Hickson definitely. Don't know why anyone's talking Batum, obviously you try and keep him. Yes to Thabeet, you can't teach big, and Portland just might be the right atmosphere for him to finally get it together. Babbit, if there's room. Sure it took Kyle Korver some time to get his NBA-3 automatic, so it's worth a wait and see on Babbit.
I'd take either as the backup PF over Hickson, and I like Hickson. Both are bangers that can post and crash the boards.
Landry has an injury history and he's quite a bit older than Hickson. Landy will be 29 in september and Hickson is still only 23.
Thabeet might give a sloth a run for its money in the slowness department. He needs to get a new career as a light-bulb changer or something. Basketball aint his thing. Babbitt is still under contract, so he's back no matter what ...
I'd go up 1 mill for each at most. Maybe 10 for Batum. What's one million per year in the grand scheme of things anyways? If you have to cap, might as well use it. Otherwise, I'd agree.
So this is just people in contract negotiations? Because nobody mentioned E Will, but I thought we signed him when we signed Babbitt.
I think it's pretty clear that the team has made up their minds on Thabeet. He barely played this past week. Even earned a DNP-CD during the last game of the season.
First let me say, If either Felton or Crawford are on this team next season I may hang myself. Especially Crawford. I just don't think I could bear it. Nolan Smith - I had a higher opinion of him at the beginning of the season than I do now. Unless he's trade filler he'll be back -- rookie contract and all. He's not terribly athletic but he's steady and has room to improve. Never more than bench fodder. Terrible (Nate?) pick. Flynn - I had a higher opinion of him after his first few games than I do now. He's quick and fast and has good handles. I liked the way he delivered to the ball to teammates in the flow of the game, in the right place at the right time for them to do something with it in rhythm -- you know, like a point guard. OTOH: He's small and a defensive liability. He makes lots of mistakes (inexperience?). He will probably get better with a consistent role. Plays well with Hickson. I'd bring him back for cheap -- it's hard to give up anyone who MIGHT become a decent PG, especially such a high lottery pick. Hickson - How can we not bring back Hickson? We'll match (he's RFA, right?). Babbitt - He's tradeable, but otherwise he'll be here. He'll never be a starter, but as I've said for two years, he's more athletic than he gets credit for, he rebounds well (brains, technique and focus), and he is among the best in the NBA at a particularly important skill. Thabeet - How can a No. 2 pick be a project? Yeesh. I'd bring him back for cheap. You can't teach 7'3". The last few games he played, he looked like he was putting out his best effort. Too bad he's always 3/4 of a step slow. If nothing else, he'd make a fine practice dummy. Eventually, he might be serviceable. Maybe I'm just desperate. OTOH: I'd lose Thomas and Rhino without a second thought. Go figure.
My evaluation of Babbitt went up, then down. Last season: Most scouts around the league rated him the best shooter in the first round. He would have gone late 1st, but Nate told management to get him shooters, so we took him at 16. In practice he's a great shooter in a game of Horse (I saw one video), but in games he hasn't shown it yet. When he gets his confidence he will be another Kyle Korver, a great white shooting forward. Late this season: He has gotten plenty of minutes and has been starting. He has surprised me in that he's not a Korver. Korver is 6-7, specializes in 3s, and like a guard, gets more assists and steals. Babbitt is 6-9 and like a forward, gets more rebounds. When he gets his confidence he will make a few 3s every game. End of season: Get rid of him. Rice told him, with several games left, that to qualify for minimum shots on the list of best 3FG%, he needed to make something like 3 more, was it? He tried and tried over the last few games and completely flopped and was embarrassed. If he can't put out when motivated because everything's on the line, is starting and playing a lot of minutes, and has no excuse about confidence because the coach isn't pulling him out after every little mistake, then we cannot count on his shooting in the playoffs. This takes away his selling point, great shooting potential, and makes him no better than any 2nd round pick who has unreliable shooting. Dante Cunningham, reliable from 15 feet in, was a better forward.
I think you have to factor in that at the end of the year his teammates were the young guys who were all looking to make an impression on the coaching staff rather than playing optimum basketball. There were multiple times where Babbitt was wide open and he was totally frozen out of the offense. The few times when he did finally get the ball, he was in a position where he had to rush his shot. Get a new coach, or have Coach K in a real season, design an offense that incorporates Luke and his perimeter shooting into the flow of the game plan and I think you'll see a much better result than what he showed at the end of this season.
Hickson obviously. We've found just what we need off the bench (and possibly as a starter if we don't get a decent center), hopefully Hickson's presense will mean LA won't need so many minutes. I like Flynn as a backup PG. I thought I'd see more offense and penetration from Flynn, but I thought he did a good job at running the offense and he's a good passer.
You can't blame one situation because he had many situations in several games. He tried in several set plays, ad hoc plays, games, matchups, and lineups. You can't blame losing for lack of motive to set the record. His motivation was 100%. The record was on the line. Everyone including the coach knew that he would break plays a few times to make 3s. Tanking gave him a license to do so. He failed and humiliated himself. Frank Sinatra might end this song If I can't, make them there I'll miss them, everywhere Imagine me, in, the Playyyyyoffffffffs Playyyyyoffffffffs!
