07-13-2023, 01:51 PM
(07-13-2023, 01:25 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: Agreed on doubting about this situation. But just to keep the conversation going, I think where you and I differ is the likelihood that Lively will develop linearly and be ready by year 3. After watching him in summer league, I see a very raw guy. One that needs some time, maybe 4 years time.
But then again this is all conjecture. Maybe all Lively needs is a good PG to set him up and he'll look a lot better. Maybe he gets the hang of NBA defenses and learns the tricks of the trade so he doesn't foul out.
Although if I have Luka + Kyrie, and I'm trying to win this year, I'd rather not go into a season full of maybes
Yeah, we are of a couple of different thoughts. I think Lively has the physical tools, the proper instincts and a high motor both on the court and off (work effort). That is the recipe for somebody to be a high level defender early in their NBA career. The offensive side will probably take more time, but I don't think that is necessary for him to see significant time on the court.
I also don't look at this year as a contention year. I feel like it was more of a reset. The team is better than last season, but even more importantly it has a much brighter long term outlook. I think the plan is to get back to the playoffs while also developing the young guys. In that light, I am more willing to be patient regarding the center position in seeing what we have. I am probably more of a believer in Holmes than most on here. I think there is a reasonable chance he can provide a quality 20-25 minutes. If we sent out a first for a starting center, we are probably tanking any value we have in Holmes. I would rather keep the first round pick for now and see what we have in Holmes and Lively. If we feel like we could be a legit contender at the TDL with a starting center (and don't think we have one) then we can look into make a move for another center.