I disagree w/ Brian Wheeler about trading for Joe Johnson

Chad Ford says there's potential for 6+11 = 2. He thinks it's for Beal, but I say MKG would look awesome at SF with Nic and LMA (get well soon, btw)

Beal is probably going to be a good player, but I don't think he's Wade Lite. He doesn't attack the rim, and when he does, he doesn't have the strength or explosiveness to finish. He may be an awesome NBA shooter, but he shot 33% from college 3 for an entire season. He measured 6'3.5" in shoes, and draftexpress' view of his defense is that it's inconsistent, though his ceiling there is "probably solid".

MKG, however, seems like he'd be a pure fit on our team. He's a big, strong wing player. At 18 he's already displayed leadership (running UK's Breakfast Club workout program) and has an immense work ethic and motor. He's not going to be the #1 (or even #2) option on offense, but that's ok b/c LMA is going to be that guy for as long as he wears Rip City unis. He loves defense and guards everyone from 1 to 4. He has a little bit of Z-bo in his offensive game (not nearly the 'jumper' Zach has) in that he finds ways to rebound and score or finish near (above?) the rim. He's acknowledged to be a very good passer and a very heady (BBIQ) player, knowing where he needs to be in space and when (and how) to make good picks and sharp cuts.

Draftexpress also says:
"he is the type of player who needs good teammates around him to fully utilize all the different things he does well. He really understands the nuances of making others better with his ability to set screens, pass, and make hustle plays, which is likely a big reason why he's always been considered such a winner from very early on in his career"

From DraftExpress.com www.draftexpress.com#ixzz1wZhtRwnr

I know we toss the name around a lot with Nic, but MKG seems like a raw Pippen-type player. Scottie was awesome, but he started as a defensive stalwart, let his offensive game mature as a semi-Robin to Jordan's Batman (or maybe a Jimmy Olsen to Jordan's Superman) and eventually turned into the Top 50 player. But if Scottie had needed to shoulder the load his rookie year, it wouldn't have worked.

I personally think CHA needs two lotto picks more than we do, and that we both know it. If you take a lineup with Batum/MKG/LMA into free agency, especially if you can pick up and hit on a later pick (Adelman doesn't want the #18 and covets Wes--which I'd do in half a heartbeat) then you not only look attractive to FA's, but also have a bunch of $$ to make those lopsided trades or to look to amnestied guys. I don't know that we'd be players in the Deron Sweepstakes (I have literally no feel for how that would go down), but having 2 perimeter-able-defensive guys like MKG and Batum allows us to have a gamut of PG options, on a spectrum from someone like Lin to Nash to a combo guard like Stuckey. If we go with an undersized, relatively one-dimensional SG like Beal (no matter if his shot turns around or not) then you're taking options away from later picks, FA and trades.

 

The only teeny tiny issue I have with that is Gordon's injury history for the number of $$ we'd have to pay to get him.
If you go MKG (who I disagree...would be much better at less risk than anyone for our team at 6), then you could go for Deron or Hibbert and when you don't get them, look for two "lesser contracts" like, say, Lin and Eryasova or Nash and McGee or something.

 

I think it was at "31y/o, cap-space sucking player who doesn't play PG or C." But yeah, you can add "never a 20 PER" to that, also.

 

I don't know that I'd be too hard on Wheels...he's either smokescreening for the team, OR the FO really wants Joe for some dumb reason and is using him as a mouthpiece to get us hyped for it.

 

It's fun that we're 72 posts in and I don't think there's a single person other than Wheels (and I'm pretty sure this isn't his personal opinion) who agrees at all, in the slightest, with doing this.