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The best quality basketball we've seen this year (offensively at least) was Franz running the show. When Paolo went down, ORL lost a few right away, but then something clicked and they looked really good with Franz playing like an All-NBA playmaker/scorer.

I know that he's 6'10 and can't defend Damian Dillard for 35 mins (really who can?) but defensive assignments don't have to match on both ends. Suggs, KCP, AB can take on the waterbugs that Franz can't run with (Franz is an excellent defender, but that's fair).

Tough time of the season to try to "renovate" an offense from the ground up...but isn't it clear that Franz is, ultimately, the closest thing we have to an elite PG?

OR, am I way off and Franz just drives and kicks well and really isn't "running" any kind of offense? The kid is so smart and competitive and skilled...I look at our roster and don't see anyone close. We could still run the same starting lineup but just start the possession with Franz as the primary playmaker and early decision-maker...and then start adding scripted plays with Franz checking off options like Patrick Mahomes, learning to make the right pass to the right cutter, etc.

A Paolo/Franz pick and roll seems fairly obvious but rarely seen. Such big, versatile offensive players should be abusing mismatches all day. We could also run lineups with one guy under 6'10 also, with Isaac or even Paolo at "SF" spot. We could also try lineups where the PG (Franz) is the tallest guy on the court, with PB down low, but mostly trying to outrun bigger plodding players.

Franz is our point forward like Magic Johnson or Lebron James or Jordan. Our PG just needs to bring the ball up the court and give the ball to Franz.

BadMofoPimp wrote:Franz is our point forward like Magic Johnson or Lebron James or Jordan. Our PG just needs to bring the ball up the court and give the ball to Franz.

I'm okay with that...but we're not doing that now. Paolo is getting the perimeter handoff with 10 secs on the clock just as often (or more) and effectively being told "go do something".

*Can't help but notice that other than fast breaks off of turnovers, we generally start our offense with 12 secs or less. WHY

We can, but we have to wait for Suggs to come back to defend the opposing pg

His release is too slow off the dribble. This negates him from running a pick and roll effectively with Paolo.

Hes better off a catch and shoot or in rhythm transition.

Thats why.

This isn’t to say that he wont be handling the ball a lot of the time anyway. But they still need that initiator so every single play isn’t predictable as it is now.

That and the whole defending opposing point guards thing.

Franz is an elite playmaker for his size but it wont solve our teams PG issues. WE need a halfcourt playmaker and shooters to space the floor. Get us a decent NBA backcourt first before trying something else.

Skybox wrote:

BadMofoPimp wrote:Franz is our point forward like Magic Johnson or Lebron James or Jordan. Our PG just needs to bring the ball up the court and give the ball to Franz.

I'm okay with that...but we're not doing that now. Paolo is getting the perimeter handoff with 10 secs on the clock just as often (or more) and effectively being told "go do something".

*Can't help but notice that other than fast breaks off of turnovers, we generally start our offense with 12 secs or less. WHY

Maybe it is to get him to learn more in crunch time situations. That will pay off in the oncoming years.

If he was good enough to do it full time, he would have been. I do think he was the best “PG” during the playoffs though.

I never said Franz was a good PG...just that he's our best PG