For those of you who want scoring vs rebounding in the draft.

[Joker]

I don't mind Thabeet. I just don't think he's great but he is someone who can be useful so he would be an positive addition. I don't even think we need a center too much, just one with size who can protect the rim and grab boards.

[MaceCase]

So a rookie late first rounder and Hasheem Thabeet, wait, just a guy with size, ability to protect the rim and rebound (really?) is all the team needs to get to a title....... An actual answer yet sounds just as ridiculous.

Just ignore impending free agencies, declining players, and cap. The blueprint is set....even by your own admission Machado is a year away.......but no worries, at least centers with size, rebounding and shot blocking ability will be readily available.

[Joker]

So a rookie late first rounder and Hasheem Thabeet, wait, just a guy with size, ability to protect the rim and rebound (really?) is all the team needs to get to a title....... An actual answer yet sounds just as ridiculous.

Just ignore impending free agencies, declining players, and cap. The blueprint is set....even by your own admission Machado is a year away.......but no worries, at least centers with size, rebounding and shot blocking ability will be readily available.

No and you know that. He is just a piece. The main piece with need is a PnR PG. Anyone who think Thabeet or any center like him is the piece we need from a title is smoking weed. We need a PnR PG. We could use a true center with size. That would be helpful to Horf.

Machado is a year away but he would still be useful. He just won't be a true stud at first. He will still create for others and help our offense. We would still have to play Teague at PG with more minutes at least for a year. Machado has to work on his right hand and he needs to adjust to the NBA pace which is miles apart from Iona conference of play.

We don't need anyone special. We can take someone who has bad lateral quickness at center becuase Horf is so versatile on defense. Horf makes it possible to play guys like Robin Lopez and Thabeet without them being a total liability.

Edited June 6, 2012 by Joker

[AHF]

No and you know that. He is just a piece. The main piece with need is a PnR PG. Anyone who think Thabeet or any center like him is the piece we need from a title is smoking weed. We need a PnR PG. We could use a true center with size. That would be helpful to Horf.Machado is a year away but he would still be useful. He just won't be a true stud at first. He will still create for others and help our offense. We would still have to play Teague at PG with more minutes at least for a year. Machado has to work on his right hand and he needs to adjust to the NBA pace which is miles apart from Iona conference of play.We don't need anyone special. We can take someone who has bad lateral quickness at center becuase Horf is so versatile on defense. Horf makes it possible to play guys like Robin Lopez and Thabeet without them being a total liability.

Is it your thinking that Josh Smith will be resigned with a small raise if we draft Machado? I am trying to follow the flow here:2012-13Teague / Machado / MFA (minimum free agent)JJ / MFA / MFAJosh Smith / Marvin / MFAAl Hoford / Josh Smith / IvanMLE / Horford / Zaza2012-13Machado / Teague (RFA after this year) / MFAJJ / MFA / MFAJosh Smith (assume $14M/year) / MarvinHorford / Josh Smith / MFAMLE / Horford /MFAThis team has a cap number of $64,485,286 for Teague, JJ, Marvin, Machado, Josh, Al Horford, and our mystery MLE big man. That cap number rises with cap holds for the minimum salaried guys.Is this the direction you are thinking for championship? Edited June 6, 2012 by AHF

[Joker]

AHF, trade Josh now or at All Star break for draft picks and caproom.

[Joker]

Josh, Joe, and crew w/o Horf= 45 winsAl, Joe and crew w/o Smoove= 45 winsEveryone heathy= 45 winsAl and Josh= redundantNeed= PnR PGJosh and Al are redundant. They are both PF's. Both are finesse. Both can't create their offense to an elite level. Horf elite movement guy, PnR guy, and very good defender. Josh is an elite defender but takes plays off and is severely inconsistent on offense.

[AHF]

AHF, trade Josh now or at All Star break for draft picks and caproom.

Let's use this draft for the assumption. What is the pick you think is realistic and who would you take?

[Joker]

Let's use this draft for the assumption. What is the pick you think is realistic and who would you take?

Honestly, the only need in my book is a PnR PG.The rest is just wants and depth additions which is a weakness.Top 10 pick without taking a bad contract. Sac town would be ideal. I would trade Smoove for Garcia and top five (Drummond) who I am skeptical on.I wouldn't mind drafting Myers Leonard or Tyler Zeller if I KNOW we will land Scott Machado. I rather Kendall Marshall and Fab Melo as well. I really would like to get a center who can protect the rim and get rebounds. No one special, just a role player. At PG, the PG has to be able to create for others and have elite abilities or else he is useless for solving our need. I think Dame Lillard is better than Marshall and Machado. I think Waiters is as well but our need is a PnR PG not scoring PG or combo guard like Waiters. So for us Machado and Marshall is more important than Lillard and Waiters. Edited June 6, 2012 by Joker

[Joker]

I hate the idea of it but Josh Smith for Scola and their two first rounders would be average but not ideal value. We can get Marshall or Machado as well as a potential center like Leonard and a depth player.We can draft a center like Zeller or Leonard.We can land Marshall or move get him a couple slots.We can use the 23 to get more depth which is needed.Scola gives us a really quality big off the bench with Zaza. Teague, Scola, and Zaza is very good depth.I like this trade but we have to land Marshall or Machado for our team to make the next leap. Just adding depth is not enough and we have to land a center who can protect the rim if Smoove is traded.

[Buzzard]

Josh is entering his prime. Of course, he's improving. Trying to blame our inability to compete at a higher level on one player is completely false.

You claiming Josh is a better rebounder is false also. Gasol avg 10.4 rpg and 2.8 offensive RPG. Josh avg 9.6 rpg and 2.1 off rpg. Gasol had to compete with Bynum, 12.3 rpg for boards and Josh dealt with ZaZa, 7.9 rpg. Even if you do per 48s Gasol ranks 55th and Smoove 69th.Where are you getting your info that Josh is the better rebounder? Or is this just your opinion. Edited June 6, 2012 by Buzzard

[Joker]

You claiming Josh is a better rebounder is false also. Gasol avg 10.4 rpg and 2.8 offensive RPG. Josh avg 9.6 rpg and 2.1 off rpg. Gasol had to compete with Bynum, 12.3 rpg for boards and Josh dealt with ZaZa, 7.9 rpg. Even if you do per 48s Gasol ranks 55th and Smoove 69th.Where are you getting your info that Josh is the better rebounder? Or is this just your opinion.

I don't see where he claimed Smith was a better rebounder. They are a wash. Smith would be better in LA than Atlanta due to the personnel than Gasol since LA has a better personnel for rebounding than Atlanta does.

[Buzzard]

EazyRoc said "One thing I do like is that this past post season whenever he had.over 5 assists his team won, but we lose something defensively, rebounding wise swapping him out with Josh.

[Joker]

EazyRoc said "One thing I do like is that this past post season whenever he had.over 5 assists his team won, but we lose something defensively, rebounding wise swapping him out with Josh.

We don't lose anything on the bounds. Defensively on the boards Smith is better but offensively, Gasol is much better.

[Buzzard]

I don't see where he claimed Smith was a better rebounder. They are a wash. Smith would be better in LA than Atlanta due to the personnel than Gasol since LA has a better personnel for rebounding than Atlanta does.

EazyRoc said "One thing I do like is that this past post season whenever he had.over 5 assists his team won, but we lose something defensively, rebounding wise swapping him out with Josh.

[Buzzard]

We don't lose anything on the bounds. Defensively on the boards Smith is better but offensively, Gasol is much better.

Not on the defensive either. 7.5 drb and 2.1 orb= 9.6 rpg for Josh and 7.6 drb and 2.8 orb = 10.4 rpg for Gasol. I dissagree with you 100% about boards coming easier playing next to a great rebounder like Bynum. Josh just had his best rebounding year and it was 100% due to the fact Horford was out and he was playing next to a weaker rebounder in ZaZa.

[Joker]

Not on the defensive either. 7.5 drb and 2.1 orb= 9.6 rpg for Josh and 7.6 drb and 2.8 orb = 10.4 rpg for Gasol. I dissagree with you 100% about boards coming easier playing next to a great rebounder like Bynum. Josh just had his best rebounding year and it was 100% due to the fact Horford was out and he was playing next to a weaker rebounder in ZaZa.

Bynum takes up space. That matters in the NBA. Ask any big. Now if the big takes away boards like Love or D12, that matters too. Zaza isn't a weak rebounder, he just isn't all that athletic and his instincts isn't all that. Zaza is a true center as well who has more body than Horford.

[EazyRoc]

Not on the defensive either. 7.5 drb and 2.1 orb= 9.6 rpg for Josh and 7.6 drb and 2.8 orb = 10.4 rpg for Gasol. I dissagree with you 100% about boards coming easier playing next to a great rebounder like Bynum. Josh just had his best rebounding year and it was 100% due to the fact Horford was out and he was playing next to a weaker rebounder in ZaZa.

So it can't be because Josh Smith is 26 and improving, ?

[Buzzard]

Bynum takes up space. That matters in the NBA. Ask any big. Now if the big takes away boards like Love or D12, that matters too. Zaza isn't a weak rebounder, he just isn't all that athletic and his instincts isn't all that. Zaza is a true center as well who has more body than Horford.

Why don't you go ask a big and bring me the quote instead of this opinon you have. You act like Horford is chopped liver and takes up no space yet with him in the game Josh is one of the weakest starting PF's in the East in Rebounds per 48. Now take him out of the lineup and insert a weaker rebounder and he is still weak per 48 but he is better.Bottom line: Gasol next to Bynum or Horford is greater than Josh next to anyone in terms of rebounding. Edited June 6, 2012 by Buzzard

[Watchman]

The team that scored more also won each of those games.

Ooooh. That's deep. Are you sure about that man?

[Buzzard]

So it can't be because Josh Smith is 26 and improving, ?

Josh's per 48 RPG is only 69th. Once Horford comes back for his usual 35 to 40 mpg, Josh's boards are going to drop once again to sub par levels.The only real improvement he made this season he is increased the number of shots per game he took.