So you want a player who is slightly older who is a big man who has worse efficiency than Green? Why?
Hard disagree - Wagner is way more useful to an NBA team right now and is...5 months...older than Green. NBA teams are happy to take his "floor" which is way above Green's right now. Thumb your nose at "fringe all star" all you want but it's bettter than anything we have currently. At some point, you have to discard the concept of "ceilings" that most players never reach and you gotta stop looking at guys vertical and look at production. It's not "now" but it's a lot closer to now than it was for Jalen a year ago - in fact, an entire year closer. And, man, your Victor quote has high lolz potential.
Neither team would do the trade. Both their values are low externally but high internally. This draft class has been pretty mediocre. It's all about what ifs that might never happen. I don't remember hearing so many what ifs for so many top prospects. There were no what ifs with Morant, he was just good. If Scottie Barnes can learn how to dribble or shoot he's gonna be GOAT. If Mobley learns how to shoot or gain muscles or develope some offense he's GOAT. If Jalen Green can grow 30 pounds of muscle, plus learn how to shoot plus learn how to finish layups plus learn how to pass he's Michael Jordan
While Scottie Barnes has been a better player than Green thus far, if I was able to pick any player from that class to trade Green for it would be either Mobley or maybe even Trey Murphy. Mobley for obvious reasons and Murphy because his defense is solid and the kid is a stellar 3 point shooter. I take that over a defensively pathetic chucker any day.
Does it? Has any player that size *ever* panned out? That's why they're called unicorns lulz. People always do this and they always end up being worse and they're always shocked by it and then here comes the next 7+ footer with guard skills and the process repeats itself. It's really funny actually. I'll say that unlike Chet who I straight up didn't want, I understand why you gamble on Victor. I'd just put his chance of success in the NBA less than 50%. Scoots is way higher. But if it hits..... And nah. I think in most circles they'd say Jalen is just being used wrong by the staff. The Rockets organization is getting to league-wide laughingstock levels of incompetence. There's a reason pundits say they don't want prospects coming here so they don't get ruined. Why analysts are offended when they tune in to see what Jabari/Jalen are doing. They see what we see. Jalen can be a winning player but the staff seems to think that letting him try and be Luka when he isn't is the way to do things.
I'd argue the Cavs are MUCH happier with their "unicorn" player who hasn't quite developed into everything they wanted him to be than we are with the guy we picked instead.
Can you really get him cheap right now though? Like have you heard that? His defense and "role-playing" so to speak are still incredible.
I have surprised at how good Wagner is. He is currently a vastly better player than Jalen Green or Cunningham. I think he has the potential to be more than a fringe all-star. I also believe outside of Houston, most teams would take Franz Wagner over Jalen Green. Evan Mobley is very good. He is one of the 10-15 best defenders in the NBA and one of the 5-6 most impactful ones. He allows Allen to stay on the floor because he can guard inside and outside. Offensively he was never going to be a guy running the offense, but I expected he could eventually get 20 a night. However, any improvement in offense went out the window when the Cavs added Donovan Mitchell.
I think the biggest disappointment with Mobley is his lack of a 3 point shot. Overall though, the defense was always going to be where he makes his money, and he has.
Yes? He played for the Rockets? Actually 2 of them did? lol. I'm pretty sure NBA teams would take a look at the things that aren't staff dependent. Green's shooting, even on unguarded shots, is just a massive anchor right now and causing people to reevalute their projection of him.
You aren't getting him cheap. While he has plateaued offensively this season, he still has a lot of upside and his offensive numbers aren't much different than Jalen Green or Cade Cunningham, and that is with him having to work around Siakam. With Barnes it really is all going to come down to the 3 point shot. If he becomes a 36-38% shooter from 3, he will be a Hall of Fame type player, if he doesn't, then he will be a role player. Defensively he is being asked to do too much. He is capable of guarding centers and point guards, but Nurse shouldn't be asking him to consistently switch like he does. He is okay on the perimeter right now, but gets exposed when playing heavy minutes out there.
Yeah, he has basically put it in moth balls at this point. Down to one attempt a game and that may go down. I am sure some of it is because of the fact that the Cavs want to win now with Mitchell - but I hope Mobley is still working on it.
Who were they? Yao who essentially was an anomaly that also couldn't deal with the physical burdens of the NBA? And is the other...Sampson? Who...I guess I could just repeat myself. Maybe Olajuwon who is more akin to Jabari Smith in body structure than Victor. Maybe you mean Boban? It's a roll of the dice and flying under the radar is how the guy has already had leg issues. I get why you draft him because the upside is something we've probably never seen but the reality is that he's more likely to get hurt or become a stiff than become 7-3 Durant or whatever. But what's the point in looking at history right? Agreed on Green. It's bad. But his upside is still higher than Franz. Much higher. Would still keep Green but if things look like this next year then I'd have no hesitation in changing my stance. At the end of last year I thought we had a surefire 1st Team All NBA player here. Maybe we do but his streakiness (which is something that was brought up during draft analysis) has been way more prominent than I would've liked. Let's hope for a Top 3 pick again and hope that we're more 2007-2009 Thunder and less 2015-2017 Lakers.
Already exceeded expectations as he was slated to be a late lotto pick to mid first round pick. - - - 8th pick. Mostly due to inconsistent 3s and not elite explosiveness but he can do it all, versatile guy.
The Magic wouldn't because Wagner and Banchero are a poor man's version of Shaq and Penny for them. Although more like Mergady and Grant Hill. In the future. Green is very good but I doubt he develops the same chemistry with Banchero.
I would certainly give it a lot of thought. Wagner is about 6 months older than Jalen Green. Wagner defensively is always going to be better than Green. Wagner is 6'9" so I can play him all over the court, which I cannot do with Green because of his size. Wagner is currently averaging 20 points a game while shooting 49/35/88 from the floor. Right now Wagner is a better passer than Green as well. The upside with Green is his extreme athleticism and the hope he becomes a good shooter (I think Green will become a solid shooter but no guarantee). We all are hoping that Green goes supernova and becomes a 28-30 point a game scorer after improving his handle, body and shot.... however, even if he does that, he is still small and limited defensively. Right now Wagner is 20/4/4/1 at 21 years old......... if he gets to 25/6/6, then he is a star. Which is more likely to you? That is the question. Also, if the Rockets get Wemby or Porter, Wagner has shown that he can be a secondary scorer and playmaker and still excel, because he has done it behind Banchero. FWIW I don't think the Magic would deal Wagner for Green.
