PG: Derrick Rose, Goran Dragic
SG: Reggie Jackson, Iman Shumpert
SF: Kawhi Leonard, Luol Deng, Aaron Gordon
PF: John Henson, Aaron Gordon, Kristaps Porzingis
C: Nik Vucevic, John Henson, Kristaps Porzingis
Head Coach: Jerry SloanAssistant 1: Chad Forcier
Assistant 2: Jim BoeheimMy approach going into the draft was to assemble an amorphous, well rounded, skilled squad. You know, a basketball team. I think I did a good job following that vision.
Some of my main focal points, essential and fundamental aspects of basketball - that are imperative to winning championships are rebounding and defense.
The more possessions you have, the more chances you have to score.
The more possessions you limit and alter, the less chance your opponent scores.
I also tried to look for players that had well rounded skill sets. It's important to keep the ball moving in basketball, to find open players and to take good shots.
I tried to keep the team long and athletic, to patrol lanes on defense and get steals and blocks. As well as finding the open man and finishing in position. I think the roster will also be able to play the pick and roll well, space the floor, and score in a half court game.
Elite ability to adapt is imperative to winning playoff series.PGDerrick Rose: Former MVP.
6'3 with a 6'8 wingspan, great size for a PG. Great athleticism, heart, and the desire to compete. Still only 26 years old!
So far this postseason he is averaging
19.8 PPG, 4.2 REBS, 6.4 AST, 0.6 BLKS, and 1.6 STLS.
Goran Dragic: 6'4 with a 6'7 wingspan. Dragic is a crafty, and athletic 28 year old guard. He will be a great floor general for the second unit and could start on most teams. He has the ability to create shots for himself and others. He is a capable three point shooter and reliable free throw shooter.
His averages this season were
16.3 PTS, 4.5 ASTS, 3.5 REBS, and 1.0 STL per game. SGReggie Jackson: 6'3 with an incredible 7'0 wingspan. At age 25 he will be a great counterpart to Derrick Rose as he will be able to create his own shot or find others. Reggie is an incredible athlete. He uses this advantage to get to the foul line where he converts a great percentage, 83%. His long arms should result in steals and has the capability to lead the charge in transition or be the finisher at the rim.
His season averages:
14.5 PPG, 6.0 ASTS, 4.2 REBS.Iman Shumpert: At age 24, Shumpert is the perfect defensive anchor off the bench. He will help influence the defensive identity the team has assembled. He has good size for a guard at
6'5 with a 6'9.5 wingspan. He is one of the best perimeter defenders in basketball. He is also a good rebounder for his position and is capable or scoring the ball and stretching the floor as well.
His PER 35 for this year:
11.6 PTS, 5.3 RBS, 3.1 ASTS, and 1.9 STLS.SFKawhi Leonard: The 23 year old defending Finals MVP and DPOY, Kawhi is one of the finest young players in the league, and he is no where near his peak. Every season Kawhi has continued to improve in every facet of basketball, on his way to becoming one of the leagues most complete players.
He is the prototypical wing at
6'7, with a 7'3 wingspan and absolutely enormous hands. He is a very intelligent player who understands when to shoot, when to pass, and when to take it to the rim. He can stretch the floor or score on you in the post.
His averages for this year:
16.5 PTS, 2.5 ASTS, 7.2 REBS, 0.8 BLKS, and 2.3 STLS.Luol Deng: At
6'9 with a 7'0 wingspan, another prototypical wing player. The oldest and most experienced player on the roster at age 30. He still has 6+ solid seasons left in him. Especially if he will not have burden the heavy minutes of seasons past. He will continue to imprint the defensive and competitive ideology of the team. Always a hard worker, he has great intangibles.
Season Avgs:
14.0, 1.9, 5.2, 1 STL.Aaron Gordon: A 19 year old elite athlete that is still growing! Aaron is
6'9 with a 7'0 wingspan. As aforementioned, he is a freakish athlete. He is an intense and high motor player capable of guarding positions 1-5. He will be an important part of the bench and will also play in the starting line up depending on the context of the match-up. Under a great coaching staff and surrounded by great team mates, Aaron will continue to develop as a player. Still only a teenager, his high basketball IQ will ensure he is a great player.
His rookie season
PER 36: 11 PTS, 7.6 REBS, 1.5 ASTS, 0.9 STLS, 1 BLK.PFKristaps Porzingis. 19 year old, Latvian big man. At
7'1 with an over 7'0 wingspan, Porzingis will be a bit of a project. In his formation years he will be used a stretch 4 who can spread the floor and knock down shots. However, as he matures and fills out, his athleticism will contribute on the defensive end as well. Where he is a great shot blocker in Europe.
PF/CJohn Henson: A 24 year old talent with some rare gifts. Henson stands in at
6'11 with an incredible 7'5 wingspan. He will grow into being an elite rim protector and rebounder. He also has a soft touch around the rim and will also be able to play the pick and roll, and easily catch and finish over defenders.
His PER 36 numbers are very intriguing for a young prospect.
13.8 PTS, 1.7 ASTS, 9.1 RBS, 4.0 BLKS, and 0.8 STLS. Good luck scoring over him, if you even get that far.
CNik Vucevic: At 24, he is already one of the best Centers in the game. Standing in at
7' with a 7'4.5 wingspan, he contributes to the size and length of the roster. He is a double-double machine and will thrive next to a tremendous shot blocker like Henson. Vuc is a good athlete and is able to hold his own on defense.
Vuc averaged
19.3 PTS, 10.9 RBS, 2.0 ASTS, 0.7 BLKS, and 0.7 STLS per game this season.
AVERAGE AGE OF STARTING 5: 24.4
AVERAGE AGE OF ENTIRE SQUAD: 24.2You see this is a very young core of skilled basketball players. With the great coaching staff in place, the team should see success for at least 12 years. Jerry Sloan will make sure they win at least 1 championship.
