Elfrid Payton

[zephyr]

AD will have the option to sign a new super max deal after this year. If he signs, we obviously keep him. If he doesn’t, that will be our signal to trade him.

It will be after the 2019-20 season. It is fairly well known at this point that AD will not sign that deal. He is expected to leave no matter what. The closer we get to that point, the more teams will be willing to just wait until he hits the market so as to not have to give up pieces for him when they know he's leaving anyhow. Our trade value will go down drastically the more we wait.

[zephyr]

AD was quoted as saying legacy is more important that money. That does not bode well for him signing a new contract because no one can offer him more money than the Pels.

Sign and trade for Brad Stevens

He is not signing with the Pelicans. This fact has been making its way around the league. Obviously its not fact yet but he is not expected to sign with us moving forward and you are right, he made those comments and I pretty much resigned to the fact we will lose him, gotta trade him this season to get the best value and the deadline is mid February.

[zephyr]

The Celtics could have as many as 4 first round draft picks for the2019 draft.

The Kings #1 unprotected pick or the Sixers #1 unprotected pick. Plus the Grizzlies #1 if it falls outside of the top 8 picks. Plus the Clippers #1 pick if it’s later than pick number 14. Then they have their own first round pick as well.

Throw in Gordon Heyward and 2 first round picks and I’d trade right away.

I do not want Hayward. We need athletic wings and combo guards. Outside of draft picks, the Celts don't really have a lot of guys they're willing to get rid of that move the needle for me.

Fantasy world, I'd like to see us do a deal with GS doing a sign and trade for Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. I'm not sure either will be there next season. GS is tired of Green's antics and they won't pay him a max deal IMO. Thompson is just an odd man out and again, its hard when they have two supermax players on their team they have to pay. You get me both of those guys, I'll buy AD's plane ticket myself.

[cajun4life]

I do not want Hayward. We need athletic wings and combo guards. Outside of draft picks, the Celts don't really have a lot of guys they're willing to get rid of that move the needle for me.

Fantasy world, I'd like to see us do a deal with GS doing a sign and trade for Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. I'm not sure either will be there next season. GS is tired of Green's antics and they won't pay him a max deal IMO. Thompson is just an odd man out and again, its hard when they have two supermax players on their team they have to pay. You get me both of those guys, I'll buy AD's plane ticket myself.

Word is they are interested in a deal like this as well.

[Ragin4U]

I have zero confidence in Demps. He has had 6 years to put pieces around AD to challenge for a title.

[cajun4life]

I have zero confidence in Demps. He has had 6 years to put pieces around AD to challenge for a title.

We have a terrible GM and terrible coach.

[Ragin4U]

We should sign and trade AD to the Celtics. Try to get a few draft picks or Gordon Heyward and Jason Tatum.

We have a terrible GM and terrible coach.

I like Gentry and his system, Demps never gave him the pieces to run it.

[zephyr]

I like Gentry and his system, Demps never gave him the pieces to run it.

I would agree with C4L. The reason I dislike Gentry is that he has a system that can work but he doesn't know how to implement it with the players he has. When he was at GS, they of course had the shooters and wing players to be able to play a high paced game. The other thing that GS does that allows them to run that style of ball and not many people discuss is their ability and willingness to play defense. They have good rim protection, awesome wing defense and they rebound really well. The Pelicans don't really do any of that really well.

We don't have the players to compare to GS and we still try to run the same stuff as them. I was at the Pelicans games this past weekend. Against the Mavs, at one point we were like 4 of 19 from 3. A good coach takes his players and formulates a system or at least molds the system around their talents. Gentry is really not capable of doing such a thing. He also takes guys who give quality minutes like Check Dialo and Wesley Johnson and will play them good minutes one game (Johnson was even starting) and then will not even play them in other games. Many of his in game personnel moves make no sense. I would love to see them go after a young and up and coming head coach or even dip into the college ranks.

[Cajunsmike]

It will be after the 2019-20 season. It is fairly well known at this point that AD will not sign that deal. He is expected to leave no matter what. The closer we get to that point, the more teams will be willing to just wait until he hits the market so as to not have to give up pieces for him when they know he's leaving anyhow. Our trade value will go down drastically the more we wait.

He can sign the max deal this summer. He does not have to wait until after 2019-20. His current contract does extend until then however. My take that he will be traded to the highest bidder this summer if he does not sign the new deal comes from Scott Prather. Scott stated that is the case recently on his show and he still has sources within the Pelicans organization as he worked for them prior to starting in radio here. Understand the opinion a trade should be considered at deadline in February but that is not in the cards.

[zephyr]

He can sign the max deal this summer. He does not have to wait until after 2019-20. His current contract does extend until then however. My take that he will be traded to the highest bidder this summer if he does not sign the new deal comes from Scott Prather. Scott stated that is the case recently on his show and he still has sources within the Pelicans organization as he worked for them prior to starting in radio here. Understand the opinion a trade should be considered at deadline in February but that is not in the cards.

Mike, by all accounts he is not signing the deal. His current contract runs through next season. If he doesn't sign the deal at the end of this season, it is an acknowledgement that he is not planning on coming back at all. At that point, do you really think there will be a glut of teams offering anything for him when they know they can get him in free agency the following season? Also, if the Lakers are truly a possible destination, they have a win now mentality with Lebron's age and window of opportunity being relatively small. They would likely be wanting to make a move sooner rather than later.