Another validation that while Dillon is a valuable player and helped instill that hard nosed mentality the team needed, his defense is overrated, and at times last year, actually below average. I’ll say it again, his minutes are blocking Amen, Tari and Cam. I’m hoping he is moved by the deadline. Amen has to be on the floor. He’s not getting Bari’s minutes at the 4. He’s not a 2guard and won’t be getting Jalen’s minutes. And between Fred and Cocaine Curry, he’s not getting the point guard minutes. I think you play him at the 3 and let him create for himself and teammates while playing elite D. Move him over to the 4 when Tari comes in. Amen needs to be playing starters minutes.
Please read Jalen's role in that Graph and it says Defensive Role: Low Activity So he is compared to other players with Low Activity roles (so not really active) and got C Minus.
That means Udoka was giving him low and easy assignments......what we probably thought about but did not fully expect before the season. So Udoka vowing to challenge everyone, not so sure now.
Brooks played thru injury (abdominal strain) last year because we lost Tari Eason. He is pretty good when he isn't injured and on a minutes restriction (last year was the most MPG he has played in his career). Amen is an amazing lockdown defender but if he wants to be a generational player he should find playing time at the guard position, whether it is at pg or sg. If he plays 3 or 4 then he loses a lot of what makes him special because at 6'6 what he has in athleticism and high bball IQ he loses in size and length. Amen and Cocain Curry should be the backups at guard, and then next year we let FVV walk and one of them becomes the main pg and the other becomes the super sub. Or maybe it is Jalen who walks and Amen becomes the sg.
What has happened so far is that the athleticism and BBIQ has been way too much for 3s and 4s to handle while his size and length has not provided as much an advantage at the 1 or 2. Maybe as his handle improves, he'll be able to use his size and length to more of an advantage against 1s and 2s. Though, he's already got such an advantage on 3s and 4s, I think if he added a handle, it would be be an even larger advantage.
If Amen adds shooting and handles, he can play the LeBron role. Does anyone actually care what position LeBron plays?
People on this board obviously care. Personally, if we had prime Lebron, I'd care as I think he had a better advantage the way he was played than if he got pigeonholed as a PG. There is a reason guys that would have been SFs are now PFs. Having a speed and agility advantage matter more than a size/length advantage more often than not 1-4 under the current NBA rules.
I think that's true and also an artifact of the game changing to be more focused around 3s. Rebounds don't go to the same places off a 3 that they do off a post play so you have far more opportunity for guys quick enough to chase them down or quick enough to get off the floor and control them before they go into other areas of control. It changes the pace of the game, it changes what happens when you get offensive rebounds, etc. I think size/length are still important - but you are correct that there is an average speed and agility threshold you need to be able meet first before size/length starts to help you.
FWIW, I think as he builds out strength, THAT will be his advantage over 1s and 2s because he will be as quick as them but far stronger. I was watching some old Rockets games to pass the time until the season starts and it's funny to watch rookie Amen try to bully players a bit - sometimes ones much bigger than him. I think unlike a lot of thinner guys, he actually likes contact a bit and his frame seems like he will be a very powerful guy at some point.
LeBron always plays with a PG. But he handles the ball and initiates the offense more than any of the PGs he plays with. To me, it's more meaningful to talk about roles than positions in this era. Traditionally, roles depended on positions. Now roles depend on the combination of skill sets and physical attributes, as well as the fits of the five guys on the floor.
I agree with this mostly. Though, I like to talk positions as those correspond more with who guards a player. When I say I want Amen as a forward it means I want Amen guarded by slower, less coordinated players. It has nothing to do with the role he plays, but says that other players on the court require agile defenders as well. Though, I do love Amen as the roll man. Number 1, this means there is at least one great ball handler on the court with Amen. Number 2, Amen gets the ball going towards the basket typically with the defense scrambling to stop him creating lots of opportunity for him to either score or pass.
I think an important nuance to spell out here is that roles are distinct to offense and defense and for guys like Amen that role can change according to the opposing team's scheme - play by play, even sometimes multiple roles within the same shot clock. This is largely why we play a switch heavy scheme because guys like Amen, Bari, Brooks, Tari, and Tate have the ability to play multiple roles on defense according to the scouting report of how you need to play a team.....but the same thing goes for offense - there are times when the defensive matchups dictate the advantage if you have guys who can fit multiple roles - that's why "3 level scorers" are the offenses's equivalent of "switchable defenders" - they speak to your ability to be able to capitalize on advantage situations - either being open or mismatches that can be exploited. That's why Amen developing even a league average jumper makes him a top x guy because there are very few players who can be that guy on both offense AND defense. Vintage Lebron and Kawhi being two such guys who oh by the way have multiple titles each.
Great comments. I don’t think anyone in the league has the flexibility of this roster once they mature. I’m praying for patience and not blowing it up on a big name that doesn’t fit. Only need Booker if Jalen doesn’t work out. As much as I love Sengun, I could see a Sengun + picks for Giannis down the line, but that is about it. Home grown perfection for the dynasty.
Agreed. Defense and offense are distinct. A lot of the "positions" nowadays are about who you guard and who guards you than what you do on offense. Versatility is a hot commodity both on offense and defense.
With his wingspan, I honestly don't think it's out of reach for him to continue to play minutes at center. At least when we go small ball. I don't think there is anybody I'm as excited to see play again. Please please please let him have improved his shooting - but even if he hasn't, I want to see this bigger stronger faster Amen they're talking about. I didn't think he could get more athletic. He was already an absolute monster in that regard.
