(Warning: not what the tank crowd wants to hear)Kupchak on Rozier and upcoming season

[ncfan]

 

[Shocker]

[MillionDollarCam]

This screams Bridges, Monk, Washington, Biyombo, MKG, three first round picks, and one pick swap for Russell Westbrook.

[CarolinaNCSU]

I don't take those quotes as anti-tank at all.  I mean, not like he's going to say "we're going to suck this year, let's see what the young kids have got" - - but he did kind of say that.  Couple quotes more specific to potential acquisitions and anti-tank...

MJ is willing to pay the tax...if there's a playoff caliber team that can advance

• No, no he's not. He would've kept Kemba if so.  Also, a big "IF" there's a playoff caliber team, capable of advancing.  Cool..because there won't be. 

We have to inject this team with young players AND develop them. 

• Aka...NOT trade them away. So...there's no chance they would have a trade package for capable players to make this a playoff team. As for free agents, yeah, there's no sign again this is a playoff team, AND there's nobody really worth a crap left plus the cap ramifications.

The Rozier love fest, he "would be a lottery pick", etc.

• Cool.  He was basically a lotto pick when he came out, in what's turning out to be a decent draft class. Not exactly sure what he was going for with that comment other than hey, he's got 12th pick in the draft value to us. 

 

Jordan's ego and feeling like he has to do something post-Kemba after catching heat can't be ruled out...but a lot of quotes just saying the basics to me. 

[countryboi]

This team was not going to be very good even with Kemba....while i didnt want Kemba to walk he was going to handcuff this team to his high cap number for years. I dont blame them for not paying Kemba I blame them for not dumping him when they had the chance. Pick a damn plan and stick to it

[Eazy-E]

4 hours ago, CarolinaNCSU said:

MJ is willing to pay the tax...if there's a playoff caliber team that can advance

• No, no he's not. He would've kept Kemba if so.  Also, a big "IF" there's a playoff caliber team, capable of advancing.  Cool..because there won't be. 

 

We are not a playoff caliber team this year with Kemba which is MJ's excuse for not resigning Kemba. Not really sure how you are disagreeing with that.

[ncfan]

 

[archer4364]

I think this is just PR. We're obviously rebuilding, there's no way around it. 

[YoungPanthers89]

Delusional 

[yasuhara2241]

What do you all expect him to say? "Hey season ticket owners and those thinking about buying, we are going to be one of the worst teams in the league!" 

Just because he says we aren't rebuilding or tanking doesn't mean that we aren't.

Look at our roster! We are going to be tanking even if we don't want to be!!

[yasuhara2241]

1 hour ago, Stoney said:

He's (Kupchak) absolutely saying the same things he said last year....

....namely, WE ARE NOT TANKING! 

Playoffs are the (completely illogical) goal.

With our roster we are tanking no matter what is said. No team is going to outright say they are tanking and rebuilding especially in a city like Charlotte. We are the most fickle basketball fanbase. How many people got so upset and wanted to switch teams because we didn't overpay Kemba? 

[CPcavedweller]

On 7/6/2019 at 11:11 PM, ncfan said:

 

You can't admit to tanking.

But all one has to do is go look at Rozier's numbers and W-L win starting. The Celtics were arguably a better team with Rozier starting in place of Kyrie over the past two seasons. Who's to know if it could be sustained but he seems more likable to his teammates and has a work ethic that Jordan likes. People down on the Rozier signing fail to understand the business aspect of not resigning Kemba. You can't push your team into the luxury tax when that team isn't going to be competing for the Conference Finals. You sign Kemba to a max-ish deal and you are paying luxury tax for two seasons, have no cap flexibility, and have no ability to actually make the team better to make a run until 2021. 

Jordan would still be middling around while picking in the 9 to 15 range of the draft which would be more detrimental unless you strike proverbial gold in the draft. If Rozier pans out you have a guy who likely won't be commanding max money when Batum comes off the books. The Hornets would them be in a position with a young guard, hopefully a decent core that includes Bridges, Monk, and Bacon, and picks stockpiled. It's a recipe for making a Championship run should the Front Office draft well and get some good recruiting from players. Jordan may also want to step up on that front if it isn't against league rules. 

[yasuhara2241]

23 hours ago, Stoney said:

Interesting take.

What constitutes a legit "tank" effort in your opinion?

What's the over/under win total on a real "tank" effort?

15?  Something else?

76'ers who executed legit long-term "tank" effort went 19, 18, 10, 28....

....we looking for something like that?

Now, let me preface this by saying I didn't even want Terry. I wanted to be absolutely terrible and have a top 4 or 5 pick being the worst team in the league. 

With Terry we still be one of the top 6 worst teams in the league unless Monk, Miles and Bacon explode. I still think one bottom 3 but who knows. 

[CarolinaNCSU]

Rozier might end up being decent, but are people serious about him as anything other than average at best? Average is even pushing it so far.  As a 3rd to 4th option at best he was...

• A 38% shooter. 35% from 3. He gets to the line a whopping ONCE per game. 12.9 PER, 3.2 Win Shares. 19 mil.  

Compare that to a perfectly average guys from last year...

Darren Collison (10 million per year)

• 47% FG, 40% from 3. 2.5 FT attempts per game. 16.7 PER, 6.8 Win Shares. 

D.J. Augustin (7.25 million)

• 47% FG, 42% from 3. 2.6 FTA/Game. 15.7 PER, 6.9 WS. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Hornet for 5 minutes, our PG if Kemba were trade, Rookie Deal)

• 47% FG, 36.7% from 3. 2.4 FTA/Game. 13.4 PER, 3.3 WS. 

Dennis Schroder (15.5 million - - a bad contract)

• 41% FG, 34% from 3. 2.9 FTA/Game. 12.7 PER, 2.9 WS. 

 

Rozier was worse (and twice as expensive) as career average player Darren Collison.  Three times the cost, for maybe half the production of DJ freaking Augustin. Outplayed by rookie SGA. And a somewhat decent comp in Dennis Schroder, yeah he's giving you about the same production, at a higher cost, than a guy already on a bad contract. 

Rozier's signing may work out, sure.  But for the same money you could've had Danny Green AND Rodney Hood.  Or grab Seth Curry and Kevon Looney. Or hell, Tyus Jones, Seth Curry, and Rodney Hood for the Duke trifecta. This contract has been the butt of jokes since it was offered, and just another means of the Hornets blowing money on average at best guys.