If the Czar goes with an 8 man rotation, which two players should we cut out of the rotation? Here's our curent ten man rotation - C - Lorenzen Wright PF - Pau Gasol SF - James Posey (when fully healthy again; should be soon) SG - Bonzi Wells PG - Jason Williams ------------------------ C - Stromile Swift PF - Brian Cardinal SF - Shane Battier SG - Mike Miller PG - Earl Watson To me, it's pretty obvious. Our two best players this season have been Jason Williams and Pau Gasol. It just so happens that probably the two weakest bench players play the same position as Gasol and Williams. So I am predicting that if the Grizzlies cut the rotation down to 8 men under the Czar, then Brian Cardinal and Earl Watson will be left out. What does everybody else predict?
I am the biggest Jason Williams fan in the world but it would be hard for me to agree with these comments about Jason playing the best on the team. Some would even argue that Earl should start and play more than J-will.
The Grizzlies have too much depth for Fratello not to take advantage of. Anyhow, I don't think Cardinal will be taken out of the rotation simply because of his affiliation with Musselman, and his work ethic might be in the favor of the Czar.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting jwill2:</div><div class="quote_post">I am the biggest Jason Williams fan in the world but it would be hard for me to agree with these comments about Jason playing the best on the team. Some would even argue that Earl should start and play more than J-will.</div> Last season, I would agree with you 100%. Last season, Jason Williams lost us many games and the team did better with Watson at the point. However, this season Earl Watson has been the sole reason for about six or seven of our losses so far. He looks really out of shape this season as well. Williams on the other hand has been playing at a higher level than I've ever seen him play. It's not reflected through his stats right now because of the way the Grizzlies have been playing him, but when he's in the game the Grizzlies tend to go on runs. This season with James Posey injured, Mike Miller benched, and Bonzi Wells playing with inconsistancy, you have to say that Williams is a top two player on the Grizzlies. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Grizzlies have too much depth for Fratello not to take advantage of. Anyhow, I don't think Cardinal will be taken out of the rotation simply because of his affiliation with Musselman, and his work ethic might be in the favor of the Czar.</div> That's a great point about Musselman playing Cardinal. However, Cardinal and Watson are obvoiusly the weakest links in our ten man rotation. If he cuts it to an 8 man rotation, like everyone is reporting, then they should be the ones to bench. Who else would you take out? Would you take out Shane Battier? Battier has started for us all season and is just benching now because James Posey is back. It'd kill us to bench him. Do you bench Stromile Swift? Obviously you don't bench Stromile Swift, he's finally reaching our potential and most people would like to give him the starting job. Do you bench Mike Miller? I don't even think it's possible to bench Mike Miller. He's be a starter on 25 of the 30 teams in the NBA. So you see, we're really in a tough position as far as cutting the rotation goes.
The Grizzlies went 7-0 (I think) last season when Earl Watson was starting ... I really like that guy, even if he can't shoot. Cardinal's been a misfit thus far. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If the rotation is cut to an eight man. Expect some unhappy faces</div>They were complaining about the 10 man, too. I don't think the guys who'll be out in the cold are the whiners in the group. Obviously all ten on that list are good players, and "cutting" their minutes would likely lead to a drop of 5-6 minutes, tops. And only at one position. The starters aren't that much better than the bench in that there is one player on that list who only deserves 8 minutes a game. As much as I hate Mike Miller, he's played extremely well thus far. If we do go to an 8 man rotation, I think we're going to have to make a trade. With ten, we'd wear them down because our guys were always more or less fresh, and hustling, though obviously less talented by other teams, and win that way. With the same personal, but players being more tired, and therefore not hustling as much and, sadly, worse on defence, I don't see us winning very often. This roster is built on the foundation that ten men will be playing extended minutes ... we'd have to really shake it up to compete in another fashion.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Grizzlies went 7-0 (I think) last season when Earl Watson was starting ... I really like that guy, even if he can't shoot.</div> That's true, but remember how much can change between seasons. James Posey is looking terrible, as if he is no better than Andre Emmett or Ryan Humphrey. However, just last season he was arguably our best player. This season I think Watson's playing for a big contract next year as a starter somewhere outside of Memphis. He's being really selfish and just doesn't seem to have the best interests of the team in mind at times. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">As much as I hate Mike Miller, he's played extremely well thus far.</div> Mike Miller really saved the Grizzlies tonight. He came out and knocked down five three pointers. He couldn't miss. He really has been stepping it up as of late. Anyway, tonight the minutes looked like this for the Grizzlies - Gasol - 39 minutes (+ 8) Wright - 37 minutes (+ 12) Williams - 33 minutes (+ 7) Miller - 31 minutes (+ 7) Battier - 31 minutes Swift - 20 minutes Posey - 17 minutes Wells - 17 minutes Watson - 15 minutes Cardinal/Jones/Tsakalidas/Humphrey/Emmett/Burks - 0 minutes
That seems about right, actually. At least until Posey turns it around again. I don't think that Lo' can play 37 every night effectively, though.
