I keep going back and forth to what the team needs, IMO. I mean how good or bad was Aminu? Is he, or Harkless for that matter, the guy that can be that 3rd "star", or are they the "defensive" glue type guy that can guard multiple positions? Maybe that's ok with Dame, CJ and a big like Monroe or Horford who can be that 3rd guy
Iguodala can hit an open 3. You can never have enough people that can hit open jumpers. All of us want Aminu, Harkless, Plumlee, ect to have that ability.
Plumlee, Davis and Leonard are all middle of the road at their skills - master of neither offense or defense. I think the difference maker would be a big that Dame and CJ could dump it off to, on a drive to the hoop. It would make our offense that much more dangerous. But we don't want a one dimensional player playing matador defense either - so these are postulations I'll gladly leave to Olshey to figure out. I will say I don't think we can afford a slip in defensive talent as it is though.
Man I wish we could get Horford. Earlier in the year I thought we'd have as good a chance as anyone to get Durant. I no longer feel that is even remotely possible. I think our biggest/most difficult to satisfy need is a big to pair with Meyers, and move Plumlee to the bench or out in trade. Since I'm expecting Davis to make good on his goal of adding 15 pounds of solid steel, getting a starting quality big, and keeping Davis, would make Plumlee expendable. And don't forget Vonleh. I wish I knew what Olshey/Stotts think about his future/potential.
The key to our success this year was the defense we got from the SF position, and from Aminu at PF with Harkless at SF. In spite of advanced stats, Crabbe was used a lot by Stotts for his defense. With Dame and CJ, the back court is basically a sieve. Got to have defense somewhere
I was a proponent of going after DeRosan last summer. But things have changed, as they often do in the NBA. If we were to go after a wing who can't spread the floor but is solid from mid range....I would rather go after Evan Turner. He would come cheaper and I think may be better helping run the offense when needed next to Dame or cJ. I will point out that although Turner is a very good NBA player, and can help the Blazers off the bench......he is a good example of a top two pick who never lived up to expectations because he has yet to excel at 3 point shooting. This comment probably belongs in another thread, but unless Ben Simmons ends up playing PF, he will need to be a very good outside shooter or he will end up like Turner......good, just not a difference maker.
I think Harkless can become that defensive glue guy who can get you dirty buckets. Kind of like an Ed Davis but can finish at the rim better. If Aminu can become more consistent, he can be the third scorer, but that's like the Batum situation. (And no, this is not denouncing Aminu's 2-3 good playoff games... I'm strictly talking about regular season). We need a big who can defend and give us interior scoring above ALL else. Plumlee (though he made 2 CRUCIAL free throws in game 6) missed so many damn bunnies (same with Davis... Harkless didn't seem to miss as many).
Sooo right there with you. I cannot for the life of me put my finger on one single position we should focus on.
I am there with both of you. I think it will come down to the best FA available to us. I would hope Neil can get a sense a head of time from their agents on our chances with their clients. Since most are UFA they won't be using us to drive up the salary....knowing it will get matched. Hopefully N.O has a good relationship with Bill Duffy (Horford's agent) I doubt he has any relationship with Dwight's new agent..... Perry Rogers. From there I assume he will have a few different contingency plans worked out. I just don't see many options at SF. (That are not pipe dreams) So my guess he is looking at scoring bigs. Maybe he does make another try at Monroe. I wonder if the Plumlee brothers want to play together? Not that I would want to get rid of Mason, but Milwaukee might want that in return. And they need a center if they get rid of Monroe.
I don't know that any one position is more/less important than the others, but I do have my preferences. All I know is that the entire front-court needs to be overhauled - two new starters at those three positions. I'm least hopeful about getting an upgrade at SF, so it seems like more effort should go into getting a new PF and C. If we're able to upgrade PF and C, then I'll be very happy to have Harkless at SF. Conversely, if we're able to get an amazing SF and solid PF I'll be very happy with Plumlee at C. Or if we got an amazing SF and Cousins I'd be decently happy with Vonleh at PF.
See, I disagree. Read below. Blue is spot on, and that makes it impossible to zero in on a position. More like zero in on a player or two in those three positions and then the balance of our roster will be just fine.
