If you've got an opportunity to trade for someone like Hibbert, and all you've gotta give up is role players and a late first rounder it's a no brainer for me.
Who do you think Hibbert is? He's never averaged more than 13 points or 9 boards and has never shot 50% from the floor. And have you seen him play? Hibbert has almost no natural athleticism. He looks like Acie Earl running up and down the court.
If it's just Green, filler and the Clips pick, maybe. I'm not giving up Zeller, Young and what will be two valuable, early second round picks for a guy who, in the best case scenario, makes us 1st round playoff losers.
Mike
I'm not sure people understand Hibbert's effect on the game.
He's the defensive anchor of the best defense in the NBA. He has the highest shot alteration percentage in the NBA from 0-5 feet from the basket.
Yes he struggled in this playoffs but he was DOMINANT against the Heat in 2 of the last 3 playoff series against them on the defensive end.
He's not a go to scorer- he's a defensive anchor who happens to have a post game.
He's also never played with a pass first point guard and he's been asked to become a second scoring option on a team that didn't have enough scoring options.
Again, he's the best player in the deal and he is what Vogel had built around to result in the best defense in the NBA last season. And people are questioning whether we should hold onto Tyler Zeller James Young and a pick between 25-30 if the opportunity arose.
When did Mark Eaton or Manute Bol ever get paid $15 million a year?
Again, I can imagine a trade for Hibbert that makes sense for Boston. I'm not sure if one can make sense for Indiana. But to give up a starter in Green, a 1st round pick we have no idea about (what if Paul and/or Blake gets injured?), a center who is younger and more athletic and still on his rookie deal, a young wing who's been compared to Aaron Afflalo and two 2nd round picks likely to be in the first 5 of the second round, in an era when 2nd round picks are more valuable than ever?
All for a guy who makes Boston...what? First round playoff losers?
Mike
I imagine the Eaton/Manute comparison a joke?
Fact is that Hibbert was the focal point of the best defense in the NBA. He's the anchor, the godfather of the best defense in the NBA. The key piece to its success. Great perimeter defenders, but after you got by those guards, you were meeting the gatekeeper with his 7 foot 5 wingspan. Tyson Chandler's wingspan is 7'2". Dwight Howards is 7'4". Only DeAndre Jordan has a longer wingpsan in the defensive big men elite club at 7'6"
We will be lucky to get a player that's 75% as good as Hibbert out of all those assets.
Zeller? Young? The Philly picks?
We will arguably be trying to trade Green anyway.
Think about it like this. Consider that he has been the second most important player on a team that was (other than the Spurs), probably the best team that Miami had to face for the last 3 seasons- essentially taking over from the Celtics as the Heat enemy number one.
Hibbert is to Paul George and the Pacers like Kevin Garnett was in 2012 to Rajon Rondo- almost like a shared MVP with Rondo even though George and Rondo were the better numbers players.
There are things that KG and Hibbert do that are championship intangibles on defense with their impact. Hibberts comes more from his physical attributes whereas KG's was just as much heart at his climbing age. It's extremely rare to find big men that mobile and intelligent with such defensive awareness and anticipation.
Paul George and Hibbert were there two most important players.
Hibbert was the second most important player/most valuable player on a team that took the Miami Heat in their prime to multiple 6 and 7 game series. In some of those series, he was the MVP. He's a two time All Star. He's been a top 5 defensive center statistically for the last 4 seasons.
If there's any time too get him it's while he needs a fresh start from being the Pacers scapegoat for the last season, it's now before Rondo gets p---ed.