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I like Siakam in theory, and as a player. As a contract and flight risk? I’m nervous. Plus, with the teams reticence to spend in the tax, how deep can a team be with Haliburton and Siakam each making 30% of the salary cap. Like, with his play thus far, Haliburton is clearly going to make all pro and qualify for the 30% max, no?

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The free agent market for power forwards this summer is bleak. Siakam, Tobias Harris, and a handful of lesser talented older players.

The only 3 options are to keep Stix and hope that Jarace matures, get lucky in the draft, or pry away a talented player from a roster through a deadline trade.

7’ Lauri Markkanen 26 years old is the best rebounder that might be available. He’s my preferred target because he’s mobile and can score currently around 23 points a game. Danny Ainge is hard to deal with though and not give up too much.

Therefore Tari Eason is another young player that I would love to get from the Rockets whom they might be able to pry away easier.

Pacers Forever wrote:The free agent market for power forwards this summer is bleak. Siakam, Tobias Harris, and a handful of lesser talented older players.

The only 3 options are to keep Stix and hope that Jarace matures, get lucky in the draft, or pry away a talented player from a roster through a deadline trade.

7’ Lauri Markkanen 26 years old is the best rebounder that might be available. He’s my preferred target because he’s mobile and can score currently around 23 points a game. Danny Ainge is hard to deal with though and not give up too much.

Therefore Tari Eason is another young player that I would love to get from the Rockets whom they might be able to pry away easier.

Agreed,.. there's not much in FA, other than Stix, that I would see as worth a limited spending spree. There are a couple of guys in the draft that I think would be great fits,... but, like this year, I don't think they help next year. So, as you said, it's down to looking at potential trades.

I've got them the other way around,.. I'm higher on Eason because of his defense & how he fits on offense. But, I wouldn't be unhappy with getting Markkanen. Not sure how Timelord fits into Portlands plans,.. but if he's back to healthy, he can play the kind of perimeter switching defense that Coach employs? Not even sure there are more than a couple of players that might be gettable through trade?..

Looks like the FO's scouting work on other rosters might be important,... again. LOL =]

Scoot McGroot wrote:I like Siakam in theory, and as a player. As a contract and flight risk? I’m nervous. Plus, with the teams reticence to spend in the tax, how deep can a team be with Haliburton and Siakam each making 30% of the salary cap. Like, with his play thus far, Haliburton is clearly going to make all pro and qualify for the 30% max, no?

I like the idea of Siakam,.. the reality of him not resigning with anyone other than Toronto,.. puts a whole different spin on it.

Yeah,.. I'm hoping that Ty makes the 30%,... we need him to get that 30% / 5 max contract extension.

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We can waive JJ and then sign him on a ten day. We paid him twice last year so I doubt we're that worried.

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He missed Phoenix and the next three are Denver, Philly, Phoenix. All very difficult games. Conceding???

Wizop wrote:He missed Phoenix and the next three are Denver, Philly, Phoenix. All very difficult games. Conceding???

Why assume “conceding”, as opposed to the simple idea that he played hurt the other night, and without rest, the remainder of his season would be in danger?

He’s hurt. He needs rest. He tried to play through it and it isn’t the best idea.

Scoot McGroot wrote:Why assume “conceding”.

not assuming so much as open to the possibility. I hope we're being cautious and the injury is mostly healed, but these are tough games.

Wizop wrote:

Scoot McGroot wrote:Why assume “conceding”.

not assuming so much as open to the possibility. I hope we're being cautious and the injury is mostly healed, but these are tough games.

I just see it as necessary rest. If we were conceding, we’d be sitting everyone and just playing the young guys.

Caitlin is a guest on this podcast 14 minutes in.

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Unfortunate for the Knicks who were playing well since adding Anunoby. Could knock them down a bit in the standings. They’re currently 4th and 3 games ahead of us in 6th.

Pacers Forever wrote:

Read on Twitter

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Unfortunate for the Knicks who were playing well since adding Anunoby. Could knock them down a bit in the standings. They’re currently 4th and 3 games ahead of us in 6th.

Yup,.. Looks like that trade may be worth even more to the Knicks? Precious may get a chance to prove that he can effectively backup Randle? He is a better fit to do so than anyone they had prior to the trade (IMO)...

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from the NBA article on difficulty of schedule:

The Pacers have the league’s biggest differential between their record with rest (25-14) and their record in the second games of back-to-backs (2-7). They begin February with a back-to-back (at New York on Thursday, vs. Sacramento on Friday), but will have just three more over the final 10 weeks of the season.

another special court,

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Interesting that the Lakers are ready to pivot but I guess they are realizing that they can’t get enough role players to support keeping Anthony Davis paired with LeBron.

Smart business decision if they move on from Lebron getting enough to rebuild quickly around Davis.

Last season being in the play in area of the standings and this year currently sitting in 9th place is not where they want to be as a franchise.

FYI I wouldn’t want Lebron and hopefully he is dealt to a western conference mediocre team so that the trade doesn’t form a super team.

I knew Dorian Finney Smith was a coveted player but the Nets turned down 2 firsts for him. Wow