Let's say we land Whiteside or another starting center. What happens to Plumdog? Can he share the court with a Whiteside? Does he become trade bait? I'm assuming Davis is the backup center regardless. He's relatively cheap and knows his role. Doubt the team pays plumlee next season in this scenario.
Trade bait. Meyers fits next to Davis and Whiteside, and we can't get an asset for him. We can however get an asset for Plumlee. I think we could get Indiana's 2017 First Round Pick and then a little extra gravy with it. Indiana won't resign Mahinmi, as Turner will be their starting center going forward and Plumlee is an extremely cheap but serviceable replacement that allows them to keep the cap space to go out and sign someone. Or, if they already signed free agents up to the cap line, then it's really easy to work a deal around Plumlee's sub $3,000,000 contract. That's the type of trade that would happen. I view Leonard as a center and Davis and Aminu as our Power Forwards. Should we land a Whiteside, Howard, or Horford, that will leave us with 3 centers. It's better to end up with 2 centers in a draft pick by trading Plumlee and keeping Leonard than it is to only keep 2 centers by keeping Plumlee and letting Leonard go. Call it, maximizing assets. We have to maximize all our assets this summer, because to become a true contender we're going to have to make a blockbuster trade at some point. The more assets we have, the more likely that is to get done. (Plus, Meyers' contract will be easier to throw into a trade to match up outgoing salary to the incoming star's salary. Meyers + Aminu would get us around $18M. Plumlee and Aminu would get us around $10M).
Ive been saying we try to deal plumlee for future picks. If we end up using our cap on a wing instead of a center, then obviously id keep plumlee. I think plums is our 3rd best player.
If we sign a center, whoever it is, I think it means someone has to go. Our bigs will be Vonleh/Plumlee/Leonard/Davis. One or more need to be traded. While I would tend to lean towards Plumlee, I think Davis would be easier to move/have a higher return. He's on an affordable contract and he's very productive. I wouldn't mind trading Davis/Vonleh for a nice power forward (my dream scenario is Millsap.) If you sign Howard or Whiteside, you move Davis/Vonleh/pick for Millsap and then bring Plums/Leonard off the bench.
Yeah but plums is gonna get paid. If biyombo is being talked about at 15/yr, plums will at least be there too soon.
I have said all season that Plumlee would make an excellent PF, if we could get a center who's bigger than him. Posters say no, a PF must be a shooter like Aldridge. I say, you've been hypnotized/indoctrinated by seeing too much Aldridge. To answer the thread title, he becomes our starting PF. Unlike most centers, he is fluid, elastic, dextrous, athleticism, not a stiff, whatever word you want to use for it...he's a natural PF. He doesn't behave like a center oncourt.
I agree 100%. The general idea of having a power forward that can't shoot is that you are going to have crappy spacing and you won't have any choice but to shoot from outside. But shooting isn't the only way to have spacing. You can have movement and passing and Plumlee is great at those things. And if it doesn't work out and he's simply a backup center then maybe he's cheaper to resign.
I would not trade him for a future draft pick. We need to know how good that pick is. Indiana for example is now the 2nd best team in the east.....on paper. At least top 3-4. A pick in the 20's won't help us for 3 years. Yes I know we can include it in a trade, still I would rather let it play out and see how much he improves.
And let him walk at year end when he is gonna get 15 million or so a year at least? If thats what biyombos floor is this offseason, well plumlee is better so..... If we sign a center, he is the one thats gotta go.
We need a power forward. I think it will have to come through trade. Plumlee or Davis would be prime candidates for that.
What happens with Leonard if Plumlee moves to PF? Let him walk? How much cap space would we have if we renounced Kaman, Roberts, Hendo, and Leonard + signed Whiteside to the max?
This. Plums passing ability in Stotts offense is one of the biggest reasons we were so successful this season. The bigs we are going after this offseason are not even close to be able to distribute the ball from the top of the key the way plums did this season. If we replace him this summer with one of the three centers we are pursuing, our offense fluidity is going to take a step back. Our inside scoring and interior defense may be a bit better, but the flow of our motion offense is going to take a huge hit. Would love to hold on to plums as our pf and we would still be able to run our same offense that made us successful last season. Having plum playing next to a dominant center would make us a powerhouse on the defensive end and would not be an offensive liability due to our offensive minded backcourt and wings.
Homeboy needs to develop a jumpshot. Not asking much. 10-12 foot jumper. That shouldn't be that hard for an NBA player.
Agreed. And I think that is what our coaching staff Is working feverishly to develop this summer. That 10-12 footer is worth many millions to him in his career
The think that makes Biyombo and Whiteside get that kind of money is because they are elite at something.. Shot blocking.
Plumlee is pretty damn good at handling the ball and passing. If he had any offensive game to speak of, the guy would be considered elite at that.
He is, and I'm a big Plumlee fan. But in the NBA protecting the rim is more important than having a big that can pass and dribble. Its why shot blockers command so much money and long shot blocking potential prospects Saer Sene get drafted way higher than they should.
