Zion unhappy in NOLA?

[Steven43]

The Pelicans just inexplicably signed arguably the worst shooter in the NBA to 4 years $47 million.

I thought Russell Westbrook signed with the Lakers. 😉

[flyingdutchdevil]

I didn't read anything about Markelle Fultz...

Don’t insult Ben Simmons

[kAzE]

You guys are all wrong . . . it's Graham by far. I didn't say jump shooter . . . just shooter.

Fultz is 44.7% for his career, Simmons is 56.0%

Devonte’ Graham is a 37.6% career shooter.

His 37.7 FG% last season was the worst by any player with 650+ attempts.

4 years, $47 million. And that 1st round pick is gone, because Zion will just barely carry them into the playoffs. David Griffin is truly the guy you want to hire if you need to run generational talents out of town.

I'm sure Lonzo and his reps were pushing hard to get out, but you simply have to match that offer sheet and find a better trade, this is pathetic.

[Steven43]

You guys are all wrong . . . it's Graham by far. I didn't say jump shooter . . . just shooter.

Fultz is 44.7% for his career, Simmons is 56.0%

Devonte’ Graham is a 37.6% career shooter.

His 37.7 FG% last season was the worst by any player with 650+ attempts.

4 years, $47 million. And that 1st round pick is gone, because Zion will just barely carry them into the playoffs. David Griffin is truly the guy you want to hire if you need to run generational talents out of town.

I'm sure Lonzo and his reps were pushing hard to get out, but you simply have to match that offer sheet and find a better trade, this is pathetic.

Not a fair comparison to put Simmons in there. I don’t know if he’s made more than a total of ten shots in his entire career from further than three feet.

And I think you’re barking up the wrong tree with Graham. He took nine 3-point attempts per game last year and made 38% of them. That’s not even close to being bad.

Oh, and he’s an 84% free-throw shooter. If he were a bad shooter there’s no way his FT numbers would look like that.

[kAzE]

Not a fair comparison to put Simmons in there. I don’t know if he’s made more than a total of ten shots in his entire career from further than three feet.

And I think you’re barking up the wrong tree with Graham. He took nine 3-point attempts per game last year and made 38% of them. That’s not even close to being bad.

Oh, and he’s an 84% free-throw shooter. If he were a bad shooter there’s no way his FT numbers would look like that.

I'm really not. You just described a veteran minimum player, not a starter making over $11 million per year on a team trying to push into the playoffs.

[Steven43]

I'm really not. You just described a veteran minimum player, not a starter making over $11 million per year on a team trying to push into the playoffs.

Well okay, I’ll take your word on that. I’m not well-versed in player salaries.

[SouthernDukie]

I'm really not. You just described a veteran minimum player, not a starter making over $11 million per year on a team trying to push into the playoffs.

I have to agree with kAzE here, Steven. I thought for sure when they unloaded Ball they would make a smarter move than this. Unbelievable! Zion, get out of there as quick as you can!

[arnie]

Not a fair comparison to put Simmons in there. I don’t know if he’s made more than a total of ten shots in his entire career from further than three feet.

And I think you’re barking up the wrong tree with Graham. He took nine 3-point attempts per game last year and made 38% of them. That’s not even close to being bad.

Oh, and he’s an 84% free-throw shooter. If he were a bad shooter there’s no way his FT numbers would look like that.

If Graham took 9, 3-pointers and made 38% of them, I guess one goal counted for less than 1.5 points. Or maybe all of his goals were counted on the metric system😀😀

[Duke79UNLV77]

I have to agree with kAzE here, Steven. I thought for sure when they unloaded Ball they would make a smarter move than this. Unbelievable! Zion, get out of there as quick as you can!

I didn't favor the investment it would require to sign Lonzo, but with how loaded the NBA is at the PG position right now, you need better than Graham as your starter if you aspire to become a contender. Maybe, NO isn't through?

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I didn't favor the investment it would require to sign Lonzo, but with how loaded the NBA is at the PG position right now, you need better than Graham as your starter if you aspire to become a contender. Maybe, NO isn't through?

Gotta believe the Pels know that to keep Zion they need to do better than play-in games.

[brlftz]

I'm REALLY hoping they aren't targeting Schröder. Who else is left?

[Wander]

The Pelicans just inexplicably signed arguably the worst shooter in the NBA to 4 years $47 million. And they had to give up next year's first round pick (lottery protected) to get him.

Thought this was an exaggeration, then looked up the stats. Wow.

Everyone: Let's get Zion more shooters around him
Pelicans: Let's trade a first round pick for literally the single lowest percentage shooter of guys who played 30+ minutes this season

[SouthernDukie]

Thought this was an exaggeration, then looked up the stats. Wow.

Everyone: Let's get Zion more shooters around him
Pelicans: Let's trade a first round pick for literally the single lowest percentage shooter of guys who played 30+ minutes this season

That second part - giving up the 1st round pick - makes this an absolute loss for the Pelicans. Terrible management decision.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Thought this was an exaggeration, then looked up the stats. Wow.

Everyone: Let's get Zion more shooters around him
Pelicans: Let's trade a first round pick for literally the single lowest percentage shooter of guys who played 30+ minutes this season

Graham’s 3pt percentage is very good. He’s just awful every else on the floor.

Maybe that’s what NOLA wants; 3pt shooters.

[SouthernDukie]

Graham’s 3pt percentage is very good. He’s just awful every else on the floor.

Maybe that’s what NOLA wants; 3pt shooters.

I think that's the primary thing they need right now. So perhaps it works out for them. The deficiency I saw in Lonzo was his inability to break down a defense off the dribble and then dish while in the lane. Zion and BI would feast with that type of PG. Unfortunately, that wasn't Ball's strong point. His long passes and passes in the fast break were incredible, but in the half-court not so much.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

NOLA should contact Alonzo Mourning before the Lakers get their teeth into him

[tommy]

I'm REALLY hoping they aren't targeting Schröder. Who else is left?

If they want a PG who can knock down jumpshots, seems to me the best guys left on the board are Patty Mills and Reggie Jackson. Very different players, but both can put the ball in the hole from distance.

[kAzE]

Graham’s 3pt percentage is very good. He’s just awful every else on the floor.

Maybe that’s what NOLA wants; 3pt shooters.

The problem with this is, you can get 38+% shooter specialists for much less than they are paying Graham. They are hoping he's good enough to be their starting PG, which is not going to work out. If they had gotten Terry Rozier instead, then I think it would have been okay. It's still an L, because you're downgrading from Lonzo, who I think is going to be an All-Star at least once in the next 5 years, but at least Rozier is a sniper.

I think there's more upside to just starting Kira Lewis Jr. and develop him. Or even Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Yesterday was a massive L for the Pels, both the Bulls and the Hornets took advantage of them.

[superdave]

I am not sure what David Griffin is doing.

He trades away Jrue Holiday then makes a run at Kyle Lowry once he realizes veteran guards are a good thing. Then he wont match Lonzo but gives up draft capital for Devonte Graham. He could have re-signed Lonzo (since Zion wanted him) and flip him at the trade deadline if it wasnt working.

This is going to be like Cleveland circa 2008-2010 when they just kept making bad moves to hopefully land anything that would keep Lebron around.

[CameronBornAndBred]

This is going to be like Cleveland circa 2008-2010 when they just kept making bad moves to hopefully land anything that would keep Lebron around.

Remind us, how'd that work out?