Even a team like Boston is mostly a 5-out team, and Sims and Precious can defend in space. You also have excellent wing defenders who will hopefully make rim protection less of a priority.

The most concerning thing to me in the short term is Randle’s health and effectiveness. With Mitch in the fold, we could much better tolerate a slow acclimatization period from Randle, but without him he will possibly be called upon to do too much too soon.

One X-factor is that both Precious and Sims, who I think have some potential that a full offseason and training camp can unlock, are possibly up to the task. They know that this will be their last, best opportunity to make their mark in the NBA. Both seem like serious, hard workers who will embrace the opportunity.

Another is that last year we were panicking about our lack of depth at the wing/PF and PG positions, and now we have an actual glut at both. In addition to Mikal and OG, we have KBD, Payne, and Kolek..and perhaps even Dadiet, Huk, Morris, and Shamet can eat enough minutes to keep us in pretty good stead until Mitch gets back on the court.

The worries that Thibs will shorten the rotation and overplay guys early on to chase regular season wins are certainly valid. At some point, Leon and his medical/training staff has to impress upon him that championships aren’t won in November and December.

I’m with Hubert. New physio regime. Don’t break the toys. I hope Randle listens.

Capela is pretty close to washed.

Too bad i don’t watch the other teams, because that makes me remember the players only when they’ve played against us. LOL
Cancel the trade, Leon, cancel the trade! 😀

I’d do it.

Capela is pretty close to washed. And I wouldn’t trade key players for a center over 25, but that’s just me.

Do you want to trade Donte & Precious for Capela? I don’t, but that might be the best option.

I’d do it. I think Brunson, Mikal, OG, Randle and Capela is a great starting 5. And Thibs would turn Capela into a great defender again.

So we are left with four possibilities, which have some overlap between them:

1. Contrary to their usual MO, they were completely blindsided by one or both of the iHart and Mitch issues;

2. They know they need to add another center and simply didn’t like any of the available options in the draft or FA (though as we’ve seen before with various incinerations, they have been known to underestimate potential talent fits);

3. They know they need to add another center but have an eye on one or more players whom they don’t expect to become available until closer to the trade deadline, and are willing to bide their time with Precious/Simms/smallball until they can make said deal; or

4. Thibs has really gone all-in on smallball and no longer cares about his 48 minutes of rim protection religion.

This kind of folds into 2 & 3 but I think the market for centers is just locked. There’s not a long list of guys you’d want to be our starting center, and the teams that have them don’t want to trade them.

Find a guy you want and try to put together a package that is legitimately enticing for the team in question. It’s a really hard exercise.

Do you want to trade Donte & Precious for Capela? I don’t, but that’s out there.

Wendall Carter Jr intrigues me but he’s not exactly a Thibs guy.

I don’t think it makes any sense for Portland to sell low on Time Lord right now.

It’s a tough market.