Trading for a center

[Rastapopoulos]

So. Do we need to trade for a center? Do you think we will? Let's have a little poll about centers. But because it's my poll and because I think there's basically zero chance we get Cousins (unless we give up Lillard) I'm not going to include him.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I included Valanciunas just because I think he's been a bit underwhelming in Toronto and they've got Poetl and Bebe for peanuts. I don't think they're looking to trade him yet, but he might be a little unhappy if this goes on.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I DIDN'T vote for Boban, just because I think we need defense above all else and that is a weakness of his. But I'd be very happy if we ended up with him.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Part of me says "Any of Them!"
Part of me says "None of Them!"
so, IDK.
We'd have to give up a lot to get Lopez.
Bogut could be a rental, or he could be injury prone, or he could ask for a big extension, and then get injured.
Chandler would improve our defense, but would our team be better?
I haven't seen much of Vucevic.
Biyombo makes a lot of dough, and has injury problems, and absolutely can't do anything on the offensive end, but he'd provide the shot blocking/rim protection we sorely lack.
Don't know about Marj.
Cole's box score has been terrible every time I've looked this year.
JV = pipedream, would LOVE to get him, but no way he's available.
Other: Nurkic might be available and is interesting.

 

[Stevenson]

Nerlens Noel.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

D'oh! Forgot Nurkic. But why would Denver trade him? He's young and cheap.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Nerlens Noel.

D'oh again. Forgot him. But is he really a center? I see him as like Marcus Camby - PF when he's young and skinny, transitioning to C as he gets a bit more meat on his bones.

 

[Blazers Roy]

No! please! no more Centers! no more white Centers!!

 

[rasheedfan2005]

plumlee isnt our problem. our problem is leonard and crabbe suck compared to the money they make. getting a center even if he averages 2 more blocks a night for us is only preventing 4 points. plumlee actually plays with effort, he's not the issue. we need to lose leonard and crabbe and gain a PF or large SF that doesnt suck and hire a defensive coordinator that actually utilizes defense in his game plan. if we do get a center we need plumlee for the bench or we will be back to square 1 with a good starting center and no back up. davis is decent but leonard is shit and vonleh isnt really big enough to play center. then turner and layman can split the minutes crabbe got.

 

[Boob-No-More]

D'oh again. Forgot him. But is he really a center? I see him as like Marcus Camby - PF when he's young and skinny, transitioning to C as he gets a bit more meat on his bones.

That's my vote, too. And hell yes, he's a center. He started 71 games at center as a 20-year old rookie and recorded 133 STLs and 146 BLKs. He was 4th in the entire league in DBPM and 8th in DRtg.

He was forced to play out of position at PF last year (but was still 8th in the league in DBPM) because PHI wanted to start Okafor at center. Noel's best position is center. And he's available, and he's young and as a 20-year old rookie center, he was already an elite defender.

PHI is jerking him around because he indirectly called Bryan Colangelo "silly". Regardless, with Embiid beasting, PHI really needs to trade one of their three young centers. They tried to trade Okafor during the summer, logic being they could continue to play Noel out of position at PF next to Embiid. Then Noel made his silly comment and he fell out of favor with Colangelo. After the silly comment kerfuffle, Noel upped the ante and basically called Colangelo a liar for denying he had shopped both him and Okafor.

Noel was right on both counts, Calangelo is silly. He's devaluing an asset he's trying to trade, and he has definitely shopped both Oakfor and Noel and lied about it.

He's a great rim protector and a great pick and roll defender. At 22, he's a proven elite defender and he actually makes our window wider, instead of narrower like the 28+ years old centers in your poll.

BNM

 

[craigehlo]

plumlee isnt our problem.

He's bench quality. He has no offensive moves, can't block shots and panics and passes out of the paint anytime he catches ball near the rim. Nice kid, but not a starting center by any stretch of the imagination.

Leonard and Crabbe both stink too, I agree.

 

[illmatic99]

1. Nurkic
2. Noel

 

[Scalma]

D'oh! Forgot Nurkic. But why would Denver trade him? He's young and cheap.

Because Jokic is even better. Nurkic has been very inconsistent this year, on both ends of the court, but I believe he could take off with more consistent minutes.

 

[Scalma]

1. Nurkic
2. Noel

Same here. That should be the beginning and end of the list imo. The two most likely guys to be traded by their current teams. Different players, but they'd both fit.

 

[Scalma]

He's bench quality. He has no offensive moves, can't block shots and panics and passes out of the paint anytime he catches ball near the rim. Nice kid, but not a starting center by any stretch of the imagination.

Leonard and Crabbe both stink too, I agree.

I feel like Plumlee would look A LOT better playing as a PF next to a rim protector. Plumlee has his value. It's just not as a starting center.

The question is whether or not Olshey/Allen are ready to pay him. If not, might as well trade him now.

 

[julius]

I like Lopez, but I wouldn't mind any center who actually plays defense.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Because Jokic is even better. Nurkic has been very inconsistent this year, on both ends of the court, but I believe he could take off with more consistent minutes.

Okay, but why can't they keep both of them? If they like Jokic, he's the starter. But he's young and foul-prone, so Nurkic is the bench player. And it's not like he's overpaid for a bench player - he's on a rookie contract. There's no rush for them. If somebody offered them a top-5 pick, or a dynamite player also on his rookie contract I'm sure they'd bite. We have neither (at least, assuming we don't TOTALLY flame out).

 

[Chris Craig]

Neil could trade in a lemon to a car dealer and walk out with next year's model. He is a sly sob. That said it's going to take some calculated work to fix things. Going after a big man, means we are going to have to get rid of a big man, hopefully Meyers. But, everyone is gonna want Crabbe...meaning we are going to hAve bring back another 2guard/small Foward. We are probably looking at more than one trade to get things done.

 

[Scalma]

Okay, but why can't they keep both of them? If they like Jokic, he's the starter. But he's young and foul-prone, so Nurkic is the bench player. And it's not like he's overpaid for a bench player - he's on a rookie contract. There's no rush for them. If somebody offered them a top-5 pick, or a dynamite player also on his rookie contract I'm sure they'd bite. We have neither (at least, assuming we don't TOTALLY flame out).

Because they don't work together, they're both centers, and also Nurkic isn't really happy with his role. Also, he isn't worth a lottery pick, at least not right now. Look at his numbers. They aren't consistent.

 

[Chris Craig]

Teams are gonna want Plumlee and Davis for their contracts, but we won't want to give them up. We will want to trade Meyers and Noah, but teams won't really want to takevmeyers contract or see enough value in Vonleh to get us much...they will want crabbe, but for less then we will want back...CJ might get traded to make a big deal happen...its going to be interesting to see what Neil does next...

 

[Wizard Mentor]

D'oh! Forgot Nurkic. But why would Denver trade him? He's young and cheap.

There were rumors (a couple of weeks ago) he was going on the block. Probably because, as someone mentioned above, he was dissatisfied with his role.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Downside to Nurkic: he's an old-school, high-usage, on-the-block scorer. Not Stotts' style at all.

Noel is intriguing but unless we can get him for Crabbe (which seems VERY unlikely) I'm not sure how we end up with him. Bogut actually looks getable, and he's still elite defensively. If Nowitzki were to shut it down (for good or even just the season) I can see Dallas offloading Bogut and Wes, and I'd love that package for Crabbe + filler.

 

[Scalma]

Another thing to remember is other teams aren't stupid, they know we're desperate for a center, so they're all probably asking for a kings ransom right now, as they should be. As we get closer to the deadline however, those asking prices should get a little more realistic as the supply floods the market.

 

[Nikolokolus]

At this point I would have voted "anybody"

 

[Scalma]

I'm watching the sixers game and Noel looked good the first half, but he's already injured himself again and won't return. Sprained ankle. He'll fit right in!

Side note: I didn't really see any obvious injury, and there's a part of me that thinks it's just another way to keep him away until he's traded. His body language wasn't that of a guy that wanted to be there.

 

[dviss1]

1. Nurkic
2. Noel

I don't really understand what y'all see in that guy Nurkic. He's pretty underwhelming to me.

 

[Scalma]

I don't really understand what y'all see in that guy Nurkic. He's pretty underwhelming to me.

His potential is pretty high, on both ends of the court. Big, surprisingly quick, great hands. Right now he's inconsistent and a bit undisciplined (very aggressive, will try to block everything which hurts the defense) but he's only 22 years old. He hasn't had a consistent role or minutes yet in the league, and I think a change of scenery will allow him to take off. Hopefully it's in Portland.

 

[dviss1]

His potential is pretty high, on both ends of the court. Big, surprisingly quick, great hands. Right now he's inconsistent and a bit undisciplined (very aggressive, will try to block everything which hurts the defense) but he's only 22 years old. He hasn't had a consistent role or minutes yet in the league, and I think a change of scenery will allow him to take off. Hopefully it's in Portland.

Looks like an unathletic stiff to me. He doesn't pass the eye test.

 

[Sinobas]

No! please! no more Centers! no more white Centers!!

Yeah, Sabonis and Walton were terrible for this organization. Being racist against white people is edgy and funny!

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Here is one that someone probably mentioned, but I missed it, and he is intriguing. Lucas-Nogueira of the Raptors. Drafted 16 by the Hawks in 2013. Not sure why he didn't play more games last year for Toronto, but this year he is averaging 3.5 blocks, 2 steals and 8.6 rebounds per 36. He has about 3 more inches on wingspan and standing reach over Noel (who has about 3 over Davis and Plumlee). Now who the heck they would want from us, I don't know; they are a pretty complete team. They even have a backup SG who is shooting .472 from the three this year. The question is: where was Olshey when Toronto traded John Salmons for Lou Williams and Nogueira?