I know they lay a turd about once every five games, but that's part of growing up together (average age is 11.5, just checked, not all in puberty yet).
Seriously, this team makes sense now. Garland and Jarrett Allen make amazing sense. Collin Sexton is a legit all-star, only guy over 25 ppg and over 50% from both 2 and 3. Okoro is making a huge difference on the defensive end and will grow into a solid offensive player (like Kawhi). I can't believe Prince was "the other guy," he's legit 20+ minutes, big part of the rotation.
Windler is showing why the team was so giddy getting him that late, seems like a natural, such a smooth stroke. Larry Nance is an amazing Swiss Army Knife guy, defense the rim, great passer, now adding a 3-point shot, basically Draymond Green now. Cedi has taken another step toward being a future 6th Man of the Year candidate, didn't stagnate or settle in as a decent shooter who gets traded all the time. Dotson looks like almost as big a gift as Prince.
Kevin Love isn't the guy he was 6, 7 years ago... but he is a piece we're missing, a true stretch 4, Larry isn't quite there yet. He fits right in, should be happy to not play more than 24, 25 minutes a game with our depth. It's like his last year and whatever trades we make (Drummond and/or McGee) could aim at getting a younger player who does what he does (hits 3s from the 4 position, opens floor for Garland and Sexton).
I think they'll be a 7th or 8th seed, somewhere around 38 to 42 wins. I think they'll be an even better team in March (February is a really tough schedule), make a run.
Last night was an amazing glimpse at the future with Sexton, Garland, and Allen as our version of a Big 3. All three tore it up, did what they're here to do. Average age is 9, double-checked
I love Okoro and I especially love Nance, a team leader who's become really versatile... but they don't make a ton of sense together. You need a guy who can get his own shot at one of those two spots.
Okoro is a demon on defense who doesn't have a lot of offensive game; Larry can do just about everything, great passer, really improving his 3-ball, but I don't ever see him being enough of a star on offense to fit with Okoro.
Okoro's kinda-sorta like Kawhi but also not. He's a badass but he doesn't have the ability to score the ball like Kawhi did even before he worked out his shot. I think it's mostly a mentality. I expect Okoro to keep growing, known as a gym rat, and I still love the pick... but we'll need a stretch-4 to make it work.
Like I said, Love will come back and fill that spot until we can get the younger version. Could be in the Drummond trade (or the Love trade), could be the next draft. Won't be an early pick, though.
So much interesting depth. Windler, Prince, Cedi, and Dotson are all young... but one wing too many.
Almost there. Just a little more tinkering.
Rough stacking these ugly losses...but maybe not the worst thing to be ascending the lotto standings, esp if the geeks are right about this draft class having five elite prospects.
Cade Cunningham as the new franchise QB could solve a whole lot of problems. Also could see a guy like Kuminga fitting into this group -- dude looks like more of an expedited Jaylen Brown starter kit than Okoro.
Hopefully, in the meantime, they can pivot to some real skill development, not just chaotic tanking. That could include substantial skill growth/role clarity for Okoro.
Also, it doesn't make sense for our diminutive guards to be shooting 40+% from three yet pulling at rates comparable to their sub-30% peers.
If that persists, Sexland'll never be good enough as a tandem to offset their limitations. Maybe re-integrating Love (and shipping out Drummond?) can be part of the fix.
Yeah, having a stretch 4 seems really important with the core four (Garland, Sexton, Allen, Okoro). Allen and Okoro aren't shot getters (yet), too much pressure on the guards to be the whole offense.
Agree on the scarcity of 3s. It's a huge deal. Gotta deal with that.
Eager to see what it looks like with Love. Hope we can add a Young Love (so to speak) in trade or the next draft. Seems like the missing piece.
Wonder how much the lack of deep shooting is on Bickerstaff. His Grizz teams ranked 23rd & 25th in 3pt attempts per game, now last in the league with the Cavs.
Both Sexton and Garland's 3pt attempt rates have declined under Bickerstaff; conversely, Jaren Jackson Jr.'s 3PAr more than doubled post-JB.
Sure seems like the young guys treat the outcome of each three as a referendum on whether or not to take more, a logic that's never applied to all the clanky floaters (or big man emeritus Andre Drummond's "is he doing a bit?" post-ups).
Perhaps not the ideal incubator sitch, especially for Okoro (17% from deep so far in Feb). But maybe, like in Memphis, it'll set the team up to draft a true franchise guy.