Did Pat Connaughton make his case for being one of the untouchables?

[Scalma]

Yeah, but unlike Ha Seung-Jin, Pendy/Ayres stuck in the league for five more seasons after that and won a ring with the Spurs. He wasn't great, but he was a solid role player, especially those two years in San Antonio.

BNM

Lol please define "solid role player." He averaged about 10 minutes a game his two years in San Antonio.

He stuck around because he was a good teammate, a good hype man. Connaughton will probably stick around the same way, although he's not a big, so it may be tougher.

 

[BBert]

If he wants to be an AllStar he has to score DDigits even when he's resting ffs!

And if he wants to be MVP, he has to dominate the ball on every possession and start stealing rebounds from his teammates.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Lol please define "solid role player." He averaged about 10 minutes a game his two years in San Antonio.

A guy who is good enough to average 13 MPG on a championship team so you can rest your 37-year old superstar during the regular season so he will be fresh during the playoffs.

Really, this is what you want to argue about? Choose your battles Weedhopper.

BNM

 

[Natebishop3]

Time to trade Shabazz while his value is high!

 

[Po'sFinest]

How very unWestbrook-like of him. He completely missed a chance to pad his stats in a meaningless game.

BNM

I'd rather him rest we clinched so it didn't matter

 

[roroyo]

Time to trade Shabazz while his value is high!

Yeah, that's funny, but Napier aint no Pat or Layman. Shabazz is real and he could start in some other team soon. I like the guy, but seems there's no space for him here.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

He was resting he didn't play

 

[THE HCP]

Yeah, that's funny, but Napier aint no Pat or Layman. Shabazz is real and he could start in some other team soon. I like the guy, but seems there's no space for him here.

In this the era of the PG, what starting point guard is he better than?

 

[Boob-No-More]

In this the era of the PG, what starting point guard is he better than?

In all fairness, the OP said he could be starting on some other team soon. He did not specifically say some other NBA team.

That said, he's better than the 2017 version of Jameer Nelson, better than Matthew Dellavedova and maybe T.J. McConnell. That's all I can think of.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

Yeah, that's funny, but Napier aint no Pat or Layman. Shabazz is real and he could start in some other team soon. I like the guy, but seems there's no space for him here.

Depending on what other roster moves Neil makes this summer, there could be room for Shabazz, at least for another year. We have him locked up for 2017-18 at $2,361,360, and while that is relatively cheap, that's over $1 million more than he's making this year. That might work against him. We need to move one of Crabbe or Turner to have any hope of getting under the luxury tax threshold, and if we move Turner, we will need a cheap third ball handler. Shabazz meets that definition.

BNM

 

[roroyo]

Think he had ruff start in the league, but he's legit player not some unknown prospect. He will sort it out if he gets more mins.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I have to disagree about Shabazz. I do think he deserves more playing time than he's received here, but he's not a good enough distributor or efficient enough scorer to be a full time starter, IMO. He's perfectly suited to be a backup who plays on a regular basis; if we weren't already so defensively deficient in the backcourt, I think Shabazz would be the perfect backup for Dame.

 

[Natebishop3]

#freeshabazz

 

[PtldPlatypus]

#freeshabazz

That would be nice. A free Shabazz would certainly reduce our expected luxury tax bill. I don't the the NBAPA would allow that though.

 

[blue9]

I personally feel we'd be better off replacing Turner with a real PG and a 3/D guy. I'm not sure Shabazz is that PG (some size would be nice), but he made a case for himself last night. I'm also not sure Pat is the 3/D guy, but he also made a decent case for himself.

I understand that I'm more down on Turner than the average fan, but if Shabazz/Pat can provide 80% of Turner's production (and really, how hard could that be?) at 1/8th of the price that would be a no-brainer IMO. Add in the fact that Bazz/Pat are just beginning their careers, while Turner is currently at his peak, and I just don't see any point to keeping Turner on the roster.

 

[BBert]

I have to disagree about Shabazz. I do think he deserves more playing time than he's received here, but he's not a good enough distributor or efficient enough scorer to be a full time starter, IMO. He's perfectly suited to be a backup who plays on a regular basis; if we weren't already so defensively deficient in the backcourt, I think Shabazz would be the perfect backup for Dame.

My thinking too. His offense is great off the bench. But we need defense.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I personally feel we'd be better off replacing Turner with a real PG and a 3/D guy. I'm not sure Shabazz is that PG (some size would be nice), but he made a case for himself last night. I'm also not sure Pat is the 3/D guy, but he also made a decent case for himself.

I understand that I'm more down on Turner than the average fan, but if Shabazz/Pat can provide 80% of Turner's production (and really, how hard could that be?) at 1/8th of the price that would be a no-brainer IMO. Add in the fact that Bazz/Pat are just beginning their careers, while Turner is currently at his peak, and I just don't see any point to keeping Turner on the roster.

I kind of feel the same way about Crabbe, great 3FG%, but nothing else, at $18,500,000 and $19,332,500 for the next two years, with a player option for another $18,500,000 for the year after that. I'm hoping either Connaughton, or one of our three draft picks can grow into a MUCH cheaper Crabbe replacement.

BNM

 

[riverman]

I have to disagree about Shabazz. I do think he deserves more playing time than he's received here, but he's not a good enough distributor or efficient enough scorer to be a full time starter, IMO. He's perfectly suited to be a backup who plays on a regular basis; if we weren't already so defensively deficient in the backcourt, I think Shabazz would be the perfect backup for Dame.

He's a younger, better version of Mo Williams...sparkplug guy...picks up the pace..

 

[blue9]

I kind of feel the same way about Crabbe, great 3FG%, but nothing else, at $18,500,000 and $19,332,500 for the next two years, with a player option for another $18,500,000 for the year after that. I'm hoping either Connaughton, or one of our three draft picks can grow into a MUCH cheaper Crabbe replacement.

BNM

Yeah, we've discussed this before. I think Crabbe is far more valuable to the team than Turner. I actively want to shed Turner's salary and don't really care what we get in return. But Crabbe, I think he's an asset to the team and should only be traded if we get something valuable in return. I agree that his salary just doesn't work with Dame/CJ/Nurkic. Both will need to be traded eventually - but Turner is the one that just doesn't have a real role with this team...or rather, his role would be better played by specialists.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Yeah, we've discussed this before. I think Crabbe is far more valuable to the team than Turner. I actively want to shed Turner's salary and don't really care what we get in return. But Crabbe, I think he's an asset to the team and should only be traded if we get something valuable in return. I agree that his salary just doesn't work with Dame/CJ/Nurkic. Both will need to be traded eventually - but Turner is the one that just doesn't have a real role with this team...or rather, his role would be better played by specialists.

But isn't that exactly what Crabbe is, a specialist? One of the highest (possibly THE) highest paid specialists in the league?

Yeah, Turner is also overpaid, but he creates for himself and others, rebounds and plays pretty damn good perimeter defense.

Crabbe is better at his one thing, but Turner is more versatile. It seems like Crabbe could be replaced with one player, where it might take more than one player to replace Turner, and you can only play 5 players at a time.

In the end, one of them NEEDS to be moved and I'm fine with moving one, or the other, or both, what ever gets us the most in return and hopefully saves us a significant amount of money.

BNM

 

[tester551]

But isn't that exactly what Crabbe is, a specialist? One of the highest (possibly THE) highest paid specialists in the league?

Yeah, Turner is also overpaid, but he creates for himself and others, rebounds and plays pretty damn good perimeter defense.

Crabbe is better at his one thing, but Turner is more versatile. It seems like Crabbe could be replaced with one player, where it might take more than one player to replace Turner, and you can only play 5 players at a time.

In the end, one of them NEEDS to be moved and I'm fine with moving one, or the other, or both, what ever gets us the most in return and hopefully saves us a significant amount of money.

BNM

My vote would be to move both. I think it's easier to replace what Crabbe brings to the team, as Turner is an important safety valve... but both need to go.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Pat Connaughton with another great game!

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Goodbye Pat. We hardly knew ya.

 

[Strenuus]

Good on ya, Pat, for making it just a touch easier to trade you.

 

[tester551]

Good on ya, Pat, for making it just a touch easier to trade you.

I think this makes it easier to trade Crabbe. Pat is a great shooter from 3, but brings a lot more to the table at 1/20th the cost

 

[ripcityboy]

He looked like a different player this last couple of days. Totally different from the other times we have seen him.

 

[B-Roy]

He looked like a different player this last couple of days. Totally different from the other times we have seen him.

He is playing against other 3rd stringers...

 

[ripcityboy]

He is playing against other 3rd stringers...

Lamarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard are third stringers?!

 

[Scalma]

I think this makes it easier to trade Crabbe. Pat is a great shooter from 3, but brings a lot more to the table at 1/20th the cost

Jesus Christ.

 

[joeBlazers]

Is there a way we can rid ourselves of Turner Salary this off season? There was a rule in the Association where we could swallow one bad contract. is this still in place?