Minnesota Sports Forum

Khans- we can't put everything on Bud's return. He's not good enough to warrant the kind of impact we hope we can have.

And if it's so easy to get gunners, then this team needs at least 2 or 3 from the bench because scoring is everything for this team. Is the defense bad? Yes. What's worse is that this team can't counter any opposing run because scoring is such a challenge. The Pacers don't score 100 PPG but their players are all capable of scoring if need be. This team simply doesn't have those players. The only players capable of scoring in bunches off the bench are Barea who doesn't do it enough and Muhammad who Rick will never play

My expectations for Bud are 7-10 PPG. If you add that 7-10 PPG with JJ's 8 PPG and bring in a gunner who can drop another 10 PPG (C Lee averages 7 PPG, just saying) then you just upped the bench production more than enough for what our starters are already capable of holding. Offense is a short term problem that can be easily plugged. Defense, especially interior defense can't get plugged as easily (notice the market for good rim protecting bigs doesn't seem to be there). If you swap Pek and Shved for Asik and Lee that equals 17 PPG > 11 PPG, but Asik accounts for at least the difference because of the defensive upgrade and then Bud comes back and gives us another 7-10 PPG. Asik drops the starters 10 PPG, but Lee increases the bench 5 PPG and possibly more because he is familiar with Adelman's system. We're talking about a 5 point gap that easily gets made up on the defensive end with a true rim protecting center. Add in Bud and now we are back to where we are now scoring wise, but in much better position to make stops to close out games.