Batum always has nagging excuses.... errr injuries for the 2nd half of most seasons, shoulder, knee wrist, etc...etc...
I'd argue that once he had a decent team around him (Brandon Jennings, Andre Drummond, no Josh Simth), the Pistons were a pretty good team. If Jennings had not been injured, they would likely have made the playoffs. I agree that I wouldn't want him as a front-court mate with Aldridge, but I don't think he's anywhere near as worthless as you make him out to be, especially considering his post-passing ability. As for the starters...I see where you're coming from. My concern is the cost. If Wes, Rolo and Aldridge are going to cost a combined $15-20M more next year than they did this year, it would seem that we should be able to allocate those funds more effectively.
MAYbe... Yes, it's going to cost us money to re-sign them, but (a) other teams would be willing to pay that cost, so that should determine that they're worth it, or (b) if we have to pay more then that's the price of (i) small market teams, (ii) rewarding loyalty. You can't really avoid those. As for allocating the funds more effectively - how? Maybe in a free market but the NBA is not that. There's a salary cap that stops you spending money. Hey, if we could attract Marc Gasol, Draymond Green and Khris Middleton, I'd be all for it. But we (99.99% certainly) can't. We'll be lucky to keep the guys we have.
Often teams are willing to pay more than a player's actual contribution to their prior team is worth, with the assumption that they'll play/provide a larger role on the new team than on the old one. I think that's very possible with our FA starters (yes, even Aldridge). Hibbert/Aminu in place of Rolo/Batum would, in my mind, be a better use of dollars. If Aldridge leaves, Monroe could fill his spot well for significantly less. I love Wes, so I basically want to keep him regardless.
By the way, is Curry's massive improvement in PG ability (30% increase in assists/assist%) not an argument in favor of Lillard potentially being able to make that same jump?
Would you believe, then, that over his career, Nic has consistently shot better after the All Star break. I'd expect with nagging injuries ad the wear and tear from team france, we consistently see his numbers go down as seasons go on, but it doesn't seem to.
I absolutely disagree with this. Aminu can do ONE thing, and that's defend. He can't shoot (although he tries) and he certainly can't replicate Batum's PG role. He's a scrub! He bounces around the league on short term contracts! Hibbert a couple of years ago, maybe. But he'll be paid FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS next year! And the Pacers have essentially said "please take him off our hands, we don't want him". That's really a better use of our money?
First, Curry could always pass better than Lillard. Second, I bet his assist% increase has more to do with Klay and Barnes (who do not need the ball in their hands, and in fact, can't do much with if they don't shoot) replacing the more ball-dominant Ellis and more recently Iggy. But third, Steph Curry is a magic unicorn. Compare others to him at your peril.
In his rookie year, Dame's assist figures were very close to Steph's 4th year (both 2012-13), which mirrored his first 3 years. In that year, GSW had Barnes and Thompson, and did not have Ellis. His assists jumped the year after that. Perhaps Batum's presence and role are compromising Lillard's PG development, similarly to how you suggest Ellis' did Curry's...
That, or maybe the coach who doesn't know how to contend with a defense that double-teams his PG above the 3-point arc?
You're sort of assuming that assist numbers are necessary and sufficient for PG skills. I disagree. I think they're entirely indicative of the role you play. Sure, if Lillard were forced to play a more traditional, ball dominant PG role his assists would go up. Would that mean that his court vision and passing ability had improved? No. I think Curry always had great passing skills and I think Lillard has always had rather average passing skills. Kerr has discovered that having the ball in Curry's hands more means more wins. Stotts discovered that having Batum take over more PG roles led to increased wins. Everybody wins, two different players. (Another example: McHale essentially made Harden the Rockets PG and it worked out for them. Meanwhile Westbrook getting triple doubles isn't really doing OKC any favors because he hasn't got elite level PG skills.)
So assist numbers aren't indicative of a pgs ability as a PG... kinda scratching my head on that one. BtW, I said in the OP, I would like to see him play the role.
Let me help you out: Allen Iverson, 1996-7 (rookie year) 6.7 assists/36 Allen Iverson, 2000-1 (got to finals) 3.9 assists/36 Did Allen Iverson HAVE PG skills and then LOSE them? Was he suddenly less valuable to the team? No, and no, obviously. (And I didn't say they weren't at all, I said they weren't necessary or sufficient (that is, player 1 can have higher assist totals than player 2, but player 2 be the better passer).
I think it can be argued that Eric Snow was the PG and he added 7.6 assists. Iverson never was a PG in my eyes, but, when we switched to playing PG in 04-05 his assists per 36 bumped up to 6.8, 6.2, 6.1, 6.2... And he had 2 of his 3 best scoring seasons at that time. To add to it, Westbrook's best assist season has also been his best scoring season. 9 assists per 36 is not too shabby for a guy without PG skills. So many of the differences though is the supporting cast and how they shoot or if they ISO.
I think what Rasta is saying is that not all assists are created equally. Standing still passing to another stationary player who hits a jump shot will generate an assist, but is not quite the same as a PG hitting a rolling big with a no-look pocket-pass for a dunk.
That's true, in that case Batums assist numbers are misleading. As he stand on the perimeter and feeds Lamarcus.
But he also plays P/R with Rolo and generates high-percentage shots - something that's SORELY lacking from our offense.
Feeding Aldridge in the post won't lad to assists, though, since Aldridge usually takes his time, negating assist potential.
