I like them a lot. Especially TRob, Mo, The Thrill and CJ. But I think they are missing a legit 5. Anytime Meyers
Mo has both given me joy and pissed me off this year, BUT, I'm really pleased with how he's played the last two weeks. There's something different going on. I also really love Barton and knew he'd make a big jump from his performance last year. He and T-Rob are big-time energy guys coming off of the bench and that's what we need with Mo out there. I really miss Freeland out there doing the labor. Wright seems replaceable, which is too bad. I was really hoping he'd be our sharpshooter coming off of the bench. Everyone else is just kinda......there. Too bad for Victor, I thought he could really ball but he's not getting minutes.
I think our 5 best bench players are Mo, T-Rob, Freeland, Claver and Barton. They are the players I would want to see in competitive situations other than the starters. I also would like Stotts to be a little more flexible and at least consider the possibility of using one of them in crunch time, it's not entirely impossible that one of them plays better or has a better match up in a specific situation. Of the bottom 5 players Wright is a nice insurance to have but doesn't give us anything we don't have, McCollum could earn minutes next year but is probably not going to be much more than a Randy-Foye type rotation player. Leonard is just clueless, if we can't trade him we keep him hoping he somehow, one day, "gets it" but don't count on it. Crabbe should play summer league, maybe he improves but I'm not very excited about him, Watson will not be with us next year unless as an assistant coach, giving us an open roster spot to bring someone in the offseason.
Freeland - I don't expect much and I don't get much, but he's competent which is very good compared to some. Happy. Mo - I can't tell you how relieved I am that he no longer dribbles for 22 seconds much anymore. Happy. TRob - He reputed limited mental skills are very believable. Not that happy right now, but I'm happy with his long range prospects. C.J. - Incomplete. He wants to fit in, but that's not his game. Hopefully, he'll lose that next year. Again, I'm happy about his long term prospects. Barton - Another star type player who can't really make it work as a role player. Leonard - It takes some big men 5 or 6 years to figure it out. I don't think Leonard will learn that fast. Not Optimistic. Claver - Love his game, if only he could shoot. I'm not optimistic that he'll learn anytime soon. Crabbe - like his game, but haven't seen him comfortable yet, another Incomplete. I'm not sure he'll ever be given a chance.
We need to find a way to move Wesley to the bench this summer. IMO, he'd be more effective in a Ginobli type of role. This summer we need to add some vets, via FA or trade: Mizra Teletovic - a legit stretch four with a developing post game. Patric Young (draft - four year big) Larry Sanders - a blithering idiot in a losing culture who could be had on the cheap. Shaun Livingston - a lesser Batum who can give you a solid 20 mpg. Finally looks 100% healthy.
I don't know anything about the other guys, and don't even really know anything of Sanders other than what I read about him in here last season and during the summer. But I'd be down for these two. I really liked Livingston prior to his injury. Can he still play PG? Also, who do you think is good enough to push Wes to the bench? How do we get a player like that?
Bench was awful tonight. Suns are a bad matchup for Williams, Barton, and Wright. Barton was totally lost tonight. Games like this make you just cringe when the 2nd unit comes in.
Doesn't help that Phoenix's second unit is an overachieving nightmare. The Morris twins, Gerald Green... And let's not discount Hornacek coaching like Nate with actual skill and talent instead of a suit and a superstar...
