Start Hart

[stan francisco]

Start Hart.

He’s a total beast. Cut off the ball and chain and he will blow up on the league. Besides the obvious, here’s why it’s so important.

Come playoffs time, we’ll need someone who can get and-ones attacking the rim. LBJ doesn’t do that to the same extent as most other superstars. He’s not a good FT shooter, maybe that’s why. Besides Kuzma and Ingram, I think Hart should finish games with that very specific team need in mind.

Cut, attack the hoop with force, get their bigs in foul trouble. He’s very good at absorbing fouls. Getting the and-one ruins the opponent’s flow, hit or miss. He’s strong as a bull around the rim.

Kobe always handled end of games that way in his prime. In any teetering game, you just knew with a few minutes left that it was time for Kobe to finish the game up. He’d completely ruin the other team’s flow by getting +1 after +1, and thus forcing the opponent to have play every possession against a set Lakers half court defense. Game over. LBJ is incredible but doesn’t have that venom.

Kuz, Hart and Ingram are our best rim attackers after LBJ, and they can also make their FTs. It needs to be done by committee by this group because as great as LBJ is, well, he would be even more dominant if he just took that one page from Kobe’s book.

Until he does, we need Hart’s beastliness over KCP’s experience to start and finish games with Hart at SG. Beast.

What do you guys think about it all?

[dockingsched]

Hart played 30 minutes to KCPs 18, only Lebron played more. Hart has also been closing out games. Starting or not, hard go complain about Hart’s minutes.

[Landsberger]

He's playing well. He's also not playing smart at times. For example, at about the 2 minute mark last night he decided to body up Harden 4 feet from the half court line in a still winnable game. That isn't smart and he paid for it immediately when Harden went around him like he was nailed to the floor. Harden got an easy hoop because the defense was set up for something different. He got the ball after the Harden layup and proceeded to dribble past all of his teammates and force a layup attempt of his own that missed. That sequence ended our slim hopes at that point. It's not his fault we lost by any means but those were not smart plays.

I see the good at times but he's also a young and inexperienced player doing things that are not in the team's best interests out there.

He gets a rep for defense around here but he's the easiest of our 4 rotational guards to drive around. He's not adjusted to that and it breaks the defense a lot of the time.

He rebounds very well and is shooting better and better it seems. Effort is there and it's obvious he wants to win. All good things.

In the end I see him as a 1st or 2nd guard off the bench on a really good team type of guy.... maybe a starter in the right situation. Not sure he's ready for that at the moment however. Now if we're talking KCP.... that's a different discussion.

[Slava]

He will end up starting for Ingram now. Who ends up sitting when Brandon returns is a different matter for a later date.

[Landsberger]

Yeah.... Kuzma and Hart will get more burn and maybe Zubac or Beasley because Kuz will be forced to play more forward with the starters and we will need someone else at center with the second unit.

[Spanish_Laker]

KCP is total garbage at the moment, I wish we could have the post ASB Pope from last season. We need to stay patient, keep him at the starting unit for 5 more games and let's see if he can be an effective player again before benching him.

[Tiesto_Lakers]

It's not who starts it's who finishes.

[milesfides]

I wouldn't. That would kill KCP's already dubious value. We need to do with him what we should have done with Julius Randle. Showcase early in the season, and get something (or anything) for him before the deadline.

I don't even like Hart's minutes. I would cut them and try to hide him until we clear out the backcourt. In my book, Hart is definitely a top 15, maybe top 10, shooting guard already, so what's to prove right now? We need to unload KCP. We don't need to showcase Hart.

[SlimShady83]

I wouldn't. That would kill KCP's already dubious value. We need to do with him what we should have done with Julius Randle. Showcase early in the season, and get something (or anything) for him before the deadline.

I don't even like Hart's minutes. I would cut them and try to hide him until we clear out the backcourt. In my book, Hart is definitely a top 15, maybe top 10, shooting guard already, so what's to prove right now? We need to unload KCP. We don't need to showcase Hart.

Isn't KCP just a 1 year rental can we even trade for him and would any team want to trade for him - even if it's for a 2nd round draft pic, which is what KCP is probably worth atm

[stan francisco]

Hart played 30 minutes to KCPs 18, only Lebron played more. Hart has also been closing out games. Starting or not, hard go complain about Hart’s minutes.

I want him to start now so that we can fuse the starters into a tight machinery. Not complaining about his minute, just saying he should start.

His shortcomings? His mistakes? That’s why. So that he can be full beast by playoffs time.

[kblo247]

I wouldn't. That would kill KCP's already dubious value. We need to do with him what we should have done with Julius Randle. Showcase early in the season, and get something (or anything) for him before the deadline.

I don't even like Hart's minutes. I would cut them and try to hide him until we clear out the backcourt. In my book, Hart is definitely a top 15, maybe top 10, shooting guard already, so what's to prove right now? We need to unload KCP. We don't need to showcase Hart.

1) KCP can’t be traded without his permission so give that up.

2) Hart is the worst guard of the bunch defensively because he’s the slowest laterally and likes to body people who face him up. He gets blown by and lost all the time. The Blazers had that run because he couldn’t keep the same defensive tone KCP started. The Rockets were having a layup line on him to Lance took Harden. He’s just too bad a defender to start.

3) Team would be best off starting Ball at Sgt before Hart to be honest or just starting Kuzma and Ingram on the wing while letting Beasley play backup 5 since he has a post game and Hart backup 4 like a mini PJ Tucker since his best attribute is post

4) Hart and Ingram suck at completing free throws

[Landsberger]

I wouldn't. That would kill KCP's already dubious value. We need to do with him what we should have done with Julius Randle. Showcase early in the season, and get something (or anything) for him before the deadline.

I don't even like Hart's minutes. I would cut them and try to hide him until we clear out the backcourt. In my book, Hart is definitely a top 15, maybe top 10, shooting guard already, so what's to prove right now? We need to unload KCP. We don't need to showcase Hart.

1) KCP can’t be traded without his permission so give that up.

2) Hart is the worst guard of the bunch defensively because he’s the slowest laterally and likes to body people who face him up. He gets blown by and lost all the time. The Blazers had that run because he couldn’t keep the same defensive tone KCP started. The Rockets were having a layup line on him to Lance took Harden. He’s just too bad a defender to start.

3) Team would be best off starting Ball at Sgt before Hart to be honest or just starting Kuzma and Ingram on the wing while letting Beasley play backup 5 since he has a post game and Hart backup 4 like a mini PJ Tucker since his best attribute is post

4) Hart and Ingram suck at completing free throws

I agree with #2. He is a sieve at point defense and engages waaaay too far away from the hoop for a guy without the quicks to stay in front of anyone. I like the guy but the defensive rep is undeserved..... at least in space. I think he's best suited for the speed bench bunch myself.

[Spens1]

Hart absolutely should start and Svi should be getting 10MPG, i'd say KCP should be third string at this point, he has been horrible so far.

[MAMBAEMD]

I think Lonzo and Kuz will start along with KCP, LBJ, and McGee.
Hart will come off the bench and lead that unit.

[stan francisco]

I wonder if some posters here might under rate his low post defense on switches. If he slows his attack down by a hair, plays more in control, he’ll be a lock for 20PPG. A double double threat every night.

As for KCP’s value in a future trade, it’s of course better if he’s playing well at that point but that’s not a wise justification for not starting your best five.

I think KCP will have an easier time off the bench here in the insanely star studded West, have a bigger impact from there. It will be seen by other GMs for what it is, that he got outplayed by Hart but is still starter material. He could be one of the better 6th men in the league together with Rondo.

When AD demands a trade here by January, KCP’s expiring becomes the priority value to NOP, not his contribution.

He might be more motivated to waive his NTC coming off the bench.

[Vae Victus]

KCP will accept a trade out of LAL if they tell him, "sorry dude, you suck, we're starting Hart and youre getting scrap mins.... but if you accept a trade your new team might play you more". Staying glued on the bench will just destroy his future contract, he'll want out if he's gonna get sent to the bench.

If KCP keeps sucking, his mins will get reduced as it is. I'd say about 15 games in if he doesnt show 2nd half KCP, he's gonna get benched.

[kblo247]

We win the Houston game if kcp finishes because Hart can’t and couldn’t defend worth ****

[stan francisco]

We win the Houston game if LBJ would take a weekly killer mentality class from Kobe on how to win every tight game from the FT line by getting and-ones.

Hart needs to see these moments now so he’s ready in April. He has a set, isn’t afraid of anyone, hates to lose, fights and attacks relentlessly. We need that by committee with the current roster.

[Ball so hard]

I wouldn't. That would kill KCP's already dubious value. We need to do with him what we should have done with Julius Randle. Showcase early in the season, and get something (or anything) for him before the deadline.

I don't even like Hart's minutes. I would cut them and try to hide him until we clear out the backcourt. In my book, Hart is definitely a top 15, maybe top 10, shooting guard already, so what's to prove right now? We need to unload KCP. We don't need to showcase Hart.

1) KCP can’t be traded without his permission so give that up.

2) Hart is the worst guard of the bunch defensively because he’s the slowest laterally and likes to body people who face him up. He gets blown by and lost all the time. The Blazers had that run because he couldn’t keep the same defensive tone KCP started. The Rockets were having a layup line on him to Lance took Harden. He’s just too bad a defender to start.

3) Team would be best off starting Ball at Sgt before Hart to be honest or just starting Kuzma and Ingram on the wing while letting Beasley play backup 5 since he has a post game and Hart backup 4 like a mini PJ Tucker since his best attribute is post

4) Hart and Ingram suck at completing free throws

I agree with #2. He is a sieve at point defense and engages waaaay too far away from the hoop for a guy without the quicks to stay in front of anyone. I like the guy but the defensive rep is undeserved..... at least in space. I think he's best suited for the speed bench bunch myself.

Spot on here. I've said essentially the same thing a few times now. IMO Hart's best position is probably at the 3 spot.

[Ball so hard]

I wonder if some posters here might under rate his low post defense on switches. If he slows his attack down by a hair, plays more in control, he’ll be a lock for 20PPG. A double double threat every night.

As for KCP’s value in a future trade, it’s of course better if he’s playing well at that point but that’s not a wise justification for not starting your best five.

I think KCP will have an easier time off the bench here in the insanely star studded West, have a bigger impact from there. It will be seen by other GMs for what it is, that he got outplayed by Hart but is still starter material. He could be one of the better 6th men in the league together with Rondo.

When AD demands a trade here by January, KCP’s expiring becomes the priority value to NOP, not his contribution.

He might be more motivated to waive his NTC coming off the bench.

Hart's not good enough to score 20ppg. He's a monster in the open court and becoming a very reliable shooter from outside, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.