Pretty much nailed it blue.... When we had Miller, Sergio and Rudy; we were the #1 dunk team and Aldridge was leading the league in dunks made. We just don't have the PG that looks to pass like we had in Miller. Maybe that's something Dame should really work on this summer? If Batum does come back and Dame improves this facet of his game, we could game plan more of these types of baskets. We actually need at least 2 players, maybe even 3.
I would lean towards the lack of emphasis by the coach. When they look to lob they do just fine, i.e Clipper game when we came back to win in LA. The coaches saw a weakness and drew Jordan away from the basket and went to the lob down the stretch and OT. I have seen Dame do it, so I know he can. But if the offense is focused out on the perimeter, or feeding it methodically to LMA, then my guess is they just don't emphasize it unless it is an inbound pass.
Its not a lack of passing skill at all. Those are the EASY passes. they don't throw lobs because Kaman and Rolo can't get off the ground while LA and Meyers only pick n pop and play outside
The pass might be easy, but the big has to create the passing option AND the guy with the ball has to recognize - at the right time - that the option is being created.
create the passing option? its not that hard to roll towards the hoop. An athletic big creates more of a passing option because you can throw it in a bigger window and he'll still go get it.
So if the pass is easy, and creating the passing option is easy, we should be alley-ooping on every offensive possession.
Its easier to score because it's easier to score on a dunk then a jumper. It's that simple. Of course it won't happen that much, it'd just be more of an offensive threat than Robin Lopez
Hey, I'm one of the biggest critics of the way we play offense. We need higher percentage shots. But getting higher percentage shots is a lot more difficult than just getting a "dunker" on the roster. It starts with the coach and his offensive scheme, but also relies on having a PG/passer with good court vision (only Nic has above-average court vision), and bigs who can create space around the hoop (we don't have any). Those three things need to work together in order to create high-percentage shots.
True, but I think that Stotts would work at getting an athletic big man the ball at the rim. He doesn't do it now because he doesn't have a big that can go the role of high flyer. And I think we have good passers, but they don't trust Rolo, Kaman, and even LA to go finish the play
So Taj Gibson is reportedly "very angry" about Thibs firing. They'll have no cap space this summer and they need to upgrade at SF. I think they'd be extremely interested in Batum, except Taj doesn't fit our needs. We could work out a 3 team deal where Taj goes somewhere, that team sends us a package, and we send the Bulls Batum
Gibson just isn't very good and he's 30. I don't see anyone trading anything remotely close to valuable for him
Yeah but I could see the Bulls wanting Batum badly. They'd give up more than Gibson to another team. Maybe they send Gibson to OKC, OKC gives us 14, and the Bulls give us Dunleavey and 22? Something like that
Yeah. I'm not sure. Basically you shop Gibson and Nic and get the best package overall. If a team wants a little more than Taj you get Chicago to give it up
I'd like Taj off our bench alongside Leonard, I think they'd fit really good together there. I wouldn't move Batum for him though. That being said, Bulls have always been somewhat $$ conscience. They're on the hook for 63 million in salary next season, which doesn't include Butler's max deal. He'll take them right to that LT line. Need to figure out a way to add something small, but again with using him to save someone money, I'd offer them Kaman and Crabbe for him, saves 6.5 million immediately.
You want Leonard at the 4. They're interest in Batum would be so high IMO... They'd trade Gibson and decent filler. I'd try to work a 3 team trade though sending taj somewhere else
I envision their roles swapped offense to defense. Leonard plays the 4 on offense outside, Taj, who's a good offensive rebounder, lurks around down low for putbacks. On defense, they can swap, but generally, Leonard would play on bigger post up threats, Taj on the more stretch bigs.
I think Rolo, Freeland, Kaman and Leonard make up for those guys alley oop points at the freethrow line and it's not even close. I've seen Howard and Jordan brick those alley oops and brick the freethrows that come with the foul...the alley oop is not a major factor if you can't make free throws and it's not a gimmie play by any stretch. You might be exaggerating the effective results of slam dunkers. I prefer bigs who can get to the line and make the freebies over highlight players anyday
I'd still take a dunk attempt over our center shooting jumpers any day haha. Out of those 4 only Rolo made 1 free throw a game. So having a bigger threat on offense and a guy that makes it harder to defend the pick n roll is negated by Rolo's and Kaman's free throws???
I guess somebody must like the hack a Howard/Jordan playoff 4th qtrs where nobody else touches the ball...I'm not one of them. Gasol is the best center in the league and he's not a highlight dunker off the alley oop and he makes free throws. Now that's a guy I'd take. Tim Duncan is another. You and I have different ideas about what makes for great basketball. The slam dunk contest sucks as well.
