jbk1234 wrote:JonFromVA wrote:jbk1234 wrote:
Again, the front office giving JBB another one-way defender is like handing a handgun to a child. For the most part, our problems have not been on the defensive end.
That's an unfair metaphor. The front office trying to work against what JBB wants to do is counter-productive. Either fire him, or give him the tools to get the job done.
I'm sure JBB would tell you our best offense is fueled when we play our best defense (that's just how he thinks), and "grit & grind" which is so dear to his heart is not just about effort and slow pace ... you need to rebound and create transition opportunities.
And in that respect, there probably aren't many better than Thybulle in terms of generating steals.
There's a great deal of distance between fire him and give him whatever he wants. I'm not part of the pitchfork and torch mob, but if JBB thinks, just as a theoretical matter, that the best offense with Garland, Mitchell, Mobley and Allen is starters is scoring off turnovers, then I'd be concerned. The teams that rely on that are generally teams that lack the talent to score efficiently in a half court setting.
If after watching the offensive performance of some of our zero spacing lineups this year, the front office agrees that the problem with sparse spacing is more defense, then I would genuinely question its competence. The game slows down in the post season. Half court offense is important. If we expend our limited trade asset base executing trades for guys that can't shoot, it's not going to end well.
Oh, everyone knows the answer ... it's to add defenders who can shoot or shooters who can defend; but that's never been an easy thing to add at the trade deadline. The next best thing is to add a shooter you feel can defend within your system - like a Lauri or you hope will defend when properly motivated like a JR Smith; but that doesn't mean we couldn't also use another wing defender who can sometimes knock down 3's.
For one thing, Isaac may not be able to stay out of foul trouble and if we want to get anywhere in the playoffs there's likely going to come a point we need to deal with more than one wing. If we trade LeVert, that other wing defender won't be him. Bench depth is there to deal with contingencies.
But there's just no point bringing in a player that JBB won't play - he has to be on board - otherwise stay the course and try to develop the player we need or wait for the right opportunity to trade for him.
So why trade at all?
The theory there is that the Cavs would rather not risk losing both LeVert and Love's contracts and we need some sort of place holder for their salaries next year; but we'd better be receiving picks we can use in a follow on deal or getting players JBB will play or Altman will just be shooting the team in the foot.
