Are We Concerned About Jalen Duren?

[Canadafan]

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[Kalamazoo317]

Yeah, starting center is the #1 area for this team to upgrade to be competitive around Cade. That upgrade could still happen from internal improvement, but we should consider all options going forward. If we drop too far in the draft to get Flagg/Bailey, could be some good options there.

[Cowology]

I think we're better off with a Walker Kesler type and you can usually find guys like that in the middle of the draft. We just need to stop targeting guys based on athleticism and start looking at character & competency. I dunno, maybe somebody who shows basic fundamental skills. That's a start.

[ComboGuardCity]

I think we're better off with a Walker Kesler type and you can usually find guys like that in the middle of the draft. We just need to stop targeting guys based on athleticism and start looking at character & competency. I dunno, maybe somebody who shows basic fundamental skills. That's a start.

We did that and ended up with Kennard over Mitchell. We then swung the other way and went with Stanley Johnson over Booker. The draft is such a crapshoot that I’d rather we slightly overpay for proven talent. Not saying you were even talking about just the draft but that’s the only thing that I’ve been thinking about these past 10 years and I think that needs to change.

[jars]

We did that and ended up with Kennard over Mitchell. We then swung the other way and went with Stanley Johnson over Booker. The draft is such a crapshoot that I’d rather we slightly overpay for proven talent. Not saying you were even talking about just the draft but that’s the only thing that I’ve been thinking about these past 10 years and I think that needs to change.

I'm having a lot of trouble with this statement because I agree and disagree. I think that our bigs aren't good enough to compete for a championship if they are both starters unless there is some crazy growth.

Whilst I agree that going out and paying for a better big will help Cade and almost certainly push us towards the playoffs, I don't see it putting us into a position to actually win championships, and that is the ultimate goal. Being a first round exit is pointless unless it is building towards us truly competing for a championship. If you look at the competing teams over the past few years, they all have a big who can either protect the rim at a high level or can shoot 3s above league average, or both:
Celtics - Tingus Pingus and Horford
Cavs - Mobley and Allen
Thunder - Chet
Twolves - Gobert and KAT
Knicks - KAT
Lakers - Davis
Nuggets - Jokic
Grizz - JJJ
Bucks - Lopez and Giannis
Heat - Bam
Warriors - Draymond

We simply don't have a guy on our roster that is better at rim protecting or shooting 3s compared to that list. You don't just 'get' these guys in free agency and teams are only trading these guys if they suck as an organisation, or if the players take a leap. So how can we get a guy like this? Either strike gold or develop. This whole post has made me remember that we could have had Wemby with Cade...

[Kalamazoo317]

Credit where credit’s due - good defensive effort by Duren vs the Raps

[dVs33]

Credit where credit’s due - good defensive effort by Duren vs the Raps

Yeah the effort was better against the raps. I think having Thompson on the wings will also help duren defensively

[A_dub06]

Duren is a concern, between the wavering defensive effort, poor defensive awareness and worse FT%, even despite the age his short comings I believe aren’t something that just develop, poor defensive IQ can slightly improve but not to the point we need it and I highly doubt he’s going to become some even average shooter.

The problems go deeper than that too, unless Ivey or Ausur become a star this team just doesn’t have the young talent to to become a force, and even if one of them pops up and becomes something good, I still think we lack talent. Call me a pessimist or negative whatever, but we still need the draft to build and some massive luck in the draft.

[Uncle Mxy]

Honestly, I think Stew is in his perfect role as backup 5 and I don't want to mess with that. I'd start Bball Paul and let Duren get mop up minutes until he shows he's hungrier.

I'd want to start someone who has at least a 50/50 chance of winning the opening tap (if not better). I don't have those stats offhand, but I doubt it's Beef Stew.