og15 wrote:Ballings7 wrote:Gotta make some changes and allow certain people to go.
I don't see Kawhi going anywhere, but still lean towards PG not being here.
If not PG or Harden, they'll still need another third guy.
Russ' may end up staying if he can't get on elsewhere, but can see someone else wanting him in a fresh environment, and maybe even getting moved again if he does.
Would like to see Bones get a chance and really solidfiy himself at backup PG.
Keep T-Mann, Keep Powell, barring something really good.
Harden I think is going to stay and would b surprised if he leaves. I also kind of don't think he has a choice unless he went to Miami maybe and they accepted him (which I doubt would happen).
Need more size and agility upfront past Zubac.
I would keep Theis as a backup big.
Will be interesting to see how stubborn the org. is and if they can see through the lines of what the issues are, and whats feasible to fix.
Clippers don't have the cap or the assets to get a third guy if either of PG or Harden go. The third guy would need to be whomever steps up on the roster, or just not really having a third guy. It's most likely to be Powell as a 6th man being the third guy scoring wise in that situation. In terms of overall, probably won't be any guy to pinpoint as that.
Westbrook can't be back on this team. You just can't play him in the post-season, it simply doesn't make sense to keep him around, and even more so if Harden is around. Just not the right fit because his game was never built for being a role player. Too difficult unless you have specific roster set ups to have a PG who can't shoot and is off the ball a lot.
Kidd for example became a shooter late in his career to extend his positive life on the court, and shooting wasn't even as prioritized when he played as it is now.
Bones should be allowed to have that backup PG spot and do what he can.
In terms of the young guys, let's just be fair to them.
Boston has done pretty well for being a 51st pick. The fact that he's still in the league is good for him, but so far he's also not a rotation player at this level, but he could be if he changed his focus to being more of a role player on offense and totally focus on defense and glue guy stuff. Not sure he's capable of that, easier said than done, but with 1000+ minutes, not efficient enough to be a scoring option in the league. Maybe he makes a big jump over the off-season, but just based on so far.
Kobe could get himself into the rotation as a 2nd year guy. He's got a lot of good role player type skills.
Moussa hasn't played enough minutes to really know, but in the few he's played, he's had a lot of good signs, doesn't foul a lot for a big in those minutes, great energy, active on the offensive glass, but a poor defensive rebounder. Sample size still very small.
We will definitely have to wait and see what happens.
On PG, that is a good possibility that nothing happens and he's back -- I'd be fine with that.. but I think of the three he's the most likely to be gone; I can see a trade working out for a mid or upper playoff team where he makes them more of a threat.
Agreed with the rest.
I think unless Russ' changes his game he won't be consistently effective in the playoffs as you'd want him to be. Improving his jumpshot like J-KIdd did is a good example, and even Vince Carter. I still like him a lot though, he is always capable of making an impact even if its just for a couple games in a series. its just something the team may have to deal with, or move him. I don't think that he'll leave the team in all likelyhood, if anything he'd be dealt, but probably has a limited market.
I want to see one of Kobe/Boston/Diabate get in the rotation next year.. size and agility on both ends, off the bench is an issue and all the "known" impact bench talent is at guard. I said the same thing at the beginning of this season.
I liked what I've seen from all of them in multiple different opportunities. Kobe overall has the best chance, then Moussa. Got Jordan Miller as well potentially.
I've mentioned it before, but the team is just too small with T-Mann starting and finishing games routinely. His offensive punch inconsistency aside, he's a solid utility wing that does play bigger than he is on defense, rebounding, and around the paint... but not as a PF routinely.
I think Mann can start/finish games situationally.. but gotta have a bigger line-up out there normally, because no one really plays bigger than they are (not including Zubac here), reliably and sustainably from game to game with dedicated minutes. Kawhi certainly can as a PF, but not with dedication from week to week and you don't want him there too often at PF.
Kawhi and T-Mann playing PF routinely has to be decreased to have a better chance against the top teams like Denver, Minnesota, and then the flawed but still very good teams like Pelicans, Kings, and Grizzlies (healthy)., then teams like Boston, New York, Milwaukee, out east any of whom could definitely be in the finals the next 2-3 seasons. All have good size and balanced frontcourts on O and D.
Dallas size ultimately did pose problems in the end for this team, not like they did during the regular season in their big run they made... but still enough. Gafford came on at the end of the series it seemed.
Doing that may well take really changing the core of the team, and I don't know if the org. has the foresight and balance to do that.. subtracting a name or two for a more balanced main group.
Dallas went out and got Gafford/Washington and they changed the identity and capabilities of their team.. yes they had assets to do that, but still its an example of what may have to be done over the next 1-2 years.. go look for talent on middling/bad teams and determine how to get them to improve the issue areas.
The org. can't be stubborn and rest on the names and then just "accept" the obvious flaws and not talk about them. I want to see that come up over the coming year.
Kawhi being great gives the team a good chance against Denver/Minny over a series, but quite possible still a loss because of the size, talent, and flexibility at PF/C from them both. That's the peak expectation which is realistic for any other team against them -- just that the chances would be even better against them over a series with an impactful legit forward to play a role at PF. Who knows, either way.. healthy all three teams (LAC/DEN/MIN) are all really good in their own way.
Bench/support top impact = all primarily at guard/smaller wing (Powell, Russ, Bones, Mann). Coffey is decent but I don't think he should be the guy who is a bigger wing player to spell Kawhi/George. Kobe more developed would come in handy here to compliment Coffey.
Main group impact = mostly all from "wing"-style players. Zubac is all on his own as a "big", and playing that role since thats all he's going to fit into.
Need someone new in there to help out Kawhi, Zubac, and George on defense and on the glass.
The league isn't run by the Heat, Warriors, and Houston (to a lesser degree) anymore, and has changed to be more of a hybrid of 2008-2012 era, and then 2014 to 2018 era - combined. Its teams with size with spacing, and consistent two-way internal threats that are problematic.
The Spurs are also going to be on the come up in the next 2 years, and will be a problem barring no major issues with Wemby. Get into a series with them and who knows? Wemby + Vassell + a star-level perimeter player + some decent role players (which they already will have basically)... Limiting and making it tough on a big like Wemby with a combination of size, length and agility will be critical.
Looking forward to see what happens into training camp.