Why is Gortat starting over Harrell?

[Galloisdaman]

I don't get it. He could start for us. Gortat is a disaster and we have nobody to take his place.

Tyson Chandler has agreed to a buyout with the Phoenix Suns and plans to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The sides agreed to a buyout on the $13.6 million left in the final year of his original four-year deal.

Chandler will be a backup to starting center JaVale McGee. The Lakers have had a lack of size up front.

The prorated minimum for Chandler once he clears waivers will be $2.1 million. The Lakers will have a $1.3 million cap hit on the books.

I'm hoping it's that we don't have the cap space.

I did not want to be negative but I never understood the trade from the start. Austin was coming off a career best season. I thought a conditional late 1st might have been possible. Was it an over reaction to DJ leaving?

[esqtvd]

I don't get it. He could start for us. Gortat is a disaster and we have nobody to take his place.

Tyson Chandler has agreed to a buyout with the Phoenix Suns and plans to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The sides agreed to a buyout on the $13.6 million left in the final year of his original four-year deal.

Chandler will be a backup to starting center JaVale McGee. The Lakers have had a lack of size up front.

The prorated minimum for Chandler once he clears waivers will be $2.1 million. The Lakers will have a $1.3 million cap hit on the books.

I'm hoping it's that we don't have the cap space.

I did not want to be negative but I never understood the trade from the start. Austin was coming off a career best season. I thought a conditional late 1st might have been possible. Was it an over reaction to DJ leaving?

Austin was outta here next summer anyway and they decided to invest 2 years in Avery, who avged 16 points only 2 years ago and made the All-Defensive First Team only 3 years ago. Austin was redundant.

Neither is covering himself in glory at the moment, but as bad as Avery's been, Austin's been worse. [I think it's a combination of Austin trying not to come on too strong and the fact he's always been much more effective as a starter, but he's still sucking.]

“Career year, I am trying to come here and expand my game and help this team in many ways especially both ends of the floor. Offensively and defensively. I have not been able to do anything for this team offensively so far this year, and it is frustrating because we are losing games," Rivers said. "I don’t know. I keep talking to everybody, and they keep telling me to be aggressive, so I’m trying to find ways to be aggressive."

"It’s not about shots, but I’m only shooting it three times a game. I’m trying to figure out what I can do to be more aggressive, to put myself in position to score and make plays because we’re not scoring the ball enough. I am trying to figure this [expletive] out, man.”

Last season, he attempted the fifth-most isolation plays per game (21.8) in the league (min. 50 games played), yet ranked third in effective field goal percentage (52.6) and had the lowest turnover frequency (3.3%) on such tries. This season, his EFG percentage (27.8) is down while the turnovers (10.0% per isolation) are up.

https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/austin-rivers-expresses-frustration-his-poor-play-start-season

[Max Headrom]

I don't get it. He could start for us. Gortat is a disaster and we have nobody to take his place.

Tyson Chandler has agreed to a buyout with the Phoenix Suns and plans to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The sides agreed to a buyout on the $13.6 million left in the final year of his original four-year deal.

Chandler will be a backup to starting center JaVale McGee. The Lakers have had a lack of size up front.

The prorated minimum for Chandler once he clears waivers will be $2.1 million. The Lakers will have a $1.3 million cap hit on the books.

I'm hoping it's that we don't have the cap space.

Naw man, Chandler best days are WAY behind him. Just go to the Suns forum and check out their reaction to him being gone...lol

[Galloisdaman]

I don't get it. He could start for us. Gortat is a disaster and we have nobody to take his place.



I'm hoping it's that we don't have the cap space.

I did not want to be negative but I never understood the trade from the start. Austin was coming off a career best season. I thought a conditional late 1st might have been possible. Was it an over reaction to DJ leaving?

Austin was outta here next summer anyway and they decided to invest 2 years in Avery, who avged 16 points only 2 years ago and made the All-Defensive First Team only 3 years ago. Austin was redundant.

Neither is covering himself in glory at the moment, but as bad as Avery's been, Austin's been worse. [I think it's a combination of Austin trying not to come on too strong and the fact he's always been much more effective as a starter, but he's still sucking.]

“Career year, I am trying to come here and expand my game and help this team in many ways especially both ends of the floor. Offensively and defensively. I have not been able to do anything for this team offensively so far this year, and it is frustrating because we are losing games," Rivers said. "I don’t know. I keep talking to everybody, and they keep telling me to be aggressive, so I’m trying to find ways to be aggressive."

"It’s not about shots, but I’m only shooting it three times a game. I’m trying to figure out what I can do to be more aggressive, to put myself in position to score and make plays because we’re not scoring the ball enough. I am trying to figure this [expletive] out, man.”

Last season, he attempted the fifth-most isolation plays per game (21.8) in the league (min. 50 games played), yet ranked third in effective field goal percentage (52.6) and had the lowest turnover frequency (3.3%) on such tries. This season, his EFG percentage (27.8) is down while the turnovers (10.0% per isolation) are up.

https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/wizards/austin-rivers-expresses-frustration-his-poor-play-start-season

Maybe I used poor wording. My question was not not really about keeping Rivers. My question was why Gortat? I thought the team could have got a conditional late draft pick for Rivers instead of Gortat coming off a 15ppg season.

[esqtvd]

Maybe I used poor wording. My question was not not really about keeping Rivers. My question was why Gortat? I thought the team could have got a conditional late draft pick for Rivers instead of Gortat coming off a 15ppg season.

Same reason Avery didn't get a great offer anywhere, I guess--not much interest. You could get Avery for the same salary as Austin gets, and not have to give up a pick or a player. I don't know what Austin's market value is--I guess we'll see next summer. I thought he did a very good job for us, especially filling in at 3 positions with all the injuries, but I don't think of him as a hot commodity.

I also don't think Jerry West thought Gortat would be so wretched. As it turned out, we kept Avery instead of Austin and got Gortat for what amounts to nothing. Which is about what he's been worth. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[esqtvd]

I don't get it. He could start for us. Gortat is a disaster and we have nobody to take his place.

Tyson Chandler has agreed to a buyout with the Phoenix Suns and plans to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The sides agreed to a buyout on the $13.6 million left in the final year of his original four-year deal.

Chandler will be a backup to starting center JaVale McGee. The Lakers have had a lack of size up front.

The prorated minimum for Chandler once he clears waivers will be $2.1 million. The Lakers will have a $1.3 million cap hit on the books.

I'm hoping it's that we don't have the cap space.

Naw man, Chandler best days are WAY behind him. Just go to the Suns forum and check out their reaction to him being gone...lol

One of the guys on Twitter had a stat with some killer defensive numbers with Chandler on the floor. At this point, we need a placeholder starter to replace Gortat, maybe 15-20 mpg. Is Chandler worse than Gortat?

[Max Headrom]

I don't get it. He could start for us. Gortat is a disaster and we have nobody to take his place.



I'm hoping it's that we don't have the cap space.

Naw man, Chandler best days are WAY behind him. Just go to the Suns forum and check out their reaction to him being gone...lol

One of the guys on Twitter had a stat with some killer defensive numbers with Chandler on the floor. At this point, we need a placeholder starter to replace Gortat, maybe 15-20 mpg. Is Chandler worse than Gortat?

I would say yes. Because at least Gortat actually tries, he's just a terrible player now that can at least still set great picks. Chandler from what I've seen and from what I've seen Suns fans say, he doesn't even put forth the effort. Just mails it in.

[esqtvd]

Naw man, Chandler best days are WAY behind him. Just go to the Suns forum and check out their reaction to him being gone...lol

One of the guys on Twitter had a stat with some killer defensive numbers with Chandler on the floor. At this point, we need a placeholder starter to replace Gortat, maybe 15-20 mpg. Is Chandler worse than Gortat?

I would say yes. Because at least Gortat actually tries, he's just a terrible player now that can at least still set great picks. Chandler from what I've seen and from what I've seen Suns fans say, he doesn't even put forth the effort. Just mails it in.

LOL, OK I'll take your word for it

I always say that people who think things can't get any worse have no imagination

[Max Headrom]

One of the guys on Twitter had a stat with some killer defensive numbers with Chandler on the floor. At this point, we need a placeholder starter to replace Gortat, maybe 15-20 mpg. Is Chandler worse than Gortat?

I would say yes. Because at least Gortat actually tries, he's just a terrible player now that can at least still set great picks. Chandler from what I've seen and from what I've seen Suns fans say, he doesn't even put forth the effort. Just mails it in.

LOL, OK I'll take your word for it

I always say that people who think things can't get any worse have no imagination

Lol!! Yeah, we're better off with the Iron Giant (Boban) getting more minutes than bringing in over the hill vets.

[13th Man]

So is it time to give Montrezl a shot at starting?? Whatever happened to the "I'll try every combination" thing that Doc said earlier?

[13th Man]

Doc keeps going with the Boban experiment at starting, how many times does Harrell need to play full quarters to try to save this team?

Here's a wild thought. Give Harrell a shot at starting so that he could play 30-35 mins a night conventionally as every other #1 center on their respective teams do.

[13th Man]

If you want a spark off the bench, bring in Boban 2nd. We know that Boban isn't the most reliable so if he's productive, let him do his thing. If he stinks it up, then bring in Gortat as insurance. From what I see, Boban would be a very nice backup center who could feast on the other team's 2nd units. He is still a bigger game changer than Gortat so is worth getting minutes every game, but as a starter?

How is this rotation not obvious to anybody not named Doc Rivers?

[Galloisdaman]

Feels like they are giving up 110-120 points almost every night. Is that about the center position? Is that about pace? Is that about rebounds? They don't turn the ball over much so its strange to be giving up so many points.

[Wammy Giveaway]

The Clippers have the worst center rotation in the league, armed with three bigs, each with their own unique flaws.

Marcin Gortat is old, and is getting older. But he's their only stable starter because of Doc's set schemes. Montrezl Harrell is too short to be a center, 6'9" in fact (the height of a small forward), so he uses athletic height to compensate for his physical height. Too many hops can wear a player down; pretty soon, Harrell will be prone to leg and knee injuries. Doc Rivers has always wanted to bring Harrell off the bench for his energy and game-changing abilities, and starting Harrell would rob the Clippers of that surprise factor. Harrell is seen more as a Sixth Man Of The Year candidate, not an All-Star, though Doc wishes to see bench players like Harrell make the All-Star Game too.

Boban Marjanovic is the perfect center for his size... in another time. The NBA has moved on from intimidating big men with slow and methodical post play to stretch bigs and 3-point specialists. The NBA is a fast-paced see-saw; Marjanovic is the swing of the blacktops. But Doc Rivers has found a strange use for him as an emergency savior: whenever the Clippers are down double digits and a loss is inevitable, he brings in the big man as a motivational lucky charm. Other times, he is brought in to defend an inbounds play to protect the lead and eventual win. Boban off the bench keeps the intimidation factor alive; scouts will be so focused on the Clipper players that are used the most, they'll completely ignore good ol' Marj on account of his DNPs. If Boban starts, Clippers lose the element of surprise and opponents will instantly target the big man.

What the Clippers have created is an unstable center lineup akin to that of a magician. Doc River's strategy is leaving Gortat out as long as possible to keep Harrell energetic and eager and Marjanovic on standby, like if Doc were a mentalist attempting misdirection. The consensus among the board members here is to trade Gortat, but what if there is no value. One person I spoke to on Twitter suggested the Clippers trade Gortat for two guards, Courtney Lee and Trey Burke, but I leaned against it because Doc's element of surprise would instantly be muted, and the only way to hold on to that strategy would be masquerading. Remember when the Lob City era had no small forwards and had to do it by committee with Luc Mbah A Moute, a natural power forward, playing the 3 spot? Remember when point guards, shooting guards and power forwards had to pretend to be a small forward, good times. History would repeat itself, this time with guards and forwards pretending to be a center, if not protect the rim. Can you imagine Shai Gilgeous-Alexander guarding bigs when he's best against guards and forwards? Put Danilo Gallinari or Tobias Harris in the 5, it's gonna be ugly. Zone defense would have a field day with the Clippers.

The center position could be what drops the Clippers out of the playoff race.

[esqtvd]

So is it time to give Montrezl a shot at starting?? Whatever happened to the "I'll try every combination" thing that Doc said earlier?

I believe that ever since Doc gave Gortat a wakeup call by benching him [and breaking his top consecutive games streaks], the analytics are there. Our starting unit has good numbers, especially lately.

Plus, Trezz has been terrorizing second units, so why muck with that? Let him run. Plus Trezz is our 4th quarter center anyway. It's cool.

That said,

The center position could be what drops the Clippers out of the playoff race.

Brother Alfredo may well be right here. At center we only have placeholders and gizmos. [At 6'7 1/2", Trezz is somewhere between the two.]