Gasol to Raptors makes us a contender?

[yabadabayolo]

Have zero interest in either move, but man would I lose it if we signed Deng for big money.

Deng is incredibly inefficient: TS% of 51.7% this year and 50.8% and 50.0% the previous two years.

Deng is an overrated defender. He didn't even get the rep of being a good defender until the Thibs era in Chicago started, and that had a hell of a lot more to do with Thibodeau's schemes than it did with Deng's defensive "prowess". Chicago didn't miss a beat defensively after his trade despite replacing him with a sub-par defender in Mike Dunleavy, and their offense significantly improved. Let that sink in.

Deng isn't even a floor spacer at the 3 spot. He hasn't shot the 3-ball well the last two years, and has only been mediocre to below-average from beyond the arc on his career.

Don't get me wrong Pau has also been bad the last two years, especially with his efficiency.

Yea I don't get the hype surrounding deng, sure he has length and can guard Lebron type guys but that's about it. He's like the most ineffecient non-ISO type player

[white men can't jump]

Deng is solid defensively (even before Thibs), but has always had minor nagging health issues which impacts him there. Whenever healthy he's a very good defender. Whenever he's got something bugging him that falls to shit (which isn't surprising).

He's inefficient offensively, but not terrible or anything. He's just been overhyped because he's a glue-guy role player who's sold as an all-star all-around player. He needs a lesser offensive role and then to just do the other things he's always done.

In this thread the idea of Gasol fitting in Dallas was discussed. I also think Deng could fit there. Diminish his offensive role in a lineup with, ideally, Gasol, Nowitzki, Ellis and Calderon, where he's a 4th/5th option with Jose.

[imanshumpert]

Jose/Ellis/Nowitzki/Gasol....

That team is gonna get LIT UP

[white men can't jump]

Jose/Ellis/Nowitzki/Gasol....

That team is gonna get LIT UP

They already have to win with offence. Don't think they can really upgrade their D in free agency. May as well embrace it and try to be a scoring juggernaut.

[Fully]

Jose/Ellis/Nowitzki/Gasol....

That team is gonna get LIT UP

Jose/Ellis/Dirk/Any realistic acquisition at centre is going to have a hard time defending.

[S.R.]

Have zero interest in either move, but man would I lose it if we signed Deng for big money.

Deng is incredibly inefficient: TS% of 51.7% this year and 50.8% and 50.0% the previous two years.

Deng is an overrated defender. He didn't even get the rep of being a good defender until the Thibs era in Chicago started, and that had a hell of a lot more to do with Thibodeau's schemes than it did with Deng's defensive "prowess". Chicago didn't miss a beat defensively after his trade despite replacing him with a sub-par defender in Mike Dunleavy, and their offense significantly improved. Let that sink in.

Deng isn't even a floor spacer at the 3 spot. He hasn't shot the 3-ball well the last two years, and has only been mediocre to below-average from beyond the arc on his career.

Don't get me wrong Pau has also been bad the last two years, especially with his efficiency.

I'm not interested in either move myself, but you're being a bit hard on Deng. He's about to be overpaid because a number of GMs are going to be envisioning him helping them defend LeBron and Durant, the two best players in the league for the foreseeable future.

If Deng were a couple years younger, and the Raps were one or two seasons further along in their development and still had this hole at SF, then the timing would be right to sacrifice some of their own talent to upgrade SF.

But back to being hard on Deng - the upgrade from Salmons to Deng would be absolutely huge. He'd make a big impact here for a season or two and definitely help turn this into a second round team.