Ok I know this has been discussed a bit in game threads, but I was sat there in a lecture today with a massive hangover and couldnt concentrate, so i was thinking about our team (as you do ) What i started to think about is some of the strong performances we have seen from Jameer. I know alot of people have mixed feelings, but do agree on the potential. So just wondering what YOU think. Some Stats while I am bored Last 2 - pts ast stl reb mins Houston - 12 2 1 2 20 76ers - 12 3 7 3 31 I noticed when Jameer got decent consecutive minutes, i.e not 1 min here, then 2 mins then 1min, but 5 or 6 mins at a time, or more, he put up good numbers. His 76ers game I prob would say is his best, with a awsome defensive perfomance with nice minutes. His stats from the season: 5.5 ppg - 2.2 apg - 1.5 rpg - .75 spg - 13 mpg These are the stats from the past 15ish games that that he averaged over 10mins: 10 ppg - 2.7 apg - 1.1 spg - 2.2 rpg - 18 mpg These stats arent overly conclusive, but I think shows with decent floor time that Jameer does a great job, especially for a back up point guard. I havent used that many games to demonstrate this, but shows a point. This is a benefit I feel (and feel free to disagree, but please give some decent evidence, since I actually went through some work to get some myself) from the Cat trade and for Orlando. With DC in we have a more "defensive minded" player on the roster, but I feel it also free's up time for Jameer, who does actually put in a decent defensive effort, typified by his performance against the sixers. His stats do show a nicely balanced back up point, that doesnt have to steal much away from Francis (who is 20ppg, 6rpg and 6apg, but also around 30mpg, thats 30 + 18 mpg, works out nicely eh?). That gives us some great balance, if used effectivly in the team. Mind you, I do ask the question, would another coach use our team more effectivily. Not to side track, but I feel that we do have a potentially better team, maybe its just to soon to ask for it, but I feel we have starters that all can average resemble something like the suns offensive starters, with more depth on the bench. Well maybe this a bit far fetched but I could see it realistically. Reason for me doing this? Have noticed the boards been quite quiet cept for the T-Mac agro debate and just wanted to get some possitive activity going.
I think Jameer has the potential to be one of the top guards in the league. I think even now he could be an above average backup, or even a starter on a few NBA teams (lakers, golden state, atlanta, ect.) Maybe he's not getting enough playing time?
This was one of the things i thought about, and sorta brought up. I think honestly that a player like Jameer, being a rookie, would do well to play behind stevie, and pick up good minutes, which i feel he can, but play with one of the top PG's, and in maybe 1 season, after some playoff games (and development) we have options for the team. If you look at the team, I break it down simply: C - Cato 25 mpg. Backup - Battie - 20mpg PF - Dwight - 31mgp. Backup Garrity - 15mpg (which he doesnt get but feel should) This is where it gets complicated SF - Hill. Backup, Hedo (hmm? Starter?) SG - DC or Hedo - backup stevie? PG - Stevie backup - jameer. Essentially these players all run in a little rotation, but what we can see is with no "true" SG and prob with stevie as the closest thing to a SG we have, i think it leaves it open for DC, Hedo and jameer to share "okish" minutes, around 20-25 mins, and then stevie and hill to put in more. Start with either steve + hedo/dc, then rotate jameer in, stevie to sg and hedo to SF, and so on. That made alot more sense in my head.
I think as well that JN could be one of the top 10 PG's in the league some years down the line. I followed his whole career at SJU. I just think he is in the right place right now because his is probably learning a **** load from Francis, coming from being an under-sized proven premier point in the NBA. Maybe a few years from now he'll be traded and run a team himself.
^Francis isn't exactly an undersized point guard. Dude is 6'3. And if I wanted Jameer to turn into a good point guard I wouldn't want him learning from Francis either. I mean the dude is talented but he isn't exactly a PURE point guard.
Actually thats a really good point - Francis isnt a pure point guard, now I look at the team, and yes we got a immidiete fix in DC for defense (maybe thinking more of the playoff's with that? I dunno, thats not the point ne way), but hes a 12year vet, with another solid defender in augmon, a 13yr vet. So next season you look @ in the back court (without ne trades etc..) PG - JN, SF SG - DC, D.Stevenson, Hedo SF - GH, HT and Augmon. But theres a 11, 13 and 14 vets in there. Fair enough Hill is awsome and will be next season, and DC might still offer something off the bench, but realistically speaking we cant ask for ne thing from stevenson and augmon. By this time i expect JN to have developed a fair bit, aswell as Hedo. JN could easily be put in the point, with stevie at SG, or rather a "rear guard" or something, and prob could be more effective back court there (looking at combined 35pts, 12+ assists, 10 rebounds and about 2/3 steals, not a bad pairing, and this is going on rough estimation) I think that truely, give a season to JN he really could be put in at starting point guard, and what can go wrong? If he does play badly (which I doubt, he has proven already that he is easily good enough) stevie takes over and hedo or DC moves to SG, no harm and no foul!. Guess this is what I am trying to say that I think that one of the best moves orlando can make with the current team is to play with this lineup: C- Cato (7yr) PF - Howard ® SF - Hill (10yr) SG - Francis (5yr) PG - Nelson ® Bench - Hedo (4), Garrity (6) Battie (7) and Christie (12) (these are the "main" bench players, put it that way) This is a youngish player, with the exception of the captain and the vetern defender, and with 3 players there that will only get better (Hedo, Nelson and Howard) it has alot of potential
