Stanley Johnson (Arizona) as a stretch-4?

[mattao313]

He's a perimeter wing player, not a bigman. He could play PF in small ball lineups in short stretches maybe, but I don't believe he can by any means play the 4 regularly.

Draymond Green is an anomaly and one of the most intelligent defenders in the entire league. Stanley Johnson has good physical tools and strength, but he's unproven as a defender at this level. And even if he does become a good defender, he'd be best suited for guarding opposing wing players where he can maximize his strength/size advantage, not big men where he will routinely give up a height and wingspan advantage. You don't start perimeter players at the power forward spot. And please nobody mention Lebron James...he's one of the most versatile players to ever play the game and his athleticism is in another stratosphere. Carmelo's played some PF, but it hasn't led to any success.

And I'd also like to note that nearly all of the shorter PFs in the league have longer wingspans than Johnson does. Milsap, Sullinger, Draymond. All have wingspans of 7'1 to 7'2.

Carmelo played his best ball a PF it was the year they won 50 games. Look his stat when he is at PF versus SF.

[joedumars1]

He's a perimeter wing player, not a bigman. He could play PF in small ball lineups in short stretches maybe, but I don't believe he can by any means play the 4 regularly.

Draymond Green is an anomaly and one of the most intelligent defenders in the entire league. Stanley Johnson has good physical tools and strength, but he's unproven as a defender at this level. And even if he does become a good defender, he'd be best suited for guarding opposing wing players where he can maximize his strength/size advantage, not big men where he will routinely give up a height and wingspan advantage. You don't start perimeter players at the power forward spot. And please nobody mention Lebron James...he's one of the most versatile players to ever play the game and his athleticism is in another stratosphere. Carmelo's played some PF, but it hasn't led to any success.

And I'd also like to note that nearly all of the shorter PFs in the league have longer wingspans than Johnson does. Milsap, Sullinger, Draymond. All have wingspans of 7'1 to 7'2.

Carmelo played his best ball a PF it was the year they won 50 games. Look his stat when he is at PF versus SF.

Pierce has been playing the four pretty well for Washington in these playoffs too

[OneBadMutha]

Game has changed guys. Since illegal defense has been taken out, back to the basket post play isn't as effective as it used to be. Since hand checking was taken out, pick and rolls became even more dangerous. Your team has to be able to move and cover a lot of ground to be good defensively. If a team wants to try taking advantage of size in the post...good. Let them. Get the ball out of the hands of today's best offensive players in the process. I'd much rather have Chris Paul try to dump it in the post than to run the pick and roll. Much rather have Lebron give it to Love in the post that run a pick and roll. Same with a healthy Rose, Westbrook or Curry. No team in the East will ever see Memphis in the finals so matching up to them is pointless.

[blueadams]

Guys. We gotta stop living in la-la land.

...

Monroe's gonna leave. We're probably not going to be able to arrange anything major, if anything, in a sign and trade. Love and Aldridge aren't coming here. Kawhi, Butler, Draymond and even Tobias are going to have any contracts matched. We're probably going to pick 8th, unless we get lucky. Towns, Okafor, Mudiay, Russell, Winslow, even Hezonja are all probably going to be off the board. And IF we're able to trade Jennings, it will likely just be in a salary dump.

...

Realistically, in the draft, we're probably looking at.. Johnson, Porzingis, Oubre, Turner, Lyles, Dekker, Kaminsky.
-Johnson is more than big and athletic enough to defend and rebound at the 4 in today's game, IMO. He gets points in a lot of ways (garbage points are points) and shoots at a great clip for a 4. Plus intangibles.. if he doesn't improve, it won't be for lack of effort.
-Porzingis. Who knows with the Euro-stretch-4's. Big question mark, obviously. And definitely going to take time.
-Oubre's interesting as a 3.
-Turner I don't think shoots well enough to be a 4 for SVG. Ditto Lyles.
-Dekker I just don't see making it.
-Kaminsky's D on 4's would make Monroe look like Dennis Rodman. I do think he'll be a solid NBA'er though.

...I basically like Johnson as the 4. Oubre as the 3.

Free Agency. If you want a stretch-4, your best bet is probably Millsap. He's on the older side. But if you're asking me, I don't think it'd be the most terrible mistake. Not sure Atlanta would max him out. Buuut, I'm guessing they probably would. So, it's probably a moot idea anyways. In all likelihood, our best options are probably guys like Middleton and Danny Green. Not any 4's.

...So. With all that being faced. I'd probably go with Johnson in the draft.

...Sign Middleton and Da. Green.

...We're looking at something like..

C: Drummond, ???
PF: Johnson, Tolliver
SF: Middleton, KCP
SG: Da. Green, Meeks
PG: Jackson, Jennings, Dinwiddie

Really. Not a bad squad. Would need to find a backup center somewhere. Like I said, think Johnson could be a great 4. Love Tolliver off the bench for him. 3 nice wings in Middleton, KCP and Da. Green. I really think Da. Green is vastly underrated btw. Best shooter in the game, maybe, not named Steph or Korver. Excellent defender at both the 2 and the 3. Clutch. Playoff proven. Coached as well as they come. Great intangibles. Middleton's a great shooter and defender. 2 and 3. KCP's a good shooter and good defender. 2 and (easily--still hypothetically) 3. Love Jackson running the point with Dre surrounded by shooters and plus defenders. Jennings and Meeks providing instant offense off the bench in droughts...we'd hope. Dinwiddie nice Jennings insurance.

I'd like that squad very much. Very young, too.

[Pharaoh]

I think Johnson, Middleton and Aminu would be an amazing off-season.

[The Penguin]

Johnson can play the 4 if you clone him and have the clone play the 3 as well. I keep seeing people throw out playing KCP at the 3 and that's not going to work. Draymond usually has either a strong 3 in Iguodala next to him or a borderline 3-4 in Barnes and Klay is a long 2, it helps the Ws ability to switch off screens and throw different looks at teams.

[OneBadMutha]

I think Johnson, Middleton and Aminu would be an amazing off-season.

I agree. Pistons would be immediately relevant with that group. They'd be better offensively, in transition, and much better defensively. Rebounding would be slightly worse overall but more reliable in crunch time due to teams ability to keep position defensively.

I'd project a 4 seed with that group with upside for the future.

[blueadams]

Why Aminu over Danny Green?

[dVs33]

Why Aminu over Danny Green?

Cost and availability

[aad]

But will aminu play the 3 or 4 for us

[Pharaoh]

I don't think it's possible to steal Middleton AND Danny Green.

I also don't think we need Green if we landed Middleton.

Middleton is the 2/3 shooter and defender...he's well worth the investment and I don't see the Bucks paying big money for him while they have MCW, Alphabet, Parker...they need a legit big more than a quality shooting wing IMO. They also have a lot of middling contracts to deal with

Aminu brings D, boards and is still improving his range. Can log minutes at the 3/4. Johnson is another 3/4 with the potential to start long term. Aminu is more a bench player but quality.
Assuming we could land Johnson in the Draft, sign Middleton, Aminu and say Ed Davis:

Drummond plays 30+. Davis and Anthony are the back ups providing different looks

Tolliver, Davis, Aminu can all log minutes at the 4 immediately and bring different skill sets...

Middleton logs 30+ and brings the shooting we need AND some quality D. Aminu & Johnson back him up - I like the idea of Johnson earning playing time as opposed to getting it handed to him on a silver platter

KCP plays 30+. Meeks backs him up, Middleton can log minutes here if Johnson or Aminu earns more time, Jackson or Dinwiddie can play here if Jennings is healthy enough

Jackson plays 30+. Dinwiddie deserves consistent playing time but if Jennings is healthy enough then Spencer has hot to play SG.

Johnson, Middleton, Aminu & Davis...not sure it's feasible (haven't crunched the numbers) but damn!

Long term that's a long, athletic, young, defensive minded team that SVG could really get excited about