Post#397 » by picc » Tue Mar 9, 2021 3:11 am
The issue is, he's totally and entirely unecessary to the Nets. What he offers, they don't need. And what they need, he doensn't offer.
The Nets do not need any offense. Blake may hit a three or find an open shooter every now and then, but the massive likelihood is that Brooklyn would score on those possessions anyway, via their best three players or the wide open role players who find themselves in pristine scoring position every play. This turns their offense from 1000 to 1001. Remember that old Eddie Murphy bit? "Now we have three million and TEN dollars!"
And yet, all this would still be gravy... if he didn't actively take away from the one part of the game they DO need help in. Their defense is already below average, with competent defensive players in the frontcourt. Blake is a porous defender with zero lateral mobility at this point, and zero rim protection. He will add a minimal amount of unnecessary value on offense, while providing a clear and present weak link in their already compromised defense. A small drop of water in the bucket, and a large cup of water taken out.
To add to that, any minutes he takes from Claxton, Green, or DJ, who are all much less exploitable defenders with an equal amount of FUNCTIONAL offensive value, are minutes the Nets will be losing when they don't have to.
It's not a bad move. But it is a pointless one. Nash should not strip any minutes from the centers whatsoever, and share Blake's minutes with Greens. Move Green to the 3 a little more.
At best, Blake will help them win regular season games that they would have won anyway, before seeing his minutes vanish in the later rounds of the playoffs.
At worst, he'll be given more meaningful minutes out of respect, damaging the defense and contributing points on offense that would have been scored anyway.
If he doesn't show far better health and mobility than he has this season and last, I dont see this as low risk high reward. The risk and reward are around equal. The lone universal positive is that he'll probably be a good locker room presence.
