Looking Ahead to 2024-25 Season

[AbeVigodaLive]

Most teams are fairly set on backup PG and Monte didn't exactly give us much last year so I'd bet his value is pretty low right now, resign him in hopes a year removed from injury he can come back to full strength. He's proven to be a positive player in the past. I think we should bet on him coming back and being his old self or close to it. Like others have said, we can't sign other free agents over a certain threshold because of the second apron restrictions. I think MM is our best hope for next year at backup even starting PG at times. Conley will need nights off and likely will get banged up or injured at some point also.

NAW also has potential to provide more upside on offense in the PG role, we know he can play defense. Can he get better on offense too?

Potential in younger guys like Jaylen Clark, Moore or rookie (I wouldn't bet on these, possible but very unlikely to provide good minutes next year).

I'm kind of hoping NAW has a Derrick White-like trajectory, who just had his best season statistically at the age of 29 and is about to win a title. His second best season was last year, age 28.

NAW has the potential to keep getting better into his late 20s. It wasn't until he landed with us late last season that he found a consistent and well-defined role in the NBA. The question is whether we can keep him past next season!

Outstanding comp, Q. NAW's and White's college stats were almost identical, as were their respective stats at age 25. Plus they are almost exactly the same size, and have a similar playing style. NAW had a terrible finish to his season, but it doesn't negate the very good season he had. I see no reason he can't be White in 2-3 years...hopefully with us!

Not a bad comp... but a couple of caveats:

1. Not every 25 year old is the same. D. White had played only 84 games before averaging 11+ ppg on 46% shooting (which was actually worse efficiency than his first two seasons).
2. NAW had played in 200+ games before averaging 8+ ppg this year. Now if his 39% 3fg is legit moving forward, we might be on to something.

It just seems like NAW is closer to a finished product at this age than White.

[Q-is-here]

I'm kind of hoping NAW has a Derrick White-like trajectory, who just had his best season statistically at the age of 29 and is about to win a title. His second best season was last year, age 28.

NAW has the potential to keep getting better into his late 20s. It wasn't until he landed with us late last season that he found a consistent and well-defined role in the NBA. The question is whether we can keep him past next season!

Outstanding comp, Q. NAW's and White's college stats were almost identical, as were their respective stats at age 25. Plus they are almost exactly the same size, and have a similar playing style. NAW had a terrible finish to his season, but it doesn't negate the very good season he had. I see no reason he can't be White in 2-3 years...hopefully with us!

Not a bad comp... but a couple of caveats:

1. Not every 25 year old is the same. D. White had played only 84 games before averaging 11+ ppg on 46% shooting (which was actually worse efficiency than his first two seasons).
2. NAW had played in 200+ games before averaging 8+ ppg this year. Now if his 39% 3fg is legit moving forward, we might be on to something.

It just seems like NAW is closer to a finished product at this age than White.

Yeah, I'm being a bit optimistic on NAW, but he has a little burst to him and the 3-pt shot just seems to be on a nice trajectory these last couple of years. It's not unheard of for guys to become fully finished offensively in their late 20s. But I'll acknowledge that NAW could just as well regress next season. Ppppppffftttt. Hopefully not.