even if we trade for bazemore or batum there is still a problem. Bazemore and batum are both sf, and melo is gonna start. So now at the sf we have melo bazemore or batum enniss and green. At pf we have tucker who is really a sf. Why do we have 5 sf and 0 pf. Bazemore and batum dont seem to have the height to play pf
1997 = Kobe as an 18yr old Rookie, Eddie Jones starting ... Bulls win on 69 wins 1998 = Kobe 19yrs old ... Bulls three-peat 1999 = Kobe's 3rd season, last year before Phil arrives ... fwiw: Lockout year, too. Basically, 1st yr a 20yr old Kobe would have been expected to win anything. Your statement doesn't really mean anything...as it's more in line with Codman's statement about a blind man. Saying Kobe never won anything until PJax arrived ... also means even if PJax was there, they weren't going to win anything (even vs a blind man coaching Da Bulls), with an 18/19 yr old Kobe and Jordan still three-peating on the Bulls. PJax came to the Lakers when they were mature enough to win. He did win, for sure. But to imply ANY other coach could have won with an 18/19 yr old Kobe against the mighty Bulls is very suspect.
I think it comes down to what you value more. I think Porter is more versatile, positionally. 82games.com confirms this. James Johnson played like 99% of his minutes at PF. That's what he is. I'd agree that he is slightly more versatile in that he's less of a spot-up shooter type than Porter and might create more on his own... but I don't think we're talking a ton of possessions a game where that difference would be seen, and more importantly, the Rockets have an offense, and it doesn't typically involve the players other than Harden, CP3 and Gordon to an extent doing much creating. And it wasn't the offense that was a problem down the stretch. They GOT lots of open shots in Game 7. It was pure and simple the shooting. So if I have an opportunity to fill a 3/4 hole, which is more the position of need, imo. And an opportunity to fill it with one of the better spot up shooters in the game. Who is more capable of playing multiple positions. And also tough [not sure why you think Porter is soft?], and as capable of guarding 1-5 as James Johnson. Who is also six years younger. Just seems like the better fit. As I said in another thread, I think Johnson is riding a "I'm a martial arts master" high. I mean, yes, he is a tough player. And yes, I value very much that PJ Tucker brought some toughness. But more than the toughness, what Tucker brought was just really good, solid defense, capable of switching against anything, that could at times hit open corner threes. It was the skill-sets that came along with that toughness. Unfortunately the skill-sets failed them in the end. The Rockets need better players. Otto Porter is the better player than James Johnson, and also the more versatile fit. His contract is horrendous, though.
James Ham - Summer question: Who plays small forward for the Kings ? [skip to page 8 of 8]... Someone not currently on the roster Sacramento passed on the small forward position both in the draft and free agency. They can still make a move or two to sure up the wing via trade, but they have to find the right dance partner. With eight bigs on the squad, the Kings could really use some roster rebalancing. Willie Cauley-Stein, Marvin Bagley III and Harry Giles are all expected to play major minutes at the four and five. Bjelica will steal time as a stretch four. That leaves very little time for players like Kosta Koufos, Zach Randolph, Skal Labissiere and Deyonta Davis. Maybe there is a team out there looking for veteran help in the post or a younger player with upside. So far, the rumor mill out of Sacramento has been quiet. -----
Bazemore is a SG. He played 80%+ of his minutes at SG last year. The year before slightly more minutes at SF. The year before that, like 96% at SG. The year before that 70%+ at SG. In his last 4 years, the most he ever played SF in a season was 16/17 when he played 65% of his minutes at SG and 35% at SF. So the bigger problem then is Harden is our SG. But I think Harden and Bazemore could rotate in/out of SG/SF some. But I think the better thing to have positionally, given who is on the roster and what the Rockets are lacking, is a versatile forward that can play either spot. With or without Melo I don't see how that changes. But that said, if you can get Bazemore for basically Ryan Anderson and Onuaku (doesn't sound like it, but at least that opens the dialogue I guess), then that's a pretty good deal.
I am a long entrenched Laker hater so I don't know their history as well as you apparently do, or I'm much lazier than you. Yours is a well reasoned response. But I see your last sentence as tacit agreement. And I likewise agree with your expectations of an 18/19yr. But Phil is the guy who crossed that bridge with a still young Kobe, i believe the very next year. And I can't help but notice that of your three bullet points, two were Phil as coach. I'm willing to give the guy credit. Maybe his core skill is recognizing opportunity, but he has won at a clip not many have. I know that "at least not ****ing it up" seems a low bar, but in my longer than most here lifetime I have seen a huge number of great opportunities squandered away, some by yours truly.
Keep in mind that some of the Rockets best sets last year were 3 guard sets with Paul-Ego-Harden. A 3 guard set with Bazemore would be one of the most prevalent lineups on the team and because of the heights of Bazemore and Harden, would not necessarily be a size mismatch with most of the teams in the league
That's true, though according to basketball reference, the CP3-Gordon-Harden lineup didn't even see 55 minutes of action in the regular season... not even in Harden's top 10 5 man lineups in terms of minutes. Maybe because of CP3s on again off again injury status...?? In the playoffs, it did get 59 minutes of action... though, interestingly, of the top five, 5 man lineups in terms of minutes played for Harden, that 3 guard lineup was the worst in terms of point differential (+2.3 points). Info here: https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hardeja01/lineups/2018 Here are EG's lineups: https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gordoer01/lineups/2018
1. Marvin Williams 2. Bazemore Otto is a pipe dream and don’t care for the Heat or Kings shitty players. Lol @ Nanu and Ryno as suggested. We don’t have any great prospects so Baze is not happening.
