What's the Depth Chart Look like?

[sturt]

On 12/19/2020 at 2:27 PM, sturt said:

Been doing some homework. Few current NBA players enjoy a more opposite reputation from what pretty-much all of the defensive metrics say than Tony Snell. Granted, assessing defense is more complicated than just looking at the metrics. But it's not normal that they're so one-sided, and to the side you don't want.

To no one in particular and to be clear... my homework was not just focused on last year. Not just the last three years, either.

The bad numbers are especially bad these last three years, but it's not just the last three years.

Snell is a more mobile and creative version, and/but slightly less prodigious edition of Korver. For many teams, that's enough to make you deserving of a starter role.

The question that I'm arguing with myself today begins with the premise that you have this continuum that conceptually begins with Snell as the exceptional-offense/lackluster-defense, then places Solomon Hill (on minimum non-guaranteed contract) in the middle as meh-offense/meh-defense, and then at the other side of Hill has lackluster-offense/exceptional-defense in Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (just waived by MIN, and presumably available on a minimum non-guaranteed contract).

Which of the two do you want optimally?

(The question presumes you are in a position to let your 4th PG walk, of course, and I'm not sure we actually are just yet.)

Then, related, of Gorgui Dieng (who you theoretically could obtain by trading Snell once JJJ gets back, per what I've been told by more than one MEM fan), or Noah Vonleh (let go by CHI b/c of covid last week) or John Henson either of who could be had on a minimum contract...

Which one of those would be optimal as a 6th big?

Me, all I know is, I'm persuaded this roster didn't get the influx of defensive pedigree that it needed out of free agency, and I'm just not one who is ready to presume we'll get all the defensive help needed out of a rookie (Kong) or two sophomore wings (Cam or DHunt). It's not the worst idea to add at least one (replacing Goodwin) or maybe two (replacing Snell or Hill also) defensive assets to the 15-man, in my opinion... to the contrary, it makes a lot of sense.

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

Quote

That’s why I have him at 23 minutes. It’s likely too low, and I can see him getting in the 25-minute range. He has the right attitude entering what will be a different season than what he has experienced in his first two seasons.

“I’m not oblivious to what happened,” Huerter said. “You pay a guy a lot of money at your position, and for me, right away, I thought that every day was going to be bigger competition, and every day you come in and push him, and he pushes me and we make each other better. This happens in the NBA. Look at winning teams, and roles are defined. I think the first couple of years here, we had a lot of young guys. Especially in my rookie year, I was getting minutes I didn’t deserve yet. But who else did we have to play? So you play me and see what I could do and see what we have in myself. They decided to develop me and give me a ton of minutes.

“For us to flip the page and turn the corner, I think roles are going to become a lot more defined. The way our pieces come together are going to become a lot more important just with what our team makeup is now and how deep we are.”

I appreciate that Huerter has this kind of understanding.

Chris now has Hunter as the starter over Reddish.

[sturt]

Fwiw. Created a few weeks ago... ideal rotation template to begin the season, all options available...

[Guest]

Over 100 players with NBA experience remain unsigned in the free agent pool, including well-known veterans such as Kyle Korver, Dewayne Dedmon, Shabazz Napier, Emmanuel Mudiay, Jeremy Lin, Gerald Green, DeMarre Carroll, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and others.

Surprised by a few of these still available names.  I don't know that we need any of them, but nice to know they are out there in the event circumstances change.  

[macdaddy]

I'm surprised by both Korver and Dedmon being unsigned.

[gurpilo]

Napier is a fantastic backup PG and Dedmon could be a huge addition for us, I think we need to improve our C rotation, the lack of bodies will be clear when we face Embiid, Gobert, Vucevic, KAT....

[NBASupes]

It seems like LP will rock with Trae/Cam/Hunter from here on out. Why? Because Bogi needs touches and works better off the bench. With Trae, his touches are in the 20s. In the 2nd unit, he had 50 touches. Cam is just a much better fit. 

[sturt]

fyi...

 

[sturt]

Pretty much frozen in-place on making any roster improvements until at least one of Rondo and Dunn is healthy enough to make the 4th point guard dispensable, and/or until Snell is healthy enough that another team can be interested to trade for him.

(Hill, of course, is on a non-guaranteed contract, so I suppose it's not out of the question that he could be released. But at least for the moment, that doesn't seem like something that would be considered.)

[TheBigETrain]

I'm liking both Reddish and Hunter in the starting lineup and Bogdan off the bench. He looked comfortable handling the ball and running the 2nd unit.

[JayBirdHawk]

On 11/23/2020 at 9:55 AM, JayBirdHawk said:

Keeping it Simple:

 

PG: Young, Rondo, Goodwin
SG: Bogdan, Huerter, Dunn, Mays (2way)
SF: Hunter, Reddish, Snell
PF: Collins, Gallinari, Skal
C :  Capela, Fernando, Okongwu, Knight (2way)

So I was wrong with the above projected lineup.

PG: Young, Rondo, Goodwin
SG: Reddish (29), Huerter (24)
SF: Hunter (31), Bogi (28)
PF: Collins, Gallinari, Hill (20)
C :  Capela, Fernando

The minutes distribution for the wings and Hill in brackets. Gallo being out means Hill sees more minutes than I anticipated, but he has played well.

Did anyone call this starting lineup?

@Peoriabird thought we were gifting Bogi the start when it should be Cam. @marco102 thought it could be a possibility. Anyone else?

[marco102]

12 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

So I was wrong with the above projected lineup.

PG: Young, Rondo, Goodwin
SG: Reddish (29), Huerter (24)
SF: Hunter (31), Bogi (28)
PF: Collins, Gallinari, Hill (20)
C :  Capela, Fernando

The minutes distribution for the wings and Hill in brackets. Gallo being out means Hill sees more minutes than I anticipated, but he has played well.

Did anyone call this starting lineup?

@Peoriabird thought we were gifting Bogi the start when it should be Cam. @marco102 thought it could be a possibility. Anyone else?

I can't take credit for this.  I thought Bogi would start with Hunter or Reddish at the 3.  

I'm so glad the coach came out with the above lineup though.  So much defensive flexibility. Bogi and Huerter seem fine with their roles and I actually like them on the second unit. Can't wait to get Gallo and OO.

[JayBirdHawk]

18 minutes ago, marco102 said:

I can't take credit for this.  I thought Bogi would start with Hunter or Reddish at the 3.  

I'm so glad the coach came out with the above lineup though.  So much defensive flexibility. Bogi and Huerter seem fine with their roles and I actually like them on the second unit. Can't wait to get Gallo and OO.

I like Bogi and Huerter playing together - they each recognize when the other is hot and willing to pass the ball.

Going into the offseason, my hope was we'd get vets to supplement our young players from the bench. After we signed Gallo and Bogi to those high dollar deals, the assumption was at least one would start. Glad I was wrong on this one so far.

[LucastheThird]

1 minute ago, JayBirdHawk said:

I like Bogi and Huerter playing together - they each recognize when the other is hot and willing to pass the ball.

Going into the offseason, my hope was we'd get vets to supplement our young players from the bench. After we signed Gallo and Bogi to those high dollar deals, the assumption was at least one would start. Glad I was wrong on this one so far.

We all assumed one would get to start, and Bogi might start later in the season. But I honestly love him being the big fish with our second unit. Our team offense is better with him not starting but still getting plenty of minutes. 

[JayBirdHawk]

13 minutes ago, LucastheThird said:

We all assumed one would get to start, and Bogi might start later in the season. But I honestly love him being the big fish with our second unit. Our team offense is better with him not starting but still getting plenty of minutes. 

If Cam keeps up his play, particularly defensively, I don't see Bogi starting over him.

[RedDawg#8]

Things worked themselves out it seems. Bogi has been bad in every start of his, but has been very good with the bench unit. Trae gets to be flanked by 2 (im going to say it) ELITE wing defenders now, which makes our starting unit way more dynamic on both ends. 

I still think the Collins/Capela fit is a work in progress as neither seem to be at their best when they are on court together. But we have been able to stagger them a lot due to injuries, it'll be interesting to see the big man rotations once Gallo and OO come back.

We really are a deep team yall. We may be a problem this year. If Trae is a lock to get you 30 most nights, theres at least 9 other guys who are a threat to go for 20. You only need a couple of them to have great games, and everyone else can just be solid and you are looking at 120 points easy.

Contrast that with Boston. Jaylen Brown and Tatum are killing it, but they have to in order to win. They have no other firepower until Kemba returns, and even then, thats it. 

We are the Deepest team in East for sure.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

Good Stuff!

[Peoriabird]

On 11/24/2020 at 9:55 PM, NBASupes said:

Based on the Zoom meeting

Trae/Rondo/Goodwin 

Bogi/Kev/Dunn

Cam/Hunter/Snell

JC/Gallo/Solo

Capela/OO17/Bruno

 

well well well...What do we have here?

[NBASupes]

2 hours ago, Peoriabird said:

well well well...What do we have here?

Was this during the preseason? 

[Peoriabird]

Just now, NBASupes said:

Was this during the preseason? 

Don't know but it was after the Bogi signing