Trade Idea: Celtics - Pelicans

[Vermont Green]

I don't understand what Derik Queen has shown to make Zion expendable.

it's called "cheap, cost-controlled talent".

What has Zion shown to make him not expendable?  He has been on a downward trajectory since 2021, up until last season where he was a solid starter for 62 games with < 30 min per game.  I have asked this before but what ceiling are you placing on Zion for the next say 5 seasons?  Can he be as good as Julius Randle but with fewer games expected?

The logical trade here is Zion + Murphy for Brown + Hauser.   Do you do that?  Would you expect draft picks from NOP?

[Who]

I don't understand what Derik Queen has shown to make Zion expendable.

it's called "cheap, cost-controlled talent".

What has Zion shown to make him not expendable?  He has been on a downward trajectory since 2021, up until last season where he was a solid starter for 62 games with < 30 min per game.  I have asked this before but what ceiling are you placing on Zion for the next say 5 seasons?  Can he be as good as Julius Randle but with fewer games expected?

The logical trade here is Zion + Murphy for Brown + Hauser.   Do you do that?  Would you expect draft picks from NOP?

I thought he deserved to be made expendable last summer. I am surprised they still view him that way. I thought losing 50lbs & getting into the best shape of his career would buy Zion some grace. Zion seemed to buy into everything Joe Dumars wanted him to be about. Yet ...

Maybe Zion wasn't as a professional / wasn't as bought in as we were told he was.

Zion is such a high upside player. That was a big step he took last year to show he cares / wants to be more professional / wants to win. I thought it would get him more buy-in from the front office. It hasn't. That is strange to me.

[Who]

Derik Queen

529 of his 748 FGAs came within 10 feet.
That is about 71% of his overall FG attempts.

26-72 FGA on 10-15 footers. 36.1% FG.
22-59 FGA on 16-23 footers. 37.3% FG.
23-88 FGA on three pointers. 26.1% FG 39.2% eFG.

So about a 70/30 split on inside shots vs jumpers outside of 10 feet. And he 71-219 on those jump shots for an eFG of 37.6%.

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I expected him to have taken more jump-shots. More of a 60-40 split or even a 50-50 split. Not great. Undersized big. Middling athleticism. He is going to have more jump-shots if he wants to be a prolific scorer in this league.

[Who]

On Zion & the Celtics,

This talk about Zion not being a great fit with D Queen because of their combined lack of shooting. I was thinking Queen is a much better shooter and more skilled big man than Queta. I don't think Queta will work with Zion. I have never liked Zion with a rim runner at center. I have always wanted him to have a stretch 5 like Giannis had with B Lopez.

I think BOS would have to go after Myles Turner to pair with Zion if BOS did trade for Zion. Might have to move on from Queta too. Queta would get a decent trade return. A starting caliber wing or guard.

Same issue with Nic Claxton. Not a good enough shooter to pair with Zion. With Naz Reid, both Naz & Zion have limitations as defenders / rebounders. I don't think they would be a good pairing.

[Celtics4ever]

We can probably get Myles Turner for the TPE straight up if MIL start rebuilding after trading Giannis. Without sending them any picks. Why would they want to keep him? Better to free up cap space. I don't think there is much of a market for him. Not much competition to drive up the price.

Myles is a weak rebounder for his size.