PG: Notorious BI3 come thru (8-1 in last 9)

[causal_fan]

I don't expect a change in the SL until around the trade deadline when the team will likely make a concerted effort to move RJ (not my wish) - Gradey and/or Walter will probably get first dibs to fill the spot but I'd hope the team also consider a PG Shead / SG Quickley lineup or maybe one of the G-league guards like Lawson.

[kalel123]

A testament to how bad Hornets are that we still won.

I know RJ banged that last one in but he's definitely the weak link in the starting lineup.

This board just cannot help itself. This wasn’t RJ’s best night but he has been good this year and he’s fit in just fine with the starters. And yet, on the first page of a victory thread, just thrown shade for no apparent reason other than just hating.

It’s gone too far man.

Not a shade. Just summary of the game and calling it how I saw it as happens in every PG thread. Need to get over yourself when you yourself admit he didn't have a good game.

[kalel123]

Have to say Kon Knueppel was pretty damn impressive. That was the vision they had when they drafted Gradey Dick and why they've been high on him. Except he hasn't made his shots at the rate he needs to make his weaknesses more acceptable. Still hoping that happens at some point while he's on this team.

[PushDaRock]

I don't expect a change in the SL until around the trade deadline when the team will likely make a concerted effort to move RJ (not my wish) - Gradey and/or Walter will probably get first dibs to fill the spot but I'd hope the team also consider a PG Shead / SG Quickley lineup or maybe one of the G-league guards like Lawson.

If RJ gets moved, it will be for an upgrade.

[LoveMyRaps]

I don't expect a change in the SL until around the trade deadline when the team will likely make a concerted effort to move RJ (not my wish) - Gradey and/or Walter will probably get first dibs to fill the spot but I'd hope the team also consider a PG Shead / SG Quickley lineup or maybe one of the G-league guards like Lawson.

Lol if we trade RJ, only for Gradey/Walter to take his spot, we'll fall off a cliff.

[LoveMyRaps]

Also S/O Gradey - he's actually shown some flashes defensively in recent games. Hope it's a sign of a things to come.

[Yallbecrazy]

Raptors are +550 to win Atlantic. Good value considering Knicks have injuries and Sixers have issues.

They were +3300 before the season started and I posted people should jump on that as they had 10-15% division equity.

[DreamTeam09]

Not a chance they make a big SL change trade. If we get to the AS break and this is the best team we've had since the last time we made the playoffs, they're not gonna shake up the entire team during the middle of the year. Especially when we are over the tax by so little. We might even add to this team and go right up to the 1st apron because theres no real point on being over the the tax by a little, u might as well be over the tax & under the 1st apron.
Or maybe something around the margins to duck the tax but not disturb our top 8-9

[tsherkin]

It was weird. It was the first game in a long time that it was close at the end and I wasn’t really worried we would blow it. I even felt somewhat confident we would figure it out

It's a nice feeling, isn't it?

[DreamTeam09]

Also S/O Gradey - he's actually shown some flashes defensively in recent games. Hope it's a sign of a things to come.

His activity is becoming a calling card, on offense and defense, deflections, hustle, rebounds

[billy_hoyle]

RJ missed w few absolute bunnies. That pissed him off and had him pressing.

He will make those next game. I like that he attacks the basket. It's very important for the offence.

Now the starting lineup D needs work, and might never get there. That said, they are playing the other teams best players, so if they playing them even, maybe that's not the end of the world.

If your trading RJ, Ball is a talent upgrade and would bring something different to the table. So that would be an interesting option.

[DreamTeam09]

RJ missed w few absolute bunnies. That pissed him off and had him pressing.

He will make those next game. I like that he attacks the basket. It's very important for the offence.

Now the starting lineup D needs work, and might never get there. That said, they are playing the other teams best players, so if they playing them even, maybe that's not the end of the world.

If your trading RJ, Ball is a talent upgrade and would bring something different to the table. So that would be an interesting option.

our defense falls off a cliff, I have much more faith in a IQ RJ backcourt defensively then I do a Lamello IQ offense, plus who gets to the line then.

[PushDaRock]

RJ + Walter or RJ + Ochai is the obvious move to be made if something popped up. There also really isn't a rush to do it, we can pretty much bring this entire team back next year and make the move in the summer.

RJ/Ochai for Lamelo Ball works in the trade machine....

Huh... we'd have to include at least one heavily protected 1st.

What would you realistically even offer?

Would be a BALLSY risky trade, but the upside of a IQ/Ball/Ingram/Barnes/Poeltl lineup makes you almost WANT to risk it.

At worst - Ball is an oft-injured, low effort player
At best - Ball is an all-nba talent giving you 22/7/9 a night. Moves IQ to more of a spot up role, further lets Barnes focus on being a menace defensively and Ball and Barnes when running would be lethal.

I really think him in a new situation would unlock him to. He wouldn't need to shoot 19 times a night, he would have better guys to playmake for (and somehow he still is at 10apg in CHA with those bums in only 32mpg), etc.

ASK OUT BALL. I wanna see it happen

Edit: and, we would have IQ/Ball/Barnes/Poeltl all locked up on solid deals through 2029.

He's played 36, 22 and 47 games the last 3 years. He's made of glass and gives little to no effort on D. Maybe a change of scenario helps but he really hasn't shown much in his career to indicate these things will change.

His USG last 2 seasons is at 34% and 36%. He's needed to dominate the ball to put up the numbers he does which aren't even that amazing especially when done so inefficiently. His best skill is his passing but again if he's not dominating the ball, those assist numbers will drop a lot. That's really not a fit in this offense where we don't want anyone dominating the ball outside of when we need a bucket in the half court from Ingram. You would need to be extremely confident in him completely changing the way he plays for him to fit in. Then, there's the question of his effectiveness and production on a winning team even if he is willing to change his play style.

[Duffman100]

It was weird. It was the first game in a long time that it was close at the end and I wasn’t really worried we would blow it. I even felt somewhat confident we would figure it out

It's a nice feeling, isn't it?

Yeah it's fun to be somewhat good again with depth and the ability to win games.

So far we've taken out some low hanging fruit (which is good). I'd like to see us beat a really good team. Cavs were without Garland, but they were our best win.

[PushDaRock]

Not a chance they make a big SL change trade. If we get to the AS break and this is the best team we've had since the last time we made the playoffs, they're not gonna shake up the entire team during the middle of the year. Especially when we are over the tax by so little. We might even add to this team and go right up to the 1st apron because theres no real point on being over the the tax by a little, u might as well be over the tax & under the 1st apron.
Or maybe something around the margins to duck the tax but not disturb our top 8-9

Yeah, obviously we won't end up barely over the tax. We will either duck it (very easy to do) or add someone that can help if we go over the tax.

[tsherkin]

Yeah it's fun to be somewhat good again with depth and the ability to win games.

So far we've taken out some low hanging fruit (which is good). I'd like to see us beat a really good team. Cavs were without Garland, but they were our best win.

Yeah, harder competition will bring something of a reality check to us, but taking care of business against the lower-end squads is how you get yourself into that .500ish area, and then we can see how far above that this squad can take us. It becomes more interesting to see how good we can be than disappointment that we aren't better, you know?

Very big shift in tone.

[Hottie McShotty]

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[TheGeneral99]

Have to say Kon Knueppel was pretty damn impressive. That was the vision they had when they drafted Gradey Dick and why they've been high on him. Except he hasn't made his shots at the rate he needs to make his weaknesses more acceptable. Still hoping that happens at some point while he's on this team.

There was a reason he went #4 in a very stacked draft.

[nikster]

BI played like a legimate star tonight

Thign is he could have been a lot better. Few times was going for the iso and didn't see double coming, few turnovers that were completely avoidable. Had some stretched of cold shooting on tough shots. But awesome to see him close the game out like that.

It's crazy we are 8-1 and I dont think we've truly season Ingram at his best or have a monster game

[MiamiSPX]

Worth noting that we were "right there" in 3 of our losses.

MIL (we led at halftime and only lost by 6)
DAL (we led at halftime here also and we only lost 1 quarter, the 3rd, and that was what did us in)
PHI (we were leading in the 2nd and hung with them for most of the game)

So really only the SA and HOU games where we were thoroughly outclassed.