Can we discuss what the real problem on this team is? Can we stop talking about possibly trading guys that are performing or outperforming their contracts (Capela & Gordon)? Next year there will be over 80 players making more money than Capela, who finished 9th in double-doubles last year. Next year, there will be over 90 players making more money than Eric Gordon, who is a top 60 player in this league. I guarantee that you can't name 60 players right now that are better. These guys aren't the problem. They have been great. The real problem is Chris Paul - 2nd Highest Salary in the NBA this year and next...even once Durant, Klay, & others sign their max deals in the off-season. Old, injury prone, 16 ppg, 8 apg = more money than everyone in the NBA except Steph Curry. Are you freaking kidding me? If we trade either Clint or Eric, then it better be part of a deal to get rid of Chris Paul and that horrific contract. If you aren't getting rid of Paul, why the heck should we trade the guys who are living up to their contracts? Keep it real. We didn't win a ring 2 years ago because the highest paid player on the team couldn't stay healthy. We didn't win a ring this year because the highest paid player on the team got older, slower, and declined. It really is this simple. The last 2 seasons have come down to this one guy not delivering. Next year will too.
Im worried that this radical suggestion could turn the proCPHammy element of the board like bleach inside a snake.
Honestly. Paul’s performance wasn’t as good this year but the unwillingness to go in at the trade deadline to save a few dollars really hurt us. The Jamychael Green trade fell through and the clear salary dump that ensued again (we keep dumping first rounders to save money year after year) is a much bigger problem. Watch the warriors offer Klay and KD 5 year maxes without regard to the salary implications - that is what separates us by the smallest of margins. Frustrating watching van vleet and other home grown drafted role players be big time contributors. Even with Morey at a 30% success rate at landing a contributor in the first rounders we gave away that could’ve been the difference this year.
And Ryan Anderson before that. It was costly undoing the Anderson mistake, and dumping Paul might require gutting the team's future, which is why I think he's not going anywhere.
I’ve already spent plenty of time talking about CP0 and his declining play/albatross deal we’re stuck with him...the only way his contract is justifiable is if we win a title, and well, other teams are improving while the Rockets “run it back”
Wait, Chris Paul signed a large contract? Since when?? This isn't "the real problem". The real problem is how to upgrade the front court to a contender level instead of average level. Our back court is hall of fame level.
Another problem is we keep having to play the greatest team of all time that NBA lets mug us...if u see how Thompson and Steph have gone off against other teams we actually did a good job containing them. We all just need to continue to believe and have hope since we don't have any other choice.... If Paul is not traded we need to continue to support him and just believe....look at what Lowry did this year....hasn't he failed too?? I am looking forward to taking on the Lakers. We just need to give Gilman one more year to prove himself... we need to make some moves, but we are still in the conversation here.
I'm in this camp too - we are woefully undersized at the 3,4 and 5 position, as well as lacking the scoring punch in those positions.
Chris Paul's contact is bad? I thought it was a steal getting a HOF point guard with a long injury history and a million miles on the odometer for the max.
Problems are interlinked. Can’t upgrade the front court when you’re paying $40m to a back court player worth half that much. No money or room to upgrade the front court.
Here is the deal in my opinion. It's time for Morey to show if he is a real GM or a Gimmick GM. To navigate the NBA waters this off season you are going to have to know basketball. Not analytics! Analytics is going to be very secondary this summer. A lot of Morey's passed move could come back to bite him in butt mainly because Les sold the team. Les came from a trading background and knew how to calculate and manage risk. I doubt Morey ever knew was ready to sell. I'm also will to bet morey probably never calculated Les selling the team into his on personal success equation.... see Tillman is a salesman who comes from a industry in which everything is sold on margins. They know how much they are going to make on everything. In the NBA I'm not so sure that margin money is the main money. Sure there is margins on parking and concessions. Also,there is margins on merch( which is split by all the owners) but not salary vs tickets sales vs playoffs vs, championships. I say all that to say this, with the events of yesterday(the AD Trade). I think Morey is on the clock to either rebuild(trade James) or be fired( for lack of Team Performance) and I think Morey knows this is the case thus the cleaning house rumors. Tillman is still learning how his money is made so I don't blame him for not wanted to pay Lux Tax so early in his Ownership. Morey has to learn how to work under those constraints and more importantly get better under those constraints. Can he do it? Only time will tell.
And what do you want us to do with his problem . CP3 is looking like a gamble that isn't going to pay off . We aren't going to be able trade him for anything that we want . Outside of CP3 retiring and then signing with us for MLE , how do you suggest we work around his contract ?
I can't tell. I just scrolled thru the most recent threads, and... "The case to keep Chris Paul" "Trade Capela to Boston" "Kawhi is 100× better than Harden" And the rest are how to add either Jimmy Butler or Kevin Love by giving away Gordon and/or Clint, OR Harden criticisms, OR how adding using the MLE for a minimum role player. But, hey let's just act like these things will really fix the problem.
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