I still think the team will work something with a sign-and-trade for Smith and a back up point. This team will be a whole lot more fun to watch next year, especially when they run out a lineup of 3 40% 3 point shooters and Love and Jefferson. Next year was *never* going to be good. I said it many times during the year; the 08/09 season is the one where it starts coming back up from rock bottom and it will suck no matter what. They will figure out which 6-7 guys get to stay on the team while being able to package the ones who don't with the 4-5 picks they should have for a nice asset in next year's draft (likely a shooting guard/wing in the mid to late lotto) and then they bring over Pekovic and sign a FO after 09/10. Since the day the KG trade was made, that was the quickest and most sensible way forward and I'm impressed that they've stuck with it. They've missed out on a few things here and there (cough....Ratliff deal...cough) but this team will need a few players like Miller to make it all click in 2010.

Here's hoping that they can sign and trade the Rhino (maybe with McCants) for a backup point. I'm really hoping they take a flier on Livingston and even if he doesn't play more than 30 games this year, it wouldn't hurt to give him a 2 year deal around the $4-5 mil that he would have received had he not been hurt and that they will likely spend on Smith anyway. If Livingston has *anything* left, that's 6'7\", 6'4\", 6'8\" across the wing with Miller in the lineup.

BTW: I still can't believe they FUBAR'd the chance at Chalmers and/or CDR. That's another mistake to go along with the Ratliff mess. Bottom line: the team has bottomed out and they have a pretty clear plan that is pretty much the best way forward. I really don't see how they could be playing this much better. What else should they do this year? They can't spend anything over a 2 year deal. They don't want to trade slotted rookie contracts that will get them by on the cheap until 2010, and they have clearly committed to a specific type of offense that I think will be pretty effective for many years to come: the high/low post with a trio of wings who can shoot. If Love is all he's cracked up to be as a passer and a mid-range shooter, this could get interesting. I think they got about as good as they possibly could have outside of landing Beasley on draft day and I don't think 35-40 wins is out of the question. I was going with 28-30 before.

Here's hoping that they can sign and trade the Rhino (maybe with McCants) for a backup point. I'm really hoping they take a flier on Livingston and even if he doesn't play more than 30 games this year, it wouldn't hurt to give him a 2 year deal around the $4-5 mil that he would have received had he not been hurt and that they will likely spend on Smith anyway. If Livingston has *anything* left, that's 6'7\", 6'4\", 6'8\" across the wing with Miller in the lineup.

Did you mean so say that'd you would want to have Rhino and McCants in a deal for a STARTING guard?
I'm all for trading McCants. I don't want to lose Rhino. But if we can get a good starting guard, I'd be in.
But do that for a backup? No thanks.

prettymuchadork77 wrote:
Well that's fine but we just *drafted* a player that plays his exact position and has to be part of the core. Therefore the front court minutes are pretty much set between Beach Boy and Al. Given the fact that Collins, despite his whackness, is an actual big center, they'll probably use him for a few minutes. Gomes is a priority, obviously ahead of the Rhino. Rhino has no place anymore. He's short, and redundant if Gomes and the Beach Boy - K. Love are here.

Wow, I guess my basketball IQ isn't up to par. I guess we're ok with handing over roles to both Love and Richard who have yet to show anything in the NBA, and get rid of talent like Smith.
The ONLY reason I see for getting rid of Smith is to try and do some kind of deal for a point guard.

Wow, I guess my basketball IQ isn't up to par. I guess we're ok with handing over roles to both Love and Richard who have yet to show anything in the NBA, and get rid of talent like Smith.
The ONLY reason I see for getting rid of Smith is to try and do some kind of deal for a point guard.

That's pretty much it. IF you draft a player that high you are betting on him panning out to be a good player. We can't pay Smith much because he will be limited to being a backup in our lineup. If they do keep him I'd be fine with giving him minutes when/if Love sucks it up. But McHale won't. Love has to pan out, so he'll play big minutes. Al is better than Rhino, and Gomes is better than Rhino. So he'll just sit. Might as well trade him to Houston for Luther Head so he can play minutes. He'd fit in nice alongside Yao. He'd put up 12 and 8 I bet.

prettymuchadork77 wrote:
Lets sink or swim with these guys next year (I couldn't care less about seeing the stiffs play EVER). Let lazy defense get guys pulled not missed shots. I'm EXCITED.

(unordered)
1. Foye
2. Brewer
3. Love
4. Jefferson
5. McCants
6. Mike Miller
7. Sebastian Telfair - if Miami gets him put Shaun Livingston here, if we don't get Livingston, let McCants play the point (he can handle it... just ask him)
8. Ryan Gomes
9. Richard (I guess)

Where are there minutes for Craig? Not there. He belongs in the NBA just not on this roster.

pants wrote:
So Richard is the only sub coming in for Jefferson and Love? The rest are 2's and 3's. I guess we're using the quick lineup. That worked wonders for Phoenix, even with a guy named Nash running the show.

prettymuchadork77 wrote:
I'm counting on some ugly Gomes PF minutes. Also I know full well that Madsen/Collins/Cardinal will end on on the court when guys need a quick rest. Still I'd rather see the guys above struggle to make the best of bad matchups than find out the extent of Brian Cardinal's game. Trial by fire.