Sign Jeremy Lin for backup pg, throw enough money at him to get him to sign in Detroit. (can also be used as a backup sg thrived there next to Walker this year). (large defender with good size and strength to slow pg penetration, who can create his own offense and is also a good passer and distributor that can run an offense)
Use whatever money is left over to sign SG Marcus Thornton at somewhere around the vet minimum.
Trade SG Meeks and next year's 1st first round pick to the Chicago Bulls for our new back up PF Taj Gibson, who is our intermediate tall stretch four defender, is a good long mobile defender that blocks shots and offers good weakside help defense, and also has a midrange shot to stretch the floor some when paired with Drummond, nice post game for when paired with Baynes. Can also play some center and is a better rim protector than Baynes. Giving up next year's first sucks but I think that is the price we would probably have to pay to dump Meeks and if all goes right it should be a very late first round pick, almost into the second round.
Draft Zhou Qi at 18 as backup 4/5 of the future (or possible starting pf super star of the future unicorn stretch 4, who shoot threes and defend tall stretch 4s on the perimeter as well as at the rim) possible immediate help on defense next year.
Draft Gary Payton II at 49 for 3rd pg insurance. (his dad was the "glove" so I'm assuming he plays good defense.) Averaged last year at Oregon State:
| 16.0 PPG | 7.9 RPG | 5.0 APG |
Let Dinwiddie, Anthony, Tolliver and Brown's contracts all expire (could possibly pick up Brown's cheap option as more pg insurance)
Oh, and then max out Drummond (duh)
Center: Drummond, Baynes, Gibson, Qi
Power Forward: Harris, Gibson, Qi
Point guard: Jackson, Lin, Payton
Shooting guard: Pope, Lin, Thornton, Bullock, Hilliard
Small forward: Morris, Johnson, Harris, Bullock
I think this roster has a floor of a top 3 seed in the east next season. Based on internal player improvement and continuity while also adressing our major roster needs of a defensive minded long pf, back up pg, and three point shooting off the bench we could be contending for a title next year barring any major injuries to one of our starting five.
