Yes, his 18.3 PER is terrible. He's also getting 17.3 minutes per game, which isn't exactly "hardly earning minutes".
As for Brewer, I don't want him. We've got guys that can already do what he does on this team. Stand pat for now and see where we're at when the trade deadline rolls around.
Not saying your opinion isn't valid, but it brings up an interesting point.
I listened to Zach Lowe's podcast with Kevin Arnovitz the other day and they were talking about how much personality and chemistry play a part in trades, free agent signings, etc. It's easy to look at NBA trades like a fantasy league - just based on raw stats, but the real world doesn't work that way.
For example, they said look at the Kings letting Isaiah Thomas walk, and signing Darren Collison. On paper, that's a terrible move. Thomas was looking like a budding all star, and Collison a career backup. But Arnovitz said look at Cousins attitude and expressions when Thomas was on the floor with him. Those two weren't crazy about playing with one another, and their personalities may not have matched up.
Then there's Collison, who has always been a really good backup or an okay starter at best, is a guy that his teammates LOVE. Arnovitz said that Clippers players, especially CP3, were so dejected when they let him go that they were like, depressed. They loved playing with that guy. And here he is now in Sac, and the Kings are killing it. That chemistry of personalities might have something to do with it.
So back to Brewer. Sure, on paper, maybe he does the same things as a guy like Marion. Maybe not even on as high of a level. But he and Kevin Love get along really well and feel very comfortable together. And when they were on the court together, they had a fast break chemistry that was so good, that Brewer led the league in transition points.
So maybe he's not a paper upgrade. But if suddenly you have a second unit led by Kevin Love, who is excited to go out and run with his old mate Brewer, maybe that gets you an extra 6-8 points per game, which is huge.
If we get him for nothing but the trade exception, then I'm all for it.