Hypothetical: We Get WCS, Now What?

[jpotter33]

Posted this in another thread, but I thought it deserved it's own.

Let's say WCS falls to the 8 or 9 position, and we're able to pull off a trade with Detroit or Charlotte swapping picks and players. Presumably, one of Sully or KO will be included in any deal.

So the question is, would you rather have KO or Sully next to WCS if you had to trade one?

Sully: The benefits of Sully would include rebounding and a greater inside presence. WCS didn't have the greatest rebounding numbers at UK (more than likely due to his team's circumstances), but Sully would provide him with further support on the boards along with an inside presence. Pairing Comparison: Gasol/ZBO

KO: The benefits of KO would include greater spacing, size, and offensive fluidity. We'd recreate the twin towers from the old days, albeit a much softer one  , and KO would pull more defenders out from the middle for WCS and our PGs to work pick and rolls, giving WCS' athleticism the opportunity to be Deandre Jordan-like in the p-n-r. Pairing Comparison: Chandler/Nowitzki

So which pairing would you prefer? Since I think WCS will end up being a good to very good rebounder in the NBA, I go with KO to bring us more versatility.

[PhoSita]

I'd probably prefer to keep Sullinger only because I think he could actually be a quality full time starter if he gets past his weight issues and really buys in.  I'm not super confident of that, though, given his track record.

Kelly, I think, is destined to be a bench role player, albeit a valuable one.

[WeMadeIt17]

Thats a tough one. I will be the first to say i am not sold on WCS right now though. But if it were to happen and i had to choose i'd say Sully. He can do it inside and out at times and when healthy and head on right is very tough to deal with. He can rebound and score and like to take charges here and there which would be a solid enough defender next to a shot blocker like WCS. If Sully could lose the weight then give me sully all day over Kelly.

[jpotter33]

I'd probably prefer to keep Sullinger only because I think he could actually be a quality full time starter if he gets past his weight issues and really buys in.  I'm not super confident of that, though, given his track record.

Kelly, I think, is destined to be a bench role player, albeit a valuable one.

I'm not too confident about that either, which is why I went with KO. Also, Sully has shown to have some attitude problems that KO hasn't (other than his consistent inconsistency). I don't think KO will always have the Jeff Green Inconsistency Ailment, but you never know.

[jpotter33]

Thats a tough one. I will be the first to say i am not sold on WCS right now though. But if it were to happen and i had to choose i'd say Sully. He can do it inside and out at times and when healthy and head on right is very tough to deal with. He can rebound and score and like to take charges here and there which would be a solid enough defender next to a shot blocker like WCS. If Sully could lose the weight then give me sully all day over Kelly.

Yeah, the rebounding issue worries me about KO and WCS, where that's not nearly a concern with Sully. Also, with KO we'd virtually have no inside game whatsoever.

[WeMadeIt17]

Thats a tough one. I will be the first to say i am not sold on WCS right now though. But if it were to happen and i had to choose i'd say Sully. He can do it inside and out at times and when healthy and head on right is very tough to deal with. He can rebound and score and like to take charges here and there which would be a solid enough defender next to a shot blocker like WCS. If Sully could lose the weight then give me sully all day over Kelly.

Yeah, the rebounding issue worries me about KO and WCS, where that's not nearly a concern with Sully. Also, with KO we'd virtually have no inside game whatsoever.

Me personally i would rather move up with KO and get the Mario kid. Seems like he has all the tools to be a very dangerous scorer in the league. Then try and throw money and Deandre if you want a player like WCS cause at least Deandre is proven to be great at rebounding and defense in the league.

[Celtics4ever]

I think WCS rebounds will go up in the pros.   He was playing on stacked teams,and the pro game is more open which should benefit a mobile guy like him.  If he is told to focus on that and defense, then the sky is the limit given his physical talents.   I think he could a Noah type player at the NBA.  Not great on offense but solid on D and the boards.

I think they both could play with him.   Sully though is a not a stretch floor in terms of shooting.   He is the better rebounder, WCS has a tons of more defensive range than he does.   KO can stretch the floor better, is a worse rebounder but he is the better passer so I would take him.

[Evantime34]

My first option in this scenario would be to get Kevin Love as a free agent to play next to him. That probably isn't likely so if we had to go with Sully or Olynyk I'd pick Olynyk.

KO's perimeter game would allow WCS to thrive simply rolling to the hoop over and over again. Sullinger would clog the lane for WCS and render him pretty much useless on offense. On defense, WCS would be able to cover up for a lot of KO's mistakes.

[Humble G]

ummm go after LA and matthews

smart/matthews/crowder/LA/WCS

plus IT4...id trade bradley then maybe try to get better sf


to answer OP Kelly or Sully......prly kelly but im not big on either prly rather have jerebko lol

[danglertx]

Can I vote for, it doesn't matter who you draft, it matters who you trade for and sign as a free agent.  Towns and Okafor will be lucky to turn out as good as Monroe.  If WCS becomes Jordan it would be a very fortunate outcome.  Rookies very seldom turn out how people think they will. 

Remember when everyone was so excited about Greg Oden?  All these guys are crap shoots.  Not one of them can be even good NBA players without developing more and which of those guys will continue to develop is a total unknown. 

If I had to pick one of the two though, I'd keep KO.  Maybe WCS becomes an alley oop threat and KO can pass really well.  Also, if he becomes the rim protector many think we need, then that lessens the liability KO is on defense and rebounding.

[jpotter33]

My first option in this scenario would be to get Kevin Love as a free agent to play next to him. That probably isn't likely so if we had to go with Sully or Olynyk I'd pick Olynyk.

KO's perimeter game would allow WCS to thrive simply rolling to the hoop over and over again. Sullinger would clog the lane for WCS and render him pretty much useless on offense. On defense, WCS would be able to cover up for a lot of KO's mistakes.

That's my reasoning, too. WCS could be very good as a big rolling to the basket, and KO would provide the spacing and shooting to keep the lane open for him, IT, and Smart.

And I still don't think KLove is out of the question, especially if you sell him on being the main guy on offense while having a defensive 5 in WCS to help him out.

[jpotter33]

Can I vote for, it doesn't matter who you draft, it matters who you trade for and sign as a free agent.  Towns and Okafor will be lucky to turn out as good as Monroe.  If WCS becomes Jordan it would be a very fortunate outcome.  Rookies very seldom turn out how people think they will. 

Remember when everyone was so excited about Greg Oden?  All these guys are crap shoots.  Not one of them can be even good NBA players without developing more and which of those guys will continue to develop is a total unknown. 

If I had to pick one of the two though, I'd keep KO.  Maybe WCS becomes an alley oop threat and KO can pass really well.  Also, if he becomes the rim protector many think we need, then that lessens the liability KO is on defense and rebounding.

I mean, I would definitely prefer a Love/DJ pairing, too, but in my opinion WCS and KO are much more realistic and cheap right now than the former pair.

[BudweiserCeltic]

If the question is KO or Sullinger, Sully is the correct and the easy answer.

I'm a fan of Sully, my biggest worry with him is contract based... I think the year he's set for a QO/Restricted Free-Agent is the year we'll be highly interested in using all our available cap space to try and land someone. So it's going to be tricky to keep him, if deserved, without potentially diminishing in a significant manner our buying power in 2017.

Same boat with Tyler Zeller.

But KO vs. Sully the answer is clear.

[Hawkeye199]

If i got WCS I would go after greg monroe
make monroe my center and WCS my pf

[BudweiserCeltic]

If i got WCS I would go after greg monroe
make monroe my center and WCS my pf

No matter what label you want to put to those positions, but this would be essentially a Drummond-Monroe part deux. It didn't go all too well.