2017-2018 Around the NBA

[blommen]

George in a walk. Cousins is unbelievable offensively and clearly the most skilled big man in the league, but he is so lazy and unfocused on defense that it damn near kills any of the joy you get from seeing him on offense. I simply don't trust that he'll be a team player in the way that I trust a guy like George to do so.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

Assuming they're both on the table (and that's a big if) and we could get them for the Nets pick + pieces (not Love), who who would you rather trade for: George or Cousins?

I think I'd have to go George. Cousins' aggressiveness is both a gift and a curse.

Great question, honestly.

Probably Cousins. I think he's a top 10 player. Could be top 5. Hell, he could compete for MVP some years. He's a monster. LeBron would truly unlock his ceiling. He's also shown ability to be a defensive anchor.

I also don't trust that George isn't secretly set on being the guy to make the Lakers relevant again. Don't trust him. Don't like the way he did the Pacers.

Though all else equal...if you are adding one guy halfway into the season that gives you the best chance to beat GS....that might be George. Cousins would be with an extra thought towards the following season and beyond.


Can I cheat?


I'd trade the Nets pick for Cousins and then call up Presti and trade Love for George.(locked up until 2019, Westbrook's good friend, better fit next to Russ because he is willing to sacrifice..also moves Melo to the 3 where he's better offensively...bad defensively no matter what...plus George is leaving OKC in the summer because they stink so it's the best offer he'll get...)

IT/Korver/George/Bron/Cousins (bye bye GS)

Wade/JR/Crowder/Green/Frye bench bunch(bye bye GS)

 

[blommen]

Great question, honestly.

Probably Cousins. I think he's a top 10 player. Could be top 5. Hell, he could compete for MVP some years. He's a monster. LeBron would truly unlock his ceiling. He's also shown ability to be a defensive anchor.

I also don't trust that George isn't secretly set on being the guy to make the Lakers relevant again. Don't trust him. Don't like the way he did the Pacers.

Though all else equal...if you are adding one guy halfway into the season that gives you the best chance to beat GS....that might be George. Cousins would be with an extra thought towards the following season and beyond.


Can I cheat?


I'd trade the Nets pick for Cousins and then call up Presti and trade Love for George.(locked up until 2019, Westbrook's good friend, better fit next to Russ because he is willing to sacrifice..also moves Melo to the 3 where he's better offensively...bad defensively no matter what...plus George is leaving OKC in the summer because they stink so it's the best offer he'll get...)

IT/Korver/George/Bron/Cousins (bye bye GS)

Wade/JR/Crowder/Green/Frye bench bunch(bye bye GS)

Can I ask you how much of the Pelicans you've seen this year? Because I haven't watched a ton but from what I have seen Cousin might be a bigger liability on defense than any other player we have on the roster as it stands. There is just absolutely no focus what so ever and he seems so disinterested in hustling back on D, that I have really hard time imagining him being enough of a positive for us on offense to offset that.

 

[shoes22]

Assuming they're both on the table (and that's a big if) and we could get them for the Nets pick + pieces (not Love), who who would you rather trade for: George or Cousins?

I think I'd have to go George. Cousins' aggressiveness is both a gift and a curse.

I’d say George easily. He can defend any team’s best player and can plug into our system really well.

Cousins, while absurdly talented, is a giant question mark as to how he’d fit on this team on both sides of the ball. It’s the kind of move that could potentially throw everyone off.

I personally think it’s too much of a risk for a midseason trade, while George is a much safer bet.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

Can I ask you how much of the Pelicans you've seen this year? Because I haven't watched a ton but from what I have seen Cousin might be a bigger liability on defense than any other player we have on the roster as it stands. There is just absolutely no focus what so ever and he seems so disinterested in hustling back on D, that I have really hard time imagining him being enough of a positive for us on offense to offset that.

I actually disagree with you about Cousins defensively. I think he certainly eases up a bit because of the offensive load him and AD carry...but I've also seen the dude take over the game in 4th quarters defensively multiple times this year and my goodness can he make a difference on that end when he puts his mind to it.

I think if a guy like Bron...with his buddy IT..came to Demarcus and said hey big fella...we are going to make sure you eat plenty offensively. We will lock in 25 a night for you....but we need you to anchor this defense so we can win a title....I really think it would unlock DMC's potential. He plays so hard. I really truly believe that guy just wants to compete for titles and win basketball games. Problem is he's never been taught how to really win basketball games. LeBron is the go-to guy for that problem, IMO.

I just think LBJ/Cousins pick&roll would be the most unstoppable play maybe in NBA history.

George is the "safer" pick but I think it might take something more than the "safe" pick to truly dethrone GS. Because they fit together seamlessly and have experience playing together. You need something truly dominant/unstoppable to throw them off their game. Bron+Cousins accomplishes that, IMO. It really could completely destroy them. Even with George...I think there's things GS could do to make it really tough on us to outscore them 4 out of 7...

then again the Cousins thing could blow up in our face. But the bigger the risk..the bigger the reward

 

[priceFTW]

Pelicans made 18 threes. Teams that have made at least 18 threes have only lost 31 times total (137-31).

Teams that have made 18+ threes at a 50%+ have only lost 8 times. Teams are 79-8 when making 18+ threes at a 50%+ clip.

 

[Zog]

I go with Cousins over George pretty much every time. The ceiling of this team with Cousins on it is sky high. I'd love to have George, but Cousins gives us a player that causes the Warriors big time problems, something I don't think George does. The main argument for George over Cousins would be his ability to guard KD.

 

[blommen]

I actually disagree with you about Cousins defensively. I think he certainly eases up a bit because of the offensive load him and AD carry...but I've also seen the dude take over the game in 4th quarters defensively multiple times this year and my goodness can he make a difference on that end when he puts his mind to it.

I think if a guy like Bron...with his buddy IT..came to Demarcus and said hey big fella...we are going to make sure you eat plenty offensively. We will lock in 25 a night for you....but we need you to anchor this defense so we can win a title....I really think it would unlock DMC's potential. He plays so hard. I really truly believe that guy just wants to compete for titles and win basketball games. Problem is he's never been taught how to really win basketball games. LeBron is the go-to guy for that problem, IMO.

I just think LBJ/Cousins pick&roll would be the most unstoppable play maybe in NBA history.

Man, it sounds so great but.. I don't know, from watching these last two Pelican's games I've just gotten the impression that Cousins either a) doesn't care about defense b) doesn't have the mind for playing defense or c) both. He basically gifted Clint Capella his career high tonight with how little effort he gave on keeping him away from the rim, and last night he literally just stood around in the paint, turning his head at wherever the ball went until it darted right past him in the hands of a player for the open lay-up. It seems like it goes beyond conserving energy at some point. These past two games the Pelicans have gotten plenty of contributions from other players outside of Boogie and he's still looked close to comatose for large stints of the game, even down the stretch.

He's also slow as molases to get back on defense which absolutely drives me up the wall but that seems more like a symptome of him getting frustrated with himself or the team offensively, which still isn't good, but could potentially be changed in Cleveland.

 

[czvo]

Yeah, I have to agree with @blommen here. I don't know that Cousins is capable of playing the high level D necessary to win a title, particularly against GS. I do, however, know that PG is capable of it.

 

[blommen]

Yeah, I have to agree with @blommen here. I don't know that Cousins is capable of playing the high level D necessary to win a title, particularly against GS. I do, however, know that PG is capable of it.

Right, and it's not like we strictly need the offense Cousins would provide, compared to the impact George would have defensively in either Crowder or JR's place, on top of the offensive upgrade he brings to the team. George allows us to keep Love at the 5 while improving both defensively and offensively, while boosting our depth a the wing position. Cousins probably gives us the best offensive pressence at the 5 in the league, but potentially takes Love out of his groove and doesn't solve our defensive shortcomings.

 

[MediumBaller]

I don't think Paul George is a superstar, but he would give us another wing to put on KD.... I still would go with Cousins though. Golden State has no one that could stop him. Plus, he's not afraid to go crazy if needed.

 

[czvo]

For what it's worth, Shump, Frye and Tristan is enough salary to send out and get back PG and Marc Gasol.

 

[blommen]

For what it's worth, Shump, Frye and Tristan is enough salary to send out and get back PG and Marc Gasol.

Sure, fuck it, let's do that.

Get busy Koby, we've figured out what to do!

 

[Jordan]

For what it's worth, Shump, Frye and Tristan is enough salary to send out and get back PG and Marc Gasol.

Quit sitting on your hands, Ferry!!

 

[czvo]

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