Can Dre/Stanimal/Reggie/KCP ever be the best 4 on a bonafide contender?

[Snakebites]

Fine, I'll rephrase. KCP is not a starter on the contending team we'd develop into, if, in fact, we manage to do so. Not unless we add a Lebron/Durant type player.

Don't bother man. When it comes to topics about KCP on here, people forget how to read and build straw man arguments to have something else to complain about instead. It's not worth the trouble. They won't listen no matter how many times you explain it.

I agree with SB, but my comment wasn't a strawman. If you swapped KCP with Shumpert or Roberson, he would start and be on a contender. I don't know if he'll be a starter if this core becomes a contender, but I'm just as uncertain of Dre/Johnson/Jackson become a lead trio on a contender.

To be truthful, I think the notion that we need another player to be one of our top 3 should be relatively uncontroversial.

Unless Stanley Johnson develops into an all star (possible but the odds are against it), we DO need another higher level guy to round this team out.

[joedumars1]

I think so.

1. RJ already a top 10 PG in my eyes
2. KCP has potential to be a top 5-7 SG imo
3. SJ he has the potential to be a top 10 or higher too.
4. ?
5. Dre top 1-2 already imo at 22

[Todd3]

Fine, I'll rephrase. KCP is not a starter on the contending team we'd develop into, if, in fact, we manage to do so. Not unless we add a Lebron/Durant type player.

Don't bother man. When it comes to topics about KCP on here, people forget how to read and build straw man arguments to have something else to complain about instead. It's not worth the trouble. They won't listen no matter how many times you explain it.

Homeboy, you think DeShawn Stevenson was a consistent offensive starter. There's no amount of explaining that will make that true.

You're right. 38% 3pt shooters are inconsistent. My bad

[Todd3]

Yes, but KCP/Stanley need to improve. Significantly. And Dre has to improve at the line so he can close games.

Otherwise, as I've stated in some other game threads...we won't win with either Dre/Reggie as our #1 guy.

I'm in wait and see mode because it all depends on how great Dre & Reggie end up being. Will they be closer to Shaq & Kobe or Ben & Chauncey?

Because that should answer what caliber players we need around them to win a title. If it's the former, then maybe we can get by with role players around them of the Horry/Fisher caliber. If it's the latter though, we are going to need guys more of the Rasheed/Rip caliber around them. Right now it's hard to say either of KCP or Stanley can be as good as Rasheed/Rip. So that's where the dilemma comes in, if Dre/Reggie don't end up superstars, we probably need better talent around them. Fortunately it's still early and I do think Stanimal has All-Star potential and KCP still has potential to improve offensively, and at worst both can be great assets off the bench. So it's just too early to tell.

[tmorgan]

It's possible, yes, because there's a lot of development left for all four of them (Stanley, Andre, KCP, and Reggie, in that order, have a lot of things to improve on), but it's not particularly likely. Stanley, for all his potential, is pretty bad right now. Andre has some enormous holes in his game (and some enormous strengths, of course). KCP has a lot to learn on offense, and Reggie is still average at best at a lot of things (defense, outside shooting, game management).

It's still a nice four with a much higher ceiling than most, but if the worst of those 4 is our 4th best player long term, we're probably peaking at some 2nd round exits.

Don't take this as overly negative. Our cap is also pretty well-managed, and we still have draft picks and free agents to get. Peaking low isn't a done deal.

[Spider156]

Don't bother man. When it comes to topics about KCP on here, people forget how to read and build straw man arguments to have something else to complain about instead. It's not worth the trouble. They won't listen no matter how many times you explain it.

I agree with SB, but my comment wasn't a strawman. If you swapped KCP with Shumpert or Roberson, he would start and be on a contender. I don't know if he'll be a starter if this core becomes a contender, but I'm just as uncertain of Dre/Johnson/Jackson become a lead trio on a contender.

To be truthful, I think the notion that we need another player to be one of our top 3 should be relatively uncontroversial.

Unless Stanley Johnson develops into an all star (possible but the odds are against it), we DO need another higher level guy to round this team out.

I think there's a good possibility of Stanley becoming a star. An all star I don't think so but he has the potential with that shot. He's still learning the game. Once he catches the rhythm of the game he'll improve the way KCP improved. Stanley is a playmaker. He can dribble, he can shoot, he can go in and kick out. He needs to learn how to finish around the basket better and with his size I doubt he'll have any trouble. His defense in my opinion is his biggest test but I think that comes from effort and even Jackson showed he has potential for great defense. I think one day he'll average 18 pts a game

[DBC10]

KCP would surely start on the OKCs and the Cavs of the world hell even GSW if they wanted small. Or at least be a significant part of the team where they're basically pseudo starters. I think the exact same with Stanley also. Dre would definitely start but I don't know about Reggie since his inability to drive and kick and non-perimeter oriented offense in creating shots. But SnakeBites made a point, it is unclear whether or not any of these guys and even KCP/SJ can be the core of "our" perceived contender.

Honestly, all this talk of contenders and championships are so vastly premature and borderline pipedreaming. We barely look like playoff material on some nights so excuse me if I don't feel the same way about any of this.

Also, cognitive dissonance.

[El Chivo]

this Drummond is not a franchise player.

Good point. We shouldn't even offer Drummond a contract, and should go hard after Whiteside.

we must max Dre... he must step up or we are pretty much fuc**d

[hoophabit]

this Drummond is not a franchise player.

Good point. We shouldn't even offer Drummond a contract, and should go hard after Whiteside.

we must max Dre... he must step up or we are pretty much fuc**d

I suppose I should apologize, as this facetious post should have been put in green. It's probably wrong to bait your own board. Sometimes I get to the point where I'm thinking; GD! I get tired of the bipolar nature of these boards. I suppose I should be used to it by now.

Much as I like and respect what Whiteside has become, and as frustrating as AD's FT shooting and sometimes uninspired defense can be, yes, we can't blow as much money as Whiteside is going to cost replacing a significantly younger player who is more than adequate in his role. We are "married" to AD as we have his bird rights. The cap space we have must be directed to improving the team in other areas, and then sign AD. I have tried to avoid the 'dirty word' that is patience, but there it is.

[El Chivo]

I understood you were sarcastic... I'm concerned, instead, because I'm starting to doubt that Drummond will be the franchise... looks like the best player we have is Reggie Jackson.

[Billl]

Well, pretty clearly, our top 4 players need to be better than KCP and SJ are right now. So, it boils down to what you think of their upside.

Realistically, I think KCP is closing in on his max in terms of raw numbers. I think he'll get more efficient, but he probably won't play this many minutes forever. 15 ppg would be solid for a 4th scoring option though.

SJ? Who knows. He's shown great flashes but made all the usual rookie mistakes. He's one of those guys that just seems to find the ball though, so if it ever clicks for him, he has the potential to post some huge numbers.

[hoophabit]

AD has come a long way in several areas, but his seeming inability to improve at the FT line is concerning. Still, Whiteside fell out of the league at 22 and had to work his way back in, while Drummond is probably going to his first AS game. Despite his shortcomings, let us cling to hope that the league leader in rebounding and double doubles might yet become a truly dominant player.

Reggie likely should be our best player at this point. He's just entering the heart of his career.

I'm still in the camp that it is too early to draw conclusions about KCP. Like AD, he has needed to become more confident and assertive. The little dust up in the last game I saw as evidence that this is occurring, but of course we don't want ejections.

SJ is going to be a good player. Just how good is anyone's guess. I have said repeatedly that I would have been happy with SJ, Winslow, or Booker. Booker is surely looking like the most gifted shooter of the 3. Winslow and SJ are the better defenders and rebounders. SJ has a problem with shot selection. When he takes good shots he's not a bad shooter, but he often forces up bad ones. However, this sometimes coincides with him ending up with the ball in his hands as the shot clock winds down. Probably not a good thing for a rookie.

I try to console myself with it being only year two of the SVG era.

[El Chivo]

Short-term sometimes I think that with an average center, playing help defense, shooting FTs 55%, setting picks and not demanding touches we would be better than we are.

I see the big picture, but I also see attitude and effort bugs in Dre that make me worry long-term.

[DBC10]

AD has come a long way in several areas, but his seeming inability to improve at the FT line is concerning. Still, Whiteside fell out of the league at 22 and had to work his way back in, while Drummond is probably going to his first AS game. Despite his shortcomings, let us cling to hope that the league leader in rebounding and double doubles might yet become a truly dominant player.

Reggie likely should be our best player at this point. He's just entering the heart of his career.

I'm still in the camp that it is too early to draw conclusions about KCP. Like AD, he has needed to become more confident and assertive. The little dust up in the last game I saw as evidence that this is occurring, but of course we don't want ejections.

SJ is going to be a good player. Just how good is anyone's guess. I have said repeatedly that I would have been happy with SJ, Winslow, or Booker. Booker is surely looking like the most gifted shooter of the 3. Winslow and SJ are the better defenders and rebounders. SJ has a problem with shot selection. When he takes good shots he's not a bad shooter, but he often forces up bad ones. However, this sometimes coincides with him ending up with the ball in his hands as the shot clock winds down. Probably not a good thing for a rookie.

I try to console myself with it being only year two of the SVG era.

Man, a problem of having both KCP and Booker would have been a nice problem to have though. It immediately fixes our shooting and bench shooting.

[hoophabit]

AD has come a long way in several areas, but his seeming inability to improve at the FT line is concerning. Still, Whiteside fell out of the league at 22 and had to work his way back in, while Drummond is probably going to his first AS game. Despite his shortcomings, let us cling to hope that the league leader in rebounding and double doubles might yet become a truly dominant player.

Reggie likely should be our best player at this point. He's just entering the heart of his career.

I'm still in the camp that it is too early to draw conclusions about KCP. Like AD, he has needed to become more confident and assertive. The little dust up in the last game I saw as evidence that this is occurring, but of course we don't want ejections.

SJ is going to be a good player. Just how good is anyone's guess. I have said repeatedly that I would have been happy with SJ, Winslow, or Booker. Booker is surely looking like the most gifted shooter of the 3. Winslow and SJ are the better defenders and rebounders. SJ has a problem with shot selection. When he takes good shots he's not a bad shooter, but he often forces up bad ones. However, this sometimes coincides with him ending up with the ball in his hands as the shot clock winds down. Probably not a good thing for a rookie.

I try to console myself with it being only year two of the SVG era.

Man, a problem of having both KCP and Booker would have been a nice problem to have though. It immediately fixes our shooting and bench shooting.

Could you keep them both long term? They appear to be young players best suited to SG, and not really well suited to being swing men. Despite opinions to the contrary, I think the addition of MM and SJ has really helped in improving team defense. It has been nice seeing bigger wings encountering more resistance. Booker is looking good though, no question.

[tmorgan]

The stuff Booker does looks better on highlight reels, but I'm not at all convinced he's going to be a better overall player than SJ.