06-27-2023, 11:08 AM
(06-27-2023, 10:45 AM)StrandedOnBeauboisHill Wrote: I am not super high on Ayton personally or that style of center but seeing as we just drafted a drop coverage center and signed one last season with the expectation to start him, I am not going to fight the fact that is the direction this team is embracing. Knowing they aren't going to try to build a roster with a big man that I'd be going after, I can start to talk myself into Ayton a little bit, especially if you are able to get him with that package and retain your MLE. I don't think that he'd get in the way of Lively's development all that much, Lively will still only be 22 by the time Ayton's contract is up and I don't see him developing into a top 10 center before then (although it would be great to be surprised by that). I also understand where mvossman is coming from with the worst case scenario of Ayton not being great and Lively showing up earlier than expected but if there's anything this league has taught me, it's that there's always a place to dump big contracts of younger players. I also think that we haven't noted the flip side of that scenario where BOTH of them look great in this system and how awesome of a problem that would be for us.
At the end of the day, I think I would prefer a different route than Ayton but at the same time...
Luka
Kyrie/Hardy
Green/Bullock
MLE/OMax
Ayton/Lively/Maxi
...is objectively much better than our rotation last year if they can use that MLE on Bruce Brown or Grant Williams (although MacMahon through a little bit of cold water on the Mavs being linked to him yesterday).
I'm not sure "drop coverage center" is the best way to describe Lively. He is known for being able to switch and guard the perimeter. That is a big part of his draw, that he appears mobile enough not to get run off the court.