My guess for Portland's center next year: Al Horford

The thing is that Monroe will require assets going out and their starting ask would likely be CJ. Horford is just for $$$.

I agree. Don't make any changes. 50 wins next year, 60 after that, 70 after that and maybe even 80 with this same group. Heck, we should have never added Buck Williams and Danny Ainge to the Drexler/Porter Blazers. That only slowed them down and they would have won multiple titles if they had just kept it the way it was.

I'm on board!

 

Horford is the perfect fit for our frontcourt...and we could keep Plumlee and Davis letting Meyers and Kaman go. Either Plumlee, Vonleh or Davis could play the 4 when Horford plays the 5...Horford/Davis frontcourt would be awesome!

 

I believe Horford stays east due to his family. I really haven't check the Fa coming out but expect Olshey will go after 2 tier player that fits our system and age group. I believe right now Kaman Roberts and Alexander won't be back next year. I am not counting the UFA and the restrictive Fa. So they could more.

 

Horford is the 2nd biggest UFA in free agency (LeBron doesn't count). He's not an under the radar pick.

He's going to have teams throwing max offers left and right. Chances he comes here is slim to none.
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Exactly

 

Quick said that Olshey "Loves Horford", and he's my 1st choice, too - but I think the chances are slim.

 

Hibbert is awful.

 

Another guy I'd like us to look into: Jusuf Nurkic. The Nuggs are clearly invested in Jokic but Nurkic might be the better defender.

 

As mentioned earlier, Horford is hardly under the radar. He did kinda get me thinking about another former Florida bigman: Joakim Noah.

How serious are his injuries? I think we can get him on a < 10 mil/yr deal, and save that $ to get a top level wing. He's like Plums on steroids, only 2 yrs removed from winning DPOY, and only 7 months older than Horford.

 

Even more inept offensively. If you aren't getting the 1st team all-NBA Noah I don't know if it's worth pursuing him over someone else. Plums can duplicate a lot of what Noah does and that money can be used elsewhere.

 

No to Noah. Doesnt fit at all. Injury prone, over the hill. Nothing we really need that we dont already have or that a player will develop into.

I think Harkless can develop into a DGreen type of player ( little less assists)
Much rather develop Harkless into this mold, than go after NOah.

 

My interest in Noah is like 99% because of his defense and rim protection. If he can tap into even a fraction of that ability still, he'd be light years ahead of Plums defensively.

And let's not forget his passing ability. Plums ast % this year is 3.7%. Noah last year was at 13.1%. They're not even in the same boat in that skill.

 

Yeah but that is 1st team all-NBA Noah.

Noah even before going down with the injury this season was a shell of himself. He's been that way since last season, definitely not an impact player anymore.

 

Maybe I'm reaching, but I attribute a lot of that to Hoiberg fucking up their chemistry by benching Noah.

 

Noah wasn't even good last year though. I get to see a lot of Bulls games living in Chicago, and Noah lost that pep to his step he had two years ago. At age 31, I don't see him getting that back.

 

I question this big time. Those percentages dont pass the eye test. Plums seems to have great court awareness and makes great passes. as Many as Noah? No, but is our offense set up for that? Plums and the offense are still learning how to click. PLums is one of the better passing/Ast bigs in the league from what games I watch ( admittedly I only see other teams when we play them).
Plums will continue to develop and as the offense gets more set and dependable, I believe we will see Plums average 3-4 assists a game next year.

 

I'm skeptical about how much money we will actually have. I'm fine with losing Hendo. He's a UFA and I think he's good enough to start in the NBA. I don't want to pay him starter money to come off the bench.

Crabbe and Harkless are must-keeps though. They're both young, they're both continuing to develop. We have their rights, so we can match. I think they're both going to receive substantial offers.

 

Man, Im so on the fence about Crabbe vs Hendo. Most of me says Crabbe has the brighter future, but Hendo provides some veteran stability we dont really have, which has been on display lately. Crabbe is currently too streaky and inconsistent and Hendo just seems to be a solid 12-15 pt night guy. Im not so sure we might not be better off letting Crabbe go and paying Hendo. He really isnt that much older, but sure seems to have the confidence that I wish some others had.
Hendo has really grown on me, especially after he said he would love to come back and has never played with a team like this.