What does the ideal lineup around Trae even look like?

[Jamaaliver]

Word on the street is that we're retooling around TY and JJ.

But what players or archetypes are the best fits for that?

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[Jamaaliver]

I'd say that a 3 & D wing to defend the best opposing guards, space the floor and finish strong in transition is the ideal backcourt mate next to Trae.

• Think Devin Vassell,
• Mikael Bridges,
• Malcolm Brogdon,
• Malik Monk,
• Trey Murphy III,
• Kelly Oubre,
• 2022 Andrew Wiggins or
• 2016 Klay Thompson

A 3 & D Center to defend the rim, defend in space, space the floor from the corners and work as a rim runner. This will be difficult to find.

• Karl-Anthony Towns is expensive and can't guard on the perimeter, but his scoring and floor spacing makes him the ideal candidate
• Okongwu can do most of this, but doesn't space the floor...yet
• Ke'Le Ware in the draft works on paper.
• Kelly Olynyk is a solid option, but isn't much of a rim protector or perimeter defender.
• Jalen Smith is a strong option here, also.

A microwave scorer off the bench seems like a useful addition. They can provide a spark when Trae is struggling or take advantage of driving lanes when opposing defenses trap Trae in the back court. Ideally, the player would be a combo guard capable of creating off the dribble for themselves and playmaking for others.

• Jordan Clarkson is the perfect option
• D'Angelo Russell is a worst case scenario.
• Dennis Schroeder might be the best backup PG in the league
• Kobe Bufkin is being groomed for this role in College Park

Defensive minded, big bodied combo forwards to backup and complement Jalen will be useful as well. Anyone able to guard Forwards and Centers, engage in dribble handoffs and likewise space the floor on offense. There's a plethora of players who can do most of these things well.

• PJ Washington,
• Deni Avdija,
• Kevin Love,
• Kyle Anderson,
• Dorian Finney-Smith,
• Jeremy Sochan
• Bobby Portis would be perfect.

Defensive minded backup Point Guard behind Trae seems necessary, too. Delon Wright, Tyus Jones are options.


Other players in general I like next to TY and Jalen:

• Obi Toppin (rim running, transition offense)
• Malik Beasly (shooting)
• Alec Burks (shooting)
• Kevin Huerter (shooting)
• Usman Garuba (defense)
• Isaiah Stewart (rebounding)
• Norm Powell (scoring)
• Mason Plumlee (rebounding, interior presence)
• Landry Shamet (backup guard play)
• Daniel Gafford (Rebounding, rim running)
• Aleksej Pokusevski (matchup versatility)
• Isaiah Hartenstein (rebounding, interior presence)
• Lu Dort (Perimeter Defense)
• Keldon Johnson (wing scoring)

[tbhawksfan1]

I think that it's really important to understand why THIS team is playing so poorly. On paper there is a lot of talent. Why is it not working?

I think that Capela is a big part of the problem and not having another NBA size and quality C on the team. OO should have been groomed to play PF from the beginning. Size matters.

Trae and DM might also be too small and slight to work. Also need better and more consistant shooting.

I hate to think that due to sub par play we are going to start trading at depressed value

[CP War Hawks]

Judging by past success, prime CC, prime Gallo, etc.

To summarize: a very good to elite defensive 7 footer, a big that can get his own shot in the low to mid post areas. Good catch and shooters along with good D&3 wings. So far they are not checking any of those boxes so far.

[HMFFL]

I think that it's really important to understand why THIS team is playing so poorly. On paper there is a lot of talent. Why is it not working?

I think that Capela is a big part of the problem and not having another NBA size and quality C on the team. OO should have been groomed to play PF from the beginning. Size matters.

Trae and DM might also be too small and slight to work. Also need better and more consistant shooting.

I hate to think that due to sub par play we are going to start trading at depressed value

We failed to build a team after making it to the ECF. It's as if the front office assumed we would have continued success without really trying. Milwaukee revealed that a huge weakness of ours is size and a lack of it.

I believe CC is a problem, not the only one, but he needs to go, unless he's going to be a serviceable big off our bench. I doubt he will be very serviceable anyways without having range. He does lead the league in offensive rebounds but he doesn't fit in Atlanta.

While we lack size, I just caught myself mentioning size that should be gone, but we need size that has range.

Trae just seems very difficult to build around. He must have an elite frontcourt players to have success. San Antoino would be perfect for Trae. We will find out soon enough what Trae's preferred list of teams are.

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[HMFFL]

Putting defensive minded players around Trae won't work longterm. I say that, because while their skillset might be defense, those players will want shot attempts, and to not just focus on making up for Trae's weaknesses. He needs an elite frontcourt talent to team up with like Wemby, Jokic, or Embiid.

I'd like to see Atlanta remove the young players that are making $20m per season and just focus on talent that are elite shooters & have speed. The pace needs to be high on the court at all times. It's going to be difficult to find a 5 that's going to be able to compete with Wemby, Jokic, and Embiid anyways.

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[Jamaaliver]

Defense, shooting and transition scoring? Is that all you need around them?

[Jamaaliver]

I think Tobias Harris and DeAnthony Melton would fit in here very well, too.

Tobias in particular -- he's a better defender than Saddiq and a better shooter than DeAndre Hunter. He'd fit in perfect next to Okongwu and Jalen.

[D21]

I'd say that a 3 & D wing to defend the best opposing guards, space the floor and finish strong in transition is the ideal backcourt mate next to Trae.

• Think Devin Vassell,
• Mikael Bridges,
• Malcolm Brogdon,
• Malik Monk,
• Trey Murphy III,
• Kelly Oubre,
• 2022 Andrew Wiggins or
• 2016 Klay Thompson

A 3 & D Center to defend the rim, defend in space, space the floor from the corners and work as a rim runner. This will be difficult to find.

• Karl-Anthony Towns is expensive and can't guard on the perimeter, but his scoring and floor spacing makes him the ideal candidate
• Okongwu can do most of this, but doesn't space the floor...yet
• Ke'Le Ware in the draft works on paper.
• Kelly Olynyk is a solid option, but isn't much of a rim protector or perimeter defender.
• Jalen Smith is a strong option here, also.

A microwave scorer off the bench seems like a useful addition. They can provide a spark when Trae is struggling or take advantage of driving lanes when opposing defenses trap Trae in the back court. Ideally, the player would be a combo guard capable of creating off the dribble for themselves and playmaking for others.

• Jordan Clarkson is the perfect option
• D'Angelo Russell is a worst case scenario.
• Dennis Schroeder might be the best backup PG in the league
• Kobe Bufkin is being groomed for this role in College Park

Defensive minded, big bodied combo forwards to backup and complement Jalen will be useful as well. Anyone able to guard Forwards and Centers, engage in dribble handoffs and likewise space the floor on offense. There's a plethora of players who can do most of these things well.

• PJ Washington,
• Deni Avdija,
• Kevin Love,
• Kyle Anderson,
• Dorian Finney-Smith,
• Jeremy Sochan
• Bobby Portis would be perfect.

Defensive minded backup Point Guard behind Trae seems necessary, too. Delon Wright, Tyus Jones are options.


Other players in general I like next to TY and Jalen:

• Obi Toppin (rim running, transition offense)
• Malik Beasly (shooting)
• Alec Burks (shooting)
• Kevin Huerter (shooting)
• Usman Garuba (defense)
• Isaiah Stewart (rebounding)
• Norm Powell (scoring)
• Mason Plumlee (rebounding, interior presence)
• Landry Shamet (backup guard play)
• Daniel Gafford (Rebounding, rim running)
• Aleksej Pokusevski (matchup versatility)
• Isaiah Hartenstein (rebounding, interior presence)
• Lu Dort (Perimeter Defense)
• Keldon Johnson (wing scoring)

Where is Buddy Hield?

[Geaux_Hawks]

Depends really on where you want JJ.

If you're playing JJ at the 3, then you have the option to mix it up at the 4/5. This would also be ideal for OO because I think he essentially is easier to make fit playing the 4. Jusuf Nurkic would just be an underrated addition at the 5 with OO at the 4.

Lauri at the 4 and JJJ at the 5(probably the best combo) or OO at the 4 and KAT at the 5 would be the most ideal pairings.

The combo of Jonathan Isaac and Wendell Carter(OO/Wendell would work similarly). Would love to have Jabari Smith Jr at the 4. A lot of people wouldn't like Ayton, but he'd be interesting as he does offer a modern 5 skill set. I'd be interested in someone like Deni Advija with an ideal 5 or even Tobias Harris. Nikola Jovic?

Then there's.......Ben Simmons(I'll just leave it at that). Ultimately, some combo of spacing, size, defense, and rebounding should incapsulate the 4/5. Would be hard pressed trying to find the perfect combo unless OO just took a huge leap as a shooter. That's not to say we couldn't make some of these 4's work with Clint either.

If you're looking to play JJ at the 4, I would say it relies on who you get to play the 3. You could go pure size and defense at the 5. I personally would want someone like Trey Murphy III. Cam Johnson would also be ideal. Thybulle would be the best pure defender and a versatile one at that.

When it comes to the 2 guard, OG would've been ideal, but again Thybulle shooting like he has currently fits and still keeps the door open for guys like Murphy and Cam.

All that said, I think Landry and co, with Quinn's input, will have to get creative with what players you want around Trae. Size and defense are probably the bigger priorities, but any spacing would help, and can't discount athleticism either. JJ starting to bud helps a ton because he has the ideal skill set in the frontcourt.

An unorthodox approach wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility since we have Quinn coaching. It might actually be the best way even. No matter what, we're in a space where we have to find what works with Trae at least. If we're not, then just trade him and start over with what you can get from a trade. Otherwise, we're just wasting years and value.

[Anderson Hunt]

If you're building a championship-level team with Young, you make him a third-option and utilize his most elite skill ---- his passing. Trae Young should be averaging 17 points and 12 assists if you want your team to win a ring.

You need two guys on the team who are better than him, and those two guys must be great on the defensive end in addition to averaging more points than Young.

The prototype (2 two-way stars, best backcourt defender in the league opposite Young, and a jumpshooting/rim-protecting center):

PG - Young
SG - Caruso
C - Lopez
PF - Giannis
SF - Leonard

More realistic (unleash Jalen Johnson and hope he becomes a two-way star/Giannis-lite, acquire an overpaid two-way star in Jaylen Brown, acquire a jumpshooting shotblocking defensive anchor in Myles Turner, and acquire a defensive pitbull guard like Caruso:

PG - Young
SG - Caruso
C - Turner
PF - Johnson
SF - Brown

[Jamaaliver]

This is a dude that could help a ton of competitive teams win basketball games.

I'd love to get him here.

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[Jamaaliver]

Obi Toppin or Harrison Barnes seem extremely attainable at a pretty low cost this summer.

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[King Ken]

Trae Young
Prime Danny Green
Mikal Bridges
JJ since we are already adding him into the lineup
KAT, probably his best offensive fit in the NBA for Trae.

This is ideal. I would replace JJ will JJJ at the 4 if we are keeping it a buck.

[myrak433]

I think a line-up would fit Trae

PG-Trae Young
SG-Max Strus
SF-Royce O'Neal or Jalen Johnson
PF-Okongwu
C-KAT
Bench-Bogi, Jalen Johnson or Royce O'Neal, Luguentz Dort

you have 4 strong defenders in O'Neal, Strus, Okongwu, and Dort

[Jamaaliver]

I think a line-up would fit Trae

PG-Trae Young
SG-Max Strus
SF-Royce O'Neal or Jalen Johnson
PF-Okongwu
C-KAT

I'd support one final gamble of the Trae Young Era to add a frontcourt featuring KAT, Okongwu and Jalen sharing minutes at the 4 & 5 spots *with Trae manning the PG position.

Seeing that KAT can actually be a part of an above average defense with the right personnel/schemes in place, I think that would be a really balanced, dynamic attack with 3&D wings flanking them and doing all the dirty work for cheap.

NOTE: The locker room would need as many steady veterans as possible, because neither Trae nor Karl-Anthony are strong off court leaders.

[tbhawksfan1]

I think that we already have two guys who fit very well with Trae; JJ at SF and OO at PF. Need a scoring C and a 3 and D SG and we in business

[myrak433]

I think a line-up would fit Trae

PG-Trae Young
SG-Max Strus
SF-Royce O'Neal or Jalen Johnson
PF-Okongwu
C-KAT

I'd support one final gamble of the Trae Young Era to add a frontcourt featuring KAT, Okongwu and Jalen sharing minutes at the 4 & 5 spots *with Trae manning the PG position.

Seeing that KAT can actually be a part of an above average defense with the right personnel/schemes in place, I think that would be a really balanced, dynamic attack with 3&D wings flanking them and doing all the dirty work for cheap.

NOTE: The locker room would need as many steady veterans as possible, because neither Trae nor Karl-Anthony are strong off court leaders.

Taj Gibson, P.J. Tucker, Joe Ingles I feel would be solid bench veterans I also would try and bring back Gallo back.

[Jamaaliver]

If we part ways with Capela, this is the Center I'd like to add to share time with Okongwu.

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[Jamaaliver]

I'd be open to scooping up PJ Washington and Terry Rozier for low cost.

Even adding a vet like Gordon Hayward top our locker room could be beneficial.

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