Woody ball leaves no place for Novak. The offence has slowed and doesn't fit his game, and the defence, though it has dipped of late, has become the preferred method. With this newly focused squad's aspirations in mind, the Novak fairytale is over.
● Over the next 4 seasons, including the remainder of the current season, Novak is owed $4,054,055, $3,750,000, $3,445,947, $3,750,000.
JR Smith's stand out season has a player option sitting in wait at season's close, and I do not want to lose his rounded game in place of Novak's predictable and limited one, simply because he's been overpaid. Though Smith is touted as being a sporadic shooter, Novak's form has been less desirable than expected as a sniper this season, which has created the perfect imbalance given his incapability to make defensive plays. Though he's hitting 3s at a clip of 44%, we've all seen him shine in blowout games, or in situations where teams have struggled to guard the perimeter. When there's been call for heroics, Novak is merely an advantage for other team's offence.
This has rendered him an absolute liability. And, IMO, the feeling is mutual with Woodson. The play in which Novak let Brandon Bass just walk to the basket for an easy 2 yesterday was the catalyst for my rant. If there were anyone more upset than I was, it was Tyson Chandler, who glared at Novak like he wanted to skin him.
So as much as I've grown tired of Novak's short-comings, there will, however, always be suitors for his 44% 3 point prowess. With a log jam at the 2-3 and a void at the 4, I just can't see how one of the league's worst defenders has a niché with this team's aspirations. Aspirations that are routed in stopping teams. Given that's been less of a staple of late, the one-trick-pony cliché has to go.
At the risk of losing JR, with the hope of Shump's return adding to our perimeter game, for the sake of the D, and, most importantly, to stop me from punching myself on the d*ck.............
Trade Novak.
