The Pelicans were granted a meeting with star prospect Scoot Henderson this week, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). New Orleans’ interest in trading into the top three of the draft in order to land Henderson has been well documented this month, but according to Charania, the Hornets (No. 2) and Trail Blazers (No. 3) have expressed little interest in moving their lottery picks. We’ll see if that changes when they’re on the clock in a matter of minutes.
Here’s more from around the West as we wait for the draft to get underway:
- Law Murray of The Athletic identifies some possible free agent targets for the Clippers, noting that the team’s cap situation will make it difficult to tangibly upgrade the roster in free agency and suggesting L.A. may have to rely on the trade market instead.
- Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal takes a look at the three-team Marcus Smart/Kristaps Porzingis/Tyus Jones deal from the Grizzlies‘ perspective, exploring why the front office decided to pull the trigger and what the club is getting in Smart.
- Mike Dunleavy Jr.‘s first move as the Warriors‘ new general manager is a deal that makes it clear the franchise is prioritizing the present over the future, writes Tim Kawakami of The Athletic in his analysis of Golden State’s Chris Paul/Jordan Poole swap with Washington. Anthony Slater of The Athletic also analyzes the deal, observing that there are major risks, given Paul’s injury history and age, as well as Poole’s long-term upside.
Poole’s long term upside will only be unlocked on a rebuilding team. He’s not ready to be in the role he was on the warriors, and that was painfully obvious. He needs to grow up. Paul is a good fit, high IQ player who can play with Draymond and Curry and Thompson. He’s a bit slower but that’s ok, warriors have always figured out how to blend different style players in the past. Strength in numbers!
As long as the Warriors don’t do something stupid with Green, they actually gave themselves some flexibility next summer.
So I’m assuming the Warriors give Draymond a 4 year deal, maybe starting at or around his option value, and descending 3M each year? 27, 24, 21, 18M?
That would put them at around 140.5M next season before adding in draft pick from this year/next year etc…
So I see why they moved Poole. They wanted an expiring deal. Look the main teams to call were the Sixers, Hornets, and Wizards. Wizards are eager to wheel and deal.
The Wiseman trade, that was bad. They should have figured out a way to get GP3, but I think he had to leave to get the deal he did, they couldn’t offer as much? But at any rate, you go from Poole, Kuminga, Wiseman, and Moody for KD and you end up with GP3 and CP3… I get the Curry rant.