This season is what it is, hope to get healthy and see what you have with the young guys. My goal is to build around Cade/Ivey/Ausar/Duren, not in a rush to trade for the next star. We’ve been terrible, but to me the biggest issue has been our depth (injuries). It’s when we’re playing multiple of Hayes/Umude/Wiseman/Knox/etc that we’re getting crushed
I’ve seen enough to say that a Cade/Ivey backcourt will work, if they raise their 3% we’re a very tough team. Duren has shown enough that he’s the center of the future as a great complement to Cade and solid on defense. I love Ausar’s game - if he develops a serviceable shot he’s all-star level as a Marion/Kirilenko type, but even if he can never shoot I think he still works but a shooting wing is needed to pair with him
Next year we have Cade/Ivey/Bogey/Ausar/Duren/Sasser/Stewart/Bagley under contract. Resign Livers. Killian and Wiseman walk, who cares
I think an ideal FA next summer is someone to take Stewart’s spot in the starting lineup, like Tobias Harris. If not him, there’s Royce O’Neal, Taurean Prince, Miles Bridges. I’d also want a backup, big veteran center for when he’s needed due to fouls, injury or whatever (Plumlee type), a scoring guard/wing off the bench (Malik Beasley/Alec Burks type), and a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency vet PG (Delon Wright type). I don’t see any meaningful trades coming as I’m not moving any of the core 4 and we can’t trade a 1st for a while still
I’m not expecting to turn into a contender next year, but expecting growth from the young guys while adding vets that fit. I think no matter what we’re several years from contention with this core when they’re in their mid 20s. Hopeful rotation would look like:
Cade/Ivey/Ausar/Harris/Duren
Sasser/Beasley/Bogey/Livers/Stewart along with Bagley, Plumlee, Wright off the bench
This season is what it is, hope to get healthy and see what you have with the young guys. My goal is to build around Cade/Ivey/Ausar/Duren, not in a rush to trade for the next star. We’ve been terrible, but to me the biggest issue has been our depth (injuries). It’s when we’re playing multiple of Hayes/Umude/Wiseman/Knox/etc that we’re getting crushed
I’ve seen enough to say that a Cade/Ivey backcourt will work, if they raise their 3% we’re a very tough team. Duren has shown enough that he’s the center of the future as a great complement to Cade and solid on defense. I love Ausar’s game - if he develops a serviceable shot he’s all-star level as a Marion/Kirilenko type, but even if he can never shoot I think he still works but a shooting wing is needed to pair with him
Next year we have Cade/Ivey/Bogey/Ausar/Duren/Sasser/Stewart/Bagley under contract. Resign Livers. Killian and Wiseman walk, who cares
I think an ideal FA next summer is someone to take Stewart’s spot in the starting lineup, like Tobias Harris. If not him, there’s Royce O’Neal, Taurean Prince, Miles Bridges. I’d also want a backup, big veteran center for when he’s needed due to fouls, injury or whatever (Plumlee type), a scoring guard/wing off the bench (Malik Beasley/Alec Burks type), and a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency vet PG (Delon Wright type). I don’t see any meaningful trades coming as I’m not moving any of the core 4 and we can’t trade a 1st for a while still
I’m not expecting to turn into a contender next year, but expecting growth from the young guys while adding vets that fit. I think no matter what we’re several years from contention with this core when they’re in their mid 20s. Hopeful rotation would look like:
Cade/Ivey/Ausar/Harris/Duren
Sasser/Beasley/Bogey/Livers/Stewart along with Bagley, Plumlee, Wright off the bench