# New Orleans Pelicans Offseason Thread 2014



## Geaux Tigers

Post any thoughts about the direction of the team going forward as well as offseason news here:


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## Geaux Tigers

> New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard Anthony Morrow is expected to opt of the remaining year of his contract with the team and become an unrestricted free agent later this summer, according to a report by Hoopshype.com.
> 
> Morrow, who was slated to make $1.145 million next season, didn't immediately return a message left by NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune seeking comment on the report.
> 
> But the move comes as little surprise after Morrow revitalized his career in his one season in New Orleans.


Linkage


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## RollWithEm

So of course Gordon needs to be traded to any team that will take him for cap relief or better. Other than that, this team needs to simply stay the course and add a young center if one becomes available. Role players don't matter for this franchise yet as they are not made for primetime right now.


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## Geaux Tigers

So are you in favor of starting Evans at the 2 and Jrue at the point?


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## RollWithEm

Geaux Tigers said:


> So are you in favor of starting Evans at the 2 and Jrue at the point?


Very much so. 

Aminu is really the only interesting case this offseason. I don't think he's a starter-quality player on a good team just yet. Does he have the potential to be a quality role player on a perennial contender? Eh. Maybe??? I certainly wouldn't break the bank for him. That's for certain.


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## RollWithEm

I also still think an Omer Asik for Ryan Anderson trade makes a lot of sense for both teams.

AND... taking a run at Marcin Gortat would be a good move for this franchise. The Brow covers Gortat on the boards, protecting the rim, and spacing the floor out to 18 feet. Good fit together.


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## Geaux Tigers

RollWithEm said:


> Very much so.
> 
> Aminu is really the only interesting case this offseason. I don't think he's a starter-quality player on a good team just yet. Does he have the potential to be a quality role player on a perennial contender? Eh. Maybe??? I certainly wouldn't break the bank for him. That's for certain.


Im ready for the Aminu project to be over with. If he's okay with being a bench player then ok, but like you said dont break the bank. Im pretty sure he's reached his peak or very close to it.


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## Geaux Tigers

Im very happy with Jrue but it sorta sucks to not have a pick in the deepest draft in a long time.


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## Bogg

Greg Monroe for Jrue Holiday. It makes too much sense.


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## RollWithEm

Bogg said:


> Greg Monroe for Jrue Holiday. It makes too much sense.


Only makes sense if the Pelicans can find a PG afterwards.


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## Geaux Tigers

Yeah exactly. Im not willing to pick up another post man even though I like Monroe at the expense of a guy that can get the ball to them in the post.


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## Bogg

I'm on record as thinking that Tyreke Evans is pretty worthless off the ball, but can be effective as a point.......something. Plus, point guards are replaceable and effective centers really aren't.


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## Geaux Tigers

I think Evans is more effective as a 2/3. He can handle really well but hes not great at setting up other people. Just because he's most effective with the ball doesn't make him a PG


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## Geaux Tigers

> After playing briefly on the Pelicans' summer league team last year, Jackson wasn't signed by the team. The Pelicans had hoped to stash Jackson in Europe. But he left his team in France before ever playing a game and returned to the United States.
> 
> Back in his home country, Jackson dominated the NBADL, leading the league in scoring at 29.1 points per game (although he didn't win the scoring title because he didn't play in enough games) and 6.2 assists while earning a berth to the league's All-Star game.
> 
> I don’t care if you’re 20 playing in an 80-and-over league, those are some sick numbers.
> 
> Still, despite the gaudy production, Jackson admitted that his post-Baylor travails were difficult:
> 
> It was extremely tough. Of course you are going to have your family and friends in your ear saying this or saying that, but you know I had to stick it out for my family. I had to deal with what was brought to the table. Thankfully that year is over and now I get a chance to get another shot. I didn't plan it to be that way but it all worked out. My name is still where I wanted to be, but it's still not in the league so I'm still trying to get to that point.
> 
> Hogan also mentions how Jackson dropped 58 points in a single game. We’re going to go out on a limb and say that if you score 58—five, eight—in a D-League game, you’re bound to get as many shots at The Show as you can handle:


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2085122-pierre-jackson-to-play-for-new-orleans-pelicans-summer-league-team


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## R-Star

Bogg said:


> I'm on record as thinking that Tyreke Evans is pretty worthless off the ball, but can be effective as a point.......something. Plus, point guards are replaceable *and effective centers really aren't.*


They could probably get Brook Lopez for basically nothing. 

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=ktf9j3j ?


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## Bogg

R-Star said:


> They could probably get Brook Lopez for basically nothing.
> 
> http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=ktf9j3j ?


I don't know, Brooklyn has no incentive to take a step back because they don't have full rights to their own pick again until 2019 and the Johnson/Williams contracts make it hard for them to carve out cap space at all until the summer of 2016 at the earliest. I feel like at this point Brooklyn _has_ to roll with the guys they have unless they can get an upgrade, simply because they've gone all-in on winning now in regards to their future draft picks. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked to see them go the other way and package Marcus Thornton's expiring with one of Kirilenko or Teletovic for Josh Smith, if Detroit looks to dump him.


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## R-Star

Bogg said:


> I don't know, Brooklyn has no incentive to take a step back because they don't have full rights to their own pick again until 2019 and the Johnson/Williams contracts make it hard for them to carve out cap space at all until the summer of 2016 at the earliest. I feel like at this point Brooklyn _has_ to roll with the guys they have unless they can get an upgrade, simply because they've gone all-in on winning now in regards to their future draft picks. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked to see them go the other way and package Marcus Thornton's expiring with one of Kirilenko or Teletovic for Josh Smith, if Detroit looks to dump him.


We'll see. I saw rumors floating around that they'd unload Lopez for basically anything. Although its the typical summer "rumor" tripe.


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## Bogg

R-Star said:


> We'll see. I saw rumors floating around that they'd unload Lopez for basically anything. Although its the typical summer "rumor" tripe.


Well, they've done weirder things, so it's possible. If true, he'd be a decent gamble for a team with cap space - if you can pick him up cheap and get three months of good basketball out of him he'd be worth quite a bit at the trade deadline (I'd cash out on him while his stock was high instead of waiting for his feet to break again).


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## R-Star

Bogg said:


> Well, they've done weirder things, so it's possible. If true, he'd be a decent gamble for a team with cap space - if you can pick him up cheap and get three months of good basketball out of him he'd be worth quite a bit at the trade deadline *(I'd cash out on him while his stock was high instead of waiting for his feet to break again).*


Only way it makes sense. Banking on Lopez staying healthy seems to be a fools errand at this point.

They're also reportedly shopping Deron, but again those are baseless rumors. Not to mention, who the hell would take him?


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## Bogg

R-Star said:


> Only way it makes sense. Banking on Lopez staying healthy seems to be a fools errand at this point.
> 
> They're also reportedly shopping Deron, but again those are baseless rumors. Not to mention, who the hell would take him?


Somebody might give you bad contracts for him (I think Houston tried to do Lin and Asik for him this past year, which actually would have made Brooklyn better), but by giving up all those picks and the pick swap to Boston for a year of KG and Pierce, plus the lingering pick swap next year from the Joe Johnson trade, they've taken any incentive to hit reset away. At this point I don't think they can do anything but double down on still-productive guys with iffy contracts. Maybe if Houston's still willing to do that Lin/Asik trade you can pick them up and then finagle a three-way trade where a team with cap space takes Lopez while Brooklyn gets a pick or two and absorbs one of Boozer or Josh Smith to be their power forward?


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## R-Star

Bogg said:


> Somebody might give you bad contracts for him (I think Houston tried to do Lin and Asik for him this past year, which actually would have made Brooklyn better), but by giving up all those picks and the pick swap to Boston for a year of KG and Pierce, plus the lingering pick swap next year from the Joe Johnson trade, they've taken any incentive to hit reset away. At this point I don't think they can do anything but double down on still-productive guys with iffy contracts. Maybe if Houston's still willing to do that Lin/Asik trade you can pick them up and then finagle a three-way trade where a team with cap space takes Lopez while Brooklyn gets a pick or two and absorbs one of Boozer or Josh Smith to be their power forward?


I agree that any way you slice it, its a tough sell. Would be pretty funny to see Brooklyn trade for Josh Smith like you proposed though. 

"This team is underachieving. Lets bring in Josh Smith to fix this." - Words that should be uttered by no one.


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## Geaux Tigers

Word on the street is that Anthony Davis is up to 237lbs and has been doing work in the weight room.


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## Bogg

Geaux Tigers said:


> Word on the street is that Anthony Davis is up to 237lbs and has been doing work in the weight room.


I believe it, there's plenty of room on his frame to add weight. He's going to be even scarier if he really fills out.


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