Everyone needs to relax! On Paper this is the most talented roster we've EVER had

[Stun704]

Everyone that is hating on Big Frank will be looking dumb this time next year. Big Frank will be a top 5 rookie next year, and will be in the running of ROY.

Vonleh is no guarantee. he may become the next Chris Bosh, but he may become a bust as well. We shouldn't have even drafted Vonleh anyway, he should have been taken way before our pick. That was Detroit's pick anyway. Basically we traded last years draft pick for Batum, to me? that is a good trade, especially when we traded away Mr. Mediocrity with him.

Right now our roster looks like

Kemba/Roberts
Batum/Lamb
MKG/Hairston
Zeller/Kaminsky
Big Al/Hawes/Biz(?)

The only glaring hole we have is back up pg. if we somehow bring back Mo Wil and Biz, we will be a top 5 seed in the east. I guarantee it .

My comparison for Big Frank, is none other then Dirk. Dirk isn't setting the world on fire on defense either. Big Frank will be able to defend 4's.

Big al has a contract year - you already know hes going to set the world on fire
Kemba, Lamb and MKG will all take another step

This team will be fine

[BeesWax]

This season is going to be painful to watch.

[Stun704]

This season is going to be painful to watch.

How is either playoff team more talented than this one?

[Hornet Mania]

Assuming we don't re-sign Biz, and I am working under that assumption since we just drafted another center, our interior defense is nonexistent when Zeller is not on the floor. In addition to that none of our big guys, except Zeller once again, can venture out to the perimeter to guard anyone. That deficiency is going to overwhelm any offensive advantages this group can boast over previous rosters.

Maybe free agency will change that, but for now we're a 35 win team at best.

[Stun704]

Assuming we don't re-sign Biz, and I am working under that assumption since we just drafted another center, our interior defense is nonexistent when Zeller is not on the floor. In addition to that none of our big guys, except Zeller once again, can venture out to the perimeter to guard anyone. That deficiency is going to overwhelm any offensive advantages this group can boast over previous rosters.

Maybe free agency will change that, but for now we're a 35 win team at best.

Where is the proof that Frank can't defend on the perimeter?

[BeesWax]

Assuming we don't re-sign Biz, and I am working under that assumption since we just drafted another center, our interior defense is nonexistent when Zeller is not on the floor. In addition to that none of our big guys, except Zeller once again, can venture out to the perimeter to guard anyone. That deficiency is going to overwhelm any offensive advantages this group can boast over previous rosters.

Maybe free agency will change that, but for now we're a 35 win team at best.

Where is the proof that Frank can't defend on the perimeter?

Watching him stumble around in college because he is super slow is the proof.

[ball teacher]

Stun I agree, with a healthy team and a more wise Cliff (meaning MKG gets 30 minutes a game and isnt benched in the 4th quarter) we should be a top 4-5 team in the east. I forgot that we brought in Lamb, and I still think Cody is turning into a nice player. I'm excited for this team, we look very good on paper.

[BeesWax]

This season is going to be painful to watch.

How is either playoff team more talented than this one?

Your best case scenario has weak inside defense unless we bring back Biz. Both your SG are FA at the end of the season and you have no two way prospects in the pipeline. That lineup does not excite me at all. Mediocre now and worse in the future is what I see from this weeks moves.

[ball teacher]

Assuming we don't re-sign Biz, and I am working under that assumption since we just drafted another center, our interior defense is nonexistent when Zeller is not on the floor. In addition to that none of our big guys, except Zeller once again, can venture out to the perimeter to guard anyone. That deficiency is going to overwhelm any offensive advantages this group can boast over previous rosters.

Maybe free agency will change that, but for now we're a 35 win team at best.

Where is the proof that Frank can't defend on the perimeter?

Watching him stumble around in college because he is super slow is the proof.

His footspeed is definitely a concern, I can see him getting ripped by smaller quicker guards if he tries to dribble from the top of the key to the rim with that same move he often tried in college. That's why I think if he's limited to pick and pops he should be ok, and as het gets more experience he'll figure how to be more creative and score.

[Diop]

I do think the team is better on paper this year than last. Which is funny because last year we were all excited with this team, this year we're suicidal.

Good to see you back stun.

[Stun704]

Assuming we don't re-sign Biz, and I am working under that assumption since we just drafted another center, our interior defense is nonexistent when Zeller is not on the floor. In addition to that none of our big guys, except Zeller once again, can venture out to the perimeter to guard anyone. That deficiency is going to overwhelm any offensive advantages this group can boast over previous rosters.

Maybe free agency will change that, but for now we're a 35 win team at best.

Where is the proof that Frank can't defend on the perimeter?

Watching him stumble around in college because he is super slow is the proof.

I want to see the receipts playboy

MKG and Batums perimeter defense will make up for a lot of team defense short comings

[Stun704]

I do think the team is better on paper this year than last. Which is funny because last year we were all excited with this team, this year we're suicidal.

Good to see you back stun.

Exactly perception isn't always reality in basketball

and thanks man

[catch20two]

I remember everyone saying that Zeller wouldn't be good on defense and here we are, it's the only thing he's really good at. Lol.

[Hornet Mania]

Assuming we don't re-sign Biz, and I am working under that assumption since we just drafted another center, our interior defense is nonexistent when Zeller is not on the floor. In addition to that none of our big guys, except Zeller once again, can venture out to the perimeter to guard anyone. That deficiency is going to overwhelm any offensive advantages this group can boast over previous rosters.

Maybe free agency will change that, but for now we're a 35 win team at best.

Where is the proof that Frank can't defend on the perimeter?

Defense, in general is just about always listed in the "weaknesses" column of his scouting reports. Quickness specifically is often cited as the reason he will struggle to guard smaller 4s on the perimeter, should he be asked to do that.

http://www.indycornrows.com/2015/4/26/8501289/pacers-draft-prospects-a-closer-look-at-frank-kaminsky

That was about the fourth link down after google'ing "Frank Kaminsky perimeter defense", it's a scouting report from a Pacers site and it believes perimeter D will be a problem for him in the NBA. I only looked for ten minutes, mainly because I wondered if he were getting some props I had missed, but it didn't seem as if anyone else really lauded him for it or felt it would even be average. If Kaminsky can guard on the perimeter against other stretch players in the NBA it will be surprising to many, I hope he proves everyone wrong for the sake of our defense.

[yosemiteben]

Maybe free agency will change that, but for now we're a 35 win team at best.

We missed MKG, Biz, Zeller, Al, and Kemba for huge portions of last season, were forced to play Jason Maxiell in many meaningful games down the stretch, had to play Lance shooting the worst that any NBA player ever has, and we still won 33 games last season.

Saying our best case scenario is 35 games is just absurd.

[ball teacher]

This season is going to be painful to watch.

How is either playoff team more talented than this one?

Your best case scenario has weak inside defense unless we bring back Biz. Both your SG are FA at the end of the season and you have no two way prospects in the pipeline. That lineup does not excite me at all. Mediocre now and worse in the future is what I see from this weeks moves.

JDM I disagree with the mediocre statement. Hendo was a solid but mediocre SG for us, Batum is a good player, a really good player. MKG is a very good player. Al is a very good post player. Kemba is a big shot taker late in games. We are a good team. Cody is only gonna get better, Lamb is gonna have the green light to shoot, PJ is gonna have comp which should only make him focus on his shooting even more. Hawes is a big that can give us another outside shooter. All of the weaknesses we had have been addressed. We got more size and shooting. All we need is to stay healthy.

[catch20two]

I do think the team is better on paper this year than last. Which is funny because last year we were all excited with this team, this year we're suicidal.

Good to see you back stun.

I knew last year's team was a disaster unless Lance lived up to expectations. His signing was a last ditch effort to try to bring some excitement after the super duper blah signings of Messy Marv and Roberts that had me trippin on here.

So far we look better than last year's team by a lot. They just have to add a couple more pieces and use the roster right. Batum penciled in at SG is already a bad start.

[LofJ]

I do think the team is better on paper this year than last. Which is funny because last year we were all excited with this team, this year we're suicidal.

Good to see you back stun.

That's probably a good sign.

[Hornet Mania]

Maybe free agency will change that, but for now we're a 35 win team at best.

We missed MKG, Biz, Zeller, Al, and Kemba for huge portions of last season, were forced to play Jason Maxiell in many meaningful games down the stretch, had to play Lance shooting the worst that any NBA player ever has, and we still won 33 games last season.

Saying our best case scenario is 35 games is just absurd.

Last year's East was a clown car. We won't be so fortunate this year.

Cleveland, Atlanta, Washington and Chicago are all guaranteed to be better than us. So that's the top four imo. As for the rest:

-Boston will be better
-Miami will be better, assuming health.
-Indy will have Paul George back and will be expected to bounce back so let's say they're also better
-Milwaulkee will probably improve, especially if they dump MCW, they were better than us last year even with a late swoon
-Toronto was better than us last year, they aren't world beaters but unless they blow it up they are already better
-Detroit will be improved and SVG will be in year two. They could be below us, but I doubt it.

Out of all the teams ahead of us only Brooklyn seems like the obvious choice to take a step back. Even if we take a step forward it's hard to imagine us jumping the teams listed above. So, to me, we look the part of a 10th place team. Last year the 10th place team won 37 games, so maybe 35 is low but it's in the right neighborhood.

[LofJ]

I remember everyone saying that Zeller wouldn't be good on defense and here we are, it's the only thing he's really good at. Lol.

That was foolish from the start, it came from the goofy white, soft stereotype that gets pushed on guys all the time. After seeing Zeller dominate the combine with the best vertical of any 7 footer ever to go with great end to end speed it was crazy to believe he wouldn't be a plus defender in the NBA. He's an athletic freak and unless you're too dumb to stay on the court, that will always translate on defense under halfway decent coaching.