The bottom line is.........

[MoonKnight]

we have to improve this team's ballhandling. I have not posted in some time but the trade options interest me. Before last season I believe I was the first poster to express my concern over the lack of ballhandling on the team. As it turns out ballhandling, lack of chemistry (due in part to poor ballhandling), and poor team D were the causes of the losing season. Ballhandling must be addressed now. JT is the only starter who can handle the rock and I think it put too much pressure on JT last season being the only ball handler in the lineup. Both GRobinson and Dion are poor ball handlers (GRobinson is one of the worst ballhandling 3s in the league). We must improve the 2 and 3 positions to take the load off JT (I think JT should be back). Chicago and Cleveland could be trade partners. Would Paxson be willing to trade Crawford? Can Jay Williams and Crawford co-exist? Today's insider mentions the Bulls want a new 3 so could we make the bulls the following offer of GRob and a 2nd round pick for Crawford, Fizer and Donyell Marshall. The trade works salary wise. Crawford comes in as our point who can guard 2s allowing JT to guard points. Fizer is extra bulk on the bench (plus he has been a hawk killer in the past), and Marshall could be our defacto starter at the 3 until our trade pick (Zarko) is ready to take over as a future point forward at the 3. The Bulls might do this because they need outside shooting and GRobinson's salary comes off soon. This also paves the way for Jay Williams to develop with Jalen Rose still around. Cleveland simply has no players that fits our needs (Miles is also a poor dribbler while Davis only initiates O for himself not his team). Would Chicago make this deal?

[Diesel]

Well, I agree with what you are saying... But I don't think that anybody will trade Crawford right now.... Not unless it's for KG.

Secondly, when you're talking about Ball handling, very rarely does the three position matter. Threes are usually finishers...either by dunk... ala Richard Jefferson or via shooting ala Larry Bird.

There has been occassion of the "point forward".. You know Pippen, Odom, Toni, Hill, I think that's all of them. And there lies the problem... There aren't many point forwards. So there's no need in looking for one.

Now... the 2 position is different. We need ball handling there.

However, JT doesn't need another excuse. He's just not a good playmaker and he can't run the offense. We look to bring in all these other guys who can play 2 and handle the offense. We've been doing this for 4 years. Babs spent most of his time looking for that trade. Never found it. If JT needs a crutch, then we ought to trade him for a real PG. Somebody who can run the show.

I would love to trade JT for Barry/12 and pick Hinrich. Not that I think that Hinrich is a better player or will be. I just think he will probably be a better PG.

[Guest]

handling the ball and initiating the offense are not the same thing. However, the handling abilities of the 3 (GRob) have been esp. problematic and visable this year due to our not having a sg that could handle the ball or create his own shot for most of the season (until Dion finally started coming on a little bit towards the end).

So, with Ira or whomever as a sg, GRob's handles became more important b/c JT was the only one on the court with any real dribbling ability and he was learning a new position and trying to figure out when to run the offense and let the game coem to him and when to try to take over as a scorer.

As for GRob's defense...yes, we knew it was going to be bad, but were hoping from a slight, slight upgrade from Toni. However, GRob's D wasn't any better, and his turnovers were up, leaving this team rudderless. That's the difference, while Toni wasn't any better of a defender, he turned it over less (I'm assuming, didn't check stats) and provided more stability on the offensive end of the court, oftentimes without scoring a point.

[jjjohns3]

Can't we still bring back Wilks as a FA?

~Peace

[Diesel]

In reply to:

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the handling abilities of the 3 (GRob) have been esp. problematic and visable this year due to our not having a sg that could handle the ball or create his own shot for most of the season (until Dion finally started coming on a little bit towards the end).

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I'm not going to disagree with this... only point out that Grob is not a Point forward nor is he a slasher. We knew he was a standstill shooter from the jump. So do you ask standstill shooters to handle the ball? Let's ask a few....

Mario Ellie did you get to handle the ball?

Robert Horry, are you a ball handler?

Danny Ferry how often do you handle the ball?

Sean Elloit, how's your drive and dish game?

The point is, that some guys play the Standstill shooter role for their team. That's big Dog. He should be coached as a 2nd option. Reef should be coached on how to pass out of the post ala Tim Duncan. It's a formula that works if we get the right coaching. I mean, look at it:

Reef post up.

JT perimeter.

Big Dog Mid range.

Ball goes in to Reef and he decides weather to score or pass out of the post.

All we need is a Slashing Sg and we have exactly what all teams want... Offensive balance.

Instead what do we have:

JT comes down.

Defers to Grob out of position.

or

Defers to Reef on the perimeter.

All of this is WRONG.

[Guest]

yeah, but under that philosophy, if GRob recieves the ball out of position to shoot it, doesn't have a shot, etc. he should take a dribble or two and pass it...and that's something that he's rarely shown he can do.

No, he's not a slasher, but he sometimes (often really) acts like one and uses his little floater or TAJ. He doesn't pass it back out or just dribble backwards and let the offense reset. My biggest problem with Dog is his little play where, he dribbles to his right, into the lane (just inside the elbow) and jumps up for a shot. When it's not there, and it isn't quite a few times due to defenses rotating etc., he is forced to find an open man to pass to while in the air~ not an easy thing to do. That's where quite a few of his to's come from, putting himself in a bad situation where he's forced to use luck or risky passes to bail himself out.

And that's what I mean by handling the ball...just be able to recieve the ball without always trying to get a shot of, simply holding it for a few dribbles with no advancement towards the basket to let the offense reset/ let someone else come off a screen, etc.