07-06-2022, 10:41 AM
(07-06-2022, 10:05 AM)Dundalis Wrote: No one throws random role players in. You always target specific role players in trades or FA. There are going to be role players that don't fit. We literally had some on our roster last season. Every team has them. It's also possible that Wright and Richardson work a lot better under Kidd than Carlisle. There are plenty of things that the likes of Bullock, DFS and Kleber DON'T do that people are just straight up overlooking in favor of what they do well. IMO things they don't do contributed heavily to us losing to GSW just as much as things they do well helped get us there.
Roster continuity is important, but it's not nearly important as having the best players. It's not about one thing is important and the other isn't, it's a matter of how much relative value they have. Our role players and the chemistry they have are not more important than trying acquire better players if possible to put out on the court.
See to me this is one of the primary reasons we lost to Golden State. They had shot creators all over the place. Our team of 'specialists' got exposed, because the likes of Bullock DFS and Kleber have to have every shot they take handed to them on a silver platter or they are close to useless offensively. That's why Luka has to be so ball dominant, and also had to have someone like Brunson step into the starting lineup to take pressure off him having to be responsible for hand feeding all the guys he plays with that have zero shot creation ability. You can say we are just built that way, but I say we are that way by necessity and it's a sub optimal solution. On offense it's like Luka is playing with a bunch of hungry infants. Might be good to have some more adults to take the pressure off.
I think you could take role players with less defense but more shot creation and not lose a beat in terms of overall on court performance as just an example, though I understand not wanting to compromise on defense and I would agree with that. In fact having more shot creators could have the knock on effect of reducing Luka's usage AND not requiring that he have another primary ball handler on the court with him so he isn't completely gassed and playing on fumes in the 4th quarter all the time helping him be all round more efficient, even on defense (yeah he needs to get in better shape, but having a lineup full of spot up only shooters doesn't help, his usage is not a recipe for long term success or his long term health and longevity). Fans seem to be locked into the mindset of this is how our game style is setup around Luka and it requires the very specific set of skills the role players we have on the team possess or it might/will fall apart. Don't agree with that at all. There is a lot that is being currently compensated for in our game style and usage of players due to the inadequacies of the role players we have.
My issue with all of this line of thinking is that guys that can create their own shot are wildly more expensive in FA and trades than guys that cant. There are no trades where you can send out a Maxi or Bullock and get back somebody who can create. Dorian is an elite 3&D player but only making 12 mil a year. Your average bad defense shot creator is making closer to 20. Brunson (who's on court value is not that much higher than DFS) is making over 25 mil. I understand the desire to get more creators. Its why I can't understand letting Brunson walk and not getting Dragic (if he was willing). You just are not going to get it sending out 3&D guys.