Continued improvement and consistency from Nickeil Alexander-Walker could make it more feasible for the Pelicans to move Lonzo Ball down the road, Scott Kushner of the New Orleans Times-Picayune writes. Alexander-Walker, a first-round pick in 2019, erupted for a career-high 37 points against the Clippers on Wednesday.
“The big measure for young guys is not what happens when everything is rolling your way,” Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said. “It’s what happens when you’re having a frustrating night.”
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- The Rockets defeated the Spurs in their first game since the James Harden trade and rookie forward Jae’Sean Tate said the team was determined to put up a unified front, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. Houston also played without the most prominent player it acquired, Victor Oladipo, as well as injured guards John Wall and Eric Gordon. “There’s a lot of guys — on the team and coaching staff and the GM — everybody has so much to prove,” Tate said.
- Kristaps Porzingis‘ season debut reinforced the feeling that he may be best suited at power forward, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News writes. Porzingis often played center last season when Dwight Powell injured his Achilles. The Mavericks are unbeaten this season since Willie Cauley-Stein became the starter at center. The Mavs are likely to keep Porzingis at power forward for the time being, Townsend adds.
- Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. vows that he’ll return to action this season, as he told Marc Spears of The Undefeated. He suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee in August. “I’ll be back this [season]. Who knows when, but it won’t be too long,” he said.
hmmm… maybe its time da pelicans should consider bledsoe and alexander-walker as their future backcourt.
Bledsoe shouldn’t be anyone’s future backcourt.
true. i’d love to see lewis starting over lonzo.
While Willie looks like he should be good at basketball he seems totally lost out there, he hesitates every time he has possession and is actually a pretty useless rim protector. The one thing in his favour is that he runs and jumps like a deer so can cover switched assignments.
Someone mentioned Drummond for the Mav’s, I’d take Marjanovic any day of the week. Drummond is as ‘unplayable’ as Boban when opponents go small but at least Boban can hit free throws and can score all over the floor.
hmmm….. interesting looks like willy is only good at rebounding thats it lol. so pretty much hayes and willy r both useless in terms of scoring and rebounding. i think one is good at defense but mediocre on rebounding and da other is great at rebounding but nothing else. at least marjanovic can shoot unlike hayes and willy.
At this moment
Standing
10 Grizzlies
Without Morant and Jackson
13 Pelicans
14 Rockets
15 Wolves
Don’t expect the Rockets to be in 14th place for very much longer. They have been missing anywhere from four to eight players in every single game so far this season. Once they finally get everyone back in the lineup they should shoot up in the standings very quickly. Remember two seasons ago they were in 14th place after an 11-14 start and ended up then finished tied for 3rd place with Portland. Same thing could easily happen this year.
Nah
Who is a better player
Jaren Jackson or Michael Porter jr？
Both are big guards
MPJ when he’s on the court, which is rare.
Lonzo should defi6be traded. No reason to keep him, they wont match an offer sheet.
They should be looking at packaging Picks Bledsoe and Redick for Bradley Beal.
They ain’t getting Beal unless they give up Zion or Ingram which I can’t see happening.
I like NAW ever since his summer league showcase. I’d trade Lonzo and Josh Hart to Chicago for Lauri Markeneen.
Markeneen who also needs a new deal, could actually have a future in New Orleans as a 4/5 floor spacer. He’d be great at opening up the floor for Zion to attack the rim. Meanwhile Chicago gets Lonzo a really good passer and defender to put next to Zach LaVine one of the leagues best scorers and who loves to get on the break. Coby White and Josh Hart would make a solid off the bench backcourt duo.
Great trade…if you are Chicago. But why would NO want that deal? If they were giving up Lonzo they would get multiple better offers
Give up Lonzo who is on an expiring deal and going to hit FA and probably cost an arm and a leg to resign plus Josh Hart for Markeneen.
I think the fit would be a lot better in NO. Bledsloe can play PG with Kira Lewis the back up and at SG you have NAW and Reddick. Markeneen would add size and shooting to the 4/5 positions and open the floor up for Zion and Ingram.
Bledsloe and Lonzo have struggled together to score and Ingram and Zion have had to carry a major load on the offence. Moving Bledsloe to PG is his best spot and opens up another shooter and scorer at SG. Plus you’ll have Markeneen who creates space with his shooting which also helps the offence.
Plus long term wise I can see Lonzo getting offered near 20 mil in FA by some dumb team whereas Markeneen will probably be more like 14-15mil a season
Could see 8f they could get Bridges from Charlotte for Lonzo.
Have 4 guards that want to start in Lonzo LaMelo Terry and DeVonte? Plus Bridges has been a great fit with LaMelo. They seem to have the best understanding of each other’s game and I think because of that reason alone you wouldn’t want to give Bridges up
Even more of a reason the Mavs should trade for Drummond. KP always getting injured. If you have Drummond at centre, that relieves heaps of stress on the team for rebounding at both ends.
Drummond just put on a huge performance today, 33 points, 23 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals and 3 assists. And as I’ve been pointed out to yes his advanced stats aren’t great ready at all but from the Mavs perspective he’s going to give you what you need. Rebounds, some points, and hopefully a healthier KP. Not to mention a huge expiring contract for FA, and then hopefully they can get Kawhi Leonard.
The deal:
Andre Drummond for James Johnson, Dwight Powell and a second round pick
1. Doncic. Brunson. Burke. Terry
2. J-Rich. Green
3. Hardaway. Iwundu. Bey
4. KP. Finney-Smith. Kleber
5. Drummond. WCS. Marjanovic
Plus you would open up another roster spot from the deal, I’d suggest Admiral Schofield
Boston is going to acquire Drummond with its $28M TPE from the Hayward sign & trade deal. Boston will include a young player like Romeo Langford and give them a draft pick as well. This way, Cleveland won’t have to take on much salary at all in return and get a talented young player along with a pick. This is a much better package than what Dallas can offer. If they don’t like Langford, Boston could pivot to Robert Williams or maybe even Aaron Nesmith instead. Boston will be scary good with a healthy Kemba back in the fold and Drummond at the 5, with Tristan Thompson and Theis rotating in depending upon the opponents lineup. Book it!
Can’t see the Celtics being that interested. Would cost them a fortune in the tax bill.
I think they would rather get Kelly Olynyk and another wing
I don’t really watch Mavs. But I always thought and seen him Not playing center. I must be missing something. I don’t see him as a 4. He will get hurt that way. The joints take more of a beating there. He’s 7’3” he can’t be running around on D. Needs weight and strength and needs to play C. To have a long career.
They play him PF cause means he isn’t playing against as bigger body and stronger players battling for boards and working the low block.
Whereas at PF he’s athletic enough to keep up with players smaller than him and be a great defender. Plus on offensive he can space the floor and has a mismatch down low more often than not.
Similar to Simmons at PG, mismatch on offence cause his size and strength and on defence he’s bigger and can keep up with them so it works well. Only difference is KP can space the floor at the 4 if he couldn’t he would probably have to spend more minutes at the 5. Simmons sucks at shooting but gets away with it and has other team mates space for him
Happy to see Willie proving me wrong last night – he played well.
Quick question, why isn’t anyone employing Hack-A-Kounmpo? The guy’s shot is totally broken. Airballs, bricks.
If he doesn’t fix his shot his career as an effective player will be short lived as nobody’s athleticism lasts forever.
What else does he have to do other than work on the shot? If it’s still this bad he needs a new shooting coach. He shot better as a rookie.
1 of 10 from the line
Yeah agree most teams build the wall on defence to stop him driving but you also play the hack akumpo defence too then he’s really going to lose efficiency. Not to mention if he’s worried teams will foul him and send him to the line then he’s more likely to shoot threes and not drive as often which is also a good thing for defences