JS Online: Williams likes shift to shooting guard

[-Jragon-]

More signs pointing to having him be an iverson/wade type of shooting guard with Ivey being the defensive unselfish distributer Like eric snow was for A.I. What about Redd? He won't be happy off the bench. Who can we realistically get for him in a trade? Or move him to 3, he should least be quicker than small forwards defensively and offensively + an instant upgrade from Des or Simmons at that spot.

[schweig]

I don't really like to hear any professional athlete complaining about having enough energy to do what they need to do, especially in January. Mostly I just hope all the minutes don't lead to some injury like we've seen before with Mo.

But it's great that he's been successful in that role, and he's definitely stepped it up this year in several areas.

[schweig]

I'm not sure we'll ever find out if Mo can maintain that in a full-time role, though. And Mo hasn't yet raised his game to quite the level where you trade your best guy to let Mo play off the ball, unless we're getting something nice back for Redd.

I don't know if Redd could hang at 3 long-term, although I thought the same thing about Mo at 2 and am wrong so far.

[Chapter29]

No kidding he likes it. He is a better scorer than a PG.

With Ivey's size it sort of works, but I still cannot see Mo as a starting SG in this league. Just way too small.

[EastSideBucksFan]

I love Mo and am a big Mo supporter


But hearing him being happy about the move to SG doesn't sit well with me after we just paid him $52M to be our starting PG for the next 5 years.


Mo longterm at SG is not smart option IMO. I thought we were trying to get better defensively. You can't name me one team that starts a 6'1 SG.

As suggested in another thread the only way that would work is if we have a big, star PG like Chauncey or Kidd.

[Simulack]

IMO his comments need to be put in context.

I'm still initiating the offense, it's just I can get a breather for a few seconds when I'm not bringing it up. Which is good when you're playing 40-some minutes a night."

The last part is key. Take out the blowout loss to Washington where he didn't play as much since we were out of the game and Mo's played 45, 42 and 48 minutes with Redd out. Also consider that without Redd out, he's expected to pick up some of the scoring we lose with Redd out as he is now our #1 scoring option.

I didn't see it as Mo complaining about not having the energy for point-guard duties so much as talking about the fact that he is playing major minutes and is our best scoring option with Redd out. Makes sense that he's going to have to conserve energy somewhere as he's been asked to do more on the court now.

[paulpressey25]

No kidding he likes it. He is a better scorer than a PG..

Blashphemy.....this story was obviously planted by some Mo detractors....

Ivey sums it up well:

"It takes a lot of pressure off him, with me bringing the ball up and running the offense and guarding the other (team's better guard). It takes some of the pressure off his hands and allows him to play. He's at his best when he can move around and create and look for his shot, too."

[-Jragon-]

Good points. I was banking on the idea that Mo and Redd would be quicker then the others at their new respective positions. Thus would be able to be pesky defenders that are more difficult to penetrate against. Are you worried that the new strategy against then would be to post them up?

[schweig]

IMO his comments need to be put in context.

I'm still initiating the offense, it's just I can get a breather for a few seconds when I'm not bringing it up. Which is good when you're playing 40-some minutes a night."

The last part is key. Take out the blowout loss to Washington where he didn't play as much since we were out of the game, Mo's played 45, 42 and 48 minutes with Redd out. Also consider that without Redd out, he's expected to pick up some of the scoring we lose and is arguably our best threat to score on offense.

I didn't see it as Mo complaining about not having the energy for point-guard duties so much as talking about the fact that he is playing major minutes and is our best scoring option with Redd out. Makes sense that he's going to have to conserve energy somewhere as he's been asked to do more on the court now.

I'll admit it's a lot better than just watching him take those breathers on defense.

[Simulack]

But IF we do think that is the case (Mo's better the way we've been using him the last 4 games), I keep coming back to some kind of trade involving Redd/CV for Hinrich/Thomas and whatever else makes the deal fair.

Gives us a taller and even better defender than Ivey whose offensive skills are obviously on another playet. Plus we swap CV for a defensive minded 4.

[europa]

More signs pointing to having him be an iverson/wade type of shooting guard

Mo's playing well but let's keep things in perspective here. He's nowhere near the class of player Iverson and Wade are.

No kidding he likes it. He is a better scorer than a PG.

With Ivey's size it sort of works, but I still cannot see Mo as a starting SG in this league. Just way too small.

Agree with everything. Scoring is what he does best and what he's always done best. He's made great strides in his PG play this season in my opinion but the guy is a scorer so it's no surprise he likes the freedom of playing SG and not having as much responsibility of running the offense at PG.

[-Jragon-]

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Blashphemy.....this story was obviously planted by some Mo detractors....

Ivey sums it up well:

"It takes a lot of pressure off him, with me bringing the ball up and running the offense and guarding the other (team's better guard). It takes some of the pressure off his hands and allows him to play. He's at his best when he can move around and create and look for his shot, too."

That is a great quote by Ivey isn't it? Defending point guards is tough work in the NBA and maybe Ivey is more suitable. Having to keep pressure on the ball every time down, being the first one being picked off the ball, consistantly chasing around the other teams quickest guy and best ball handler. Pretty difficult and unrewarding.

[schweig]

As then as good a scorer as he is, he's not in Michael's class either although it's nice that he's a better passer. Combine that with Mo's size and that's where I was starting out.

That is a great quote by Ivey isn't it? Defending point guards is tough work in the NBA and maybe Ivey is more suitable. Having to keep pressure on the ball every time down, being the first one being picked off the ball, consistantly chasing around the other teams quickest guy and best ball handler. Pretty difficult and unrewarding.

Especially when no one calls out to let you know you're about to fly straight into Haslem.

[75totheMACCfund]

this is exactly why i was unsettled when mo signed his contract to be the starting PG...He's simply not a distributing PG by trade. He's a scoring PG at best and more than that, an undersized SG.

[MilBucksBackOnTop06]

I love Mo and am a big Mo supporter


But hearing him being happy about the move to SG doesn't sit well with me after we just paid him $52M to be our starting PG for the next 5 years.


Mo longterm at SG is not smart option IMO. I thought we were trying to get better defensively. You can't name me one team that starts a 6'1 SG.

As suggested in another thread the only way that would work is if we have a big, star PG like Chauncey or Kidd.

That is why Harris is a idiot. You got all that money in the backcourt with guys with no roles that fit them.

Both are backups on title winning teams. Mo is a off guard 6th man type because he cannot defend and cannot stay healthy.

He is much like a Leandro Barbosa of Ben Gordon in that way.

[paulpressey25]

-= Pretty difficult and unrewarding.

Except the team gets rewarded with wins.....

I think the "energy" thing is partly cover for the fact the guy has been extremely effective at SG while Royal has been very effective as his running mate. For many years Jason Kidd would play 42-45 minutes for numerous games....

I'm really happy about this, because it makes his contract start to look like a real value. IMO he's playing a much better combo guard now than as a combo guard two-years ago by virtue of his improvement as a player. To me he's on the cusp of maybe making a leap as a player but again small sample size, bad opponents, etc.

[-Jragon-]

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Mo's playing well but let's keep things in perspective here. He's nowhere near the class of player Iverson and Wade are.

Perhaps not far behind. Let's see, He makes open jumpers, makes shots when covered, can penetrate at will for easy shots, passes well for dunks when a big has to cut off his layup attempts, passes well out of double teams. Aren't these things that Wade does well (although not quite to the extent)?

[-Jragon-]

I love Mo and am a big Mo supporter


But hearing him being happy about the move to SG doesn't sit well with me after we just paid him $52M to be our starting PG for the next 5 years.


Mo longterm at SG is not smart option IMO. I thought we were trying to get better defensively. You can't name me one team that starts a 6'1 SG.

As suggested in another thread the only way that would work is if we have a big, star PG like Chauncey or Kidd.

Iverson is 5'10

[europa]

-= original quote snipped =-




Perhaps not far behind. Let's see, He makes open jumpers, makes shots when covered, can penetrate at will for easy shots, passes well for dunks when a big has to cut off his layup attempts, passes well out of double teams. Aren't these things that Wade does well (although not quite to the extent)?

Mo is WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY behind Iverson and Wade.

And frankly, I'm being kind with only using that many "y's."

Mo is a nice player. He's a slightly better than above average player in this league in my opinion. Iverson and Wade are elite players. Iverson is a future Hall of Famer. Wade will be a Hall of Famer provided injuries don't derail his career.

Mo isn't in their class of talent. It isn't even close.

[Ayt]

With the amount of minutes he's playing, it makes perfect sense that Mo will be happy with limited duties for portions of the game.

Also, going forward, the Bucks should look to have a solid backup PG so that you can go with lineups that feature Mo at SG to utilize his scoring abilities.