S&T Bledsoe/George

[elindholm]

To be a top team your team's offensive efficiency has to be among the top few teams and he's a significant drag on his team in that regard because of below average shooting percentage - career offensive efficiency is 10% below average for SF's and its not rising.

I wouldn't know how to check this, but I suspect that first-option players on teams who struggle overall on the offensive end see their stats suffer because they get stuck taking so many desperation shots. In the playoffs, when all shots are more contested, a mediocre regular-season shooter can suddenly look pretty good. Paul Pierce is (was) a great example.

 

[Mainstreet]

I agree it's a risk, but it's a risk that a team serious about winning has to take. Remember, this current version of the Pacers rose to prominence while Granger was making George-type money to sit on the bench. One deadweight contract doesn't kill you. If that's the biggest thing to fear, you go for it.

Can you imagine if George never returned to form? He would be on the Suns books for years. The Suns GM would soon be looking for another job.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Can you imagine if George never returned to form? He would be on the Suns books for years. The Suns GM would soon be looking for another job.

Even if he returns to form and even if he just misses 1 season, he's going to cost you 91 million for 4 years. At his best he's already overpaid and willingly paying him 5 years worth of a bloated salary for 4 years of playing ought to be more than enough to cost any GM his job. I can't see McDonough being that foolish.

This is another one of those Bledsoe trades that I think are worse than just letting him walk for nothing. If we have to trade him, just look for picks and maybe a journeyman player or two. Or let him play out his QO and leave (not that I think there's much chance of him taking the QO).

Steve

 

[SirStefan32]

Even if he returns to form and even if he just misses 1 season, he's going to cost you 91 million for 4 years. At his best he's already overpaid and willingly paying him 5 years worth of a bloated salary for 4 years of playing ought to be more than enough to cost any GM his job. I can't see McDonough being that foolish.

This is another one of those Bledsoe trades that I think are worse than just letting him walk for nothing. If we have to trade him, just look for picks and maybe a journeyman player or two. Or let him play out his QO and leave (not that I think there's much chance of him taking the QO).

Steve

I am sure the insurance would cover his salary for next year. As Eric said earlier, if you want a top ten player, you have to pay him what George is getting paid.

 

[Mainstreet]

I am sure the insurance would cover his salary for next year. As Eric said earlier, if you want a top ten player, you have to pay him what George is getting paid.

However, the Suns would have him on the books for years and if he did not perform he would be an unmovable contract. Also I believe his salary would count against the Suns salary CAP... for years.

 

[Mainstreet]

Even if he returns to form and even if he just misses 1 season, he's going to cost you 91 million for 4 years. At his best he's already overpaid and willingly paying him 5 years worth of a bloated salary for 4 years of playing ought to be more than enough to cost any GM his job. I can't see McDonough being that foolish.

This is another one of those Bledsoe trades that I think are worse than just letting him walk for nothing. If we have to trade him, just look for picks and maybe a journeyman player or two. Or let him play out his QO and leave (not that I think there's much chance of him taking the QO).

Steve

I agree on this part but I would rather find a better sign and trade option. If Bledsoe wants to play out his qualifying offer and bet on his future, so be it. I like the quote from the 1971 "Dirty Harry" move.

you've gotta ask yourself a question: "Do I feel lucky?"

So does he? I'd take the 4 years at 48 million.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I am sure the insurance would cover his salary for next year. As Eric said earlier, if you want a top ten player, you have to pay him what George is getting paid.

I'm not sure he's all that close to being a top 10 guy but he'll hit your Cap like a top 3 player and he's nowhere near that class. He had one great postseason but otherwise he's more like a top 30 player IMO. I know it's blasphemy right now but if George returns healthy it won't be long before fans realize he's much closer to being Andre Iguodala than he is to being a superstar. His brief flirtation with being the next Lebron was well behind him even before this injury.

And before the question is asked, here's 15 players (plus a Sun) that I think had a better season than Paul George:

Lebron James
Kevin Durant
Kevin Love
Chris Paul
DeMarcus Cousins
Carmelo Anthony
Steph Curry
Goran Dragic
Dirk Nowitzki
Al Jefferson
Andre Drummond
LaMarcus Aldridge
Dwight Howard
Tim Duncan
Joakim Noah
Kyle Lowry

Steve

 

[Phrazbit]

George is a legit two way player, one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He also averaged over 20 a night with an over 20 PER. I would easily put him above several guys on that list based on last season.

He got briefly overrated and if THAT is what people are considering him then he is now really underrated. IMO he was unquestionably better than Cousins, Anthony, Jefferson, Drummond, Dragic, Dirk, Lowry.

He wont be 25 for 10 months, he has shown long stretches of elite play on both ends of the court, especially on D. He did just suffer a gross injury, but nothing as scary career wise as a blown out knee. I think that in a couple years some people will feel silly that they poo-pooed on even the idea of trading for him.

Dont get me wrong though, its an entirely unrealistic proposal, but IMO the abandoning of the USS Paul George is premature.

 

[AzStevenCal]

George is a legit two way player, one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He also averaged over 20 a night with an over 20 PER. I would easily put him above several guys on that list based on last season.

He got briefly overrated and if THAT is what people are considering him then he is now really underrated. IMO he was unquestionably better than Cousins, Anthony, Jefferson, Drummond, Dragic, Dirk, Lowry.

He wont be 25 for 10 months, he has shown long stretches of elite play on both ends of the court, especially on D. He did just suffer a gross injury, but nothing as scary career wise as a blown out knee. I think that in a couple years some people will feel silly that they poo-pooed on even the idea of trading for him.

Dont get me wrong though, its an entirely unrealistic proposal, but IMO the abandoning of the USS Paul George is premature.

He's not been quite as advertised on defense this season especially given he plays in the far weaker conference. He's a legit two way player but IMO he's top 20 or top 30, not top 10. And I left some very good players off of my list such as Westbrook and Harden.

I don't think Indiana should trade him but I think it's a bad move to voluntarily pay him for 5 seasons when you know you're likely to get 4 or less out of him. Especially since he's already a little overpaid. I could live with the slight overpay as he's going to be a little less overpaid each year as the cap rises but he's not worth 23 million a year as his contract would average out to.

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

George is a legit two way player, one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He also averaged over 20 a night with an over 20 PER. I would easily put him above several guys on that list based on last season.

He got briefly overrated and if THAT is what people are considering him then he is now really underrated. IMO he was unquestionably better than Cousins, Anthony, Jefferson, Drummond, Dragic, Dirk, Lowry.

He wont be 25 for 10 months, he has shown long stretches of elite play on both ends of the court, especially on D. He did just suffer a gross injury, but nothing as scary career wise as a blown out knee. I think that in a couple years some people will feel silly that they poo-pooed on even the idea of trading for him.

Dont get me wrong though, its an entirely unrealistic proposal, but IMO the abandoning of the USS Paul George is premature.

In what way? Cousins may be insane but I don't think there were five players in the NBA that had a better season than him.

Steve

 

[Phrazbit]

I might think something more of Cousins if I saw him outside of that dysfunctional organization. But he is a one way player and a IMO a cancer and has a whole lotta crazy piled on.

As for George's defensive prowess, I disagree that he was not as advertised. On that end he certainly was. The Pacers were the top rated defensive team in the NBA, and thats despite Hibbert having a legit fall from grace, while I think George's was largely perceived. His offensive efficeincy slipped from where it was early, but it slipped from an unreal level to a human one, he still ended the year with an over 20 PER and was the defensive anchor of the league's best defense. I dont question his chops as a premiere player.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I might think something more of Cousins if I saw him outside of that dysfunctional organization. But he is a one way player and a IMO a cancer and has a whole lotta crazy piled on.

As for George's defensive prowess, I disagree that he was not as advertised. On that end he certainly was. The Pacers were the top rated defensive team in the NBA, and thats despite Hibbert having a legit fall from grace, while I think George's was largely perceived. His offensive efficeincy slipped from where it was early, but it slipped from an unreal level to a human one, he still ended the year with an over 20 PER and was the defensive anchor of the league's best defense. I dont question his chops as a premiere player.

If you look at his individual match ups, his opponents often went to town on him. I'm not calling him horrible, I'm just arguing about the perception that he is a clear cut top 10 player.

And while I agree with you about the emotional makeup of Cousins, he impacted the game on both ends this season. His PER was among the league's best, 6 full points higher than Paul's. In fact, George's PER was right there around 20 along with that of Eric, Goran, Lowry and even Isaiah. Again, it's much easier to argue that George is not in the top 10 than it is to support the reverse.

Steve