VFX wrote:fendilim wrote:primary playmaker like who though?VFX wrote:
It’s only truly fascinating if nobody has been watching the team for the last three seasons.
The argument to me isn’t shooting vs playmaking. It’s rational basketball vs attempting to make something it isn’t. Because the former plan assumes playmaking guards cannot also shoot a basketball in space. Which we know is nonsense. Those players aren’t unicorns. These two finals teams have 6 between the two of them.
There is a massive grey area between Cojo and Haliburton. Like monumental amounts of grey area.
I don’t necessarily disagree with your assessment of what Orlando needs right now.
People have to understand that at some point in a team’s roster construction you are acquiring skillsets to mitigate what your main guys lack. If everyone here with Blue shaded glasses believes Paolo and Franz will become exponentially better shooters from outside, then that’s great. Terrific.
My main concern with this team wasn’t secondary playmaking and improving the starting lineup by one shooter total. It was primary playmaking, making the stars better on offense, AND being able to stretch the floor. Does Bane do those three things? He does one of those things at an elite level, at the expense of the other two, positionally based on the assets required to acquire him.
But yeah… bench playmaking guard that can create offense is still a need off the bench as well as a big.
Bane is obviously not an elite level PG but he is more than capable as a primary playmaker to make Paolo a hub on offense. We also have Franz who can alternate with him.
Bane does all three things you mentioned. Playmake, make teammates better and stretch the floor.
He was actually really solid running the show in Memphis without Ja Morant.
Desmond Bane PPP as a handler in Pick and Rolls is .93, A player like Trae Young is .94.
In 2023-2024, Desmond Bane averaged .99 PPP on PnR (handler) compared to Trae Young at .98. Lebron was only .91 last year.
Disclaimer: not saying he is better than Trae or Lebron as a playmaker, just saying that he isn’t as bad as people are painting him to be.
He no doubt can stretch the floor and him being on the court alone will open a whole lot of opportunity for Paolo and Franz.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Bane makes the allstar next year. He averaged better stats than Tyler Herro this season too.
This ultimately comes down to how he is utilized and folded into the current system.
Now do I believe Mosely is going to have Desmond Bane running offense and getting people into better positions for pick and roll opportunities? No. Paolo and Franz will be bringing up the ball a majority of the time.
Our info on how Bane is used was in one total system in Memphis as the main secondary option off of Ja. He will not be that guy in Orlando in my estimation. He will be the 3rd option, which is nice because it means less pressure on Suggs.
It’s not that I think he’s incapable of the things you listed. It’s that he won’t be tasked with a lot of it due to how things have been run here. And no, he isn’t a primary playmaker. It’s not like people list him as some dual threat combo guard like Harden, SGA, or something. He’s a 3&D guy with a little more in his bag than the average catch and shoot guy. Hes basically a much more elite offensively older Suggs from a season ago in terms of how he gets into spots and defensively.
Acquiring someone like Harden or SGA would require a trade involving Franz/Paolo.
I wouldnt close out the scenario that Bane will be used more than Paolo as someone who will bring down the ball. I’m pretty sure an additional capable ball handler will help turn Paolo more into the offensive hub he dreams of playing, and be less of the PG he was forced to play.
Last year, Paolo and Franz were sharing that duty, by adding in Bane, now there will be another guy sharing that role, plus Suggs. From two players bringing down the ball, it will soon be 4.
Last year, during the first 3-4 games Suggs, Paolo and Franz played together, there was an intentional goal to have Suggs handle the playmaking role compared to the year prior. Plus, if we really are hiring an offensive coach, Paolo will most likely not be bringing down the ball as often as last year.
The fact that they were willing to overpay to acquire Bane pretty much tells us that Bane will be playing a major role next year and not just wait for the ball to come to him.
