No reason whatsoever to believe we’ll have a top 3 offense — we were 7th last year with a starting center who is light years better on offense than Mitch.

Who do you think the Nets should take with our lottery pick next year?

Trades happen unexpectedly for various reasons without prior hubbub. You know this, so it’s silly that you would keep repeating this nonsense. Besides, it has nothing to do with the point being made.

“On your list of targets you include guys that are barely even better than SimsChiuwa like Looney and JV, is trading crucial rotation pieces for these guys a good use of resources? I’m quite skeptical.”

Both Looney and JV are significantly better than either Precious or Sims. If you see that differently, we’ll just have to agree to disagree. That doesn’t mean that I’m advocating trading for them. But if Mitch goes down, I’m quite confident that our chances of winning a championship would be increased by having one of those two at the expense of Hart because we have other folks that do what Hart does. But the point is that Leon wouldn’t do it, period. (And obviously there is the possibility that one or both of Precious or Sims improves significantly, changing the calculus, but this is a discussion based on what we know right now.)

“Then you have another class of guys where you have to squint really hard to see a case for their current teams preferring Josh Hart + the Knicks’ remaining pick scraps to them, like Capela and Poeltl.”

But the question is whether Leon would include either DDV or Hart to acquire them this year. The answer is no, they wouldn’t. You know that, but are just being argumentative.

“I’m just not seeing the allegedly super obvious upgrade we’re refusing to make because it would break up the Nova Corps.”

I haven’t seen the Earth’s solid core but I kind of think we can bank on it being there and it being composed mainly of iron and nickel. There is more than enough circumstantial evidence to draw a strong inference. Hart and DDV are virtually untouchable this year. It’s ridiculously obvious in every move that Leon has made in assembling this team. The most blatant tell is the very significant overpay for Bridges. Hell, on KFS, I believe it was GMAC who suggested that the price paid for Bridges may have been the most paid for any player with his resume.

That’s correct.

Thats not fair. He can finish just fine.

Mitch FG% at rim:
2022: 78%
2023: 70%
2024: 60%

That is an absolute nosedive in an area where shooting percentages tend to be the most stable. Offensive rebounding isn’t as valuable when you can’t convert them into points reliably, either on the putback or when fouled.

No reason whatsoever to believe we’ll have a top 3 offense — we were 7th last year with a starting center who is light years better on offense than Mitch.

If not, and this is his new level of production, he’s both a mediocre and injury prone player.

He is the worst FT shooter in NBA history at this point and can no longer finish at the rim

Thats not fair. He can finish just fine. As for FT shooting, sure you are right; but he makes up by leading the entire league in offensive rerbounds which is a key metric and adds a boat load of points in this offense. Knicks will score ~120 this season and be a top 3 offensive team in the league withthe worst FT shooter in NBA history. Think of it as an immaterial variance.

Mitch is amazing @ what he does on the court and he sucks at what he doesn’t do. This is why Thibs limits him and has turned him into an amazing role player.