, and Rajon Rondo against the Warriors Freak Trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant.

Then what I would do would be to trade Omer Asik for something more reasonable — current assets AND future assets.  

I would trade Omer Asik, cash, and a 2018 second rounder to the Celtics for Gerald Green (extra wing scoring/dunking/3 point shooting), Semi Ojeleye (forward depth on a rookie deal), Shane Larkin (possible 3rd/4th string point guard, decent athlete), Abdel Nader, and the Celtics 2018 first round pick.

The Pelicans add depth at 1-4.  Plus that pick that will probably be 27-30 but could be 24 or 25.  

And for the Celtics, they get a guy in Asik who is a pretty good center in terms of interior defense and rebounding when he is at the top of his game.  They also get a Pelicans 2nd rounder, some cash to make the deal work, and also free up some spots to sign some extra vets either now or at the trade deadline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ChoppyParticipant]

 Someone suggested on another thread Shabazz Muhammad could be an option for the Pels. I think he could be a good pick up for them. Bazz has talent, hasn’t really had much of a chance to show it. 

[2quick4uParticipant]

 i think NO is way more fare away than a decent wing to get 47+ wins, but i do think that if they improved their wings and depth and if they slow their pace down, they could at least fight to enter the playoffs..

NO is a mess…they have no draft picks, no young talent outside of AD, they have the most unbalanced team in the league and what is worse, the player that has caused all this situation will leave next year for pennies..

i think they also made a big mistake signing holiday for all those years and that kind of money, especially considering he’s missed 30 games/yr the last 4 years and considering they could have signed a cheap veteran PG like rondo and/or european talents like teodosic (LA just signed him for 6mill./yr. !!) or sergio rodriguez and use all that money to sign a good wing.

about solomon hill’s 12 mill/year we better don’t even talk…

if they want to keep the core AD-cousins-holiday, they don’t have many choices as they don’t have much margin; it’s easy to say they should trade asik for a wing, but the problem is asik has almost no value in today’s game and his contract would be a burden for any team..of course they should try and see if someone bites the bait..

if i was NO this is what i’d try to do:

1. try to trade asik: boston, san antonio or denver are teams that could need a big presence and they like europeans; see if you can get a decent wing from one of those teams…

2. sign europeans nando de colo (+- 5mill/yr) and tornike shengelia (minim.): frenchman "de colo" is a top3 player in europe, i can’t understand how no one in nba has offered him a good contract..if you think frenchman fournier is a good player, de colo is as good as him.

T.shengelia is a 6’9 strong and versatile forward that at 25 is finally exploding and is becoming one of the best wings in europe; i assure you shengelia is a way better player than solomon hill..

3. get cedi osman from cavs for cash (is 3’5 mill. the max?) and a future 2nd round: cedi osman is one of the most talented SF in europe but he has no room in cleveland; osman is a very talented versatile 6’9 player that can play 2 or 3 and can shoot from 3. This guy is gonna have a long career in the nba…

4. sign jimmer fredette for 1yr.: give him his last chance..the guy still knows how to play and how to shoot, he just got the mvp in china averaging 37 pts/g with a 47% FG

5. sign s.muhammad for 1 yr. if he doesn’t ask for much money: this man has to prove he belongs to the league, so sign him for 1 yr. and let him prove it on the court.

6. sign nikola mirotic if not too expensive: mirotic doesn’t have room in chicago as they just drafted a better and bigger version of him in markkanen, and it happens that markkanen might be a lot better than people expects..the guy is killing it in the european tournament. 

*with the additions of some of these players and a change in the style of play (slower pace) i think they could try to fight for the 8th spot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TheTruth86Participant]

 Great post. My Celtics could use asik’s rebounding but on a cheaper deal. I dont believe they can absorbe his contract . Spurs re- signed Gasol for 16 mils/ear, (way too much, imo) so they are probably not taking him either. Denver got a lot of wings for sale but they’ d better give 10-12 mils to resign Mason Plumlee as Jokic’ s backup rather than spending them on asik. So Asik is almost untradable and I also believe Cavs are not willing to give up cedi osman at least not for just cash. About european guys  I also like them as cheap and immediate contributors but some of them are probably under contracts. Anyway I very much like de colo’s play and was surprised he left nba after auch a short stint. Bottomline, I dont believe in Pelicans’ project and I see them loosing DMC and/ or the Brow next summer. 

[Jr. ROXASParticipant]

Now that Phil Jackson is gone, Dell Demps is officially the worst GM in the league right now. Omer Asik honestly can make a case for being THE worst player in the NBA and he is locked for 30 million in the next 3 years. Solomon Hill managed to dupe this guy too after one big game in the playoffs for a whopping 54 million and now he’s injured. I feel bad for Davis, the most potent SF he’s ever had since he was there was maybe Quincy Pondexter????? That says a whole lot.

After watching some Eurobasket games, the Pels should just look at these European guys if they want immediate contributors. Kostas Papanikolau was  doing well for the Rockets until he was surprisingly traded to Nuggets team stacked with wings. This guy Shengelia for Georgia looks good. Cedi Osman can be a target if the Cavs are willing to give him up.

 

[A Lil EnglishParticipant]

The chief was on Davis’s team for his first two years. They gave up on him. I thought Casspi could have done well there but that didn’t work out. Gerald Green and Shabazz Muhammad could be worth a try.

But instead I hear they are working out Josh Smith, Chase Budinger & Martell Webster!?!

 

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Josh Smith played highschool basketball with Rondo at Oak Hill so he would be the likely fit but as far as chemistry goes but I wonder how much hes got in the tank and what his conditioning is like and how well he would fit as a SF with his broken shot.

 Martell Webster went down with the same injury I.T. is currently recovering from 2 years ago. It would be nice to see him make a comeback and I think he could be a very good fit if he is fully recovered.

[The Scare Crow RisesParticipant]

I haven’t heard their names since they got cast off into purgatory aka Minnesota

I used to be a big Chase Budinger fan while he was in College, I thought he could be a Mike Miller type but he got injured and never fully recovered, same could be said about Martell Webster, he showed plenty of flashes BUT he too got injured and forgotten about 

Maybe the Pels can get something outta these 2 because there was talent there before injuries took over their careers  

[tblazer_NZParticipant]

Perry Jones has signed a training camp deal, maybe the Pelicans are his way back into this league. Not much in front of him on the depth chart there. 

[theballerwayParticipant]

PJ3. good luck to him.

Looks like Tony Allen is in the fold too. Not much help for their spacing but good defense/grit

  and veteran presence.

  

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