The Narrative that Trent is a Good Defender is False

He isn't a dynamic scorer. They don't have a dynamic scorer in their backcourt.

 

again...did Aminu keep defenses "honest"? and would he have kept defenses honest if the other forward was a career 16% three-shooter on about 1 attempt every 7 or 8 games?

maybe we should define honest defense. To me it means that a defense doesn't hedge off any opposing player. And I'm not saying that defenses won't pay attention to RoCo, rather that RoCo is not enough of a threat to take pressure off Dame when he's on the floor with Simmons. A healthy Klay Thompson they'd be honest with; same for guys like Joe Harris or Joe Ingles or Davis Bertrans or Paul George or Jayson Tatum or Duncan Robinson. Those guys would stress a defense. Not RoCo IMO, and an added issue is RoCo isn't that good at putting the ball on the floor in dribble-drive situations and shoot-pass options

what Portland needs isn't more open shots for RoCo...they need more open shots for Dame, and I can't see RoCo ever creating that kind of space. But then, CJ as hot as he was to start the season wasn't able to create more space for Dame. But maybe that's because the Blazers didn't have a 2nd great shooter at one of the forward positions

 

Aminu is a worse three-point shooter. He's a career 33% three-point shooter and that's basically off a couple unusually strong years. Much of his career, he's been below a 30% three-point shooter. I think his rep is quite different than Covington's, despite being somewhat close in career percentage.

If your contention is that Covington doesn't stress a defense, I agree with that. But those types of shooters aren't that common. Covington was never valuable as a shooter who has the type of gravity to create for everyone else--he's valuable (at least prior to this season) as someone who's a good defender and shoots well enough to hold a defender out at the three-point line, creating space for other shot-creators. He defends and doesn't muck up spacing. Guys who can't shoot get ignored out at the three-point line, which creates congestion in the paint, preventing players like Lillard, Curry, Harden, etc, from being able to slash as effectively, whether to score or to pass.

That's what I meant by "keeping the defense honest" (and what I assumed Nate meant). Stressing the defense is a much higher standard, one that Covington doesn't meet. But guys who do meet that standard and play good defense are among the most valuable players in the league apart from superstar shot-creators.

 

They got Docs son in law...

 

I imagine they'd pair them up. CJ would play point guard.

 

I get that. It's a valid general argument but I was specifically talking about a Simmons/RoCo pairing in Portland. I think that would make RoCo's average 3 point shooting (assuming he ever gets back to that level) more of a problem

it's an academic argument anyway. The 76ers were extremely reluctant to trade Simmons for Harden. No way they'd trade Simmons for CJ. And if by some alignment of alternate realities they were willing, Olshey would turn it down anyway

 

I'd say this: he's solid. Not necessarily good. But he has all the tools to be extremely good, and the areas he struggles in are fixable for him. The areas he struggles in are also areas the rest of the team struggles in, and are a constant on this team. I have a feeling I'd you traded him to a place like Miami, he'd become a great defender.

 

Great take, as usual. Philly has a new coach and front office, and is leading the East. Most teams would love to be that stagnant.

 

Aminu absolutely did not keep defenses honest. He was generally dared to shoot, with defenses willing to give up an occasional hot game to him in exchange for all the clanks the rest of the time. If he was guarded tighter, he probably would have been well under 30%. Let him shoot and keep the ball out of the hands of better shooters. It's a very sound strategy.

That's where a direct comparison of stats fails.

 

Doesn't matter. Olshey will give him the max

 

He sure can shoot though. So much confidence. If he can figure out defensive positioning with the same effort he gives now, but more channeled to a scheme, he’ll male good money. Reminds me of a potential Danny Young.

 

This graph not very good

 

Gary Trent is awful, passing is totally not a part of his game

 

Simmons is only 24 though. I think it would be stupid to move him just because they are "stagnant".
He has a skill that most other players his size do not possess. Not saying he does not possess deficiencies, (especially at the end of games) but if I am Philly I keep him.....assuming he has a good attitude and is willing to work on his weaknesses.

 

If I'm Philly, I think I would be trying to put together the right combo to win right now. Their main piece is Embiid and you just have no idea how long a center will be playing at their peak. Any number of injuries could derail his career. So the window could be really short or potentially long.

Really their goal should be to pair a dynamic scorer with Simmons and Embiid, the problem is that Harris isn't really that valuable. At least not to us. We need a PF that can defend. Or a small forward that can defend and shoot threes.

 

If we could get Harris (and maybe a pick, to account for CJ's recent performance jump) for CJ, I'd consider strongly playing Harris as a stretch power forward. He's 6'8'' and shoots decently from three--it'd be a small lineup, but with hopefully Nurkic to take the biggest opponent on defense, it could work well. Few teams play two really big players.

 

Does Harris play defense?

 

I would say he plays average but versatile defense at his best, below average defense at times. His advanced stats suggest he's around average.

 

Done and done