apollotsg wrote:I have noticed that the starters and the primary rotation player have really all looked like they are all on the same page, playing as a unit with great ball movement.
Besides Towns looking like he actually has taken his game to another level, I really love Okogies play - his defense is so good and I think he needs to supplant Graham in the starting rotation and be the first sub out.
I also think Wiggins game is actually transforming before our eyes...yes early in both games he looks a lot like the old crappy Wiggins - but something happens as the game goes on and he starts playing the new style - and its kind of working. His handle actually looks tighter, not sure how but it does. He is looking to drive or dish after his first couple obligatory step back long 2s to start the game. Maybe we need to send a highlight reel around the league now and move him before he goes back to normal Wiggins.
I like the Culver pick a lot - but he really looked slow out there, on offense when the scrubs were in playing streetball he looked like he had no clue what to do (but they all kind of just ran around lost - lol), but his slow reaction on defense was evident as well. I suspect he is still thinking and not playing. This is so much different than how he looked in pre-season.
Again - I really like how Okogie looked, If Culver develops quickly I would love to see him and Okogie with the starting unit and Teague and Graham on the bench. They just need to play good defense like Covington and then exploit the double teams that Towns may have figured out how to beat - he is not flailing like last year.
Question for everyone - is short sample size showing dramatic team play from having great assistant coaches running the offense and defense or is this individual development?
Apollo has taken the drivers seat on the Wiggins wagon.
FWIW according to BB reference Wiggins is taking over 37% of his shots at the rim which would easily be a career high. He is still taking about 21% of his 2's of the longer variety. He is hitting the 10-16' shots at 50%. The bad news is he isn't attempting many 3's and hasn't hit one yet. I do think he is attacking more he is just looking weak doing it. I think one thing that would help is he needs to slow down some. It's preseason and most of 2 games but offensively he hasn't looked good and hard to be optimistic about it getting better but maybe there is a little sliver of hope that he is better than this at least if you want to have some. At this point I'm wildly hoping for him to get back to mediocre on offense. Lol
CoolBreeze44 wrote:I would say if you can get Booker for anything close to what Cam is proposing, it's a no-brainer. Only happens if Phoenix doesn't think they can sign him. And when that determination is made, lots of suitors will line up.
I don't think getting Booker is realistic. He is on the same contract as KAT. Just don't think they give up a top 30ish guy. When they have 5 years of team control
Apollo has taken the drivers seat on the Wiggins wagon.
FWIW according to BB reference Wiggins is taking over 37% of his shots at the rim which would easily be a career high. He is still taking about 21% of his 2's of the longer variety. He is hitting the 10-16' shots at 50%. The bad news is he isn't attempting many 3's and hasn't hit one yet. I do think he is attacking more he is just looking weak doing it. I think one thing that would help is he needs to slow down some. It's preseason and most of 2 games but offensively he hasn't looked good and hard to be optimistic about it getting better but maybe there is a little sliver of hope that he is better than this at least if you want to have some. At this point I'm wildly hoping for him to get back to mediocre on offense. Lol
NO - NO - I dont want to be on his wagon at all, let alone steer it. He just seems to be playing differently - as if he is being coached and he is responding in some fashion.
I don't think Booker is a number 1 option night in and night out which is what he has to be in Phoenix and also why his efficiency is lower than you'd want. The good news is he wouldn't have to be the number 1 option here. Run the PnR with Towns and there's gonna be a lot more room to work with than he's used to. It's not a sure thing, but I'd still give up anything outside of Towns to get it done. I'd need more from PHX if they wanted Covington in the deal than just Booker as well.
CoolBreeze44 wrote:I would say if you can get Booker for anything close to what Cam is proposing, it's a no-brainer. Only happens if Phoenix doesn't think they can sign him. And when that determination is made, lots of suitors will line up.
I don't think getting Booker is realistic. He is on the same contract as KAT. Just don't think they give up a top 30ish guy. When they have 5 years of team control
Booker may want to leave.
He might but it's still 5 years of team control. It's the same as KAT, he might want out but you can just tell him you are under control for 5 years. You won't get more value for a player with 5 years control compared to 3 years
Okogie has been great as a bench player. I hope it stays that way, he brings nice energy against 2nd units. I dont believe he would have the same impact against NBA starters. I think Ryan's rotations have been smart in the first 2.
thedoper wrote:Okogie has been great as a bench player. I hope it stays that way, he brings nice energy against 2nd units. I dont believe he would have the same impact against NBA starters. I think Ryan's rotations have been smart in the first 2.
Agreed. I like him coming off the bench for his energy, even if he ends up being one of our better wings this year. Then just play him more minutes off the bench and have him close halves.
Having said that, I can't wait for the day we no longer need to see Teague or Wiggins in our starting lineup.
thedoper wrote:Okogie has been great as a bench player. I hope it stays that way, he brings nice energy against 2nd units. I dont believe he would have the same impact against NBA starters. I think Ryan's rotations have been smart in the first 2.
Agreed. I like him coming off the bench for his energy, even if he ends up being one of our better wings this year. Then just play him more minutes off the bench and have him close halves.
Having said that, I can't wait for the day we no longer need to see Teague or Wiggins in our starting lineup.
I think having Okogie play more minutes while still coming off the bench makes sense. But like you, I look forward to the day when we don't have to watch Teague or Wiggins in our starting lineup. Teague is particularly hard to watch - on both ends of the floor.
thedoper wrote:Okogie has been great as a bench player. I hope it stays that way, he brings nice energy against 2nd units. I dont believe he would have the same impact against NBA starters. I think Ryan's rotations have been smart in the first 2.
Agreed. I like him coming off the bench for his energy, even if he ends up being one of our better wings this year. Then just play him more minutes off the bench and have him close halves.
Having said that, I can't wait for the day we no longer need to see Teague or Wiggins in our starting lineup.
I think having Okogie play more minutes while still coming off the bench makes sense. But like you, I look forward to the day when we don't have to watch Teague or Wiggins in our starting lineup. Teague is particularly hard to watch - on both ends of the floor.
Just to be clear I don't think Teague has looked good. However its worth remembering Teague was rehabbing a lot of the offseason. He is still likely knocking off some rust and trying to adjust to a new system. He hasn't looked too good but as a guy getting his shots he has sure picked his spots well. Even without hitting any 3's his TS% is almost at 60% which is pretty good. Meanwhile Napier has looked like the better player but is shooting 15% from the floor. This is a very good example of stats only telling part of the story. :)
Teague isn't a great fit for this team the way they want to play BUT...IF this team kinda sort becomes one that is sort of a threat from 3 from everyone on the floor (They don't have a non shooter like Taj so that's still an upgrade unless the start Bell) the spacing Teague will have to work with will both utilize his strengths as a guy that probes around and also marginalize the downside of that approach because he will have more space to work with and therefore have more obvious options and therefore make more decisive decisions. Will the difference be massive? No probably not but getting a little more out of a guy like him can make a difference. BB reference has him down for a 13.3 usage rate. That's pretty low for a PG but probably a little bit misleading.
I will add that I think Okogie's energy is good off the bench. Until Graham shows he isn't up to being the solid guy he looks to be now there is value in a solid guy that does what he is supposed to do playing with starters. Okogie can bring some energy (Graham plays with energy too) I actually think both of those guys are similar in the role they can and will play for this team. If they can combine for 48 minutes or so of solid wing play most nights that would be low key sort of a big deal. So far so good but we have 80 more games.
thedoper wrote:Okogie has been great as a bench player. I hope it stays that way, he brings nice energy against 2nd units. I dont believe he would have the same impact against NBA starters. I think Ryan's rotations have been smart in the first 2.
Agreed. I like him coming off the bench for his energy, even if he ends up being one of our better wings this year. Then just play him more minutes off the bench and have him close halves.
Having said that, I can't wait for the day we no longer need to see Teague or Wiggins in our starting lineup.
I think having Okogie play more minutes while still coming off the bench makes sense. But like you, I look forward to the day when we don't have to watch Teague or Wiggins in our starting lineup. Teague is particularly hard to watch - on both ends of the floor.
Just to be clear I don't think Teague has looked good. However its worth remembering Teague was rehabbing a lot of the offseason. He is still likely knocking off some rust and trying to adjust to a new system. He hasn't looked too good but as a guy getting his shots he has sure picked his spots well. Even without hitting any 3's his TS% is almost at 60% which is pretty good. Meanwhile Napier has looked like the better player but is shooting 15% from the floor. This is a very good example of stats only telling part of the story. :)
Teague isn't a great fit for this team the way they want to play BUT...IF this team kinda sort becomes one that is sort of a threat from 3 from everyone on the floor (They don't have a non shooter like Taj so that's still an upgrade unless the start Bell) the spacing Teague will have to work with will both utilize his strengths as a guy that probes around and also marginalize the downside of that approach because he will have more space to work with and therefore have more obvious options and therefore make more decisive decisions. Will the difference be massive? No probably not but getting a little more out of a guy like him can make a difference. BB reference has him down for a 13.3 usage rate. That's pretty low for a PG but probably a little bit misleading.
I will add that I think Okogie's energy is good off the bench. Until Graham shows he isn't up to being the solid guy he looks to be now there is value in a solid guy that does what he is supposed to do playing with starters. Okogie can bring some energy (Graham plays with energy too) I actually think both of those guys are similar in the role they can and will play for this team. If they can combine for 48 minutes or so of solid wing play most nights that would be low key sort of a big deal. So far so good but we have 80 more games.
Monster, Teague's game has been on a slow, but steady decline since coming here from Indiana. He also hasn't adapted to the modern style of play by upping his volume of 3's. While he can't control his age, he can certainly still try to adapt his game like other players have. While I don't think he's the albatross that Wiggins is, he's just hard to watch. The good news is he'll be gone by this time next year.
