(10-19-2022, 11:26 AM)mvossman Wrote: I can see the argument to being done with bigs after the Wood signing.  A lot depends on whether Wood can hold his own as the single big.  I am skeptical and prefer pairing him with Maxi, which would mean less need for a big wing and more need for big depth.

(10-19-2022, 11:41 AM)mvossman Wrote: I know this is a really low bar, but I feel like we will get more out of this tax MLE (McGee/Hardy) than we did out of the full MLE two years ago (Burke/WCS/Terry).

(10-19-2022, 08:22 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: However, now that we're talking about this specific angle, I would caution people not to assume McGee is going to be a "competent, playable center" by playoff time. He has already lost enough of a step to convince Monty Williams he wasn't playable when their season was on the line. 

(10-19-2022, 11:07 AM)StrandedOnBeauboisHill Wrote: He's simply a better rebounding Powell who will play a similar role and I think the roster will make more sense again by the playoffs, there's no reason to keep Powell on this roster with his expiring.

(10-19-2022, 12:22 PM)cow Wrote: Coaching malpractice.  The Biyambo thing was a gimmick a la Carlisle starting Boban in that Clippers series but it was easy to see that you couldn't keep going back to that well.  I also wouldn't trust his handling of big men with the Ayton situation, especially with how exploitable Dallas was in that area.  And that's not me saying McGee doesn't have flaws as he certainly does and there will be matchups very unfavorable for keeping him on the floor.

(10-19-2022, 01:27 PM)IamDougieFresh Wrote: @"KillerLeft" please go ahead and set up the McShaqtin hater group and I’ll join you after 2.64789 games of trying to be positive. I almost gave up already in the last preseason game when he caught it at the 3 point line and just decided to turbo into a dude standing still for the charge.

(10-19-2022, 01:43 PM)cow Wrote: You?  Trying to be positive?  On three time champion JaVale McGee?

(10-19-2022, 12:03 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: Yeah, so maybe that's the point where the divergence happens, once all is boiled down. 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you're thinking "to make Wood work, they might have to view him as the 4 in a 2-big system more than I'd like, but if that's what it takes they should try it." Is that a fairly accurate summation of your logical starting point? 

Mine is more like "if Wood can't (eventually) show that he's capable of being a solo big (not expecting it in game 1 - it would be a process) then I'd prefer he play for a different team." 

I just feel really strongly that, while maintaining the option and personnel to go 2-bigs when needed is important, I really, really don't want to build my best (top 6 guys) lineups around the idea that two slow guys will be out there at the same time.

(10-19-2022, 02:00 PM)IamDougieFresh Wrote: Yeah I’ll give just about anybody a chance

(10-19-2022, 12:33 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: As to the comparison:

I believe McGee is absolutely the better rebounder, but I don't think rebounding is nearly as important these days as most people believe, especially when there are guys out there sacrificing defensive position in favor of rebounding position. DAJ was the worst about this, and I sure hope McGee is more plugged into the team defense than he was. I'm worried. 

I also agree that he's a better rim protector than Powell, but that this improvement, too, comes with a lower level of defensive positioning. Think about it...is McGee going to be faster or slower than Powell when it's time to leave his man and help in the paint? After the ball is diverted out of the paint, which player would you bet on having the change of direction and motor needed to recover back out to a shooter? 

I know it's not popular, but I'm honestly not sure McGee is going to be better than Powell, just different. I sure hope I'm wrong. 

On your point regarding Powell's expiring, I totally agree. They have to be thinking of his contract as a means of building a mid-season trade. It's the only sane reason to go into the season with both of them on the roster. Maybe you'll be right and they'll make a good one that makes this conversation seem silly.

(10-20-2022, 07:48 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: I thought the Wood "lone big" minutes were fine!! Some of the best stretches of the game! 

I thought the Kleber/Wood tandem was awkward and not at all as we hoped. Hopefully, it will improve with time.

(10-20-2022, 09:13 AM)Kammrath Wrote: The Maxi "lone big" minutes were the issue. 

If my rough count is right: Two minutes in the first half that were fine, but that was because the Mavs had all the momentum at that point and the Suns were a mess (and Ayton was out). Then two minutes in the third that were bad and a harbinger of the futility of that lineup, then five minutes in the 4th that were utterly disastrous. 

If Kidd keeps riding Maxi as the "lone big" this is going to be a long season.

(10-20-2022, 11:32 AM)Chicagojk Wrote: Hardaway