Post#19 » by THE J0KER » Sat Nov 9, 2019 10:49 pm
Grant offense stats drop is shocking so far compared to the previous season. FG% drop from 54% and 50% in the past two seasons to just 42% this season (3p% drops from 40% to 25%!?). He is part of our improved defense this season so far of course, but that would happen anyway if we used another defensive specialist Jarred Vanderbilt instead of him.
Grant's adoption of the Nuggets system obviously needs some time, but I'm also afraid that there are some more serious issues. Despite have elite 3p% last season, Grant was never been an elite 3p shooter. He takes full advantage of his good movement for a big guy to score open threes when opponents defense is focussed on Westbrook and George, and the same you can say from his alley-oop dunks when he sneaks so often using same advantages. Also, Grant defensive skills are much well used vs best opponents forwards. But if Grant played in Oklahoma 6th man role instead of 5th starter, despite playing the same minutes and playing vs opponents 2nd units his numbers would be worse, because he is that type of the player which I just tried to explain. As OKC 6th man opponents defense would be focused on him, and his defensive potential would be wasted on some opponent bench players. The same problem Denver has now with Grant playing with Plumlee and Morris instead with Jokic and Murray, so no sneaky open 3pt shots and dunks which make Grant so efficient in Oklahoma.
Honestly, I don't know how to solve this problem in the best way. To put Millsap on the bench would be a shocking decision for the team which just decided to pay him $30M for another season. Maybe the solution is to put Grant on the SF starter spot, but we need to pump Barton trade value and develop MPJ. Or just put Grant intentionally to underperform from the bench entire season, which would decline his market value, and sign a new contract with him next summer with granted PF starting job since next season (with Millsap exit).