Coby White sh*t the bed in the playoffs in his one career series, hasn't been back since. I'm not even a Jalen supporter, but even I don't think the Coby Whites, Simons, Grimes, Sextons of the world are "upgrades". And our FO drafted Jalen, invested in him, works with him every day and likes him personally -- zero percent chance they think that level of player is an upgrade.
I would agree that those guys feel like lateral moves to a certain degree--or at least minor upgrades at best--but I'm at the point where I might not mind a lateral move for a better fit. Something is just not really clicking with this offense.
Those guys typically aren't taking 25 shots and hitting 5 on any given night. There's a consistency needed. Jalen's floor spacing is all or nothing. It affects how much the paint gets packed.
Yeah, fans in the emotional wake of a painful game 7 loss might not mind that. But the org likes and believe in Jalen the person, he plays defense, he's popular among the team, he's younger than all those other players, Stone drafted him, he sells the most jerseys and is the most marketable... many many reasons why the FO would have no interest in doing a "Jalen Green for Coby White" style lateral move for someone who isn't clearly better, just to do it. Like I said, I'm not a Jalen supporter - but realistically, Jalen will either be the starter game 1 next season or he will have been traded for one of the ~20 perimeter guys in the league that are clear and obvious upgrades.
I am sure that Philadelphia is looking to trade the third pick for players that help them win now. But those players have to be on really good contracts because it just doesn’t seem like they have a lot of cap room to trade around. Almost like they’re gonna have to trade for a guy in his second or third season.
well if Jalen is still here we really need to make a switch with Fred. Going into next season with the same backcourt is an obvious fail to me. I’m not asking for much and I’m grateful for our success this year, but we have to keep progressing and that means fixing things that don’t work. Fred and Jalen are not a good fit.
Assuming that Booker is too expensive, and no other superstar "closer" guard is available, Coby White would be my fall back plan. His clutch stats were really good and I'd say he's got a chance to break out and become a star after being traded and given a higher usage rate. Similar path as Harden/Brunson etc. Jalen Green still has that chance too, but he flopped in his big-stage debut, where-as Coby White has yet to make his. So if a proven closer isn't available and reasonably priced, then you gotta gamble somewhere else... either on a JG bounceback or a Coby White breakout. Good news is that according to Bulls media guys, the team wants to build around Giddey more than White, and they'd rather not invest money into both players. So Coby is definitely available, you just have to hope that you don't get in a bidding war for him.
I think you're probably right, although if they do trade for a guy like Giannis, all bets are off and all engines are go--the priority will be to win it all ASAP.
Rookie contracts should make the gm's dick hard when he's looking at the upcoming contracts the Rockets have on on the horizon. Size shooting, cheap AND under contract for years? If the vets beat them out ok but if Ime just won't play more talented guys then that's on him.
Agreed. What would be interesting is if there was actually maturity out of Cam in year 3 and Reed became a guy you could rely on as a backup point guard. Then you would be looking at the following backcourt combinations: FVV + Jalen FVV + Whitmore FVV + Sheppard Sheppard + Jalen Sheppard + Whitmore Jalen + Whitmore
all or nothing? Jalen shot 35% for the year. Playoffs was like 7 games dont act like that was the entire season.
look at all the teams remaining… what do they have in common vs (US) Indy, Stretch 5 / Defensive Anchor (Turner) Knicks, Stretch 5 / Defensive Wings (Towns) OKC, Stretch 5 / Defensive Wings (Chet/Harenstien) Denver, Stretch 5 / Defensive Wings (Joker) Minn, Stretch 5 / Defensice Wings / Rim Protector (Naz Reid, Gobert) Ime has to adjust, we playing late 90s BBall on offense in playoffs taking less than 25 3s in multi games… vs this new age spread and take 40+ 3s a game
I want FVV gone, he’s not a threat in the paint and it hampers our offense, and it’s even worse because he plays so damn slow …. He hardly every pushes the pace - we are a young team playing like all our guys in late 30s
I don't disagree here but I think Stone and Udoka intend to keep him long term so we are going to get stuck discussing roster construction with him in it.
that’s my fear - Stone doesn’t like change and Ime is stubborn… if they are not watching the teams remaining in playoffs and don’t see how spacing and dynamic guards who get into the paint is what needed …. FVV gets in paint and so horrible at finishing it doesn’t collapse the defense … where as Brunson gets in paint, he’s finishing, drawing a foul, or kicking it out for 3 Hali in Indy the same SGA the same Murray in Denver the same Conley prob plays the closest to FVV but they run a spread offensive system when Naz is in and Rudy is good at staying out paint until it’s time to rebound
I agree. I think the FO still looks at Jalen as a potential star and already very good. I would trade Jalen, but not just for a short-term little bit better player. If a good return is there that will upgrade mulitiple positions or give us some extra trade capital I’d do it. I think this FO is really kind of afraid to make a big move. I think they extend FVV and run it back. I think it’s the wrong move, but I don’t have a say.
It’s on him and us that are going to watch another year of sh*t offense, but this time we will get a lesser seed and the same playoff outcome. We are not a real contender with FVV as our 40 minute a game PG.
