Rui Hachimura Discussion: Huge Buckets

i see why you'd say that, but i disagree for a few reasons.

all the top 4 RFAs are much better, two-way basketball players than rui. all of them are younger and still have some room to improve as well. none of them have ranked near the league's absolute cellar in important metrics for multiple years. even on an overpay, they'll all be moveable (e.g., broken into two smaller decent players, etc.) if it didn't work.

we also already know that rui doesn't fit super well here (pika has furnished some promptly-ignored evidence here). two of the RFAs are the exact archetype at center, and one is the exact archetype at wing (i'm much iffier on eason, and i've never said we should pursue him).

as for inflicting pain on competitors, i'm viewing it from the stance that we're kind of already screwed. meaning that pre-agency has hurt us, and the teams that are going to dump good players for nothing aren't going to dump them to us. if we're going to be dumpster diving eventually anyway, why not take huge swings at every single one of these guys before we do it. it will literally cost nothing if all those teams match. this year's danny green will still be there when the dust settles.

i don't know. in the end, i just think almost all of our rotation players save the two that have big contracts are guys you can just find (not counting lebron--you can't find him, but he's retiring in a year and you have to deal with that either way).

and again, i'm ok bringing the boys back, but i understand blowing it all up.

 

I’m a big Rui supporter, but I know that our team HAS to start replacing our one way players with ones who aren’t. For me, no one is un-movable except for Luka.
If Rui’s not brought back, or signs with someone else while Rob is swinging for the fences, I’ll understand. More importantly, I think Luka will too.

 

funny thing is i really like rooting for rui. doesn't sound like it in my posts, but he seems like a good dude who's a hard worker and has made the most of his gifts. i would have no problem pulling for him going forward. i just totally understand not letting him influence the summer strategy.

 

If I have to choose between keeping Lebron or Rui, there are two scenarios.

For ticket sales and being potentially better now, I pick Lebron.

For flexibility on future team building, I pick Rui.

Reliable shooter. Terrible rebounder. Playoff performer. As long as you fit the right parts around him, I think you're good.