I think the whole “getting boo’ed everytime he touches the basketball” thing is getting old. It is also a distraction that is killing Giddey’s game (and the team overall). There was already discussion in this group about moving on from Giddey BEFORE the allegations arrived. I might get downvoted for telling my truth, but what do you guys truly think about a potential Giddey trade? Which assets would leave with him, and for whom?
I’ll be honest. I’ve flipped on Giddey since this whole thing began. I was a big proponent of being patient and letting him work out his early season slump. My thinking was that a version of Giddey that progressed and built on last year could be a very good player and asset, even if his fit with the rest of the team was a bit awkward. I know the lineup data says Shai has always done better with Giddey off the floor, but I wanted to give Giddey the shot to turn that around because his ceiling is so tantalizing.
His performance through the quarter pole would be a concern even without the off court issues. He’s regressed in pretty much every way. Not only is he scoring less efficiently, his playmaking has taken a dive this season, and this is supposed to be his elite skill. He’s also rebounding less on a team that desperately needs him to use his size on the boards.
If the booing and poor performance continue for much longer, I’m not sure how that can’t impact the team. It’s getting harder to justify protecting him and running him out there. He feels like a rock that the team is tied to and I have to think there will be a point where the team feels it’s time to untether themselves.