Who says no?

No, by very similar I mean that his block % is the same, his defensive rating is slightly better, he has similar PER and he's a mid-to-high tier offensive rebounder. Joel was a much better rebounder, but he's similar in that Mahinmi will (like Joel) be a liability on O unless he's cleaning up garbage baskets or occasionally getting a P&R, he'll guard the opponent's best big (and probably pretty well), and he's right about at the Brand/Collison/Lopez/D-HO (in a bad year)/Okafor/Ibaka ORB% range.

yeah, he's got limitations, and there's a reason he's making 4M as a 25 y/o. Then again, why's JJ making 4M as a 24y/o, but on a 1yr deal?

And sure, if you want to make the starting 5 a priority, which C are you going to get for 13M? And why do you think that would be better than Lillard/Wes/Batum/LMA/($4M defensive-minded C who cleans up offensive glass) with someone like Redick or Tyreke etc. as the 6th Man?

 

Seraphin's a good idea, also, but what motivation do the Wiz have to do that? IND at least gets immediate upgrade at a position of need for a luxury.

 

doing ok so far. Overloading on all the bios of Hajis and Khans and Mohammeds and Abduls and Haji Mohammed Abdul Khans, but will be headfirst in it on Thursday with initial meetings and intros with village leaders. First helo ride in 17 years coming up. Pretty stoked.

I don't know about the deadline. I'd like to see Hickson moved. It literally does us no good (for the future) to keep him unless a) you think he's the difference in making a playoff spot (if you're still going for that) vs. who we get back, or b) you think he's the Missing 5th Starter of the Future (M5SotF) and you're planning on paying him his 4/40M contract this summer.

Personally, I'm intrigued by the trade MM brought up. A 2-headed monster at C going forward with Leonard and Mahinmi and 9M or so in cap space would be a pretty good setup for the summer. And with Augustin taking Ronnie/Nolan's minutes, we might have enough juice to sneak in the playoffs. Probably not. If we can get a young, cheap-ish big like Mozgov or Seraphin, even better--but I don't think their teams are giving them up. I still really like Redick (and as a distant second, Tyreke) this summer, so keeping 7-9M in cap space would be a big deal (therefore, no trades where we take on a bunch of long-term salary, unless we're getting a difference-maker--ie, M5SotF--or immediate probably-lotto picks back). Or maybe you do a Hickson-and-expirings-and-2nds (Nolan or Babbitt) for Redick right now as a glimpse-of-the-future move.

I don't see LMA being moved, but if you wanted to go in a different direction his value is as high as it probably ever will be.

I don't like the idea of trading away Wes. He's decently-paid, a good character fit, a defense-and-3's guy, etc. I think he should be the starting SG for a long time, unless we somehow end up with Shabazz or something. Nic and Lillard aren't going anywhere, we can't trade a 1st until 2018, and our bench probably won't fetch a whole lot in trade. I can't believe that Olshey would hang on to Hickson just to lose him for nothing this summer (he probably won't even be able to be a S&T b/c he'll end up as BYC status with the raise he's likely to get). But I've been wrong before (RLS-EC). And I have no pizza guy here in Afghanistan.

 

if that's the case, then giterdun.

 

I think both of those are ridiculously good for us, but...giterdun. Personally, I like the Maynor/PJ3 one, b/c I like Maynor as a backup PG for 16 mpg rather than seeing what happens with Brooks in the game and Batum/Price playing PG.

OKC has some assets....as does HOU.