Paris907 wrote:Finestrg wrote:I talked about this weeks ago and got very little reply. Still feel the same way -- Willy should be playing ahead of O'Quinn in the rotation. I'm just not nearly as high on O'Quinn as Jeff and the team seem to be. Willy has much better upside to me. They broke Willy down -- he has to be built back up from scratch..but it can be done. Should be done.Suppose we flipped O'Quinn (along with another minor asset or 2) to Orlando for Khem Birch and the rights to Janis Timma. Birch, at 2 years younger than KOQ, slides right into that role (and I think this guy's a better player and would have more of an impact all around) + we get the rights to Timma, who I think is a better/more versatile version of Kuzminskas (a little smaller but much more mobile -- Kuz was a 3; this dude's a swingman 2/3). Timma, if you've seen clips of him, looks good enough for the NBA right now, plus he already has a connection with KP, having both played together in Latvia. I'd bring him over from Europe immediately. AND it would open up time for Willy (where Birch is inserted here and there as need).
Kanter
KP
Willy
Khem Birch
Janis Timma as an extra wing to incorporate. Talented player.
No idea if ORL would go for this or what they would want but it's hardly major assets being exchanged here. I think something like this is doable. I think it would help us, now and future. Do this and call up Trey Burke (which apparently some in the organization want to see). See where it goes. Minor moves that couldn't hurt -- could only help.
I looked at footage. Birch is 25, 6-8 but not an NBA starter. Timma, 6-7 is athletic and talented but again can he play defense against 3s in the league. ? If you’re not sure, it may explain why he’s not already been in the league and about to turn 26.
Paris, why look at something like this glass half empty?? I'm going glass half full here all the way. Again, I'm not talking about trading for Russell Westbrook here -- I'm looking to add a couple of minor components to the mix, what I believe to be improvements at a couple of positions and add elements that we simply DO NOT HAVE and COULD DEFINITELY USE:
• More speed/offensive punch at the point. Burke supplies that.
• Someone who looks to be an even better rim protector than O'Quinn in Khem Birch (looks better in other areas as well--more athletic, I think he'd give us more in the post, etc.). Mike Schmitz's take on Birch over at Draftexpress as recently as last May: "Udoh isn't the only big to play in the Euroleague Final Four who fits this mold, as Olympiacos' Khem Birch could very well find himself back in the NBA soon as well. Although not quite as long as Udoh (7' 1 wingspan), Birch, still only 24 years old, has outstanding feet and impressive instincts as a shot blocker. Olympiacos used him as a switch man with great success in Istanbul, and his ability to also rim protect and rebound make him a great fit in today's NBA as a bench big. Although not quite the passer of Udoh, Birch is a vertical spacer/lob catcher who still has some upside to grow into. The former UNLV product always had NBA intrigue but his laid back mentality (which he's reportedly improved by leaps and bounds) is what held him back. He'll likely garner big Euroleague offers this summer, but an NBA team may be wise to bring him in before his price tag escalates even more over the next few years." -- I agree wholeheartedly with this assessment, and since then all he's been doing is more of the same in the G-league: 13.8 ppg/60.5% FGs/10.1 rpg/2.6 blocks. 2 years younger than O'Quinn and he's more like 6'9"+/220+ with a 7' wingspan btw.
• A very talented, seemingly NBA-ready swingman (that KP knows firsthand). If I were a betting man, based on video I've seen of Timma, I'd bet a good deal of money that this dude turns into a better player than Kuzminskas, and rather quickly too. Could really help us if we don't get Timmy back soon like we all hope. I think he could help us even with Timmy back -- let's bring him here and see if he outplays Doug M. and earns time.
• As well as incorporating Willy and his youth/size/rebounding/post play back into the fold.
None of these moves are major -- they're all relatively minor, yet together they all could be exactly what the doctor ordered. Remember what adding Lin did for us (and eventually JR Smith when he first got here) -- no one could've seen that type of impact coming. And the beauty of these moves: (a) they're all very doable and (b) we can turn the page quickly if they didn't work out. But what if they did? No skin off our back to try and find out.. They appear to be close to pulling the trigger on a Trey Burke call up -- that's good. Why the hell not? Jack sucks. So does Sessions.. I say double down now and investigate bringing in two other minor components as well if possible and see where it goes. Absolutely no skin off our back at all trying out a minor shakeup like this imo. I think it could galvanize us big-time.
1/5/2018 5:37 PM