2024-25 Insider Thread

[RedDawg#8]

40 minutes ago, terrell said:

Its like they didnt learn anything from the Murray(friend) trade.......

I think trades are always a risk. If you can add someone that you KNOW has chemistry with your best player, on and off the court, you should give it look if it makes sense roster wise. 

Murray was a PG that did not fit next to another PG. MPJ is a 6-10 Forward thats a sniper and fits what we are looking for from a size and length aspect. He fits us in a way Murray never could. 

Edited 19 hours ago by RedDawg#8

[macdaddy]

MPJ is fine it's just the contract makes it double risky.  If Trae/MPJ/JJ are making 120million i'm not sure how we build around that.  Plus it's 3 guys making in the 30, 35m+ that aren't perennial all stars (even if one should be). 

It's interesting but seems like a reach.  

[JeffS17]

13 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

If Trae/MPJ/JJ are making 120million i'm not sure how we build around that.

Is that the thought? Or is it:

If Trae/Hunter/Bogi/JJ are making 120 million i'm not sure how we build around that.

[Hawkish]

6 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

MPJ is fine it's just the contract makes it double risky.  If Trae/MPJ/JJ are making 120million i'm not sure how we build around that.  Plus it's 3 guys making in the 30, 35m+ that aren't perennial all stars (even if one should be). 

It's interesting but seems like a reach.  

Essentially my view… 

[Wretch]

20 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

MPJ is fine it's just the contract makes it double risky.  If Trae/MPJ/JJ are making 120million i'm not sure how we build around that.  Plus it's 3 guys making in the 30, 35m+ that aren't perennial all stars (even if one should be). 

It's interesting but seems like a reach.  

It's a risk, but my greedy eyes are looking at how you guard all three of them.  It's an intriguing core and I'm not sure what it needs besides depth/role players.  To me, that part is easier to figure out than finding optimal/impact compliments.

I suppose it comes down to what you feel is the foundation of a good team.  Is it a well balanced team with depth at every position, but without a prolific scoring core or is the foundation a prolific core that needs role players?  Obviously depending on how much stock you put into a Trae/MPJ/JJ trio (and mixing in Risacher somewhere).

[Wretch]

Another thing to consider @macdaddy is that <in a world of hypotheticals> suppose we were legit.  JJ would be a massive part of that and would get All-Star consideration.

[macdaddy]

16 minutes ago, JeffS17 said:

Is that the thought? Or is it:

If Trae/Hunter/Bogi/JJ are making 120 million i'm not sure how we build around that.

It's better to have 2 players at the same salary as one when the one is injury prone and only marginally better than the two. 

[Gray Mule]

 Whoever MPJ is, his description sounds an awfully lot like Dominique Barlow, who is already here with a much cheaper payroll hit.  Seems to me that we're looking in all the wrong places.

Let's not make any moves.  Not yet.  6 weeks and we can trade Zeller if another NBA team doesn't have a big injury and need him sooner.  Consolidation moves will come, sometime in the future.  But, please.  Let's see what we have and what we really need first.

[Wretch]

1 minute ago, macdaddy said:

It's better to have 2 players at the same salary as one when the one is injury prone and only marginally better than the two. 

Can't argue that.  I don't think we're having this conversation if MPJ were making less and there were zero health concerns.  Then again, I don't think he'd be available either (or he'd cost a lot more).

I'm sure this is all why the conversation has any sort of life and the rumor likely has teeth to it.  Our FO probably sitting around having these exact same discussions

[JeffS17]

Replacing Hunter in the starting lineup with a high volume knock-down 40%+ threat from three that rebounds well would make us significantly better.  It would hurt not having Bogi off the bench, but thankfully Risacher is here for that 6th man impact.  Not to mention Vit is looking very serviceable right now and some other developing guys.  No championship team wins because they have $70M of salary coming off the bench, which is what we're staring at this season.  And it'll be $80M when Risacher takes Hunters starting spot.  The timing might not be right now, but we will absolutely have to make a consolidation trade at some point if we want to make the finals, and potentially win it.

[macdaddy]

2 minutes ago, JeffS17 said:

Replacing Hunter in the starting lineup with a high volume knock-down 40%+ threat from three that rebounds well would make us significantly better.  It would hurt not having Bogi off the bench, but thankfully Risacher is here for that 6th man impact.  Not to mention Vit is looking very serviceable right now and some other developing guys.  No championship team wins because they have $70M of salary coming off the bench, which is what we're staring at this season.  And it'll be $80M when Risacher takes Hunters starting spot.  The timing might not be right now, but we will absolutely have to make a consolidation trade at some point if we want to make the finals, and potentially win it.

Yeah makes sense.  I guess when it comes down to it I don't have a lot of faith in MPJ. Maybe i underestimate him.   I certainly think Trae makes guys a lot better but that goes double for Jokic.  3 years on his deal which i guess lines up with Risacher.   

[ShooterSays]

It would be a risk trading for MPJ, sure, but sometimes risks are what you gotta take to get to the top.

[Hawkish]

How much different is MPJ from Risacher in what their role would be when on the court? 

[macdaddy]

Just now, ShooterSays said:

It would be a risk trading for MPJ, sure, but sometimes risks are what you gotta take to get to the top.

I agree with the sentiment 100%.  Just have to go back and check to see if i said this when we traded for Murray.  LOL.

[dalamchops]

mpj is an incredible offensive talent... the only concern would be his back holding up after numerous surgeries

he's underutilized playing behind murray and jokic

Edited 18 hours ago by dalamchops

[Hawkish]

4 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

I agree with the sentiment 100%.  Just have to go back and check to see if i said this when we traded for Murray.  LOL.

Risk sure… maybe there are other risks to try.

[AtLaS]

2 minutes ago, Hawkish said:

How much different is MPJ from Risacher in what their role would be when on the court? 

He's not.  MPJ is not a max player.  He plays with Jokic.  His PER is like 17.  Giving up that much value PLUS a first for an overpaid, injury risk player isn't something I want to do.  Plus it solidifies ZR as a bench player for the next 3 years.  How do we address C after that?  MPJ doesn't make us a contender.  

MPJ is also not a good defensive player so we get worse defensively.

And noone has addressed the salary cap restriction that you are only allowed to have 2 rookie max players on your roster (Trae/MPJ).  If JJ has a breakout year we can't give him the max.  

[Wretch]

3 minutes ago, Hawkish said:

How much different is MPJ from Risacher in what their role would be when on the court? 

For one...we don't know if Risacher can sustain ~40% shooting over 82 games, MPJ just did that.  He's a legit sniper for sure.  Is he healthy?

That's the big one.  We wouldn't have to choose right now though, because we would have them both.  In this scenario, you let Risacher take Bogi's role/impact off the bench and learn.  Figure the starting lineup out later - and it will most certainly need to eventually be figured out.  We didn't draft him to be our 6th man and we've all seen the potential.

I do have to say though, that I'm ok with waiting and seeing what Risacher can really do.  I'm just being greedy. 

[Wretch]

4 minutes ago, AtLaS said:

And noone has addressed the salary cap restriction that you are only allowed to have 2 rookie max players on your roster (Trae/MPJ).  If JJ has a breakout year we can't give him the max.  

I don't believe this is a limitation under the new CBA.  Also, this assumes JJ will get a max extension.

[Hawkish]

12 minutes ago, Wretch said:

For one...we don't know if Risacher can sustain ~40% shooting over 82 games, MPJ just did that.  He's a legit sniper for sure.  Is he healthy?

That's the big one.  We wouldn't have to choose right now though, because we would have them both.  In this scenario, you let Risacher take Bogi's role/impact off the bench and learn.  Figure the starting lineup out later - and it will most certainly need to eventually be figured out.  We didn't draft him to be our 6th man and we've all seen the potential.

I do have to say though, that I'm ok with waiting and seeing what Risacher can really do.  I'm just being greedy. 

I have no issue with having depth.  I’m wondering if the resources could be better used in other areas of weakness.