I’ve been thinking about this a bit as we embark on this critical offseason. We know we are in “Phase 2” and we want to add some veterans to raise our floor and teach our young guys how to play. What is the proper ratio of young players ( let’s define this as KPJ,Green,Sengun,Eason and Jabari) to veterans (Tate and onward)? I am asking in the context of a 10 man rotation. The 10th man playing but not a ton. We have the five young guys. Personally I feel great about all of them. We will add a 6th person to that core. I feel like you want at least three veterans and so really leaves one spot to be occupied by Christopher, Martin, Garuba or Washington. Im thinking Martin as he adds a bit of diversity with his skill set. So I have us adding 3 vets that play. What is your 3 vet combo along with your 2023 pick. Pick- Jarace Walker (we get a future first to move back wherever he is picked) Vets-Harden, Hart, Lopez. Im certainly interested in Thompson but I am also thinking that we do not need a backup point guard as the intention is to run bits of the offense through Sengun/Porter/Green. Sengun/Lopez Smith/Walker/KMJ Hart/Eason/KMJ Green/KPJ/Hart Harden/KPJ
I understand what you’re saying, but I disagree Our combo guards are too far to the SG side. We need someone that has more pg in them.
Fine with me as I don’t feel strongly about him one way or the other. I just want a veteran pg playing 25-35 min a game.
There has to be a talent consolidation coming. The #4 pick kind of complicates it, there's no high round center even if we got #1 Wembanyama doesn't want to play pick and roll he wants to play superstar. We have too many guys at guard and forward and our options at 4 are a couple of squirrely fits at guard and forward. Assuming a #4 overall pick will play, an added veteran too at either guard, forward or center... someone is getting squeezed out. And then, EVEN WITH the impending moves, you'll be adding someone hopefully of quality. Someone's gotta go unless Udoka plays 13 man rotations every game.
I too want a veteran PG. Make Nix or Washington or a rookie the backup. The only other must-have roster spot is a rim protecting C. Lively might be there in the draft at 1.20.
At this point - it’s really less about a vet in abstract and more about adding pieces to make this roster functional. To be functional we need an identity- a style of play. This team has been in asset collection strategy too long taking ‘best available’ and not actually bringing in guys who make sense for a complete roster. Think about it - we haven’t had a point guard for a few years and TyTy was the first true PG but played sparingly this year. That’s kind of a big thing to just not have on your roster for YEARS…and we didn’t necessarily have a strong screener for much of the past few years despite at least in the early post Harden days continuing to play in a spread pick and roll way(surprise surprise - lacking a true PG and an effective screener - that didn’t work out did it coach?). Knowing what type of offense and defense Udoka wants to play with will help because I never got the sense that Silas had much of an offensive or defensive identity…and then Stone has to be willing to exchange “assets” to get more continuity on this roster. That means we gotta let go of the Garubas, Christopher’s, Martins, etc if their skill set is not useful in Udoka’s system. …just getting a vet isn’t going to cut it anymore. We need to invest in an identity for this team to have a chance to start maximizing the talents of the people we are committing to and that means these vets need to bring some excellence around some of the pieces key to the system - maybe that’s a better help defender to teach the kids those basics, a strong pick and pop guy if you think that’s a useful tool in our system, etc.
He can bring the ball up - but you are right he doesn’t run an offense. I think on any other team he is a SG or even SF.
I like Washington but don’t ever think he will be a starting pg. Too physically limited. Average back up is most likely outcome.
Yeah, we need a point guard. I don't care if we have one of the top tier, but I want a guy who will set the standard for D and effort and make the right plays in the flow of the game. A PG can do things even a maxed out Sengun can't because they bring the ball up court. This offseason, the goal for me would be to find a PG for the next 5-7 years, but knowing they have a couple of years to learn the team and improve. So, If the brain trust thinks Amen is that guy, great. If they trade up for that guy in Scoot, great. If they trade or sign that guy, great. Just get the guy.
Really? Let's look at the 16 playoff teams: East ------ MIL - Holiday BOS- Smart Philly - Harden CLE-Garland NYK-Brunson BKN-Dinwiddie ATL-Young (they actually start 2 pg - Murray) Miami-Vincent West ------- DEN-Murray MEM-Morant SAC-Fox PHO- CP3 LAC-Westbrook GS - Curry LAL- Russell MIN-Conley Which one doesn't start a PG?
I like this but without harden, I just don’t think he would be good for our young core and his will to win is just not there. Give me reeves, hart and lopez and let ime figure out the rotations
I really want Brook Lopez on the team. I think he's the perfect addition to address multiple needs, primarily spacing and rim protection, but also veteran leadership and some good knowledge to impart to our young big men. I hope he's willing to consider signing here. If Harden signs, him + Lopez would probably eat up most if not all of our cap space. It would be nice to pick up a 3-and-D wing, but it'd have to be a guy on the room exception or via trade. Not sure what caliber of player we can get with the room exception. Trading KPJ could make a lot of sense. He is a horrible fit with Harden and Green on the perimeter--atrocious defensive unit--and his contract is big enough to help match salaries. Hard to say who the best trade target would be though. Depends on which front offices dislike him the least and who they have on offer, I suppose.
