Whos the starting sf?

[StunnaStan]

Mook or harris? Assuming we plug the pf position with a bigger guy.

[BadMofoPimp]

What bigger guy? Harris is starting, Stan has mentioned this. Some big guys may play 15-20mpg tops as backups.

[Moses ShamMoses]

I think Stunna means if we get a starting quality power forward, who starts? If we get Al Horford he obviously will not be coming off the bench. In that (unlikely) scenario I think Tobias Harris starts and Morris comes off the bench but I'm sure they will try out both ways in preseason to see what works best.

[Kilo]

Harris at the 4, Mook at the 3 until Stanley supplants him. Then Mook comes off the bench backing up SF and PF. We can't afford to bring in a starting PF. We have 15M to spend and in this cap skyrocketing situation you're not getting a better PF than Harris with that. And we need a back-up PG with some of that money as well. I think we spend about 9M on PG and 6M on PF.

[ImHeisenberg]

If we get a PF that will be our undisputed starter, I'd wager that Harris gets the starting nod.

[zeebneeb]

This is actually a very tricky question, without a clear answer.

If I HAD to pick a player I want between the two, I actually lean towards Mook of the two based solely on his defense, and ability to iso and score.

I honestly believe if presented with this problem, one of two things will absolutely happen;

Sign Horford and now this is what happens;

1.)Stan goes with matchups. Mook, or Harris will be in the starting lineup depending on the team. They both have different strengths but are both above average starters in the league.

2.)Stan decides to package one of them in a deal, alongside KCP for a huge upgrade at the SG position. This is actually more likely then a lot of people believe because of Stanley. Mook contract is easy on the pocketbook, and coaches around the league LOVE AND ADORE Pope.

The fact of the matter is, the Pistons have two versatile forwards when most teams in the league don't even have one.

[dVs33]

Considering we don't have that much cap space and without a crazy trade I think our starting 5 stays the same.
Once Harris came on board the starting five was great, it's the bench that needs help. If by some magical mystic miracle horford signs, then I imagine Harris starts. It's not happening though.

[Cowology]

Small tangent here, but the reason the 2 (or 3) superstar model is so effective is because it allows you to always have an impact player on the court. Whether it's LeBron & Kyrie, Curry & Thompson or Durant & Westbrook there is somebody who can carry the workload and take pressure off an otherwise mediocre bench. See Ginobli.

We don't have that luxury and thus can't afford a mediocre bench. We essentially need to be able to go 8-9 deep with no significant drop off from the starters to our 2nd unit. This also makes Mooks ability to iso a relevant argument for why he should come off the bench. Regardless of whether he's the better fit as a starter, we need his ability to create when we go to our bench.

For the record I think with a training camp under his belt we'll also see the value of having a versatile forward like Tobias on the floor with Dre.

That said I expect Mook & Tobias to both start until Stanley earns that spot. And no, we aren't likely to land Horford. In fact about the only way we upgrade our starters if if we consolidate assets, but that does nothing to help our depth. I'd personally be in favor of grabbing a guy like Knight and eventually having him, Mook and a 20-24 mpg backup 4/5 as our key guys off the bench. Most teams would not want to tie up that much money on a 6th/7th man, but in our situation I think it's the best way to use our cap space. Spend a little more on a quality backup as opposed to an overpaid $8-10 mil backup PG that isn't really going to move the needle.

In the absence of super-stars we need starter quality play (or better) for 48 minutes.

[sfballa13]

This is actually a very tricky question, without a clear answer.

If I HAD to pick a player I want between the two, I actually lean towards Mook of the two based solely on his defense, and ability to iso and score.

I honestly believe if presented with this problem, one of two things will absolutely happen;

Sign Horford and now this is what happens;

1.)Stan goes with matchups. Mook, or Harris will be in the starting lineup depending on the team. They both have different strengths but are both above average starters in the league.

2.)Stan decides to package one of them in a deal, alongside KCP for a huge upgrade at the SG position. This is actually more likely then a lot of people believe because of Stanley. Mook contract is easy on the pocketbook, and coaches around the league LOVE AND ADORE Pope.

The fact of the matter is, the Pistons have two versatile forwards when most teams in the league don't even have one.

If we get Horford we have to think hard about a Butler for Tobias, Mook, KCP, and possibly a future first

That would give us a lineup of Reggie - Butler - Stanley - Horford - Drummond

Very thin in terms of backups but im sure we could get Chicago to throw in Mirotic / Gibson

[Spider156]

This is actually a very tricky question, without a clear answer.

If I HAD to pick a player I want between the two, I actually lean towards Mook of the two based solely on his defense, and ability to iso and score.

I honestly believe if presented with this problem, one of two things will absolutely happen;

Sign Horford and now this is what happens;

1.)Stan goes with matchups. Mook, or Harris will be in the starting lineup depending on the team. They both have different strengths but are both above average starters in the league.

2.)Stan decides to package one of them in a deal, alongside KCP for a huge upgrade at the SG position. This is actually more likely then a lot of people believe because of Stanley. Mook contract is easy on the pocketbook, and coaches around the league LOVE AND ADORE Pope.

The fact of the matter is, the Pistons have two versatile forwards when most teams in the league don't even have one.

I actually don't think that'll happen. I think what'll happen is Mook goes to the bench knowing he'll be here until his contract runs out. The minutes will be the same I believe. I don't think SVG is dumb enough to trade a great player to come off the bench. It's just a matter of will Mook be ok with it? I think he'll get paid regardless of what he does. There's definitely a chance he gets traded with KCP but I think SVG would rather wait 2 years to do that before Mook's contract is up and Stanley's extension is coming up. At the same time, Harris will be in his last year along with having a lower paycut to the salary cap. The only reason Mook would get traded is if he wasn't happy coming off the bench. IF this happens, he'll probably fight for his spot and knowing how his defense is, SVG might end up benching Harris instead which I'm ok with because that's a great bench player and ultimately he already got his contract. So I really don't think anyone is getting traded anytime soon just yet. First and foremost, Horford will have to get signed. Keep in mind that if we sign Horford, we'll be considered title contenders and when you win that much, players tend to sacrifice a bit more but also shine more when they play in the Playoffs. So I think it's a win-win situation no matter what happens if we sign Horford.

[Spider156]

This is actually a very tricky question, without a clear answer.

If I HAD to pick a player I want between the two, I actually lean towards Mook of the two based solely on his defense, and ability to iso and score.

I honestly believe if presented with this problem, one of two things will absolutely happen;

Sign Horford and now this is what happens;

1.)Stan goes with matchups. Mook, or Harris will be in the starting lineup depending on the team. They both have different strengths but are both above average starters in the league.

2.)Stan decides to package one of them in a deal, alongside KCP for a huge upgrade at the SG position. This is actually more likely then a lot of people believe because of Stanley. Mook contract is easy on the pocketbook, and coaches around the league LOVE AND ADORE Pope.

The fact of the matter is, the Pistons have two versatile forwards when most teams in the league don't even have one.

If we get Horford we have to think hard about a Butler for Tobias, Mook, KCP, and possibly a future first

That would give us a lineup of Reggie - Butler - Stanley - Horford - Drummond

Very thin in terms of backups but im sure we could get Chicago to throw in Mirotic / Gibson

I'd probably stick to the depth and potential of the team. Look at Toronto. They don't have a superstar, just two stars in the backcourt. We'd be a better team with Horford in the front court and our bench? Man! haha. I'd wait a year, probably 2 before trading for another star player. I'd also start considering trading Jackson if by next season he hasn't gotten better at defense. His contract is gonna look small after this offseason.

[MrBigShot]

If we get Horford we have to think hard about a Butler for Tobias, Mook, KCP, and possibly a future first

That would give us a lineup of Reggie - Butler - Stanley - Horford - Drummond

Very thin in terms of backups but im sure we could get Chicago to throw in Mirotic / Gibson

You have the right idea, to compete for a championship in this league you need top tier talent. In regards to Horford I think I'd be happy to land him, but at the same time Al Horford is 30 years old at this point so his best years might be behind him, so if SVG chooses to remain patient I will be ok with that.

As i've said in other threads though, if we can land Butler w/o dealing Reggie/Dre I'm all over it. He instantly becomes the best player on our roster. Add in some some hack-a-shaq rule changes and we would have an incredibly formidable group of players that I imagine would be very attractive to other FAs.

I have a lot of faith in SVG, will be interesting to see how the next year or so plays out.

[theBigLip]

So we have 15 mil to get a backup PG and PF. And if we trade Meeks, do we really have a backup 2? Sounds like we will get two young average players that have potential to improve to fill those two spots, making us two deep at every position. I don't think it will mater if Harris or Mook starts - either one would be nice to anchor the bench.

[DET_Athletics]

This is actually a very tricky question, without a clear answer.

If I HAD to pick a player I want between the two, I actually lean towards Mook of the two based solely on his defense, and ability to iso and score.

I honestly believe if presented with this problem, one of two things will absolutely happen;

Sign Horford and now this is what happens;

1.)Stan goes with matchups. Mook, or Harris will be in the starting lineup depending on the team. They both have different strengths but are both above average starters in the league.

2.)Stan decides to package one of them in a deal, alongside KCP for a huge upgrade at the SG position. This is actually more likely then a lot of people believe because of Stanley. Mook contract is easy on the pocketbook, and coaches around the league LOVE AND ADORE Pope.

The fact of the matter is, the Pistons have two versatile forwards when most teams in the league don't even have one.

If we get Horford we have to think hard about a Butler for Tobias, Mook, KCP, and possibly a future first

That would give us a lineup of Reggie - Butler - Stanley - Horford - Drummond

Very thin in terms of backups but im sure we could get Chicago to throw in Mirotic / Gibson

the heck we do, trading 3 starters for anyone not named lebron, KD, Curry, or westbrook is crazy, especially when their all young and on decent contracts, hard pass.

[DET_Athletics]

This is actually a very tricky question, without a clear answer.

If I HAD to pick a player I want between the two, I actually lean towards Mook of the two based solely on his defense, and ability to iso and score.

I honestly believe if presented with this problem, one of two things will absolutely happen;

Sign Horford and now this is what happens;

1.)Stan goes with matchups. Mook, or Harris will be in the starting lineup depending on the team. They both have different strengths but are both above average starters in the league.

2.)Stan decides to package one of them in a deal, alongside KCP for a huge upgrade at the SG position. This is actually more likely then a lot of people believe because of Stanley. Mook contract is easy on the pocketbook, and coaches around the league LOVE AND ADORE Pope.

The fact of the matter is, the Pistons have two versatile forwards when most teams in the league don't even have one.

I actually don't think that'll happen. I think what'll happen is Mook goes to the bench knowing he'll be here until his contract runs out. The minutes will be the same I believe. I don't think SVG is dumb enough to trade a great player to come off the bench. It's just a matter of will Mook be ok with it? I think he'll get paid regardless of what he does. There's definitely a chance he gets traded with KCP but I think SVG would rather wait 2 years to do that before Mook's contract is up and Stanley's extension is coming up. At the same time, Harris will be in his last year along with having a lower paycut to the salary cap. The only reason Mook would get traded is if he wasn't happy coming off the bench. IF this happens, he'll probably fight for his spot and knowing how his defense is, SVG might end up benching Harris instead which I'm ok with because that's a great bench player and ultimately he already got his contract. So I really don't think anyone is getting traded anytime soon just yet. First and foremost, Horford will have to get signed. Keep in mind that if we sign Horford, we'll be considered title contenders and when you win that much, players tend to sacrifice a bit more but also shine more when they play in the Playoffs. So I think it's a win-win situation no matter what happens if we sign Horford.

i think like everything on this team, its who wins the job. if we land horford, no one is beating him out at PF, but as far as who is the better SF, i would say look wins that battle, he is a better shooter and iso player not going to the rim. harris is the better player, but he would be best serve playing heavy minutes coming off the bench.

[DET_Athletics]

Considering we don't have that much cap space and without a crazy trade I think our starting 5 stays the same.
Once Harris came on board the starting five was great, it's the bench that needs help. If by some magical mystic miracle horford signs, then I imagine Harris starts. It's not happening though.

Atlanta is willing to sign and trade Horford for two first for his bird rights. now if we get his commitment that he wants to be in Detroit, then we can negotiate with Atlanta and get off by only sending one. a package of Meeks, Baynes, and first round pick should get it done.
RJ/(hole)/ Gbinije
KCP/Hillard
Mook/Johnson
Horford/Harris
Dre/Ellenson/Anthony
that lineup is top 4 in the east, easily.

[Blkbrd671]

This is actually very interesting if we acquire a legit PF.

SJ legitimately can play 2 or 3, but lets assume KCP,who is SVG's most trusted player, has the spot locked down. That leaves the 3 spot for 3 legit players. I could make a argument for each one however i think what'll ultimately come down to is Defense and rebounding. SVG tends to ignore offense until the slump becomes a "trend".

[Spider156]

Considering we don't have that much cap space and without a crazy trade I think our starting 5 stays the same.
Once Harris came on board the starting five was great, it's the bench that needs help. If by some magical mystic miracle horford signs, then I imagine Harris starts. It's not happening though.

Atlanta is willing to sign and trade Horford for two first for his bird rights. now if we get his commitment that he wants to be in Detroit, then we can negotiate with Atlanta and get off by only sending one. a package of Meeks, Baynes, and first round pick should get it done.
RJ/(hole)/ Gbinije
KCP/Hillard
Mook/Johnson
Horford/Harris
Dre/Ellenson/Anthony
that lineup is top 4 in the east, easily.

No reason to give them a prospect for a veteran that they're going to lose anyway. I think Horford will be happy knowing he's getting a max with an extra year or not, it's good for him. I don't think our front office would agree to add in a first round pick while also giving up two good rotation players. This is FA, not trade. We get Mook for a second round. We get Harris for expiring contracts. We get Jackson for two rotation players. I don't believe we'll give up a pick for a FA sign and trade. But I wouldn't be surprised either. Horford is worth it and that pick will be a low one with him on the team. I'm sure Bullock or Hilliard will do instead though. And if Atlanta doesn't want to give him the max, what sort of incentive do they really have if they're losing him anyway? Then I'd trade away contracts for space and sign him outright and blame it on his "home city" for the way they treated him coming out. But if we do give a first round pick, we've yet to lose one and I didn't think we'd get Harris without giving up one which is crazy. To get Horford without giving up a pick? That's not as crazy but it's part of negotiations. Hawks suck at drafting anyway.