I don't think CJ is any more expendable than he has been in the past. We can just take back anything now, doesn't necessarily have to be a guard or wing. We trade for "put us over the top" talent or not at all, IMO.
Here's the thing... he would be amazing in a Manu Ginobili role off the bench, and that should have always been his destiny, but Stotts refuses to make it so.
When have we ever had a Michael Finley-esque player behind whom it would have been reasonable to bring CJ off the bench? Sure, perhaps now, if Trent can do against starters what we've now seen him repeatedly do to reserves...but not in seasons past. Whom do you think should have started in place of CJ previously? Henderson? Crabbe? Turner? Connaughton?You honestly think we would have been better off with any of those guys alongside Dame in the starting 5? I mean an argument could be made for Hood, maybe...but none of those other scrubs were starter-level players.
Once CJ blew up he has earned that starting spot over anybody else we've had on the team. We'd need to bring in an All-Star caliber shooting guard to relegate CJ to the bench. Which I'm all for. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2887751-ranking-nbas-top-15-shooting-guards-this-season
I don't think that's necessarily the case. The Spurs had Danny Green as their starting shooting guard with Manu coming off the bench. Sometimes it's about fit. Having Trent's shooting ability and defense next to Dame would make a massive difference in defeating the trap and lessening our issues on perimeter defense.
Man??? CJ just literally carried this club to a win against the Rockets and played an awesome game against the Lakers and this kind of thread is still happening? Gonna be a long season.
I really don't think you can judge CJ on the merits of one game. The guy has the ability to completely destroy defenses, but he doesn't do it every night. For every game where he puts up big numbers and can't be guarded, there's a game like last night where he shoots a horrible percentage. The main difference is he ACTUALLY PASSED THE BALL
We can have Trent next to Dame without benching CJ though. In fact, CJ and Trent were better last night than CJ and Dame or Trent and Dame. Maybe we should bench Dame?
Manu wasn't playing behind Green until his mid-thirties. You're talking about benching a 20+ppg scorer (5 years running) in his prime. These are not the same thing at all.
No. Because CJ isn't Dame. Not even close. Not even remotely close. CJ does what Dame does like.... five times a year. Dame averaged 30 ppg last year. CJ is not Dame.
Dame has far more opportunities to do that as well. CJ has to get going around Dame. Which I'm sure he's fine with. But it's still less opportunity. And CJ is also far more proven than Trent. CJ has shown a playmaking ability that Trent has not. CJ was here first, is more proven, and is (arguably) a top 10 player at his position. There is no need to bench him in favor of Trent. It's more important who is on the floor to finish the game. And you can make that call far easier with less harm to the team than changing starters. GTJ should get minutes. Lots of minutes. And he will.
Dame and CJ have combined to play 1208 games, but apparently, the last 2 games prove the first 1204 games were flukes
All of this is true. However, one guy is a defensive sieve and the other guy is a defensive dog. Gotta play both sides of the ball.
He has shown a playmaking ability that he has completely disregarded or shirked until the past two games.
