Game Thread GAME# 7: BLAZERS @ GRIZZLIES - NOVEMBER 6, 2016 - SUNDAY, 12:30 PM (PDT), CSNNW

No, it makes no sense. Leonard isn't a PF at all, and would get burnt. Vonleh is still developing.

How do we find enough minutes for Crabbe and Turner if they're only playing SF and Harkless is playing both forwards?

 

I think it would be a disaster. We're already getting killed on the boards, and you want to trade our two best rebounder's for a back up SG?

We're currently 24th in the league in TRB% and getting out rebounded by over 7 boards per game. Trade those two guys without getting a solid rebounding big in return and we'd be the worst rebounding team in the league - and that has never been, nor ever will be, a recipe for success at the NBA, or any other level.

BNM

 

The more I see us play, the more I think that we will need a little bit more shuffling to get where we should ideally aspire to be. We definitely need another frontcourt player, absolutely zero question about it - right now I'd probably prefer it to be a power forward than center, even though there don't seem to be too many good power forwards available at all. At center we can get by with Plumlee and Ezeli, at power forward we are basically hopeless - unless, of course, we decided to develop Vonleh who really appears to be one of the most talented 4s below 25 in the league now.

A guard would not be bad either. There will be more of them available too. But a frontcourt players is an absolute MUST.

 

If Ezeli can stay fit, our rebounding will get much better. Actually if Plumlee could learn power forward role, the two of them together could actually be good. Would still prefer to go for a standard power forward, but as I said, there's such a shortage of them in the market. You look at any other position and you can name 10 players you would easily be happy with, most of whom will be available for a price. At power forward there's jack all, there's Aldridge who we won't have back, Green who we won't get, Millsap who's old, Bosh who's sick, Parker and Porzingis who are very promising but ungettable and a load of average players who are barely any upgrade. At this point I might even be happy with Kenneth Faried.

This is why it is IMO so important to give Noah Vonleh more time. He really is one of the most promising power forwards in the league in his age category, obviously behind Jabari and Zinger but still very, very good talent. We might regret not giving him more chances, really.

 

Who is this aimed at?

 

This is so very similar to a couple years ago when you were dead set in the opinion that Memphis sucked and would never get out of the first round again.
I forget, did they get out of the first round, then pull off a 2-1 lead against the Warriors before the injuries to their starting backcourt caught up to them?
Pretty sure that's exactly what happened ~

Lemme fix it so it's more fun Nate. & jinxspeed is who i quoted.

 

Ah. Carry on.

 

If they're our only SFs and Harkless plays SF only part time, they'd get more minutes than they do now and in their more natural position

 

If they're our best rebounders and we're not very good maybe we need to go another direction, like fixing our rotations and playing more natural bigs for more minutes. Leonard and Vonleh hardly get any playing time and I don't see neither Aminu nor Davis playing amazing basketball, far from it

 

We don't necessarily need a new inside player. IMO we need to go a different direction in using the players we already have. Vonleh, Leonard, Harkless would be a very good PF rotation IMO

 

I'd still prefer to keep Davis, hopefully he comes right very soon. He has a decent contract and very close to Dame, not the best reasons, but he also was huge for us last year. Out of the options and what I've seen so far, which is admittedly a small sample, Harkless, Davis, and Noah would be my keepers.

trade bait would be

Crabbe
Turner
Meyers

if we could turn that into a decent PF and an experienced vet SF, I'd be happy.

the SF/PF combinations and rotations just totally suck atm.

 

It's possible it has been just as difficult for Crabbe to adjust to a lineup with Turner in it as it has been for Turner to adjust to a new lineup. Or maybe it is the subtraction of Leonard that is hurting Crabbe. If McCollum is in there handling the ball for the 2nd unit, Crabbe is the only three point shooter left; he is gonna be shadowed hard.

 

When I said they are our best rebounders, I was referring to TRB%, not REB/G. So, what that means is our "natural bigs" (how the fuck is Ed Davis not a "natural big"?) would get even fewer rebounds than Aminu and Davis if they played the same minutes.

Aminu is such a double edged sword. He is absolutely killing our offensive efficiency. Before someone tries to point out that "our offense is just fine" or "offense isn't our problem", check out how much our offensive efficiency has dropped from last season to this. Aminu's .267 FG% is the second worst of any starter in the league. Only Robert Covington in PHI is worse. Aminu's poor shooting and stupid TOVs are killing our offensive efficiency.

But he's also our best defender and the best rebounder we have in our starting line up. So, if we replace him, we risk getting even worse at our two biggest weaknesses.

Historically, Noah Vonleh, last year as our starting PF, rebounded at a rate comparable to Aminu's rebounding rate this season. Vonleh also rebounded well in summer league against teenagers and rebounded well during preseason. So, I'm willing to accept that his poor rebounding so far can be attributed to small sample size and if he is moved into the starting line up, he can match, or at least come close to matching Aminu's rebounding. He cant guard stretch 4s as well as Aminu, but becuase of his low center of gravity, long arms and streigth has the potential to be a much bettter post defender than Aminu.

With Vonleh's improvement during preseason, I'd be willing to give him a chance at the starting 4 position, next to Plumlee. I don't think he'd maake our rebounding and defense any worse tha it already is, but could have a positive impact on our offensive efficiency. Plus, he has WAY more upside than Aminu, or any other player on our roster. Last year, giving Vonleh hurt us short term. This year, I don't think it would hurt us short term and would definitely benefit us long term.

Meyers was a good rebounder his second and third seasons, but ever since he's become a stretch 4/5, his rebounding has fallen off a cliff. I've never been a Meyers hater, but I don't want him in my starting lineup. He's fine coming off the bench and spacing the floor, but that should be the extent of his role at this time.

Basically, at this point, we have three guys who are quality starters - Dame, C.J. and Plumlee. Our starting forwards are so far below average it's killing us. The problem is, the only guy playing behind them, that has the potential to be any better, is Vonleh. I could see starting either Turner or Crabbe at the 3, but that seems like a lateral move to me.

A trade that nets us a quality starting forward, at either spot, would be a big improvement over what we currently have.

BNM

 

Harkless would be HORRIBLE at PF. Aminu is longer, stronger and a better rebounder, and he's still not starting PF material. Mo's natural position is SF. He simply can't guard PFs, and he's a weak rebounder for a 3.

Our two biggest weaknesses right now are interior defense and rebounding. Playing Mo Harkless at the 4 would make both of those even worse.

BNM

 

Noah.

Vonleh.

 

Don't you think Vonleh lost his minutes due to his play against the Clippers?

 

This exactly. There's zero or negligible downside to starting Vonleh over Aminu, and potential for significant upside.
Last season it was wrong to start Vonleh. This season it's wrong NOT to start Vonleh.

 

I agree, except I don't think it was wrong last year to start him. He needed the boost in confidence and to get familiar.

 

You do realize that theres only 48 minutes? So Turner and Crabbe could get 24 minutes at the max, and that's less they've been getting and that's not even including Harkless' minutes at SF.

 

And to anybody who still wants Leonard at PF, stop. He's 7'1 and slow.