Elfrid Payton acquired!

[Antilles]

Another good game from Payton. I'm impressed.

How many consecutive great games from Payton before we stop counting and saying. "Well, it's on only been x games. Let's not get too excited."

Mathematically? Somewhere between 25 and 30 to say with a high degree of confidence that his good games were his true output, and his bad games weren't.

That first year Boris Diaw spent with us, were the last 25-30 games before he got his new contract indicative of his "true output"? How about Brandon Knight's last 25-30 games in Milwaukee before the trade?

As a long time lurker (from Austria btw.) who remembers the old sote run by sose very well, I may say sthg here:

Exactly the same arguement was made more than a decade ago, when we needed to sighn Joe Johnson to a new contract.

[The Bobster]

https://www.facebook.com/nba/videos/10156193096973463/

[video][/video]

Couldn’t help but notice how content Elfrid is to just fall behind on the pick and roll defensively. He makes absolutely no effort to fight over the screen and stay In front of Mitchell. The lack of effort is alarming.

To be fair to him, it’s par for the course with the rest of our guards. There’s no fight in them defensively at all.

Of course the player defending the screener was nowhere to be seen in any of those plays either.

[Ring_Wanted]

It is already known the Suns worked him out two times (one private) during his draft, so the truly like him. I have little doubt that there will be an offer on the table. In his tiple double game he assisted Booker 6 times, also fed Warren, Jackson and Bender and led the fastbreak.

The question is how is he going to impact plans for next offseason. His cap hold is 10M. If we give him a contract, we'll need to stretch people to have any other significant cap room. The only other way to make an impactful move is to use the expirings (Chandler-Dudley-Sauce) plus assets. And by 2019 Booker's max will be in play.

Anyway, first things first. The draft still needs to deliver.

[specialsauce]

https://www.facebook.com/nba/videos/10156193096973463/

[video][/video]

Couldn’t help but notice how content Elfrid is to just fall behind on the pick and roll defensively. He makes absolutely no effort to fight over the screen and stay In front of Mitchell. The lack of effort is alarming.

To be fair to him, it’s par for the course with the rest of our guards. There’s no fight in them defensively at all.

Of course the player defending the screener was nowhere to be seen in any of those plays either.

Sure, but I've seen that consistently this year. I'm assuming that is Triano's doing. He wants the centers to sag back into the lane and prevent the drive to the hole, with the responsibility of the guard being to fight over the screen and prevent the jumpshot. I hate it, but it's what coach wants and there's zero fight there to fight over the screen and get back to the defender. Really disappointing.

To clarify, I think this is all on coaching. When it's a widespread lack of effort throughout the team, it starts at the top.

[Split T]

I think a lot of that is due to Chandler and Len not really being capable of defending the pick and roll effectively in any other way. If more mobile guys like Bender/Chriss or JJJ/Ayton/Bamba become our center I would hope we see a different approach to defending the pick and roll.

[Indy]

I think a lot of that is due to Chandler and Len not really being capable of defending the pick and roll effectively in any other way. If more mobile guys like Bender/Chriss or JJJ/Ayton/Bamba become our center I would hope we see a different approach to defending the pick and roll.

Yep. Chandler doesn't even pretend to try (or maybe he is just that done by now), and Alex is good at recovering within a few feet, but not from the top of the key.

[specialsauce]

I hope so.

[Shabazz]

I'm a big fan of the trade, but the draft will Bring some interesting dilemmas:

If we draft Doncic or Trae, why would we sign Payton to a big money deal? To be a high-priced backup?

If we draft Ayton, Bamba or Bagley, then Payton supposedly offers a nice solution at PG but we're left with another starting lineup of 1-2 (Booker/Bender?) capable 3 point shooters. That can't win in today's NBA. It just can't.

Drafting JJJ Would put another floor spacer in the starting lineup, but he doesn't seem close to ready to be a starter.

It will be interesting to see...

[Cap]

If we draft Ayton, Bamba or Bagley, then Payton supposedly offers a nice solution at PG but we're left with another starting lineup of 1-2 (Booker/Bender?) capable 3 point shooters. That can't win in today's NBA. It just can't.

Payton's shooting 28-73 (.384) from 3 this season. Not a huge sample size, but still reason for hope.

[specialsauce]

Ayton hits 3s at a respectable rate. Small sample size but he’s averaging over 1 per game.

[ShelC]

I'm a big fan of the trade, but the draft will Bring some interesting dilemmas:

If we draft Doncic or Trae, why would we sign Payton to a big money deal? To be a high-priced backup?

If we draft Ayton, Bamba or Bagley, then Payton supposedly offers a nice solution at PG but we're left with another starting lineup of 1-2 (Booker/Bender?) capable 3 point shooters. That can't win in today's NBA. It just can't.

Drafting JJJ Would put another floor spacer in the starting lineup, but he doesn't seem close to ready to be a starter.

It will be interesting to see...

If we don't have 3pt shooters and can't play pace and space, then we need a coach who can install halfcourt sets that we'll execute. The Jazz have Favors, Gobert and Rubio on the court with Mitchell and Ingles but they get it done. Obviously if we have a shot at Trae and draft him, then we don't need to make it a priority to re-sign Payton. But with McD who knows. He'll probably draft Trae, give Payton a max contract and try to have us play some sort of Trae, Payton, Booker, Warren, Bender lineup.

[Cap]

Payton smilie:

f"

[Split T]

I'm a big fan of the trade, but the draft will Bring some interesting dilemmas:

If we draft Doncic or Trae, why would we sign Payton to a big money deal? To be a high-priced backup?

If we draft Ayton, Bamba or Bagley, then Payton supposedly offers a nice solution at PG but we're left with another starting lineup of 1-2 (Booker/Bender?) capable 3 point shooters. That can't win in today's NBA. It just can't.

Drafting JJJ Would put another floor spacer in the starting lineup, but he doesn't seem close to ready to be a starter.

It will be interesting to see...

I think JJJ is more ready than you think. At least as ready as Chriss/Bender are.

I think Ayton, bagkey, and Bamba may struggle to stretch the floor
at first, but they all have potential, especially Ayton.

I'd want Payton still if we draft Doncic, but if we draft young, I'd only want Payton at the right price as he'd be a backup, albeit he could play with young and Booker in theory.

[ShelC]

Payton won't sign on as a backup. Drafting Young and signing Payton long term is asking for trouble we've already had.

[Indy]

I'm a big fan of the trade, but the draft will Bring some interesting dilemmas:

If we draft Doncic or Trae, why would we sign Payton to a big money deal? To be a high-priced backup?

If we draft Ayton, Bamba or Bagley, then Payton supposedly offers a nice solution at PG but we're left with another starting lineup of 1-2 (Booker/Bender?) capable 3 point shooters. That can't win in today's NBA. It just can't.

Drafting JJJ Would put another floor spacer in the starting lineup, but he doesn't seem close to ready to be a starter.

It will be interesting to see...

I think JJJ is more ready than you think. At least as ready as Chriss/Bender are.

I think Ayton, bagkey, and Bamba may struggle to stretch the floor
at first, but they all have potential, especially Ayton.

I'd want Payton still if we draft Doncic, but if we draft young, I'd only want Payton at the right price as he'd be a backup, albeit he could play with young and Booker in theory.

Not saying anything about the guys that will be in play for us on draft night, but let's not let our current lack of readiness dictate our acceptable level of readiness, please.

[Indy]

Payton won't sign on as a backup. Drafting Young and signing Payton long term is asking for trouble we've already had.

But that was year(s) ago, Shel. Ancient history. Let's repeat history!

[Split T]

Payton won't sign on as a backup. Drafting Young and signing Payton long term is asking for trouble we've already had.

I don't really want young anyways

[Split T]

I'm a big fan of the trade, but the draft will Bring some interesting dilemmas:

If we draft Doncic or Trae, why would we sign Payton to a big money deal? To be a high-priced backup?

If we draft Ayton, Bamba or Bagley, then Payton supposedly offers a nice solution at PG but we're left with another starting lineup of 1-2 (Booker/Bender?) capable 3 point shooters. That can't win in today's NBA. It just can't.

Drafting JJJ Would put another floor spacer in the starting lineup, but he doesn't seem close to ready to be a starter.

It will be interesting to see...

I think JJJ is more ready than you think. At least as ready as Chriss/Bender are.

I think Ayton, bagkey, and Bamba may struggle to stretch the floor
at first, but they all have potential, especially Ayton.

I'd want Payton still if we draft Doncic, but if we draft young, I'd only want Payton at the right price as he'd be a backup, albeit he could play with young and Booker in theory.

Not saying anything about the guys that will be in play for us on draft night, but let's not let our current lack of readiness dictate our acceptable level of readiness, please.

Fine. I guess my point is I don't see why we need to draft an NBA ready starter. Most rookies aren't ready but I think JJJ will be better next year than any of our current long term starting options at the 4/5. I'd draft him and put him in as a starter without hesitation.

[O_Gardino]

Payton won't sign on as a backup. Drafting Young and signing Payton long term is asking for trouble we've already had.

I don't really want young anyways

What don't you like about him?

[Split T]

Payton won't sign on as a backup. Drafting Young and signing Payton long term is asking for trouble we've already had.

I don't really want young anyways

What don't you like about him?

He's small and is going to be a poor defender. I don't like that next to Booker. I think they'd make a great combination offensively, but I'm worried we top out as the blazers with Lillard/McCollum. He turns the ball over a lot and defenses are starting to figure him out. His 3 pt % in conference play isn't great.

All that being said, he is a fantastic passer and has serious range on his shot. He'll benefit from having other weapons on his team the defenses focus on. Still, I like a lot of the bigs in this draft more.