Post#165 » by Whole Truth » Fri Nov 6, 2020 2:03 pm
Morant is not like Luka or Young, he doesn't need to dominate the ball to be effective. He won ROY, putting up 18 & 7 on a 25% usage.. where neither Luka or Young have been under 30% usage, even in their rookie seasons.
Simmons as a transition player, ball handler, unlike Luka, also operates on a 20-22% usage rate but is a versatile, big wing defender which compliments Ja better, defensively. The obvious issue being spacing ... but to be effective in transition where Ja is, you also need defensive stops, ball pressure & denial.
Addressing spacing issues.. With Simmons playing forward/front court, with 3J/Clarke instead of a slow footed Embiid. He's paired with 3J 6, 3's a game on 40% & Clarke looking like he'd be a reliable threat from the corners, where Simmons effectively becomes the defensive non shooting 5 in this position less league in that scenario.
That then draws a comparison to how Bucks utilize Giannis who gets boxed out in the playoffs as a C. What's the difference?. Giannis is the primary ball handler #1 option, where Memphis would have Ja.
Simmons, Pascal & Onyeka as targets = versatility (Simmons 1-5), speed, motor & defense leading to offense. Onyeka like Simmons is a rim protector lacking range but none questioned that choice, why?. The perception that Simmons inability to shoot is the reason for Philly's downfall when they looked overmatched without him against Boston this past playoffs, If Embiid was the player everyone believes him to be !!!!... Simmons lack of spacing, is not why they lost, easily, to Boston.
When I was suggesting for Pascal to start with the Raptors during their Championship rum with the Kawhi & Green acquisition, he was not yet a reliable threat from range, it was an unknown variable. He became a threat over the course of the season. Pascal's speed was utilized to put pressure on teams in the open court off of Kawhi & Greens defensive capabilities, which Raptors didn't have with Derozan.
Memphis didn't exactly as a team space the court well this past season, to where it's a need in their early success. Post Crowder trade, teams didn't respect & sagged off of Anderson, who's not as quick, talented as Simmons. Which is why he worked on his shot & release during the shut down but he was playing at SF mainly where theoretically I have Simmons playing the 5 with Jonas, who was also helping to clog the lane, going to an effective deep bench.
Simmons, 3J/Clarke, "3&D", "3&D", Ja