Offseason Thread 7: A Tale Of Two Dragons

Frank Lee · Post #821 » by **Frank Lee** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 5:49 am

Might as well accept the 'Gimmick' as this team is built for speed and hustle. We can go ten deep with guys who will be hungry for minutes and will leave it on the court each and every night. Thats what our strength is. Some nights it won't be enough to overcome our deficiencies, but the general attitude Hornecek brings will his one true option and the only way this squad win. Teams will have to reckon with our line ups, just as we will with them.

Play to your strength, and it seems obvious thats just what Hornecek will do. I'm not going to expect much in the beginning, but if the right grease gets on this wheel, look out. There will be blitzkrieg moments that will be very entertaining to witness....yes, welcomed shades of SSOL. We'll find out a lot about this team this year as we send out guard/forward heavy line ups, that surely will cause chaos with opposing second units. 110+ per night will be the target. We have the fire power to score with anyone, and we damn sure will need it.

There are so many combinations the true challenge will be finding what works. I could easily see a hockey line change attitude with 3-4 fresh guys coming off the bench at a time, with a green light flashing. Slow down ? For what?

SlovenianDragon · Post #822 » by **SlovenianDragon** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 7:34 am

What I like about our team is that we have a lot of good players. We have stated that we want to keep the core and then add to it.

We knew the cap space would grow larger. Maybe we are just biding our time. Keep the core together then sign a big name in FA and push for a title.

It may have been a bit disappointing to not sing a big free agent this offseason but I believe that's because they didn't want to blow their load all at once.

So many teams when they feel they can compete for the playoffs blow their load and don't win it all. I think our FO is waiting for the time to strike. Lock up the young core for the future and than strike when the iron is hot.

Ya feel me dawg?

carey · Post #823 » by **carey** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 4:49 pm

I feel you. It's a decent strategy, but who is even sort of available in FA over the next two years? LMA next year? Probably not leaving Portland. Durant in 2 years? He'll either stay in OKC or bolt to Washington. Horford in 2 years? Is he really a next level FA? He'd improve us but how much? The always injured Brook Lopez in 2 years? Doubt he'd come here after what we did to RoLo. Big Al? He has a player option and can opt out after this season. David Lee in 2 years? He hasn't exactly put GS over the hump with an equally talented back court. David West has a player option next Summer, but he's grayer than I am. DeAndre Jordan? He's a UFA this Summer. I don't think he can bare to be apart from his lil buddy tho. Boozer? I'm not sure he's better than Markieff at this point. Rudy Gay next year? Doubtful.

That leaves the 2 guys I would back up the brinks truck for.

Marc Gasol is a FA next summer. I'd give him all the money. He'd make us an elite defensive team and that's reason enough. The same can be said for my next guy but he's not available until Summer of '16. I'd give Joakim Noah a max deal too. He's an elite defensive big man as well and can pass the rock if not shoot it. He would transform this defense.

Frank Lee · Post #824 » by **Frank Lee** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 5:55 pm

Cap space isn't restricted for free agents. We can always make a lopsided salary trade with it as well. I think thats our best/likely route for as you mentioned.... the FA market isn't exactly stocked up.

Revived · Post #825 » by **Revived** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 10:45 pm

cosmofizzo wrote:Why even hold Len out for a broken pinky? He can't hit anything anyways! I've played with broken fingers. You can still catch the ball, dunk the ball, block the ball. Let's just hit the man's hands with a hammer and tell him to get to work.

bwgood77 wrote:Why the hell doesn't he just tape his fingers?

This is what I don't get either. I have played many times with a broken, jammed and/or sprained fingers.

Granted it was only high school basketball, if I can do it, shouldn't a PROFESSIONAL basketball player be able to do it also?

Seems so weird that Len misses games due to finger injuries.

I hate this guy Len needs to take a page out of this guy's work

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,252528

Sunsdeuce · Post #826 » by **Sunsdeuce** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:16 pm

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ericsports/status/521072840758816769[/tweet]
Priceless.

@BleacherReport: VIDEO: LeBron thinks he’s still with Miami, sets pick for Norris Cole against his own teammate http://t.co/JLMmYaBuxf http://t.co/UOCTUP422s

YouTube · Post #827 » by **Kerrsed** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:24 pm

Sunsdeuce wrote:[tweet]https://twitter.com/ericsports/status/521072840758816769[/tweet]
Priceless.

I saw that live. I was wondering if something like that was going to happen. I was expecting a Wade Psych-out, with him sticking his arms out and asking Lebron to pass him the ball.

Flying Colors · Post #828 » by **Flying Colors** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 12:01 am

SF88 wrote:
cosmofizzo wrote:Why even hold Len out for a broken pinky? He can't hit anything anyways! I've played with broken fingers. You can still catch the ball, dunk the ball, block the ball. Let's just hit the man's hands with a hammer and tell him to get to work.

bwgood77 wrote:Why the hell doesn't he just tape his fingers?

This is what I don't get either. I have played many times with a broken, jammed and/or sprained fingers.

Granted it was only high school basketball, if I can do it, shouldn't a PROFESSIONAL basketball player be able to do it also?

Seems so weird that Len misses games due to finger injuries.

I hate this guy Len needs to take a page out of this guy's work

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,252528

i imagine he can still play no problem, i can see a situation where the Front Office would rather spend the time now to let it heal since the games are meaningless

phrazbit · Post #829 » by **phrazbit** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 12:55 am

Thinking a guy should play with a broken finger in preseason is absolutely idiotic.

Post #830 » by **lilfishi22** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 1:12 am

Sunsdeuce wrote:[tweet]https://twitter.com/ericsports/status/521072840758816769[/tweet]
Priceless.

@BleacherReport: VIDEO: LeBron thinks he’s still with Miami, sets pick for Norris Cole against his own teammate http://t.co/JLMmYaBuxf http://t.co/UOCTUP422s

That's about as solid a moving screen as you'll ever see lol. What's funnier is the play ended up with an airball anyway

Revived · Post #831 » by **Revived** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 1:22 am

Flying Colors wrote:
SF88 wrote:
cosmofizzo wrote:Why even hold Len out for a broken pinky? He can't hit anything anyways! I've played with broken fingers. You can still catch the ball, dunk the ball, block the ball. Let's just hit the man's hands with a hammer and tell him to get to work.

bwgood77 wrote:Why the hell doesn't he just tape his fingers?

This is what I don't get either. I have played many times with a broken, jammed and/or sprained fingers.

Granted it was only high school basketball, if I can do it, shouldn't a PROFESSIONAL basketball player be able to do it also?

Seems so weird that Len misses games due to finger injuries.

I hate this guy Len needs to take a page out of this guy's work

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,252528
i imagine he can still play no problem, i can see a situation where the Front Office would rather spend the time now to let it heal since the games are meaningless

Yea they did the same thing in summer league but he's missing valuable learning experiences in these games imo. I hope they don't hold him out of regular season games because of pinkie injuries.

Kid's got potential and great size. I wanna see it develop and give us that center we have been longing for.

Post #832 » by **lilfishi22** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 1:27 am

SF88 wrote:
Flying Colors wrote:
SF88 wrote:
This is what I don't get either. I have played many times with a broken, jammed and/or sprained fingers.

Granted it was only high school basketball, if I can do it, shouldn't a PROFESSIONAL basketball player be able to do it also?

Seems so weird that Len misses games due to finger injuries.

I hate this guy Len needs to take a page out of this guy's work

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,252528
i imagine he can still play no problem, i can see a situation where the Front Office would rather spend the time now to let it heal since the games are meaningless

Yea they did the same thing in summer league but he's missing valuable learning experiences in these games imo. I hope they don't hold him out of regular season games because of pinkie injuries.

Kid's got potential and great size. I wanna see it develop and give us that center we have been longing for.

A few preseason game experience won't make or break a player. Hold him out until he's healthy then bring him along. No reason he should risk further injury to the pinkie (detached ligaments? worse fracture?) for meaningless games.

On a different topic, Jan Vesley is out of the league already? What a waste of the #6 pick.

Revived · Post #833 » by **Revived** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 1:34 am

Isn't it Jan Vesley who had a smoking hot gf with him at the draft?

Post #834 » by **lilfishi22** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 1:47 am

SF88 wrote:Isn't it Jan Vesley who had a smoking hot gf with him at the draft?

Yeah she's pretty

GDFTony · Post #835 » by **GDFTony** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 6:42 am

lilfishi22 wrote:
SF88 wrote:Isn't it Jan Vesley who had a smoking hot gf with him at the draft?

Yeah she's pretty

there's something weird about her shoulder/neck area...

wordsenuff · Post #836 » by **wordsenuff** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 6:59 am

lilfishi22 wrote:
SF88 wrote:Isn't it Jan Vesley who had a smoking hot gf with him at the draft?

Yeah she's pretty

YouTube · Post #837 » by **Kerrsed** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:39 am

GDFTony wrote:
lilfishi22 wrote:
SF88 wrote:Isn't it Jan Vesley who had a smoking hot gf with him at the draft?

Yeah she's pretty

there's something weird about her shoulder/neck area...

Her shoulder looks like a knee and her arm is the leg.

JMac1 · Post #838 » by **JMac1** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:52 pm

Scutt wrote: Our 3 best players are all combo guards and that is not a recipe for success in the NBA.

Tell Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars that :roll:

Sunsdeuce · Post #839 » by **Sunsdeuce** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 3:12 pm

JMac1 wrote:
Scutt wrote: Our 3 best players are all combo guards and that is not a recipe for success in the NBA.

Tell Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars that

They also had some of the best bigs in the game! Dennis rodman, bill laimbeer, dantley, rick Mahorn. They were the bullies of their era.

Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

bigfoot · Post #840 » by **bigfoot** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 6:37 pm

Sunsdeuce wrote:
JMac1 wrote:
Scutt wrote: Our 3 best players are all combo guards and that is not a recipe for success in the NBA.

Tell Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars that

They also had some of the best bigs in the game! Dennis rodman, bill laimbeer, dantley, rick Mahorn. They were the bullies of their era.

Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

Hogwash ... nobody thinks of those guys as elite bigs during the 80's. Two elite guards and a bunch of role players got it done. What their bigs had was the hustle factor ... getting on the floor, battling inside, getting rebounds, and playing defense. That doesn't make them the best bigs. However, it is difficult to find players with that mentality to just do their job. Seems like most want to be the man on the team or score 20+ points. Three PJ Tucker types alongside Dragic, Bledsoe, and Thomas would be a formidable team.

Here's the list of elite for those years spanning the "Bad boys" era.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... rder_by=ws