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Realistic Trade Target: James Ennis

Saint Cy of JFC

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So the Magic are obviously thinking about trading some guys off. We should really inquire about James Ennis.

Ennis is 6'6 with a 6'11 wingspan. He's a solid defender and a career 36% from 3. In the month of February Ennis averaged 10 ppg on 53% from the field and 48% from 3.

He'd be a solid upgrade over Niang. He shouldn't cost too much. At most a distant 2nd rounder and through in a Juwan Morgan to match.
 
Won't compare him to Niang. Ennis is basically a slightly more lengthy version of Oni, who is already having trouble getting PT.
 
Won't compare him to Niang. Ennis is basically a slightly more lengthy version of Oni, who is already having trouble getting PT.
Yeah man, turns out when you dont have many tradeable assets your options are to add depth.

Ennis is bigger and can play the 4 in the Jazz's offense. He has good experience in the NBA being a reliable backup. He's at the very least someone who can give you a different look from Niang when you're playing teams like the Clippers or Nets and you need more wings with his physical/athletic profile to throw at teams.
 
I can't speak to the dude but this is likely the kind of thing the Jazz are in the market for. I'm intrigued.
 
League sources tell The Athletic that the Jazz are in the market for a defender — a perimeter defender, to be more specific. The Jazz would also like that player to be an above-average shooter, if possible, as shooting is the dominant skill of the roster in its entirety. And that’s where things get more difficult. The Jazz aren’t looking for a surefire rotation guy. They are happy with their rotation, happy with their chemistry and happy with the direction the season is going.

From the Tony Jones trade deadline article on The Athletic.

I think this is basically James Ennis to a T.
 
I can't think of a less interesting addition to the Jazz. Talk about your average and nondescript journeyman ...

He's a little too short and a little too slight to excel at the role we'd wish for him, and his athleticism these days is no better than average. He's less dynamic offensively than Royce, though he gets up a few more shots and has been super efficient (this year). I wouldn't see him displacing anyone in the rotation. But he'll at least battle and can be counted on to take some minutes on difficult matchups when needed.

For a depth piece, we could do much worse.
 
I can't think of a less interesting addition to the Jazz. Talk about your average and nondescript journeyman ...

He's a little too short and a little too slight to excel at the role we'd wish for him, and his athleticism these days is no better than average. He's less dynamic offensively than Royce, though he gets up a few more shots and has been super efficient (this year). I wouldn't see him displacing anyone in the rotation. But he'll at least battle and can be counted on to take some minutes on difficult matchups when needed.

For a depth piece, we could do much worse.
He's got an 8'8.5 standing reach and a 6'11.5 wingspan. He'd be our longest perimeter defender both in wingspan and reach.
 
I think I’d rather go for GR3 since he costs us nothing.

If it’s a guy like Ennis vs Oni I’d rather just give Oni a real shot. Ennis ain’t stopping Lebron or Kawhi... Oni can do just as good of a job imo. Oni has the quick trigger three and offensive rebounding that intrigue me.

If we could get a disruptive defender like a poor mans Covington or Thybulle then I’d like that from a 10-15 minute player more. If I’m comparing Oni to Ennis I think both guys are likely gonna get scored on by the good wings of the world but I could see Oni getting an offensive rebound or two in a key moment that help turn a game... those moments are even better than getting a stop imo.

If Ennis is bench depth similar to Ersan then sure... Ennis is not sexy at all but if you had an injury he’d be a guy that could step in and maybe you’d survive.
 
I think I’d rather go for GR3 since he costs us nothing.

If it’s a guy like Ennis vs Oni I’d rather just give Oni a real shot. Ennis ain’t stopping Lebron or Kawhi... Oni can do just as good of a job imo. Oni has the quick trigger three and offensive rebounding that intrigue me.

If we could get a disruptive defender like a poor mans Covington or Thybulle then I’d like that from a 10-15 minute player more. If I’m comparing Oni to Ennis I think both guys are likely gonna get scored on by the good wings of the world but I could see Oni getting an offensive rebound or two in a key moment that help turn a game... those moments are even better than getting a stop imo.

If Ennis is bench depth similar to Ersan then sure... Ennis is not sexy at all but if you had an injury he’d be a guy that could step in and maybe you’d survive.
Ennis has 4'' of vertical reach on Oni. He also can actually score around the rim off cuts and attacking downhill.

I see Oni as a guy you put on guards and Ennis as a guy you out on forwards.
 
I think I’d rather go for GR3 since he costs us nothing.

If it’s a guy like Ennis vs Oni I’d rather just give Oni a real shot. Ennis ain’t stopping Lebron or Kawhi... Oni can do just as good of a job imo. Oni has the quick trigger three and offensive rebounding that intrigue me.

If we could get a disruptive defender like a poor mans Covington or Thybulle then I’d like that from a 10-15 minute player more. If I’m comparing Oni to Ennis I think both guys are likely gonna get scored on by the good wings of the world but I could see Oni getting an offensive rebound or two in a key moment that help turn a game... those moments are even better than getting a stop imo.

If Ennis is bench depth similar to Ersan then sure... Ennis is not sexy at all but if you had an injury he’d be a guy that could step in and maybe you’d survive.
And who cares about cost that much? Ennis is actually proven. Is he a journeyman, sure, but he's one that often gets picked up by playoff teams and he gets significant minutes.

He's the kind of addition you have to do as a team like Utah and hope your system can elevate him above his career averages.
 
And who cares about cost that much? Ennis is actually proven. Is he a journeyman, sure, but he's one that often gets picked up by playoff teams and he gets significant minutes.

He's the kind of addition you have to do as a team like Utah and hope your system can elevate him above his career averages.
If you are rich you likely don't care about the price of groceries... if you are broke you are thinking about cost the whole time you are in the store. We are broke with regard to draft assets... so if you see GR3 as similar to Ennis then you take GR3. Some of the things you said about Ennis apply to GR3 too. He's been picked up by exactly one playoff team when Philly gutted their depth to get Jimmy. He's fine... so is GR3... one is free food and we are a broke *** college student.
 
Also if they wanted an Ennis like guy you should have got in on the Craig deal... I think he's a better version of that type of player. He was had just for the trade exception and we should have good enough ties to the Milwaukee front office to get the inside scoop.
 
Ennis has 4'' of vertical reach on Oni. He also can actually score around the rim off cuts and attacking downhill.

I see Oni as a guy you put on guards and Ennis as a guy you out on forwards.
Lebron and Kawhi are going to score on him at about the same rate. I think Oni provides an advantage because his corner three has been money (super duper limited sample)... he also gets it off super quick. Sneaking in for those offensive rebounds is also key and I could see him continuing that trend. I remember Alfonso Mckinnie doing that for the warriors a couple years back and it being pretty effective.

I just think if you need to bring in a guy as average as Ennis to play over Niang and Oni then why are you spending time and resources developing those guys.

totally cool with Ennis as a depth piece but I would not play him over Oni. He's a break glass in case of injury emergency guy.
 
When is the Exum buyout?
When the buyout happens I promise you Quin will have DL's family locked in a basement somewhere... go ahead and sign him Dennis... just know your actions will have consequences.
 
Also if they wanted an Ennis like guy you should have got in on the Craig deal... I think he's a better version of that type of player. He was had just for the trade exception and we should have good enough ties to the Milwaukee front office to get the inside scoop.
Yep, no reason to get Ennis having already passed up on Craig and GRIII. The team is fully committed to developing Oni
 
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Also if they wanted an Ennis like guy you should have got in on the Craig deal... I think he's a better version of that type of player. He was had just for the trade exception and we should have good enough ties to the Milwaukee front office to get the inside scoop.
Craig is an offensive liability.

Ennis isnt some GOAT, but he isnt a liability on either end. I think if you get him in a good offensive system, he's a guy who can get some buckets out of the blender as a driver in ways that Royce/Oni can't.
 
Lebron and Kawhi are going to score on him at about the same rate. I think Oni provides an advantage because his corner three has been money (super duper limited sample)... he also gets it off super quick. Sneaking in for those offensive rebounds is also key and I could see him continuing that trend. I remember Alfonso Mckinnie doing that for the warriors a couple years back and it being pretty effective.

I just think if you need to bring in a guy as average as Ennis to play over Niang and Oni then why are you spending time and resources developing those guys.

totally cool with Ennis as a depth piece but I would not play him over Oni. He's a break glass in case of injury emergency guy.
Yeah, none of that makes sense to me. If you put Ennis in against the Clips, Morris isnt going to try to take advantage of him on mismatches the same way he would Oni or Niang. He wouldnt get scored on at the same rate. He's more experienced and has better size. He'd allow Ingles to not have to guard the best player on the court for bench lineups the same way he does if he shares the floor with Niang. Oni just doesnt have forward size to guard up positions on bigger forwards like Ennis does.

It's a cheap upgrade (I would think) that is worth doing 100%. The dude is putting up Ingles shooting numbers this year on actual rotation minutes while providing average or better defense and increasing the overall athletic floor of the team.
 
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