Bamba has too many defensive lapses for my taste but he would allow Sengun to play low post 4 and Jabari to play jumbo wing with weak side help. I’d be willing to gamble at the right price.
I think Dejounte Murray could be the perfect running mate for Jalen Green. 21pt/8reb/9asi/2stl., Murray has an all around game, he's got a Pat Bev like pesky defense (also some Gerald vibe that never back down from anyone) and brings a lot of energy/intensity to the game. His 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio just like what doctor ordered for this young group i'd offer KPJ + Tate + Gordon + Nets' 24' FRP (unprotected) + Bucks' 23' FRP (unprotected) for Murray + Z.Collins. Spurs' asking price is 3 FRPs for Dejounte, I think KPJ+Tate+Gordon easily gives you 2-3 FRPs already, plus the 2 from Nets & Bucks that worth about 5 FRPs for the Spurs. Jonathan Feigen reported that the Rockets is looking for a backup center in free agency, he mentioned Nic Claxton as a possibility of our $10MM MLE target, that's probably $42Mil./4yr. contract, well, i'd rather just have Zach Collins on $7mil./yr for 2years and save the cap for later. Collins has Sengun-like passing game, can shoot the 3, with the size (6-11" 250lb.) to play down low for rebounding & rim-protecting and guard bigger centers. if Stone can pull this off i think the line-up would be set 1-5, 2-deep every position: Sengun, Z.Collins, Boban T.Eason, Garuba, Fernando J.Smith jr, K.M.jr., Nawaba, Queen J.Green, Jaygup, Mathews D.Murray, TyTy, Nix Jabari should be better suited at 3 for now, before he develops his handling/driving game, where he can just shoot over the smaller wing players off 1-2 dribbles. Tari against the bigger but slower power forwards will better utilize his driving game. both are excellent perimeter defender but i think Tari is slightly better at protecting the rim and he's also stronger to bang down low. Wall will be bought out, Fernando should be re-signed for cheap. KM Jr./Sr. will both shut up after Tate/Ego traded as he got more minutes
I wish I better understood the plan. I'm not a fan of KPJ. I just don't see him as the PG of the future. I see him as a Michael Carter Williams type putting up decent numbers on a bad team. I love the core of Sengun/Green/Smith. But are we trying to develop too many players at the same time? That's not including Eason and Christopher. It worked in OKC, but Durant is an all-time great. And although he blocks shots, Sengun isn't exactly intimidating. Where is our version of Ibaka? Wall won't play and Gordon will probably be traded. Where does this leave us? We'll probably be lucky to win 20 games again and be back in the lottery next season. I'm just not sure. I'm super excited about the potential with plenty of cap space next season. I think we need an experienced pass first PG for leadership. And rim protection. Finally... Is Fertitta willing to pay the luxury tax? There's another potential problem with consecutive high lottery picks.
If the best catch and shoot 3 point shooter in the league reminds you of MCW, you probably should just give up on trying to watch basketball.... it's just not going to work out for you.
KPJ's numbers appear great on the surface ..... but do they contribute to winning or is this another case of empty stats like CW? The team is probably better served with a traditional point guard to get Green, Sengun and Smith open looks while Porter is better suited as 6th man.
I think the plan is quite clear even though not all of the questions have been answered yet. We're going hard on youth. Adding seven rookies in two years is a lot. Not all of them will pan out. We'll see if we can build around the ones that do. We're in for another tanking season before our draft obligations to OKC kick in. This is the second offseason of our rebuild. You mentioned OKC and how they built around Durant. At the same point of their rebuild as we are now, they had just drafted Westbrook and Ibaka. Ibaka wouldn't come over from Spain for another year. They didn't know what they had yet either. Is KPJ our PG for the future? Can Sengun be our man in the middle without being a huge defensive liability? The details aren't extremely important right now. The answers will reveal themselves probably within the next season. What is important is nailing some of our draft picks, then utilizing our cap space to fulfill team needs before our rookie extensions kick in. I don't think we're behind other rebuilding teams like OKC or Detroit in the process.
Collins can't do any of that because he can't stay on the court. He's played a total of 39 games in the last three years. That's an average of 13 games a season for three years! No thank you, sir.
MCW would be an excellent player if he could just shoot threes. KPJ was the best catch and shoot three point shooter in the league last season. So I'm confused by you. Also, KPJ doesn't even have to have a future as our point guard to have a future with our team. His defense is improving. His shooting is improving. His ball handling and assist to turnover ratio are improving. I understand he's not a pure point guard. I even think he may eventually be better suited to playing a different position. But the talent is there and he has the size and strength to play three positions. Outside of his off court issues, I'm just really not sure what there is not to like about the kid and his potential.
I don't understand the sudden fascination with KPJ being a PG. When Kobe and Gasol won in 2010, did anyone really think Fisher was their point? His job was to dribble it up to half court and give it to Kobe, basically a glorified ball boy. Did anyone think Kenny Smith was our PG when we won in 94? All 3 bigs had more assists than him. How about when LBJ and Davis won it for the Lakers where LBJ was more of the PG than Rondo? Or the Celtics this year? While they didn't win, they got there without a traditional PG. There is more than one way to skin a cat. The more important question is whether or not KPJ and Green can exist together as a starting backcourt or if KPJ needs to be relegated to the 6th man role.
I think people are questioning KPJ's ball dominant play style and how it fits into a successful offense. It's not about assists or being a pure point. Fisher and the Jet had defined off ball roles, which actually seems easier to plug next to a superstar. KPJ likes having the ball in his hands but isn't a very cerebral playmaker. D'Angelo Russell has similar issues. In GS, he averaged 24p/6a while shooting 37.4% from deep and had a 2:1 A/TO ratio. He's a former all-star in his prime. He's gotta be a good PG, right? Honestly, I think he struggles to play the position well. KPJ is going to be extension eligible soon so we want to see how he fits into a good offense.
Agreed as long as KPJ is willing to take on that role. He needs to let Green be the primary playmaker then then become the main playmaker when Green is on the bench.
When free agency start we are going after a backup center to help our interior defense. Look out for Nic Claxton…..we are not going to trade Gordon I believe the coach is worried about getting fired and he wants to win this year….at least play in the Play In Playoff and then have a chance to get a lottery player
I think a former top 5 pick will start over him. He put up better numbers last year and is the better defender/spacer
I am personally OK with KPJ never becoming a good playmaker. We still have options if he is willing. Worst case, we either promote him to 6th man or waive him if he gets pissy. We didn't invest too much in him to begin with. That said, with his catch and shoot percentage he should have no problem (in theory) playing off Green.
His defense did improve year over year, as did his shooting, particularly catch and shoot from 3. What hasn't improved is the offense in general , they were 19th in PPG last season at 109.7 and much of that can be attributed to pace where they ranked 4th at 104.5 (1st Minnesota 104.9). They were 26th in points per possession ahead of only Portland, Detroit, Orlando & OKC. They really don't seem to get into their offense early in the clock with any regularity. They either got quick buckets or struggled terribly against set defenses - with or without Wood on the court. That's not to say I expect him to be a CP3 type of Quarterback on the court but that its legit to question how much of that is KPJ and how much of it is the talent or lack there of around him? I think the consensus here is that he's better suited as a 6th man than a starting point guard and I would agree with that .... He's a "Combo Guard", not a Point Guard and generally those guys are what you want in a #3 guy in the rotation / off the bench. I kinda liken him to a better shooting version of Jordan Clarkson who's also listed as a point guard but is more of a combo type. Green, Smith & Sengun would be better served with a guy who can get them into the offense .... Get the ball up the court and into their hands in an advantageous position .... quickly.
How about CWOOD standing at the top of the key for 15 seconds before passing up for a terrible end of the shot clock attempt? The amount of bullshit KPJ gets on here, hell half the year Jalen did so much wrong but his 2 years younger so let’s give him all the leeway. KPJ had one indicent as a rocket so let’s look at everything he has improved but at the same time let’s drag him down cos of his past… Id love for half of you guys to be GMs honestly.
3 firsts is a lot…….but an all nba defense scoring Point that gets 8 or 9 assist and boards a game is a rare thing to find at 25 years of age.