Westbrook is here! How do we make this work?

[playaloc916]

I said this in another thread already, IMO it's championship or bust. Russ will either help the Clips over the hump, or he will just be another washed point guard strikeout. I don't think he will be the reason the Clips lose; that will always be on Kawhi and PG. Rondo, Bledsoe, and Wall were all disappointments, but to say they were the main reason for losses isn't right.

I do think there's a few factors that are in Russ' favor... He has previous connections with a few players, whereas with the Lakers, I think he was an outsider from the beginning. His reputation took a huge hit with the Lakers, and I think he was humbled a bit, so he has incentive to play within the system to redeem himself, while also being able to compete for a championship. No true point guard on the team, so if he sticks to his role, we might see PG handling the ball less, which is always a good thing. Lastly, FO must have been crystal clear with him of their expectations. If he's bad, they have other options to turn to (Mann, EG, Hyland).

Don't know how it will turn out, but it's going to be interesting.

[MartinToVaught]

So they just said FU to Lawrance Frank? PG&Mook&Lue won. I mean this was all over the press conferences last week.
I hope this means Morris goes to bench and Mann still in the starting line-up, but not really. If so, this season is over for me.

This signing should be a referendum on Lue and PG. They wanted this, so if it doesn't work out, then it's time for the front office to move on from both of them. And I say this as someone who doesn't hate Russ and isn't writing off any chance of him contributing positively to the team.

[Wammy Giveaway]

Either way, this should be the last time the FO signs one of PG's buddies. They've been bending over backwards to assemble the All-PG's Friends Team for years now. If PG still can't get it done in the playoffs, there's no more excuses.

Instead of "no more excuses," this should be an ultimatum. Win a title, or you're gone. An ejection also triggers it (Remember what happened to DeRozan on Raptors after getting swept by Cavs).

Maybe Clippers should consider putting a clause on a player's contract stating they cannot make or coerce front office decisions. How would you feel about that? Should it extend onto coach and their staff as well?

[Wammy Giveaway]

I do think there's a few factors that are in Russ' favor... He has previous connections with a few players, whereas with the Lakers, I think he was an outsider from the beginning. His reputation took a huge hit with the Lakers, and I think he was humbled a bit, so he has incentive to play within the system to redeem himself, while also being able to compete for a championship.

What about the Good Samaritan Spurs mentality that Leonard has imposed on the team? Westbrook has a history of techs, flagrants and ejections. Morris's ejection vs. Knicks triggered the swaps on deadline day. Can Westbrook be a model citizen and not let his personal emotions trigger another Lottery Apocalypse?

[esqtvd]

Gotta keep the Mann, PG, and Kawhi starting trio going no matter what. Its starting or was starting to become something special. Russ either moves Morris to the bench if he starts or he goes to the second unit.

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per 100 possessions:

George-Leonard-Mann = plus+7.5
George-Leonard-Morris = plus+10.1
George-Leonard-Jackson = plus+15.5




https://www.nba.com/stats/lineups/traditional?GroupQuantity=3&PerMode=Per100Possessions&TeamID=1610612746&dir=D&slug=traditional&sort=PLUS_MINUS

[NickP]

Gotta keep the Mann, PG, and Kawhi starting trio going no matter what. Its starting or was starting to become something special. Russ either moves Morris to the bench if he starts or he goes to the second unit.

Read on Twitter

per 100 possessions:

George-Leonard-Mann = plus+7.5
George-Leonard-Morris = plus+10.1
George-Leonard-Jackson = plus+15.5




https://www.nba.com/stats/lineups/traditional?GroupQuantity=3&PerMode=Per100Possessions&TeamID=1610612746&dir=D&slug=traditional&sort=PLUS_MINUS

Stay with us Tom. Reggie's gone.

[esqtvd]

Toon of the Day lol

[NickP]

The only silver lining I see is somehow Westbrook takes Morris' slot in the lineup.

[esqtvd]

Gotta keep the Mann, PG, and Kawhi starting trio going no matter what. Its starting or was starting to become something special. Russ either moves Morris to the bench if he starts or he goes to the second unit.

Read on Twitter

per 100 possessions:

George-Leonard-Mann = plus+7.5
George-Leonard-Morris = plus+10.1
George-Leonard-Jackson = plus+15.5




https://www.nba.com/stats/lineups/traditional?GroupQuantity=3&PerMode=Per100Possessions&TeamID=1610612746&dir=D&slug=traditional&sort=PLUS_MINUS

Stay with us Tom. Reggie's gone.

just some mathematical edumication for the Mann-bois

Morris is still here

[esqtvd]

Read on Twitter

Starters George — who authored the best statistical season of his career next to Westbrook in Oklahoma City in 2018-19 — and Marcus Morris Sr. backed Westbrook’s fit publicly one day after the deadline passed, saying the team’s collection of seven rotation players shooting 37% or better on three-pointers could better accommodate Westbrook’s strengths and weaknesses than the Lakers.

“We can run with him and that’s kind of our game is spacing the floor,” George said. “I know that’s my game, spacing the floor for being a shooter on the perimeter and then just running with him in transition — I think that’s what we can complement him [with]. We got a bunch of guys that fit that play style as well for myself, Kawhi, Norm [Powell], [Terance] Mann and quite honestly we need somebody. You know, it sucked that John [Wall] didn’t work, but what John brought is what we need: a guy that can get up and down the floor … and get us some easy baskets in transition.”

https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2023-02-20/clippers-reportedly-plan-to-sign-russell-westbrook

[madmaxmedia]

1. Even with the new blood, our ceiling realistically was still probably a 2nd round exit IMO before this signing.
2. All reports indicate Clipper brass had extensive discussions with Russ on fit and role on the Clippers, if either party didn’t like what they heard this wouldn’t have happened IMO.
3. I think Russ could still be effective as lead ball handler in a paint and spray game with shooters around him (which unit is a different question but we do have shooters up and down the roster.)
4. Russ is old but still has a high motor and plays with fire and intensity which we sometimes seem to lack.

This may or may not get us out of the 2nd round but there’s a chance. If it doesn’t then we cut ties in the off-season and go for better targets via trade.

The biggest negative for me is I wanted to see more Bones, but I don’t think he was going to be the difference maker or anything. I just like seeing younger players with upside develop, just like it’s fun to see BBJ on the floor even if we’re not necessarily expecting him to win a bunch of games for us right now.

I think ideal workload for Russ is 20-25 MPG (starting or off the bench), that gives us different looks when he's on the floor vs. off. Norm and EJ's minutes aren't necessarily impacted by Russ, but Bone's minutes certainly will be. I think there's a much better chance at 20 high quality minutes of Russ in a game vs. 30. Be somewhat situational to try to put him in positions to succeed, rather than try him as a 30 MPG main frontline guy. Or another way of putting it, give him 20 high usage MPG rather than 30 medium usage MPG where his deficiencies will stand out a lot more.

Most of us liked having Mann start at point guard, but reality IMO is reflected in those plus/minus numbers. As long as we didn’t have a true point guard candidate that was the best place to play him. If he can still play assertively and look to score as he’s seemed to the last couple of games, he can still find minutes going forward.

I wasn’t hoping for us to add Russ, now that we have I’m actually looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

[Scoundreldays]

I'd be optimistic about him potentially starting if he could shoot a lick or if we had a stretch big.

[NickP]

1. Even with the new blood, our ceiling realistically was still probably a 2nd round exit IMO before this signing.
2. All reports indicate Clipper brass had extensive discussions with Russ on fit and role on the Clippers, if either party didn’t like what they heard this wouldn’t have happened IMO.
3. I think Russ could still be effective as lead ball handler in a paint and spray game with shooters around him (which unit is a different question but we do have shooters up and down the roster.)
4. Russ is old but still has a high motor and plays with fire and intensity which we sometimes seem to lack.

This may or may not get us out of the 2nd round but there’s a chance. If it doesn’t then we cut ties in the off-season and go for better targets via trade.

The biggest negative for me is I wanted to see more Bones, but I don’t think he was going to be the difference maker or anything. I just like seeing younger players with upside develop, just like it’s fun to see BBJ on the floor even if we’re not necessarily expecting him to win a bunch of games for us right now.

I think ideal workload for Russ is 20-25 MPG (starting or off the bench), that gives us different looks when he's on the floor vs. off. Norm and EJ's minutes aren't necessarily impacted by Russ, but Bone's minutes certainly will be. I think there's a much better chance at 20 high quality minutes of Russ in a game vs. 30. Be somewhat situational to try to put him in positions to succeed, rather than try him as a 30 MPG main frontline guy. Or another way of putting it, give him 20 high usage MPG rather than 30 medium usage MPG where his deficiencies will stand out a lot more.

Most of us liked having Mann start at point guard, but reality IMO is reflected in those plus/minus numbers. As long as we didn’t have a true point guard candidate that was the best place to play him. If he can still play assertively and look to score as he’s seemed to the last couple of games, he can still find minutes going forward.

I wasn’t hoping for us to add Russ, now that we have I’m actually looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

I'd be all for it if this means benching Sr.

[nickhx2]

I'd be optimistic about him potentially starting if he could shoot a lick or if we had a stretch big.

or if morris wasn't on the team

or if lue had morris on a 15mpg bench/pinch hitter role

or if i had literally any faith in lue to not overplay vets because of their name/stature rather than playing the guys who fit the team best

or if lue wasn't so brain-dead that he could see that he's bringing in a player who's likely going to exacerbate the worst issues that this team has, which are dumb turnovers and dumb shots in critical moments

i could go on. i probably will in future posts. this whole thing is exhausting to me. just not a good move at all for a million reasons, imo.

[KL2]

Read on Twitter

?cxt=HHwWhMDUicuYipctAAAA

The only silver lining I see is somehow Westbrook takes Morris' slot in the lineup.

I’ve seen this kicked around but don’t want to get my hopes up.

Zu/Leonard/Mann/George/Westbrook
Plumlee/Morris/Powell/Gordon/Bones

But that puts Batum on the outs too. Not in favor of that.

[madmaxmedia]

Read on Twitter

?cxt=HHwWhMDUicuYipctAAAA

The only silver lining I see is somehow Westbrook takes Morris' slot in the lineup.

I’ve seen this kicked around but don’t want to get my hopes up.

Zu/Leonard/Mann/George/Westbrook
Plumlee/Morris/Powell/Gordon/Bones

But that puts Batum on the outs too. Not in favor of that.

I actually like that first unit. If we assume Westbrook as a starter then I think my version for the 2nd unit would be:

Zu/Leonard/Mann/George/Westbrook
Plumlee/Morris/Batum/Powell/Gordon

[Wammy Giveaway]

1st Version

Code: Select all

PG: Westbrook | Powell    | Hyland
SG: Mann      | Gordon    | Preston
SF: George    | Batum     | Boston Jr.
PF: Leonard   | Morris    | Coffey
C:  Zubac     | Plumlee   | Covington


2nd Version

Code: Select all

PG: Westbrook | Mann      | Hyland
SG: George    | Powell    | Preston
SF: Leonard   | Gordon    | Boston Jr.
PF: Morris    | Batum     | Coffey
C:  Zubac     | Plumlee   | Covington

[nickhx2]

i'd prefer to talk about suggested drink lineups

and i don't drink anymore

(basically saying russell westbrook is going to drive me to drink, guys)

[esqtvd]

Read on Twitter

[nickhx2]

btw i would wanna note that when you have a situation where the number of "ifs" required to make it work are beyond count

that's not a good thing