If this offseason had played out like this...

[WOW!!]

If the offseason  had played out with 2 different moves made would we be a better Team this year and going forward... 

1. You still trade Lance for Hawes and Barnes contract.. 

2. You still trade Barnes contract for Lamb.. 

3. You still sign Lin.. 

4. You still let Bismack walk.. 

Now the 2 different  moves.. 

1. You don't trade Vonleh or Hendo for a 1 year rental of Batum...  If Portland doesn't want the Cody - Hendo deal then walk away  from the table..  Don't  lose Vonleh at all.. IMO Portland would have called back after seeing Lma and Matthews walk out the door..  So you still could have ended up with Batum without losing Vonleh... 

2. Draft Miles Turner over Frank..  You  have a young 2 way player that can take over for Al in a year..  In stead of a pretty good stretch 4..  Which  you have now... 

Our team next year would have a potentially great front court  for the future  in MKG, Vonleh,  and Turner ...  You could have a team like this

Pg -  Kemba, Lin and Robinson 

Sg- Hendo,  Lamb,  Harrison   and  Daniels

SF -  MKG,  Marvin,  Pj

PF -  Cody,  Vonleh,  Hawes 

C -  Al,  and Turner 

And you still have the mid level  exception to get another wing player if needed ... 

Isn't this a better roster now and going forward than we have now? 

You would go into next year with Cap space and a foundation of

Kemba, MKG,  Vonleh,  Turner and Hawes..  And you can build around this... 

[bLACKpANTHER]

^^^ I have been a defender of Hendo on here for so long- and to see him back in our lineup makes me sick.. Batum is gonna be great for us this year, count on it. And i have grown to like the Kaminsky pick more and more..

the Hawes deal is the one im not too thrilled with- mainly because the years we are locked into with him. I wish we could have swung Lance for something better but im sure we were anxious to unload him ASAP.

if we can manage to trade Marvin's expiring for something of value around the trade deadline- we could make a push into the playoffs.

[cbarrier90]

Kaminsky is a natural center like Turner, he just plays like a stretch 4, and it's too early to say whether or not those two will be any good. I think drafting Winslow would have stuck more to the previous idea Cho had with the roster. 

This is how I would have run this offseason, for the record. But the problem is you're essentially banking on Lance being the sole cause of what went wrong last season. Not only that, but the 2014 season we tried to build on was such an anomaly, there's no guarantee everything just clicks again, especially without McBob and with Al seemingly a major injury away from retirement.

The offense would still be unwatchable, Vonleh, Winslow, Lamb, etc would still be long term projects that wouldn't have playing time, and we still probably get stuck drafting 9th again.

IMO it all depends on how much of an impact Batum makes. If he is the upgrade from Henderson we traded for him to be, we could sneak up on the East and have the season we were expected to have last year.

[WOW!!]

Kevin skis what i natural center like Turner, he just plays like a stretch 4, and it's too early to say whether or not those two will be any good. I think drafting Winslow would have stuck more to the previous idea Cho had with the roster. 

This is how I would have run this offseason, for the record. But the problem is you're essentially banking on Lance being the sole cause of what went wrong last season. Not only that, but the 2014 season we tried to build on was such an anomaly, there's no guarantee everything just clicks again, especially without McBob and with Al seemingly a major injury away from retirement.

The offense would still be unwatchable, Vonleh, Winslow, Lamb, etc would still be long term projects that wouldn't have playing time, and we still probably get stuck drafting 9th again.

IMO it all depends on how much of an impact Batum makes. If he is the upgrade from Henderson we traded for him to be, we could sneak up on the East and have the season we were expected to have last year.

Even if Batum is better than expected... 

Are you willing to pay him a Max deal to keep him?

Which is what I  think it will take to keep him..  If he out does expectations... 

[pantherphan96]

No way Portland gives up Batum after LMA walks and they lose everyone but Lillard. Maybe giving up Vonleh was too much, but Batum should play well in Charlotte.

[WOW!!]

Nay Portland gives up Batum after LMA walks and they lose everyone but Lillard. Maybe giving up Vonleh was too much, but Batum should play well in Charlotte.

 

So I ask you..  Was that worth a one year rental or a Max deal??  Even if we ccouldn't get him without Vonleh..  Is he worth losing after the season and if he plays well is he truly  worth a max deal?

[pantherphan96]

So I ask you..  Was that worth a one year rental or a Max deal??  Even if we ccouldn't get him without Vonleh..  Is he worth losing after the season and if he plays well is he truly  worth a max deal?

personally i dont get why the Hornets FO would trade Vonleh after one year, so that part of the deal will never make sense to me. but its not a bad trade if he plays well and gets a long term deal. or trade him at the all star break if he is truly having a breakout year and there is no way to extend him with the cap situation. (idk what the Hornets cap situation is)

 

e: if you could get him for just Henderson and not Vonleh, even if it was a one year deal, that would be worth it IMO.

[WOW!!]

people dsonally i dont get why the Hornets FO would trade Vonleh after one year, so that part of the deal will never make sense to me. but its not a bad trade if he plays well and gets a long term deal. or trade him at the all star break if he is truly having a breakout year and there is no way to extend him with the cap situation. (idk what the Hornets cap situation is)

 

e: if you could get him for just Henderson and not Vonleh, even if it was a one year deal, that would be worth it IMO.

 

No doubt... 

[cbarrier90]

 

 

So I ask you..  Was that worth a one year rental or a Max deal??  Even if we ccouldn't get him without Vonleh..  Is he worth losing after the season and if he plays well is he truly  worth a max deal?

Vonleh is no guarantee, and based off what little we saw from him last year, he has a long way to go. 

Also, no way Batum is getting a max deal even in this market. I'm sure the front office has already discussed possible terms, or we wouldn't have made the trade if he wasn't willing to re-sign here.

If eeverything falls apart, the roster is set up to self-destruct this offseason minus a few younger players.

[Wundrbread33]

Vonleh is no guarantee, and based off what little we saw from him last year, he has a long way to go. 

Also, no way Batum is getting a max deal even in this market. I'm sure the front office has already discussed possible terms, or we wouldn't have made the trade if he wasn't willing to re-sign here.

If eeverything falls apart, the roster is set up to self-destruct this offseason minus a few younger players.

I'm not so sure. If things play out as predicted, he will be a max type player, whether we agree with the market value or not.

He is a complete player: he can shoot, pass, has prototypical size, and plays defense at a high level.

He also is coming to a situation where he will be more relied upon to be a scorer. Sparing injury or pulling a Lance, Batum's production/numbers will only increase, driving up his value even more.

I believe only superstars deserve max money, but in a talent driven league, particularly when your team is in a small market...you have to pay up or someone else will. We have seen what has happened in this free agency period.

 

[WOW!!]

Vander is no guarantee, and based off what little we saw from him last year, he has a long way to go. 

Also, no way Batum is getting a max deal even in this market. I'm sure the front office has already discussed possible terms, or we wouldn't have made the trade if he wasn't willing to re-sign here.

If eeverything falls apart, the roster is set up to self-destruct this offseason minus a few younger players.

 

Kanter just got a max offer...  Let that sink in... 

 

 

 

Now if Batum has a better than his Avg..  Season he will be looking for the Max... 

 

 

Kanter just got a max offer...  Let that sink in... 

 

 

 

Now if Batum has a better than his Avg..  Season he will be looking for the Max... 

NOTHING on this team is a gguarantee.. 

 

A VVonleh,  Turner  front court is very young and full of potential... 

[cbarrier90]

 

 

Kanter just got a max offer...  Let that sink in... 

 

 

 

Now if Batum has a better than his Avg..  Season he will be looking for the Max... 

 

NOTHING on this team is a gguarantee.. 

 

A VVonleh,  Turner  front court is very young and full of potential... 

Kanter got a max offer because Portland has cap space and figures "To heck with it, let's screw OKC here by putting them in a no-win situation given this is the last year on KD's contract."

If they don't match Kanter, they lose offense in the post. If they do, they have to give up their depth or go over the tax which they hate doing. No skin off Portland's nose. They're not going to the playoffs either way.

Where has "potential" ever gotten this franchise? What player with "potential" have we ever developed.

"Potential" made us pass on Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson to take Biz. Made us take Cody Zeller over Damian Lillard. And take Noah Vonleh who looks like he's at least three years away from being starter material, especially here.

To heck with "potential."

[WOW!!]

Kind po

ter got a max offer because Portland has cap space and figures "To heck with it, let's screw OKC here by putting them in a no-win situation given this is the last year on KD's contract."

If they don't match Kanter, they lose offense in the post. If they do, they have to give up their depth or go over the tax which they hate doing. No skin off Portland's nose. They're not going to the playoffs either way.

Where has "potential" ever gotten this franchise? What player with "potential" have we ever developed.

"Potential" made us pass on Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson to take Biz. Made us take Cody Zeller over Damian Lillard. And take Noah Vonleh who looks like he's at least three years away from being starter material, especially here.

To heck with "potential."

if Batum  outperforms expectations..  He will want a Max deal whether you like it or not..  It's  crazy to think this team wouldn't have to overpay a player to stay here..  This is not a destination city get use to this knowledge..  

And potential is what made Anthony Davis a number 1 pick and a once in a decade talent...  Nobody knew he would be this good offensively  coming out of Kentucky... 

So you can pooh pooh potential picks but most of the best players in the league today..  Were not finished prospects and were drafted on potential... 

[chknwing]

why not let vonleh walk. apparently hes dumb as toast and can't learn plays etc.