Bucks News, Trade Ideas, Transactions - Livingston Back on a 1 Year Deal - Page 76

[BigO]

Said this before but Horst made it pretty clear, as much as he can based on public GM speak I guess, that his vision revolves around getting the younger guards (KPJ, GTJ, Green, Rollins, Anthony) next to Giannis, and playing Prince/Kuzma more as a 3-4 and 4 respectively. If Doc still starts the Prince/Kuzma lineups or even just Kuzma at the 3 (with say GTJ or Green at the 2), it would signal to me a disconnect between front office and coach. I would hope given that Horst got an extension, he has more freedom to end the Doc show before he lights yet another season on fire.

Once again, the problem with Kuzma is not whether he plays the theoretical 3 or 4. It's how much time he plays?

My theory is that Doc was the driving force behind getting Kuzma (besides the cost savings). He obviously really likes him.

To me, Doc's ego is the only possible explanation for continuing to play Kuzma until it was too late. Will he continue to try and justify the trade, perhaps not to the extent he did, but to the detriment of the team?

If I'm right, the real issue is not just Kuzma, but Doc's talent evaluation. Was he the driving force behind getting Anthony (I think he was) and will that cloud his judgment on playing time?

[Chad34]

Said this before but Horst made it pretty clear, as much as he can based on public GM speak I guess, that his vision revolves around getting the younger guards (KPJ, GTJ, Green, Rollins, Anthony) next to Giannis, and playing Prince/Kuzma more as a 3-4 and 4 respectively. If Doc still starts the Prince/Kuzma lineups or even just Kuzma at the 3 (with say GTJ or Green at the 2), it would signal to me a disconnect between front office and coach. I would hope given that Horst got an extension, he has more freedom to end the Doc show before he lights yet another season on fire.

Once again, the problem with Kuzma is not whether he plays the theoretical 3 or 4. It's how much time he plays?

My theory is that Doc was the driving force behind getting Kuzma (besides the cost savings). He obviously really likes him.

To me, Doc's ego is the only possible explanation for continuing to play Kuzma until it was too late. Will he continue to try and justify the trade, perhaps not to the extent he did, but to the detriment of the team?

If I'm right, the real issue is not just Kuzma, but Doc's talent evaluation. Was he the driving force behind getting Anthony (I think he was) and will that cloud his judgment on playing time?

Playing time will and should be determined by who earns it. If Doc doesn't operate this way, this year, I believe he will be gone before the all star break.

[tedbrogen]

i dont view it as a dispute at all!!!

Totally chill.

[MickeyDavis]

i dont view it as a dispute at all!!!

Totally chill.

You guys need to move on.

[jimmybones]

Said this before but Horst made it pretty clear, as much as he can based on public GM speak I guess, that his vision revolves around getting the younger guards (KPJ, GTJ, Green, Rollins, Anthony) next to Giannis, and playing Prince/Kuzma more as a 3-4 and 4 respectively. If Doc still starts the Prince/Kuzma lineups or even just Kuzma at the 3 (with say GTJ or Green at the 2), it would signal to me a disconnect between front office and coach. I would hope given that Horst got an extension, he has more freedom to end the Doc show before he lights yet another season on fire.

I get the sense that Horst has earned the upper hand in the front office power struggle. For this reason I have faith in more coherent lineups and rotations.

Edens is not dumb and even if Doc initially charmed them, the way they built the roster and the things they’re saying publicly show somewhat of a paradigm shift.

Horst to Edens: this is a fast pace spread the floor with shooters league and we have the best guy in the world to surround with guys like that. Look what Indiana just did. Let’s steal their center, we already have a steroids version of their PF, and let’s surround them with shooters that don’t have cement shoes on defense.

Edens: yes

[Prez]

Said this before but Horst made it pretty clear, as much as he can based on public GM speak I guess, that his vision revolves around getting the younger guards (KPJ, GTJ, Green, Rollins, Anthony) next to Giannis, and playing Prince/Kuzma more as a 3-4 and 4 respectively. If Doc still starts the Prince/Kuzma lineups or even just Kuzma at the 3 (with say GTJ or Green at the 2), it would signal to me a disconnect between front office and coach. I would hope given that Horst got an extension, he has more freedom to end the Doc show before he lights yet another season on fire.

Once again, the problem with Kuzma is not whether he plays the theoretical 3 or 4. It's how much time he plays?

My theory is that Doc was the driving force behind getting Kuzma (besides the cost savings). He obviously really likes him.

To me, Doc's ego is the only possible explanation for continuing to play Kuzma until it was too late. Will he continue to try and justify the trade, perhaps not to the extent he did, but to the detriment of the team?

If I'm right, the real issue is not just Kuzma, but Doc's talent evaluation. Was he the driving force behind getting Anthony (I think he was) and will that cloud his judgment on playing time?

Ehh I think the position definitely matters, I don't think that and the minutes he plays are mutually exclusive. Kuzma is noticeably more destructive on the floor as a 3 say in a Giannis lineup than he would be as a 4 in a bench unit with like Myles as the 5 and 3 of the guards alongside him, with plenty of shooting to mitigate his deficiencies. The position he plays in whatever lineups he's in makes a noticeable difference to me.

I don't disagree with anything else you said, Doc definitely seems to be a factor in us getting Kuzma. It's the only possible explanation for the degree to which he was **** braindead about Kuzma last year.

[tedbrogen]

“Kuzma can play, but we gotta involve him and gotta make sure we keep him involved.”
- Doc Rivers after Kuz put up a 0/0/0/0/0 -24 game in the playoffs

He proceeded to play Kuz 31 minutes in the following game.

[fan230]

I read Doc as obstinate in his preferences, as a person who doesn’t cause inter personal problems like Griffin, as someone who gets along generally well with the players, not as a person who is excellent in implementing good strategy.

[-Jragon-]

“Kuzma can play, but we gotta involve him and gotta make sure we keep him involved.”
- Doc Rivers after Kuz put up a 0/0/0/0/0 -24 game in the playoffs

He proceeded to play Kuz 31 minutes in the following game.

Using common sense is important when you notice a sudden dip or outlier and that deep in the season - you never know what guys are trying to play through injury wise. Him being a Snell-like impact is very uncommon for him... 9 of 10 chance he got hurt playing those fast F--KS like the rest of our team does.

[-Jragon-]

I’m far from a Bobby guy but Kuzma was in no way shape or form better than Bobby last year. I would argue there were quite possibly zero players getting more than 20+ mpg that Kuzma was better than last season lol.

His defense is also wildly overrated if you consider off ball/team defense.

Off ball, on ball.. that's a lot of balls... I don't trust Doc teaching defensive rotations to anyone, let alone a trade deadline acquisition. Even with Bud we needed a PJ voice yelling at guys where to be. This is the NBA, change coaches and get someone that had a voice on D or we'll keep seeing this mess. Get PJ as an assistant coach if he retires

[-Jragon-]

Said this before but Horst made it pretty clear, as much as he can based on public GM speak I guess, that his vision revolves around getting the younger guards (KPJ, GTJ, Green, Rollins, Anthony) next to Giannis, and playing Prince/Kuzma more as a 3-4 and 4 respectively. If Doc still starts the Prince/Kuzma lineups or even just Kuzma at the 3 (with say GTJ or Green at the 2), it would signal to me a disconnect between front office and coach. I would hope given that Horst got an extension, he has more freedom to end the Doc show before he lights yet another season on fire.

Once again, the problem with Kuzma is not whether he plays the theoretical 3 or 4. It's how much time he plays?

My theory is that Doc was the driving force behind getting Kuzma (besides the cost savings). He obviously really likes him.

To me, Doc's ego is the only possible explanation for continuing to play Kuzma until it was too late. Will he continue to try and justify the trade, perhaps not to the extent he did, but to the detriment of the team?

If I'm right, the real issue is not just Kuzma, but Doc's talent evaluation. Was he the driving force behind getting Anthony (I think he was) and will that cloud his judgment on playing time?

This has been simple all along.. we just havent found a true 3 and D small forward ..period.. that's it.. with Giannis you need 3 and D.. running the floor with him is an added plus. Until we find a guy (or guys) that can and will do the job, we'll struggle and the small forward carousel will continue:

Crowder -- slow/sucked
KM ..broken, refused to just catch and shoot 3s
Kuz .. trying to be Giannis part 2/shot not solid enough
AJ .. undersized
Beas.. undersized and no defensive instinct
AJJ... weird shot, spazzy
Joe I.. old/slow
Prince.. slow footed on D

If Kuz will try and accept the role then we will be ridiculous this year. Chances are he tries to be Lamelo Ball or Poor man's Giannis and he's gone at the deadline. Honestly if we really can trade Kuz for a proven 3 and D guy you pull the trigger because we'll be a top 3 seed and do damage