2019-20 Player Improvement and Role Speculation

[dean456]

What do you guys hope to see from our guys next season? Where do you hope to see improvements in our players and how do you see their roles changing next season?

For the sake of this thread lets just assume Dragic, Whiteside, Dion and JJ wont be on the roster next season and for now assume we haven't made any other significant additions other than who you'd like us to pick at 13.

Starters

Justice Winslow, PG - I imagine Winslow showing some considerable improvement this season. He's been given a larger role and he will now be able to start the season fresh in this new role.

Stats - 35mpg I 15FGA's I 46FG% I 36 3pt% I 17ppg I 6.9rpg I 6.2apg I 1.4spg

Josh Richardson, SG - I don't think JRich's numbers will change too much I just hope he can be more effecient and moving back to his natural position at SG should help those numbers.

Stats - 34mpg I 15FGA's I 46FG% I 37 3pt% I 18.5ppg I 3.4rpg I 3.8apg I 1.5spg

Derrick Jones Jr, SF - I would like to see Derrick get more minutes next season and see what he can contribute in longer stretches for us. I hope to see more improvement in his shooting and his ball handling ability.

Stats - 29mpg I 9FGA's I 51FG% I 34 3pt% I 14ppg I 7rpg I 1.2spg I 1.2bpg

Kelly Olynyk, PF - I expect Kelly to keep giving us what he does. Maybe having a slightly lesser role because I assume we are drafting a PF who will take up some minutes off the bench.

Stats - 26mpg I 8.4FGA's I 47FG% I 37 3pt% I 12ppg I 5rpg I 1.7apg

Bam Adebayo, C - I hope to see Bam start to extend his range and show some ability to hit more mid range and long range jump shots and start to produce more for us given more minutes now that Whiteside is gone.

Stats - 32mpg I 11FGA's I 55FG% I 30 3pt% I 15ppg I 11rpg I 3.4apg I 1.6spg I 1.3bpg

Bench

PJ Washington, 6th man, PF- I hope PJ is able to come in and give us valuable minutes off the bench and shows us some flashes of
his potential to be a future starter on this team.

Stats - 24mpg I 5.4FGA's I 47FG% I 33 3pt% I 8.4ppg I 4.9rpg I 0.8apg I 0.3spg I 0.5bpg

I know its probably not realistic for everyone on this team to improve this much all at once but these are just my hopeful projections of what I expect these guys to get to without the other veterans on the team here anymore.

[RexBoyWonder]

Good thread. I'll elaborate later, but the key point for me is your assumption that Dragic, Whiteside, Dion and JJ won't be on the roster.

I want non of them here (for different reasons) but they'll all be here next year. Trust me.

And if they all get real minuets and significant roles, I'm afraid most of the young crew won't be able to really develop as much as you expect or as much as we need them too.

[Wiltside]

I like your hope, but projections are a little optimistic on some players I feel.

My take:

Justise Winslow - it looks like the team is not entirely sold on him being the primary ball handler, disappointingly. However, Justise should continue to improve and provide his all round play from a combination of the 1/2/3 spots. Hopefully Spo learns he can't play the 4 - it's a waste of time putting him on the floor in that spot.

My guess on production would be 14.7ppg, 5.9rpg, 5.1apg, 1.2spg, 0.4bpg, 2.2tpg, 31.2mpg on 43.5%fg, 36.4% 3fg, and 66.8%ft.

Josh Richardson - I think JRich is who he is at this point. He's not a star, and hopefully we don't force feed him into #1 option, as he's just not that guy. He is however a valuable role player on a team friendly contract. Hope to see him up his efficiency, which was disappointing at the back end of last season.

My guess on production would be 16.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 3.3apg, 1.6spg, 0.8bpg, 1.8tpg, 34.4mpg on 44.3%fg, 37.2% 3fg and 82.1%ft.

Derrick Jones Jr - will solidify himself as a rotation piece. Depending on what happens over the offseason, he may even end up starting for us next year. Having said that, don't expect him to put it all together in one summer. He's a slightly smaller Jerami Grant to me at his peak, which is a solid role player. He'll continue trending in the right direction if given opportunities.

My guess on production would be 9.2ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.2apg, 1.1spg, 1.1bpg, 0.9tpg, 23.3mpg on 48.6%fg, 33.3% 3fg and 62.5%ft.

Bam Adebayo - probably the player with the highest ceiling in this lot. Finished the season strong as a starter, and I'd expect we'll be going all in on his development next year. Hopefully starts to show some more strings to his bow, playing more as that facilitating post man with an increasing jump shot. Next year will be his Siakam-esque leap I feel.

My guess on production would be 14.1ppg, 10.4rpg, 3.1apg, 1.1spg, 1.4bpg, 32.4mpg on 52.6fg% and 74.5%ft. Not gonna speculate yet on threes and his %, too little sample size to know if he'll actually do it.

Also gonna wait on rookie predictions until I see who we get, and what our roster looks like. Rex is right though - we can't totally ignore the likelihood that Dion, Goran, JJ and Hassan are back...and that likely impacts our guys above, sadly.

[eddieheatfan]

I like your hope, but projections are a little optimistic on some players I feel.

My take:

Justise Winslow - it looks like the team is not entirely sold on him being the primary ball handler, disappointingly. However, Justise should continue to improve and provide his all round play from a combination of the 1/2/3 spots. Hopefully Spo learns he can't play the 4 - it's a waste of time putting him on the floor in that spot.

My guess on production would be 14.7ppg, 5.9rpg, 5.1apg, 1.2spg, 0.4bpg, 2.2tpg, 31.2mpg on 43.5%fg, 36.4% 3fg, and 66.8%ft.

Josh Richardson - I think JRich is who he is at this point. He's not a star, and hopefully we don't force feed him into #1 option, as he's just not that guy. He is however a valuable role player on a team friendly contract. Hope to see him up his efficiency, which was disappointing at the back end of last season.

My guess on production would be 16.5ppg, 3.2rpg, 3.3apg, 1.6spg, 0.8bpg, 1.8tpg, 34.4mpg on 44.3%fg, 37.2% 3fg and 82.1%ft.

Derrick Jones Jr - will solidify himself as a rotation piece. Depending on what happens over the offseason, he may even end up starting for us next year. Having said that, don't expect him to put it all together in one summer. He's a slightly smaller Jerami Grant to me at his peak, which is a solid role player. He'll continue trending in the right direction if given opportunities.

My guess on production would be 9.2ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.2apg, 1.1spg, 1.1bpg, 0.9tpg, 23.3mpg on 48.6%fg, 33.3% 3fg and 62.5%ft.

Bam Adebayo - probably the player with the highest ceiling in this lot. Finished the season strong as a starter, and I'd expect we'll be going all in on his development next year. Hopefully starts to show some more strings to his bow, playing more as that facilitating post man with an increasing jump shot. Next year will be his Siakam-esque leap I feel.

My guess on production would be 14.1ppg, 10.4rpg, 3.1apg, 1.1spg, 1.4bpg, 32.4mpg on 52.6fg% and 74.5%ft. Not gonna speculate yet on threes and his %, too little sample size to know if he'll actually do it.

Also gonna wait on rookie predictions until I see who we get, and what our roster looks like. Rex is right though - we can't totally ignore the likelihood that Dion, Goran, JJ and Hassan are back...and that likely impacts our guys above, sadly.

i second this

[Kobewade11]

I'm really intrigued by DJJ's potential as a role player. Yes, contrary to some, I see the value in quality role players. He has all-NBA defense potential, if he can knock down 3's on 38%+ on decent volume watch out.