We are all speculating that Daryl Morey is going to try make a push to get a starting center in the offseason, but the problem is how small the field truly is, assuming that any project we get in the draft is in pure development mode. Not only does this player have to be a clear upgrade in effectiveness to Chuck Hayes (difficult in itself), this player has to have true size and talent, and this player has to be available in the first place. He has to be effective on the defensive end of the court particularly. "When we get a starting center" are the words that I read all the time. Well, who the hell is that starting center? Top legitmate starting centers in the NBA according to PER. 1. Dwight Howard Not available until 2012 2. Tim Duncan No 3. Andrew Bynum No 4. Al Horford No 5. Nene Not with Nugget resurgence 6. Al Jefferson Awful defender 7. Brook Lopez No 8. Joakim Noah No 9. Tyson Chandler No 10. Marcin Gortat Awesome contract would be insane to move 11. Javale McGee No 12. Andrew Bogut I've heard this one thrown around, I don't see it. Bucks still young 13. Marc Gasol Grizzlies will match after making playoffs and trading Thabeet 14. Chuck Hayes 15. Emeka Okafor Not available until CP3 is gone 16. Roy Hibbert No, but I wish 17. Chris Kaman 18. Deandre Jordan Would not start, Clippers WILL match 19. Samuel Dalembert 20. Robin Lopez Would not start --------------------------------------------------------- For reasons of availability and cost effectiveness, the list turns into something like this... 1. Marcin Gortat Probably not available/Scola dangle perhaps? 2. Chris Kaman Does he impact the game on defense like we need? 3. Samuel Dalembert Not even sure he would start Wild cards... 1. Anderson Varejao Extremely expensive, Cavs best trade chip 2. Greg Oden Russian Roulette anyone? 3. Brendon Haywood AWFUL contract 4. Greg Monroe Rare bright spot for Detroit, not a great defensive presence 5. Derrick Favors Not going anywhere 6. Cole Aldrich ? Am I missing anyone? Can someone throw some legitimate C deals at me before I lose my mind?
How about this guy? I heard he's coming off an injury so we can get him on the cheap maybe and in his prime and he hasn't warn down his body haven taken two years off from the game to rest his mind. Not to mention he is a total team player and will work harder than anyone on the squad.
Interesting thread. The first point I would make about needing a center is that its not about getting an upgrade to Chuck. It's about getting an upgrade to our bigs. Which means primarily an upgrade to Hayes Scola Patterson since they are the primary rotation bigs that get the most minutes. Miller was not brought here to be anything more than a situational player and part time coach. So how do you upgrade the trio. Well, at least one of them has to be moved, its that simple. Either that or one of them has to become the 4th big playing less minutes in favor of the new guy. What do these guys lack? Length. 1. Patterson is our pf of the future and the future is going to be here soon. 2. Chuck Hayes is a combo big that lacks length but is one of the best post defenders in the NBA and has become an efficient playmate defensively. 3. Scola is the best scorer of the three, but the worst defender by far and just a mediocre rebounder. I have suggested attempting a trade for Bogut this season simply because Milwaukee was going back to the lottery and he has a high salary. I still think there is the possibility that the Bucks move him. Kaman may not be the best answer but he is going to be on an expiring contract. Hill and Thabeet are not part of the solution here and they're not going to move any of the other three out of the rotation. I would almost bet the house that we could get Kaman for those two. Kaman would likely provide a decent shot blocking presence and his contract could become an important trade piece at the deadline if. Paul/Okafor scenario unfolded. Asik may become available again for the right price. Maybe Kaman and Lee to Chicago, Thabeet/Hill to Clippers, and Asik and something else here. Get either Kantor or Biyombi in the draft, make the Kaman trade and see if our rookie can work himself into the rotation. If Minnesota drafts someone like Kantor, Darko may become available. Fesenko is an unrestricted FA. Nets may move Lopez if they could get Scola and a lottery pick or picks. This is something I am really thinking about. If we stay at 14, I think Morey may get them to bite, especially if there is one of the young bigs available in the draft.
Thanks for the post, that is exactly the kind of response I was hoping to get. Good ideas! As far as basketball decisions for the Bucks/Nets go, I find the Bogut and Lopez trades more unlikely than getting Dwight Howard in 2012. Neither team has a decent developing C, and neither team is old enough to shut down for a complete rebuild. That, and I just don't think we have the pieces to get a player of that caliber, a building block C for a small market in the case of the Bucks. No way they let him leave without getting a stud C in return. To me, Deron/Brook & Jennings/Bogut are as locked as a player could be. (If only we could have got in on Favors before he went to Utah) As for Milicic and Fesenko: Neither player would start, and I strongly doubt that either one could beat out Brad Miller, let alone crack the top 3 bigs in the rotation. Omer Asik is interesting. I am not knowledgable enough to have an opinion on his game. Perhaps we revisit a Courtney deal later? Sounds like the Bulls are very, VERY high on him, though.
Excellent post, except for the Brook Lopez part. Lopez is an awful rebounder, unathletic and is tissue soft. He gets props for being one of the smartest cs in the league, but the truth is I just don't see how he's gonna be an upgrade over Hayes. Just because PP looks like an all star in the making doesn't mean he's untouchable, on the contrary it makes him extremely tradable. For example in a trade for Bogut, a package like PP, T-Will. 2012 NY pick and the 14th lottery draft pick would be enticing as a "win now" trade for us and a rebuilding trade for them. Or, Scola+PP for Tyson Chandler, or maybe PP for Asik outright or with T-will as a throw-in. We can also go the low-risk route and just sign Fesenko and count on him and *ahem* Yao Ming for next year. Your trade of Kaman for Hill/Thabeet would be gold, I'm just not as sure the Clips would bite on that seeing as how they would have to pay Thabeet 5M a year.
Thabeet is an expiring. They wouldn't pay him $5 million year. They'd pay him and Hill less than what they would pay Kaman next sesaon. Then let him expire and walk or if they like him, try to re-sign him to a low contract. Most likely though, Thabeet is just salary matching fodder. As far as Lopez' rebounding numbers, here's an article that I happen to agree with regarding this issue. http://jamerchant.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/being-fair-to-brook-lopez-and-kris-humphries/ He's not a bad rebounder. He's simply playing next to a vacuum cleaner. Lopez could add a couple boards to his totals at the expense of taking them away from Humphries. Of course, along the way, since Humphries is kinda dense in the head, he would be fighting his teammate and costing his team a turnover or two. Lopez has been in Avery's doghouse all season. And I do not view trading him as them rebuilding. I don't think they trade Lopez to rebuild. I think they trade Lopez to get better. If Kantor is sitting there at 14 and they can get Kantor and Scola for Lopez and dump another bad contract in the process, say Travis Outlaw, then the Nets could very well view it as an upgrade depending on how they feel about Kantor.
Ahh I see what you are saying. That is a very, very intriguing deal you have there... If we can get a guy like Kantor, the game changes significantly.
By the way, there are rumblings that Biyombi is actually oder than his listed age of 18. Wouldn't surprise me (Deke) if this was true. He's way too chiseled for 18. Looks like about 23 to me. Also, the name Ben Wallace is being thrown around about him. Same height with more length. But same type of game as Wallace (although there is no question that he can shoot the J all day better than Big Ben).
I think we should explore a trade for a young center who isn't receiving much playing time, but could produce if given. Cole Aldrich & Hassan Whiteside, are some good examples. Both could be had for cheap, but could have big long term impact on the team at the center spot.
of the options, I like the idea of a Scola for Gortat, if you can find a way to make the salaries work. I never thought I'd say this, but a trade for Varejao also has to be considered. If Bogut becomes available, obviously we'd have to take advantage of that. But everyone else on the list is either unattainable or not worth attaining.
When teams acquire a young star, they rarely keep any current players. Even if those current players are young themselves.
i thought Yao Ming was the answer? I mean doesn't our owner only care about the money that the center can bring in? Even though he would get hurt again? And fans actually try to buy this crap he sells.
And all of that was the right move at the time.. I won't argue that. I'm saying, end Yao Ming right now. Do not go a step further.
That's why the Rockets were so interested in Asik at the deadline. I don't know what else they were asking for other than Lee. Its very difficult to get a really effective defensive center at a good rate.
good thread I just want to inform.. if you are talking about Enes... his last name is Kanter. The point made in this original post is what I've been trying to say all season. People kept saying "Morey needs to get a center" "Morey sucks because he didn't get us a real center" Well, the truth is there just isn't a lot of options out there. I naturally assume that DM has checked out all the possible centers that are tall and talented and the other teams just don't want to part with them BECAUSE they are so difficult to find. The chances of Yao coming back in peak shape are slim, but I definitely think you attempt to sign him at a reasonable rate. As for anyone else, you have two main options: one, you can get a project in the draft or when you trade scola to move up in the draft, let this draftee play through his mistakes and hope for the best case scenario for the future (ie one that doesn't include resigning chuck or Yao and is basically betting you can pick the best big man in the draft and he will exceed expectations) In this scenario you keep Hill and hope he improves greatly in his third season and that thabeet works his tail off in the summer to be a backup big man to Hill or the Draftee - personally this equates to a totally lost season and a prayer for lotto balls for me, the only reason this worked for the Thunder is Kevin Durant, and I assure you there are no Kevin Durants in this draft or two, you resign Chuck and Yao to reasonable contracts, keep the plan for a project in the draft, but retain Scola until a trade closer to the deadline if Yao and Patterson both pan out (this is of course if we don't have a lockout) Also in this plan you can put Thabeet and Hill out to pasture - this sounds more like a Morey plan in my opinion because it minimizes risk while still allowing for a team that can compete I don't know though, its very difficult for me to see a big man project that Chuck or Patterson couldn't beat out to see minutes on the floor. Especially if Adelman returns.
