Is there anyone left?

[sonictecture]

If you were building a team around Lamb or needed him to be one of your top three players the concern about his game is deserved, but for this team Lamb is going to be given an opportunity to fill a role and to continue to develop. Lamb has natural scoring instincts and talent, the team will attempt to put him in a position to succeed. Look what how they restricted Martin last year and he was an established veteran.

[tsherkin]

If you were building a team around Lamb or needed him to be one of your top three players the concern about his game is deserved, but for this team Lamb is going to be given an opportunity to fill a role and to continue to develop. Lamb has natural scoring instincts and talent, the team will attempt to put him in a position to succeed. Look what how they restricted Martin last year and he was an established veteran.

Actually, Martin is as good a reason as any to be worried about Lamb's projected playoff productivity... this season.

Remember, the ENTIRETY of my point is related to the next season or two, not when Lamb's in his mid-20s, and there are better off-ball spot-up shooters out there... which is about what Lamb is right now, little else. Banking on him as a difference-maker is a mistake.

He'll probably show signs and flashes through the RS this year; he's got talent. He'll get bullied by more physical guys, he'll look good when the team's offense is running fluidly, he's got enough of a handle that even at the NBA level, he should be able to get some space for a jimmy when he needs to and the KD/Russ pair should do a more than capable job of driving the team offense in the regular season... But in a competitive playoff series, I don't see Lamb being a significant factor this season, and that's really what this conversation has been about... the absence of Martin/Harden is a problem, and neither Lamb nor Jackson is apt to fill that void this year, which puts a crimp on what OKC's upper bound is in these coming playoffs, barring a miracle breakout season.

[Devilanche]

Yep, he has potential, I won't deny that. We'll see if he becomes something useful, because some of the raw tools are there, for sure. At no point was I trying to say that he's going to be a junk pick-up, I just don't think he'll be especially useful soon, that's all.

I guess it depends on what one would see his role this upcoming season.

if one see the past few season roster as Harden's spot>> Martin's spot >> Lamb's spot. Then he's going to massively disappoint.

if one just want him to carve out regular rotation minutes, he could do that. 6th man scoring has to come from Reggie + production from our other role player.

[tsherkin]

Yep, I agree with that Devilanche. My point was more that, specifically this season, Lamb and Jackson aren't going to replace what Harden was providing (or even what Martin was providing in the RS, though he disappointed come the playoffs). They're a little young to expect to carry the bench, is the notion.

[sonictecture]

Yep, I agree with that Devilanche. My point was more that, specifically this season, Lamb and Jackson aren't going to replace what Harden was providing (or even what Martin was providing in the RS, though he disappointed come the playoffs). They're a little young to expect to carry the bench, is the notion.

I'm not sure what you are agreeing to, is what Devilanche stated.

If there is a perception out there that Martin carried the bench last year, then that perception is incorrect. The year started with Martin essentially filling the role that Harden had developed, but because Martin was not able to create for others effectively and because Eric Maynor was really struggling coming off ACL surgery, Brooks staggered the rotation so that Durant got extensive time with the second unit. This is where we started seeing Durant become more of a facilitator. By the end last third of the season and playoffs Martin had become a spot up shooter with approximately 4 possessions a game to create his own offense.

Jackson and Lamb are ready for bigger roles respectively, but neither will be given the task of carrying the bench production for the team before they are ready. It's not a starters versus bench dynamic it's a team dynamic. In terms of the playoffs, I think the growth of the less experienced players will be of great benefit to the team and that they will be better prepared for competing in the playoffs than they were with Martin.

[Bruteque]

If Lamb develops too quickly, then OKC will be right back where they started.

Brooks needs to throttle Lamb's development. Sounds like they are right on track.

[NaturalThunder]

If Lamb develops quickly/too quickly, they'll be ahead of where they started because they'd have a slightly lesser version of Harden (if Lamb really progresses and turns into something) but with better versions of Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka.

[wizkid27]

At first I thought the title of this thread was referring to nobody posting here. After a week without a single post I'm starting to think I was right!

We're definitely in an offseason lull without much to talk about that hasn't already been debated into the ground!

[bondom34]

At first I thought the title of this thread was referring to nobody posting here. After a week without a single post I'm starting to think I was right!

We're definitely in an offseason lull without much to talk about that hasn't already been debated into the ground!

All the boards are a little more quiet, some of us have been lurking around, not much to talk about at this point. Then again, seems like it was during one of those lulls when "the trade" happened so you never know! Been on the trade and PC boards myself, just want the season to start, but at least college fb is this week!!!