Pelicans Acquire Jonas Valanciunas for Adams, Bledsoe, picks

[nickagneta]

Don't love this trade for NOP, but I guess they want to make sure they can match any Lonzo offer. Two 1sts (including the #10) is a lot to give up for very little talent upgrade, but they do save on salary.

MEM did really well here - how could they say no to this deal? And for Cs fans afraid of losing Fournier. Our biggest competition just got taken out of the running with all the salary MEM is taking on.

To be fair, NOP didn't trade away pick #10. They moved down to #17. It's more of a swap there. I think that is an important component some seem to be omitting.

[jambr380]

Don't love this trade for NOP, but I guess they want to make sure they can match any Lonzo offer. Two 1sts (including the #10) is a lot to give up for very little talent upgrade, but they do save on salary.

MEM did really well here - how could they say no to this deal? And for Cs fans afraid of losing Fournier. Our biggest competition just got taken out of the running with all the salary MEM is taking on.

To be fair, NOP didn't trade away pick #10. They moved down to #17. It's more of a swap there. I think that is an important component some seem to be omitting.

True and that should be given more attention, but the move up from 17 to 10 isn't nothing (MEM also moved up from 51 to 40 in the 2nd round). To move up from their original spots, it is probably worth a 20-ish pick and 50-ish pick. Obviously not as good as straight up #10 and #40, but decent enough and they still get a future 1st out of it.

I guess I am just not that high on Jonas and see this more as trading a 1st for cap relief (to re-sign Lonzo) than as a killer talent upgrade.

[RJ87]

Don't love this trade for NOP, but I guess they want to make sure they can match any Lonzo offer. Two 1sts (including the #10) is a lot to give up for very little talent upgrade, but they do save on salary.

MEM did really well here - how could they say no to this deal? And for Cs fans afraid of losing Fournier. Our biggest competition just got taken out of the running with all the salary MEM is taking on.

To be fair, NOP didn't trade away pick #10. They moved down to #17. It's more of a swap there. I think that is an important component some seem to be omitting.

True and that should be given more attention, but the move up from 17 to 10 isn't nothing (MEM also moved up from 51 to 40 in the 2nd round). To move up from their original spots, it is probably worth a 20-ish pick and 50-ish pick. Obviously not as good as straight up #10 and #40, but decent enough and they still get a future 1st out of it.

I guess I am just not that high on Jonas and see this more as trading a 1st for cap relief (to re-sign Lonzo) than as a killer talent upgrade.

Oddly enough, I think Lonzo is their backup plan. They can pursue a bigger fish like Kyle Lowry early in FA but match an offer sheet on Lonzo if it doesn't work out.

[Celtics2021]

Don't love this trade for NOP, but I guess they want to make sure they can match any Lonzo offer. Two 1sts (including the #10) is a lot to give up for very little talent upgrade, but they do save on salary.

MEM did really well here - how could they say no to this deal? And for Cs fans afraid of losing Fournier. Our biggest competition just got taken out of the running with all the salary MEM is taking on.

To be fair, NOP didn't trade away pick #10. They moved down to #17. It's more of a swap there. I think that is an important component some seem to be omitting.

True and that should be given more attention, but the move up from 17 to 10 isn't nothing (MEM also moved up from 51 to 40 in the 2nd round). To move up from their original spots, it is probably worth a 20-ish pick and 50-ish pick. Obviously not as good as straight up #10 and #40, but decent enough and they still get a future 1st out of it.

I guess I am just not that high on Jonas and see this more as trading a 1st for cap relief (to re-sign Lonzo) than as a killer talent upgrade.

Oddly enough, I think Lonzo is their backup plan. They can pursue a bigger fish like Kyle Lowry early in FA but match an offer sheet on Lonzo if it doesn't work out.

They’re going to have to clear a bit more space to make that work, and be willing to let Josh Hart walk as well as Ball.

[tazzmaniac]

Don't love this trade for NOP, but I guess they want to make sure they can match any Lonzo offer. Two 1sts (including the #10) is a lot to give up for very little talent upgrade, but they do save on salary.

MEM did really well here - how could they say no to this deal? And for Cs fans afraid of losing Fournier. Our biggest competition just got taken out of the running with all the salary MEM is taking on.

To be fair, NOP didn't trade away pick #10. They moved down to #17. It's more of a swap there. I think that is an important component some seem to be omitting.

True and that should be given more attention, but the move up from 17 to 10 isn't nothing (MEM also moved up from 51 to 40 in the 2nd round). To move up from their original spots, it is probably worth a 20-ish pick and 50-ish pick. Obviously not as good as straight up #10 and #40, but decent enough and they still get a future 1st out of it.

I guess I am just not that high on Jonas and see this more as trading a 1st for cap relief (to re-sign Lonzo) than as a killer talent upgrade.

Oddly enough, I think Lonzo is their backup plan. They can pursue a bigger fish like Kyle Lowry early in FA but match an offer sheet on Lonzo if it doesn't work out.

I don't see why they want Lowry.  He doesn't fit their timeline.  Are they that desperate to make the playoffs? 

[RJ87]

Don't love this trade for NOP, but I guess they want to make sure they can match any Lonzo offer. Two 1sts (including the #10) is a lot to give up for very little talent upgrade, but they do save on salary.

MEM did really well here - how could they say no to this deal? And for Cs fans afraid of losing Fournier. Our biggest competition just got taken out of the running with all the salary MEM is taking on.

To be fair, NOP didn't trade away pick #10. They moved down to #17. It's more of a swap there. I think that is an important component some seem to be omitting.

True and that should be given more attention, but the move up from 17 to 10 isn't nothing (MEM also moved up from 51 to 40 in the 2nd round). To move up from their original spots, it is probably worth a 20-ish pick and 50-ish pick. Obviously not as good as straight up #10 and #40, but decent enough and they still get a future 1st out of it.

I guess I am just not that high on Jonas and see this more as trading a 1st for cap relief (to re-sign Lonzo) than as a killer talent upgrade.

Oddly enough, I think Lonzo is their backup plan. They can pursue a bigger fish like Kyle Lowry early in FA but match an offer sheet on Lonzo if it doesn't work out.

I don't see why they want Lowry.  He doesn't fit their timeline.  Are they that desperate to make the playoffs?

I wish we could retire the idea of a "timeline" from basketball. If there's a good player that can improve your team, you should pursue him. CP3 didn't fit Phoenix's timeline as Booker and Ayton are considerably younger, but that got them a Finals berth.

[Celtics4ever]

I wish we could retire the idea of a "timeline" from basketball. If there's a good player that can improve your team, you should pursue him. CP3 didn't fit Phoenix's timeline as Booker and Ayton are considerably younger, but that got them a Finals berth.

Yet they were crushed in the finals and may be a one year wonder....

[PhoSita]

I really don't understand anything the Pelicans do as a franchise.

[RJ87]

I wish we could retire the idea of a "timeline" from basketball. If there's a good player that can improve your team, you should pursue him. CP3 didn't fit Phoenix's timeline as Booker and Ayton are considerably younger, but that got them a Finals berth.

Yet they were crushed in the finals and may be a one year wonder....

Maybe, maybe not. But at least they were willing to take the chance. So many teams sell their fan bases on timelines and windows. Sometimes, you have to put yourself in position to be opportunistic. Other teams aren't waiting for your timeline so while your waiting for development to happen at a perfect rate, a new superteam will form and the suddenly your window to compete isn't all that big.

[Big333223]

I wish we could retire the idea of a "timeline" from basketball. If there's a good player that can improve your team, you should pursue him. CP3 didn't fit Phoenix's timeline as Booker and Ayton are considerably younger, but that got them a Finals berth.

Yet they were crushed in the finals and may be a one year wonder....

Is that not better than not making the Finals at all?

And, really, I don't think it's fair to call 6 games getting "crushed."

[Who]

How much cap space did they create?
Or is it future cap space next season?

[celticsclay]

I wish we could retire the idea of a "timeline" from basketball. If there's a good player that can improve your team, you should pursue him. CP3 didn't fit Phoenix's timeline as Booker and Ayton are considerably younger, but that got them a Finals berth.

Yet they were crushed in the finals and may be a one year wonder....

Going 6 games and being tied going into the 4th quarter of game 6 is crushed now?

[gouki88]

I wish we could retire the idea of a "timeline" from basketball. If there's a good player that can improve your team, you should pursue him. CP3 didn't fit Phoenix's timeline as Booker and Ayton are considerably younger, but that got them a Finals berth.

Yet they were crushed in the finals and may be a one year wonder....

Going 6 games and being tied going into the 4th quarter of game 6 is crushed now?

And for a team like Phoenix, making the Finals is a huge deal. Heck, we haven't done it for over a decade now either

[PhoSita]

I wish we could retire the idea of a "timeline" from basketball. If there's a good player that can improve your team, you should pursue him. CP3 didn't fit Phoenix's timeline as Booker and Ayton are considerably younger, but that got them a Finals berth.

Yet they were crushed in the finals and may be a one year wonder....

Going 6 games and being tied going into the 4th quarter of game 6 is crushed now?

They did lose 4 straight, to be fair.

[celticsclay]

I wish we could retire the idea of a "timeline" from basketball. If there's a good player that can improve your team, you should pursue him. CP3 didn't fit Phoenix's timeline as Booker and Ayton are considerably younger, but that got them a Finals berth.

Yet they were crushed in the finals and may be a one year wonder....

Going 6 games and being tied going into the 4th quarter of game 6 is crushed now?

They did lose 4 straight, to be fair.

How does that equate to being crushed though? I mean maybe if it was 4 straight 20 point blowouts they didn't compete in. But they are probably like 5 plays away from currently being NBA champions. I mean they had the ball down 1 with 20 seconds left in game 5. This was a very tight series.