Thunder @ Nuggets

[The Rebel]

on at 7

[pickaxe]

#gonuggets

[cold_cowboy]

#makeshotsyoubums

[JazzMatt13]

Wow...Nuggets can't get one to stay in the rim...

[RRFB]

This team really struggles to put together a complete quarter. For every four minute stretch of good basketball, there's a six minute stretch full of turnovers, missed layups, offensive rebounds, bad shot selection, etc.

The defensive rebounding is especially becoming a big problem.

[pickaxe]

Mozzy needs to be the anchor for defensive boards. McGee would obv be doing an even share, but even then the responsibility is Mozzy's. Sure would be nice to add just a touch of bbiq.

Faried should be able to clean up anything left over.

[pickaxe]

What was that thing with Jham? Hope that's not a thing.

[pickaxe]

Oh yeah.....and the reason the team acquired 4 big men a couple years ago.......so the big man energy leverage stays with the home team. I know we didn't want to start Koufos, but the energy/size leverage helped over the long run of the season and in key moments in the game when the team needs both size and energy.

Arthur is absolutely a nice addition, but he's not a big.

[dunkman04]

It was once again demonstrated by a good team that the Nuggets just don't have the talent. I wish the young guys were getting more run instead of rolling out a bunch of journeyman vets to make sure we pile up 45 wins and keep selling those tickets.

[torotoe]

This team really struggles to put together a complete quarter. For every four minute stretch of good basketball, there's a six minute stretch full of turnovers, missed layups, offensive rebounds, bad shot selection, etc.

The defensive rebounding is especially becoming a big problem.

I think that was especially true once Hamilton left. His rebounding has been key.

[darivo]

i think the key was Wilson Chandler.

He was fine in the first, but was impressive in the ThirdQ attacking and defending...... but he was very tired early....

Need Gallo back!!!!

I dont like Faried's post defense (as always).... ibaka was a monster in the begining!

[The Rebel]

the Nuggets need to find another center desperatly, Hickson and faried are not defenders, keep one and trade the other for an actual defender.

[pickaxe]

the Nuggets need to find another center desperatly, Hickson and faried are not defenders, keep one and trade the other for an actual defender.

Well, Asik's still there. Imagine trading NY's 1st round pick for Asik + salary filler to match.

Keep Faried if we're going to get an Asik type though......his energy and rebounding is much more complimentary than if we hang onto Hickson in a trade for a Center. Though we do NEED that Center, I would like us to remain cognizant of how badly we need energy and boards. We usually don't remember until we are without either.

Worst case scenario still keep Faried on and mold him into 6th man of the year material.

[The Rebel]

the Nuggets need to find another center desperatly, Hickson and faried are not defenders, keep one and trade the other for an actual defender.

Well, Asik's still there. Imagine trading NY's 1st round pick for Asik + salary filler to match.

I don't see the Nuggets giving up that pick for asik, especially with that $15 million pay out next year.

[pickaxe]

the Nuggets need to find another center desperatly, Hickson and faried are not defenders, keep one and trade the other for an actual defender.

Well, Asik's still there. Imagine trading NY's 1st round pick for Asik + salary filler to match.

I don't see the Nuggets giving up that pick for asik, especially with that $15 million pay out next year.

True, that is our reality, but just for a moment I realized how easy it would be to just pull the trigger on a deal like that and how much it would drive NY crazy. Oh well.

http://basketball.realgm.com/tradecheck ... de/6386241

++ 1st round pick

......maybe hang onto Asik for the remainder of the year as an extended tryout to see what kind of core we could build, then make moves accordingly at end of season....

[pickaxe]

the Nuggets need to find another center desperatly, Hickson and faried are not defenders, keep one and trade the other for an actual defender.

Well, Asik's still there. Imagine trading NY's 1st round pick for Asik + salary filler to match.

I don't see the Nuggets giving up that pick for asik, especially with that $15 million pay out next year.

Ok, let me just ask this question: if Asik were the exact right fit and is what would allow this team to grow forward, with a few salary adjustments would you keep him for the $15 million? Keep in mind this is only if he is the perfect fit, and it contingent upon loosening up on other salaries by basically saying to ourselves we have the right mix and so the overall salary total is worth it and we don't need maybe one or two other guys worth about 5 mil........would it then be worth it?

Not saying a Nene-type deal, just saying we would be able to make the puzzle fit perfectly for yet another 1-2 years.

[The Rebel]

Well, Asik's still there. Imagine trading NY's 1st round pick for Asik + salary filler to match.

I don't see the Nuggets giving up that pick for asik, especially with that $15 million pay out next year.

Ok, let me just ask this question: if Asik were the exact right fit and is what would allow this team to grow forward, with a few salary adjustments would you keep him for the $15 million? Keep in mind this is only if he is the perfect fit, and it contingent upon loosening up on other salaries by basically saying to ourselves we have the right mix and so the overall salary total is worth it and we don't need maybe one or two other guys worth about 5 mil........would it then be worth it?

Not saying a Nene-type deal, just saying we would be able to make the puzzle fit perfectly for yet another 1-2 years.

If you believe asik is the perfect fit then yes you do what you need to and bring him in.

The problem is that I do not believe that Asik is the only thing this team needs, not by a long shot. As has seemed to be the case for most of the last 20 years, the Nuggets really need a shooting guard as well. I am beginning to think that the Nuggets do not feel like Fournier is going to be that guy, as he is struggling to get off the bench now backing up Foye and either Miller or Robinson.

Not to mention I really do not like Nate Robinson's fit on this team.

the 2 biggest problems I see with the Nuggets right now is their interior and help defense, and not having anybody outside of the PGs who can create for themselves and others, having Robinson have the ball in his hands so often means much less ball movement, and less open shots, putting it all on Andre and Ty to do it. Not a recipe for success, some of these problems will get solved when Gallo and Mcgee get healthy, but until then I do not know what kind of deal is even out there to fix their problem right now.

[pickaxe]

Well, I'd still be for a Nate for decent SG trade. The Osik thing is just because he'll be going going gone fairly soon. The SG thing can be worked on over the next couple of months....

[The Rebel]

the problem is that Nate does not have the value to get you a decent SG, it is going to take someone like Faried and filler to get you a decent SG.

to me it depends on how you feel about the young players on the team currently, and what your goal really is right now. While I understand the reasoning behind the Koufos trade, what I have not really understood was the reasoning in getting foye, robinson, and Hickson.

If you view Fournier as your long term starting SG, and traded your starting center for Arthur indicating you view him as your long term PF either as a starter or at least 6th or 7th man that can defend and spread the floor, then why go out and sign guys at those positions? Foye should be nothing but a place holder, Nate is a good bench scorer but not a good PG, but with those 2 you have 4 PGs or combo guards all of whom are taking minutes from your young SG that looked like he had potential to be a long term answer at SG. Depending on what you feel is going to be Q Millers long term position in the NBA, why would you go out and sign Hickson? Even if the plan is to trade Faried (as has long been rumored) Hickson is the 4th or 5th PF added to the roster, and chandler is a combo forward. Meaning you have 1 true SG on the roster, and 2 centers on the roster, making a terrible unbalanced roster, especially considering how many of these guys are unable to make their own shot.

If the plan was to take a step back and develop some of the young talent on the team, then why bring in a bunch of players to get in their way? Fournier is struggling to get minutes while the Nuggets are giving a ton of minutes to journeymen at his position, meanwhile his confidence sucks. Q. Miller was said to have had a good camp, he looked solid in summer league, but he is not going to get any meaningful minutes behind 4 other guys. Shaw's job is to win games, I do not blame any coach for doing what he feels will help him win those games, but the front office has to think long term, and signing a bunch of rotation type talent to place in front of your young talent is dumb.

I went on this long rant to say this. Now the Nuggets are stuck in a weird position of having a bunch of rotation players without much value taking the playing time and killing the value of the young players. Nate Robinson signed in Denver for basically LLE type money, Hickson signed for MLE money, Foye signed for $3 million a year, in other words there was not exactly a bidding war for their services, meaning they have limited if any trade value. Andre Miller is old, he is not going to bring back much if anything in a trade, they did not pick up Hamilton's option, fournier has not been given enough minutes to even really get into any kind of rhythm and has looked like crap more often than not, Mcgee was trying to play on a broken leg and looked like crap doing it, Q Miller has not gotten off the bench, leaving Faried, lawson, Mozgov, chandler, and possible Galinari, along with that pick, as the only things of any kind of value on the roster right now. The problem is what are you going to get for them, that is better then what they are?

[Go Magic]

I wish the young guys were getting more run instead of rolling out a bunch of journeyman vets to make sure we pile up 45 wins and keep selling those tickets.

+1