jmmagicfan 302 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 I was saying that earlier and you disagreed. I don't get this place sometimes..lol. It is possible that I was unclear. I might have disagreed that it was a problem, and I might have disagreed that our younger players should be given time, but obviously the more players you have that play the same position, the more competition you have for minutes. Yes, you want your younger players to have real, game-time minutes, not just practice court minutes, to further their development. I think JVaughn has done a pretty good job of rewarding effort on the practice court with real game minutes, and I expect that our rookies and 2nd year player(s) will continue to get some minutes based on practice court effort as much as for game time effectiveness. You give some minutes to rookies/2nd year, but at some point you have to give less and make them earn it. I expect that our 2nd and 3rd year guys will get minutes based more on their in-game effectiveness, that is part of the maturing professional process. AA got a lot of time at the SF position last year - we were thin at that position with Harris injured, Turkoglu suspended/fading, and Harkless still developing/lacking consistency. We were also thin at SG last year - since we were trying Vic at the point, and our other options were Moore and Lamb. I expect that at least one of the two will be gone, so if we get two backcourt/wing rookies, then finding time for two rookies and AA may be a problem, but you also have to look at how much time you are going to play Jameer. I think if we get Exum it is Jameer who may lose minutes, as I can see a three guard rotation of Exum/Oladipo/AA. If we get Wiggins, I still see AA getting time as SG/SF until Harris/Harkless push him out. No, he is not as good at SF, as the matchups are tougher from a size standpoint, but unless you have or can get someone better, you go with what you have. At some point, maybe you start looking to move him, but that means you are probably looking at another non-playoff season. I'm not sure you want that as some of your top young players reach RFA. At some point, losing begets more losing, and players start to want out. I am not against trading AA, I just think that we need to have some veteran leadership, and we need to get equal value for him. I just disagree with what "equal" value is. Jameer is on the downside of his career, though still serviceable. The same with Maxiel. Price is not yet guaranteed, and has never been a consistent starter in the league. AA is the only guy on our team under 30, but with more than 3 years in the league who is/has been a regular starter, and is a borderline all-star. He is currently our only mid-length guy. If we are trading him, I want someone in the 25-28 year old range, with at least 4 years in the league, and maybe some draft picks as well. I just believe that you need some of that mid-level experience in the mix, too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Catman 380 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 I really like Aaron. He is a really good player, so don't get me wrong, I don't WANT him to go or anything. I see it like you. Problem is that we have so few assets and need so many things that the time is right if you want to move him. It's been speculated for a while that we would be moving AA at draft, so thats a not a huge surprise. I definitely see the value in veteran leadership, but that is what FA is for IMO. Also, its time for the younger guys to step and be leaders. Vuc, Harris need to assist in that. If Parker falls to us (my personal top wish), I don't see us trading Aaron. We could start all 3 and keep the Vic at PG thing going. Also, the way it is starting to look with Vonleh projecting so high, a really, really good player should be at 12. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mauro Pedrosa 1,032 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 The thing with Afflalo is that he's not good enough to be a star but he'll demand around 9 million per year - those ugly mediocre contracts. I'd just rather sign a veteran like Ray Allen or dare I even say Vince Carter for about 3 million per year, if you're looking for locker room guys. The path that a lot of the good teams are following (Heat, Thunder, etc.) is giving 2 or 3 guys close to the max and signing veterans and rookies for pennies. Afflalo doesn't fit either of those categories 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
30Assists 342 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 I'm actually kind of confident that this will be the top 4 picks now: Cavs- Embiid Bucks- Parker 76ers- Wiggins Magic- Exum The top 2 are very solid in my head, the 76ers could take Exum but I doubt they will even with the whole MCW trade rumours. Looks legit. I'd be happy with Exum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nyce_1 311 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 Jeff Goodman @GoodmanESPNNoah Vonleh will work out for Sacramento on Monday, Lakers on Wednesday, Orlando on June 9 and Boston on June 12, source told ESPN. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jmmagicfan 302 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 The thing with Afflalo is that he's not good enough to be a star but he'll demand around 9 million per year - those ugly mediocre contracts. I'd just rather sign a veteran like Ray Allen or dare I even say Vince Carter for about 3 million per year, if you're looking for locker room guys. The path that a lot of the good teams are following (Heat, Thunder, etc.) is giving 2 or 3 guys close to the max and signing veterans and rookies for pennies. Afflalo doesn't fit either of those categories This is actually a very good argument, and I actually agree with you that Afflalo is not superstar material, and he is one of those mediocre contracts.(Please, someone give me a "mediocre" contract like that!!!!) So, the obvious question then becomes, how do we get a couple of those max/near-max guys. The answer is that you draft them; create cap space and sign them out-right as free agents; or you do a sign and trade for one in free agency; or you trade for one who is not happy with their current team/situation. We have already said that we probably aren't going to be in the running for a max/near-max guy in FA this summer; so that means we either have to make cap space for next summer, or trade for one. In either case, I think AA's value stays high up to the trade deadline, and possibly beyond. The problem with signing a veteran like Ray Allen, or anyone else is, those guys don't want to go to rebuilding teams. Those guys only wind up signing with contending teams (top 4 playoff team contention). The Thunder, Spurs & Pacers mainly got their max/near-max guys through the draft, the Heat through clearing cap space/FA wanting to play together. The guys we drafted aren't there yet, and our clearing cap space effort is apparently aimed more at next summer. I just don't get the urgency to trade AA, unless the deal is too good to miss. I haven't seen anyone propose a deal too good to miss that I think the other team would do yet. It doesn't mean one isn't out there, it just means I haven't seen it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mauro Pedrosa 1,032 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 This is actually a very good argument, and I actually agree with you that Afflalo is not superstar material, and he is one of those mediocre contracts.(Please, someone give me a "mediocre" contract like that!!!!) So, the obvious question then becomes, how do we get a couple of those max/near-max guys. The answer is that you draft them; create cap space and sign them out-right as free agents; or you do a sign and trade for one in free agency; or you trade for one who is not happy with their current team/situation. We have already said that we probably aren't going to be in the running for a max/near-max guy in FA this summer; so that means we either have to make cap space for next summer, or trade for one. In either case, I think AA's value stays high up to the trade deadline, and possibly beyond. The problem with signing a veteran like Ray Allen, or anyone else is, those guys don't want to go to rebuilding teams. Those guys only wind up signing with contending teams (top 4 playoff team contention). The Thunder, Spurs & Pacers mainly got their max/near-max guys through the draft, the Heat through clearing cap space/FA wanting to play together. The guys we drafted aren't there yet, and our clearing cap space effort is apparently aimed more at next summer. I just don't get the urgency to trade AA, unless the deal is too good to miss. I haven't seen anyone propose a deal too good to miss that I think the other team would do yet. It doesn't mean one isn't out there, it just means I haven't seen it. Yeah, we won't be getting any top free agents in the near future so the Kevin Love talks are quite pointless. Our hope is that a couple of our young guys become max-level guys, maybe Vucevic and Exum, who knows? And it's also true that there's not much urgency to trade Afflalo but I'd like to do it in this draft, especially if it gets us another top 8 pick. This draft is really deep and any combination of Wiggins/Exum/Embiid/Randle/Parker/Vonleh/Gordon/Smart would be great 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stu Bronsilino 313 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 I do think the time is ripe for an afflalo trade, not that I necessarily want him to go. it's like the JJ trade, you would be fine if it didn't get brought up, same thing with weird contract situation questions looming and the value is there now, but won't be soon for a young team. I agree that we're at the point where the harris's and in a year or two the oladipo's are the leaders. Jameer can bridge that gap for his final year or maybe resign him longer at cheap. afflalo hung around enough and helped enforce that team play, wins above all, and hard work mentality that our young guys can now start to carry on. it'll make us younger, but I think it's definitely not the leaderless void the sixers were/are. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jmmagicfan 302 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 Yeah, we won't be getting any top free agents in the near future so the Kevin Love talks are quite pointless. Our hope is that a couple of our young guys become max-level guys, maybe Vucevic and Exum, who knows? And it's also true that there's not much urgency to trade Afflalo but I'd like to do it in this draft, especially if it gets us another top 8 pick. This draft is really deep and any combination of Wiggins/Exum/Embiid/Randle/Parker/Vonleh/Gordon/Smart would be great Obviously we will get one of those guys with #4, presumably Wiggins, Parker, Embiid, or Exum. I'm just not sure if any of those next four is going to be more valuable than AA, and realistically you will probably not have your pick of them, it will be whoever is left; I don't see Utah, or LA trading their picks for AA, they already have Hayward and Kobe. Boston @ #6 and Sacramento @ #8 might trade. If you look at the attached link for number 8 through the last 20 years, there are links for each number on the page. I attached the #8, since Sacramento has been mentioned a lot as willing to trade for a "win-now" reason, but I didn't see very many players at #8 that I would trade AA for over the years. There are actually as many or more that were picked #9 and #10. Historically speaking that is. http://www.mynbadraft.com/nba-draft-picks/8th-overall/80509/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Murphy13 185 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 I don't know if LAL would trade for AA, but I actually think AA next to a healthy Kobe would shore them up decently. Isn't AA from LA? I think he would probably like to go there, but maybe he prefers SAC or CLT. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jmmagicfan 302 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 I don't know if LAL would trade for AA, but I actually think AA next to a healthy Kobe would shore them up decently. Isn't AA from LA? I think he would probably like to go there, but maybe he prefers SAC or CLT. Not sure if he is from LA originally, but I know he went to UCLA. I agree that AA next to a healthy Kobe shores them up, but everyone seems to think they are after a PG. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CTMagicUK 1,488 Report post Posted May 30, 2014 AA is from Compton, so yea, he's practically from LA. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
