I know we have a pels board but (2018/19 edition) (2 Viewers)

[N.O.Bronco]

I have a feeling if we lose tonight, we may be seeing a pink slip for Gentry.

I know it’s sacrilege these days but imo the problem isn’t Gentry.

He’s not Brad Stevens or Pop but only two coaches are. He’s a system coach with a questionable disciplinary philosophy but he’s solidly average to above average and his staff is amongst the best in the league.

The problem is and has always been roster construction and injuries imo.

That said, I don’t think you are wrong. Maybe not right this game, but getting rid of the coach is always the lowest hanging fruit desperate organizations and GM’s reach for to spark something.

 

[NotOnHerb]

I know it’s sacrilege these days but imo the problem isn’t Gentry.

He’s not Brad Stevens or Pop but only two coaches are. He’s a system coach with a questionable disciplinary philosophy but he’s solidly average to above average and his staff is amongst the best in the league.

The problem is and has always been roster construction and injuries imo.

That said, I don’t think you are wrong. Maybe not right this game, but getting rid of the coach is always the lowest hanging fruit desperate organizations and GM’s reach for to spark something.

By no means do I think its the fix all or even the right move, but as you said its the low hanging fruit so I think Demps will do it try to save his job and keep AD. One thing is a fact thought, its clear he cannot get the players to close out games, not even the starting 5. Saying that I agree the staff is good and I think they brought Finch here and paid him like a head coach to be a safety blanket.

 

[SaintsFan11]

I know it’s sacrilege these days but imo the problem isn’t Gentry.

He’s not Brad Stevens or Pop but only two coaches are. He’s a system coach with a questionable disciplinary philosophy but he’s solidly average to above average and his staff is amongst the best in the league.

The problem is and has always been roster construction and injuries imo.

That said, I don’t think you are wrong. Maybe not right this game, but getting rid of the coach is always the lowest hanging fruit desperate organizations and GM’s reach for to spark something.

Two problems:
First, we lose to bad teams routinely. Assume we're a mediocre team. We've still consistently lost to bad teams. That's a mark of poor coaching.
Second, nothing matters except retaining AD. I don't think things are as dire as "the future of the franchise in New Orleans rests on keeping AD" - if for no other reason than Gayle isn't going anywhere anytime soon and probably isn't selling anytime soon. But AD-level talent doesn't come around very often, and in a league where talent is increasingly consolidated, I don't think we can build a championship contender in the near future without him.

Now is the time to make a change if you're going to make it. The Saints will suck all of the air out of the room for another month. Let the NFL postseason end with the Pelicans having begun their turnaround, and you'll get an uptick in interest immediately.

 

[N.O.Bronco]

Two problems:
First, we lose to bad teams routinely. Assume we're a mediocre team. We've still consistently lost to bad teams. That's a mark of poor coaching.
Second, nothing matters except retaining AD. I don't think things are as dire as "the future of the franchise in New Orleans rests on keeping AD" - if for no other reason than Gayle isn't going anywhere anytime soon and probably isn't selling anytime soon. But AD-level talent doesn't come around very often, and in a league where talent is increasingly consolidated, I don't think we can build a championship contender in the near future without him.

Now is the time to make a change if you're going to make it. The Saints will suck all of the air out of the room for another month. Let the NFL postseason end with the Pelicans having begun their turnaround, and you'll get an uptick in interest immediately.

I'm not going to argue too much against you because I don't really think we are all that far apart in our impressions of Gentry. He is a system coach and if you don't have his ideal pieces he clearly is not able to adjust the way better coaches in the league do. Carlisle reinvents his systems around his personnel, you will never really see that with Gentry. He'll do a good job incorporating people into what he wants done, but you aren't going to for instance see him slow down the pace and grind out the game to compensate for roster shifts that may necessitate a major change of approach. He will try and out-pace teams like GS, regardless of the personnel, til the day he dies.

I look at Denver and what Mike Malone is doing with a similarly decimated team, and while I think you have to give credit that they have far more depth and balance than us, which is something I do think people looking to bash Gentry sometimes leave out, Malone certainly deserves to be in the conversation for elite coaches in this league with what he has done in Denver.

All that said, I think a lot of our problems go away if the roster was more balanced with solid depth.

 

[ThibodauxSaint]

This is the way I look at it. Does AD need help to win titles? Yes, that's a given. Will that ever happen in New Orleans, I'd hate to say it but probably not. However I do believe that AD has enough help to be at least be a playoff team, maybe even a top 4 or 5 team in the west. So who does that fall on? AD? Coaching? Its hard for me to answer that right now because we are missing 2 key starters on a team that isn't that deep to begin with. Maybe Rondo was the one coaching that team last year and masked a lot of the deficiencies of the actual coach and losing him was more impactful than I believed. I know you can't control injuries but boy does that seem to be the issue every year.

 

[Brennan77]

This is the way I look at it. Does AD need help to win titles? Yes, that's a given. Will that ever happen in New Orleans, I'd hate to say it but probably not. However I do believe that AD has enough help to be at least be a playoff team, maybe even a top 4 or 5 team in the west. So who does that fall on? AD? Coaching? Its hard for me to answer that right now because we are missing 2 key starters on a team that isn't that deep to begin with. Maybe Rondo was the one coaching that team last year and masked a lot of the deficiencies of the actual coach and losing him was more impactful than I believed. I know you can't control injuries but boy does that seem to be the issue every year.

Injuries happen. It's a depth problem. And that comes for swinging for the fences every other year.

 

[NotOnHerb]

Injuries happen. It's a depth problem. And that comes for swinging for the fences every other year.

I keep hearing depth is the problem and I admit we are not the deepest team, but we continue to see productive minutes out of Okafor, Jackson, Diallo, etc. Yet they are extremely limited and we continue to demand 38+ minutes out of Davis and Holiday and still losing to bad teams.

We are on a 5 game skid after a long run of WLWLs and it feels like Gentry is just not adjusting.

 

[Brennan77]

I keep hearing depth is the problem and I admit we are not the deepest team, but we continue to see productive minutes out of Okafor, Jackson, Diallo, etc. Yet they are extremely limited and we continue to demand 38+ minutes out of Davis and Holiday and still losing to bad teams.

We are on a 5 game skid after a long run of WLWLs and it feels like Gentry is just not adjusting.

I dont disagree. I'm not a huge basketball fan and dont know it like I understand football. As a casual fan this team is maddening to watch and seems to lack any real vision or regular motivation.

 

[N.O.Bronco]

I keep hearing depth is the problem and I admit we are not the deepest team, but we continue to see productive minutes out of Okafor, Jackson, Diallo, etc. Yet they are extremely limited and we continue to demand 38+ minutes out of Davis and Holiday and still losing to bad teams.

We are on a 5 game skid after a long run of WLWLs and it feels like Gentry is just not adjusting.

Balance is also part of that equation. Okafor, Diallo, Randle, AD, and Niko all play the same two positions. Jackson is a solid prospect but he would be a 12-13th person off the bench on most playoff caliber rosters.

Meanwhile at other crucial positions we fall off a cliff with any injuries, like at PG and SF(heck we don't even have a SF that would start on any other team when healthy, heck, most wouldn't even be the first backup on many teams).

 

[El Caliente]

If we lose AD, and Demps is in charge of the rebuild you can count me out. I will go back to rooting for the Jazz.

 

[N.O.Bronco]

If we lose AD, and Demps is in charge of the rebuild you can count me out. I will go back to rooting for the Jazz.

That's my breaking point as well.

It would just signal a level of incompetence or indifference that tells me the franchise is not worth investing the amount of time it takes to follow a team for a whole NBA season.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

I no longer watch the Pels. It's just too frustrating.

My limited understanding is that the peak trade market for AD wont come until this summer, for a variety of reasons.

Given that he's likely to walk, and even if he doesn't, we are incapable of surrounding him with enough talent and coaching to make a run (and TBH AD doesnt always bring it like a megastar should), we should go ahead and wipe out the front office and coaching staff now.

We cant let Demps be the one that does the trade and rebuild. He was handed Boogie on a platter, but other than that he's utterly failed to build a playoff-level roster.

Its time to nuke it from orbit and start over. AD probably wont care since it will increase his options this summer.

 

[N.O.Bronco]

I no longer watch the Pels. It's just too frustrating.

My limited understanding is that the peak trade market for AD wont come until this summer, for a variety of reasons.

Given that he's likely to walk, and even if he doesn't, we are incapable of surrounding him with enough talent and coaching to make a run (and TBH AD doesnt always bring it like a megastar should), we should go ahead and wipe out the front office and coaching staff now.

We cant let Demps be the one that does the trade and rebuild. He was handed Boogie on a platter, but other than that he's utterly failed to build a playoff-level roster.

Its time to nuke it from orbit and start over. AD probably wont care since it will increase his options this summer.

Biggest reason the Summer is more ideal is the Celtics.

Can't trade him til Kyrie's contract is up. Teams aren't allowed to have two contracts on the same roster using the Rose exception. And the Celtics far and away have the best asset pool to have in a bidding war.

Honestly i think the only long-shot in salvaging the AD era is for the Wizards to implode further and somehow pry away Bradley Beal. I know we are pushing hard but he is about the biggest(realistically available) difference maker you can hope for.

I think if given a larger facilitating role like he had without Wall is the key to him going from all star to borderline superstar, which he was in Wall's absence.

Jrue, Beal, and AD is a heck of a core to build around. Easily the best two-way guard tandem in the league and the best big man. Get Ariza or another mid level guy in the offseason to finally fill out the wing and you would have a punchers chance of keeping AD if you went that route. If you dump Demps and move some pieces you might even have a chance at convincing Cousins to come back....Assuming he doesn't max out the market.

 

[ThibodauxSaint]

Good thing is there is no rush on this. AD is under contract through the 2019-2020 season. Pels can offer him the supermax after this season. If he turns it down then you know you have your answer and you have all off season and up to the trade deadline to deal him. Celtics can offer the most in terms of assets and draft picks plus there's the added bonus of getting him out of the western conference. Of course they would have to know that he would re-sign with them otherwise they won't take the risk. I don't like the fact that its assumed he's going to the Lakers. If the Lakers truly are the best offer you get then fine, but why give in to Lebron make another superteam in your own conference.

 

[BobE]

Money is nice, but it's not the goal for New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis. "Legacy" is what matters.

"I'd take legacy over money," Davis told Yahoo Sports after Friday's 112-104 lossto the Los Angeles Lakers. "I want to have a legacy.

"All my people that look up to me, the younger kids, I want them to know about AD's legacy. Championships, the things I do in the community, being a good teammate, playing hard. All that stuff matters the most to me. Don't get me wrong, money is amazing. But I think in that sense, money or legacy, I think my legacy will win that battle every time."

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ans-pelicans-says-legacy-more-important-money

HE GONE