Blocks are overrated anyways. Block% tends to be higher when you play bench minutes. Tyson Chandler had a 3% block% in the Mavs championship season. Guys like him or Al Horford aren't big time shot blockers but remained elite defenders at their position.
You need to switch and contest. That's the name of the game for a defensive big in today's NBA. I think Wood has that potential. I ain't banking on elite but slightly above average would be a major upgrade to what we got last playoffs.
IMO, I think Wood should have a Brook Lopez type role on offense, and save more energy on the defensive end. 15 ppg, 10 rpg, 1.5 bpg, switching-and-defending at 28 mpg.
(06-20-2022, 11:45 AM)nash_funk Wrote: [ -> ]What about Nic Claxton? He's a really good rim protector and a better rebounder than Kleber or Powell. I'd throw all the backup C minutes to Claxton.
As much as I've been preaching "the 5 position is done - nothing else there but a minimum guy"...Claxton is intriguing enough to me as a prospect to want anyway.
(06-20-2022, 12:58 PM)Fuerza1 Wrote: [ -> ]slightly above average
I think this is the D impact we should expect and anticipate from CW. Yet I think his ceiling on defensive impact is a whole tier higher than that. He was arguably a top 25 player in the NBA in D impact in 19-20 and 20-21.
(06-20-2022, 12:52 PM)nash_funk Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think we have the assets for John Collins. Philly is looking to unload Harris and Thybulle. That gives us a starting PF and a defensive stopper at wing. Harris/Thybulle for Hardaway/Bertans.
This and sign Nic Claxton.
PG - Luka / Dinwiddie
SG - Brunson / Green
SF - Finney-Smith / Thybulle
PF - Harris / Kleber
C - Wood / Claxton
Don't think that is close to getting Harris and Thybulle. I realize Harris is overpaid, but he is still a good player and I doubt Philly does Hardaway/Bertans just for Harris. Thybulle would require an actual asset to get.
(06-20-2022, 12:18 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]I don't see this. I see both Wood and JC as average, to slightly above average defenders when the effort, care, and fit are there. I also see them both fitting Kidd's defensive scheme really well.
What do you see that you don't like?
I think that is a stretch. You would be starting Wood/Collins/Luka/Brunson. There is not a plus defender in that group and arguments could be made on a couple of them being below average. Dorian is not going to be able to drag that group into a top 10 defense. No matter how good the offense is, its hard to see a team that is average defensively be a legit contender. Teams like that never seem to go all the way.
(06-20-2022, 01:50 PM)mvossman Wrote: [ -> ]You would be starting Wood/Collins/Luka/Brunson. There is not a plus defender in that group and arguments could be made on a couple of them being below average.
JC is a plus defender according to EPM. Christian Wood is as well (not counting this past season). And both are plus defenders from my personal eye test FWIW.
JB holds his own IMO most of the time. Luka is a HUGE negative at times, but CAN hold his own when focused and lighter.
I can see both sides of this "Colins still fits, or nah?" debate. I wrote somewhere around here that I thought he still fit, even after the trade.
But, after some reflection, I think he might be too redundant with Wood offensively for either of them to have a role large enough to sink their teeth into. It's easy to say "one can space for the other" or "now they'll have 48 minutes of pick-and-roll/pop," but in reality, those two are going to want the ball at the same time, in the same spots, and both will likely want it more frequently than either of them are likely to get it here, even without adding the other.
(06-20-2022, 01:39 PM)mvossman Wrote: [ -> ]Don't think that is close to getting Harris and Thybulle. I realize Harris is overpaid, but he is still a good player and I doubt Philly does Hardaway/Bertans just for Harris. Thybulle would require an actual asset to get.
Agreed that that proposal was weak. Point being that a deal can be made.
(06-20-2022, 01:55 PM)Kammrath Wrote: [ -> ]JC is a plus defender according to EPM. Christian Wood is as well (not counting this past season). And both are plus defenders from my personal eye test FWIW.
JB holds his own IMO most of the time. Luka is a HUGE negative at times, but CAN hold his own when focused and lighter.
They both are roughly average looking at multiple years (which I think is a good practice with defense because there is so much noise in even the best stats like EPM). I also think bigs generally rank higher defensively than smaller players so for a big to be average or slightly better than average is not particularly high praise.
Also a comment on the term "average". It can mean a couple of different things. There is even two different concepts of "average" on EPM. Where you see the percentages they show, that is relative to every NBA player. That includes guys on the back of the bench that don't get many minutes. But the zero baseline for EPM is based across total minutes played. That is a higher bar for average. That is why an EPM of zero is in the 68 percentile. That means that player's minutes are average impact across all NBA minutes, but the player is better than average because there are a lot of backups out there.
When I think of the term "average" I am generally thinking per NBA minute vs across all players on a roster.
(06-20-2022, 01:56 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]I can see both sides of this "Colins still fits, or nah?" debate. I wrote somewhere around here that I thought he still fit, even after the trade.
But, after some reflection, I think he might be too redundant with Wood offensively for either of them to have a role large enough to sink their teeth into. It's easy to say "one can space for the other" or "now they'll have 48 minutes of pick-and-roll/pop," but in reality, those two are going to want the ball at the same time, in the same spots, and both will likely want it more frequently than either of them are likely to get it here, even without adding the other.
Yep, I think there are diminishing returns when adding more and more offense to a team, especially when you are talking about two guys that like to do very similar things. History strongly suggests that you need to be really good (at least top 10) on both offense and defense to win a championship. That is why it is so important to have guys that can do both. Given that we already have Luka and Brunson (and now Wood) it does not make sense to spend all of our assets to go after a one way player like Collins, Beal, Lavine. It really needs to be a two way player to help balance out the roster.
(06-20-2022, 01:11 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]As much as I've been preaching "the 5 position is done - nothing else there but a minimum guy"...Claxton is intriguing enough to me as a prospect to want anyway.
I don't think it's necessary but I am open to the Mavs adding a 5 with more girth. Powell might be ok off the bench in the regular season but is unplayable in the playoffs.
Bertans + future 2nd rounder for Derrick Favors makes a lot of sense to me from a cost cutting standpoint (saves $6M this summer, even more long term), and an actual useful big role in emergency match-up's. Not sure if OKC bites on that though.
(06-20-2022, 02:41 PM)Fuerza1 Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think it's necessary but I am open to the Mavs adding a 5 with more girth. Powell might be ok off the bench in the regular season but is unplayable in the playoffs.
Bertans + future 2nd rounder for Derrick Favors makes a lot of sense to me from a cost cutting standpoint (saves $6M this summer, even more long term), and an actual useful big role in emergency match-up's. Not sure if OKC bites on that though.
Don't think a second is nearly enough to get off that Bertans contract. Favors is an expiring and OKC will probably try to get value out of that contract at the deadline. I don't even think Green plus a second would be enough.
Honestly...I send PJ to Cabo until mid April on the grounds he is staying in decent shape...
Only bring him back for playoffs.
Too risky at his age. Hes basically at Playoff Player and thats it. You cant run him into the ground during the season.
(06-20-2022, 12:51 PM)Smitty Wrote: [ -> ]Maxi Kleber 6-10 240lbs: 3.6 BLK%
PJ Washington 6-7 230lbs: 3.2 BLK%
John Collins 6-9 230lbs: 3.1 BLK%
Maxi Kleber 6-10 240lbs: 0.9 BPG
PJ Washington 6-7 230lbs: 1.0 BPG
John Collins 6-9 230lbs: 1.0 BPG
Maxi Kleber 6-10 240lbs: 35.9 3PT% / 3.5 3PA
PJ Washington 6-7 230lbs: 37.5 3PT% / 4.4 3PA
John Collins 6-9 230lbs: 37.6 3PT% / 2.5 3PA
Would love PJ Washington here. Wasn't a fan of people suggesting him as a starting center before, but as PF next to Wood? Sign me up.