I think Jalen Green and maybe Sengun are the only untouchables on this roster. That's the "core". The rest are guys may be critical development pieces, but not essential at this stage - you still listen to the offer if people are asking to trade for them(at least for now). I like Josh Christopher's play and he could be really good - (maybe even our future PG?) but he's not a sure thing just yet - not in the same way Green and Sengun are looking like Kobe and Pau....but I would definitely keep Christopher on the roster for a few more years to see where he develops because he has real potential. ...KPJ, I think is gone. Just too inefficient, not a natural born facilitator. His only role left on this team is if we want to use him as a bench scorer/role player but I don't think he will be a long term starter in this league on a good team. I wish him the best, but it's just not what we need right now - I would rather Josh be the PG. ...I said above, I also like KMJ but he is a tweener - not part of our long term core. I would keep Jae'Sean Tate as long as I could - I think he is a great glue guy - kind of a young PJ Tucker/Shane Battier type of smart, hard working player. I wish he were a little taller but otherwise I like him as a switchable wing defender who is a smart (if limited) offensive player.
I don't know if Sengun and KP3 are untouchable, but it appears at the very least they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Green is clearly the top talent on this team with Sengun and KP3 as the next tier. After that KMJ and Tate appear to be role players, Mathews doesn't look like much of anything right now. Wood seems like someone that is going to be too expensive to keep around. Garuba and Bruno are intriguing but still unknowns. Josh Christopher is emerging but I think another year will help define what he is, but it's hard to think he is untouchable. The chemistry between Green, Sengun, and KP3 is pretty strong though.
Let's be honest, Green + 2022 top five pick + 2023 free agent(s) are THE core ... Guys like Sengun, KPJ, KMJ, Tate, 2022 Brooklyn pick may end up as role players or pieces used in a sign and trade for an established allstar. Edit; the jury is out on Sengun and JC, they could rise to core level, but could also be trade incentives for an allstar.
Everyone is quick to trade for stars on these forums and forgotten the art of successful team building. I blame this on Moreyball and chasing stars. However, the untouchables for now in my opinion is Green, Sengun, Christopher (off the bench), plus next years top 2 pickets depending on how they pan out. I would like to see us move forward with KJM, and Nix as role players. I wouldn’t mind moving forward with KPJ for the right role. Which is which I love Jarbari Smith and a different man that can play above the rim and defense. I don’t want to be quick to try to trade solid role players for stars….. 1) Green is 1a 2) We need a 1b for him (maybe Jarbari Smith). Someone who has the ability to lift the team when Green is having a off night. Maybe KPJ if improves his game. He needs to work with a shooting coach. His shooting form can be inconsistent. 3) Sengun is 2nd tier talent. He’s going to get better. I like JC, Sengun, maybe KPJ in the right role. These are guys I would consider 2nd tier talent. We can rely on getting solid production from with occasional great game from these guys. I think of the Sam Cassells, Kenny Smiths, Robert Horrys, Mario Ellies, 4) we need a Junkyard dog on this roster. ???? I kinda see it in Tate and I don’t. This is the championship formula. A lot of Dynasties has teams constructed in this manner (Bulls, GSW, Lakers) This my opinion.
Excited for KJ but it's also hard to find a better shooter for cheaper than Mathews. Gotta believe if they were looking to win games he wouldn't be starting or playing extended minutes. He's the classic microwave. Put him in and find out if he's hot that night. KJ makes plays that give the entire facility energy. Hard to replicate that kind of player, not something I'm willing to give up either. I guess that makes him a core member, I'm just not sure what it would take for me to be ok with giving up these young talents. I want to see who they become.
I don't see any upside in Mathews. He is a streaky shooter who doesn't do anything else very well other than playing hard. He's the #9 guy on a good team. I like the guy. Just not a high level talent. Martin, on the other hand, can improve into a rotation player on a good team, maybe even starting. I hope he will stick around.
I don't really disagree. Mathews and his occasionally dogshit streaky shot selection is still shooting near 40% for the season. For 2 mil? That's nothing to complain about. Coach is the one starting him, playing him like he's rotation level and so on.
I mean, what defines core? Was Robert Horry, Sam Cassell, Vernon Maxwell, Otis Thorpe - any of those guys "core?" Or by core do people just mean the super stars?
Excellent question, Sam certainly seemed like part of the core, OT, Horry, and Mad Max more role players imo. Very, very good role players. You make a good point that the ‘core’ is open to interpretation. Like Dream and Clyde in the championship years, Green is currently the only clear part of the core, every other current part seems movable.
to answer your question you have to tier it. Tier 1 - your 1a and your 1b. Your Batman and Robin. This is Green and ? Tier 2 - These are your solid Rotation players with consistent production. Tier 3 - This is your Junkyard Dogs. You need at least 1 or 2 of these types of players. Tier 4 - Depth
I haven't seen enough from Stone to suggest he could trade for a legit disgruntled superstar so yeah I might have to reluctantly agree that a couple players are close to 'untouchable' but only until they become injury prone or significantly drop in value.
Great question I view Horry, Sam, Elie, Vernon, Thorpe in the group of super role players. But you won't identify them until they have won 2 or more playoff series. Those are pretty rare gems too. As I said those become pretty close to being core when there is Success of the highest kind!
The true core hasn't changed, it's Jalen Green. Sengun is next in line but until he gets a proven 3 ball I hesitate to pencil him in as anything but a supporting player. If he does become a good enough shooter to demand gravity beyond the arc, he could be a full on co-star building block with Green. His overall skillset is really high end. Christopher could be an extremely good player, but we certainly need a lot more evidence before I would categorize him a full on foundation piece. He has the tools to be an impact 2 way player, and very much a major player. The forum has been at war over Porter here recently. I don't trust him to hold up under winning expectations, and don't think I ever will. Not to say I don't think he will ever have any place, but he will only be a wild card off the bench you can stand to lose, not a guy you depend on. When we're trying to win and coaches start calling him out for his f**k ups, is he gonna start throwing chairs and leaving the arena or will he do better. He's playing on easy mode right now, no accountability, no expectations. The ability to be every bit as good as Green is certainly there. The rest of the young guys seem to have great role player upside, so not really "core" pieces.
This is very similar to my thoughts, outside of Green .... I might flip Martin & Sengun and add Nix to the mix.... I'm sky high on Josh Christopher eventually becoming a star .... and Martin being more than just a rotation piece. Nix has a rare combination of size and understanding of the point guard position .... He's got some CP3 in his basketball DNA, the way he gets in the lane and creates chaos, he makes good decisions and on target passes too . He's just got to work on his shot and defense and he's a legit starting guard. The only concerns I have about Sengun are defensively .... he has to be acceptable not atrocious. Porter .... I want him to succeed, the physical ability & numbers he puts up buy him another opportunity time and again but the mental mistakes both on and off the court have soured me on the idea of him being a critical piece for a contending team - I just don't think he has the mental makeup.
If you ask me and apparently you did .... your core is a group who can help you win at a high level (contend) over a period of years. I think most of us would agree on Green, Sengun, Christopher, Tate & Martin to some degree .... The big questions are Wood and Porter. I know it's not a popular position to take but the franchise could see Wood as part of that .... He is a very good offensive player & a solid defender on the perimeter. If you pair him with the right player at the 5 spot ..... he can create a lot of mismatches playing as a "wing" (3/4). Offensively, he's everything people are projecting Jabari Parker to be .... a 39%+ 3 point shooter who can put it on the floor and finish at the rim and defend the wings. What he isn't is a center and as we've seen over the past two years, asking him to play that role is a recipe for a terrible defense. Personally I prefer that he be traded but I can see why the front office may feel otherwise. Porter .... the physical tools are there. I think the experiment of trying to make him "Harden Lite" was an interesting one but its time to go another direction at the point. He can stick around as a 6th man type on a team friendly deal .... or not.
