Bucks game got folks' attention

[mvossman]

Minor pushback…I think stats do answer this.  It just depends which question you are asking.  If you are saying he’s never scored like this (meaning in terms of measuring points scored on a per minute basis), then he has actually scored like this before.  If you are saying he’s never scored like this (meaning as easily and efficiently), then TS% and to a lesser extent O-Rating say you are right about that.  

When you said “his best year”, I took it to mean across the entire spectrum of what he contributes.  18/19 is amazingly similar to 21-22 (and better by very small degrees in most measurements).  It is even better in some measurements than post all-star break Powell.  I think Killer is right that we just didn’t appreciate it as much when it happened on a less successful team. 

I’m not a Powell defender because I think he’s a top flight starting center.  I’m a Powell defender because so many people here have missed the analysis on him for such a long time.  BTW, be prepared for disappointment those of you who think he will be signing for less than the MLE.  I find the discussion about adding to the future center rotation that has been going on to be fascinating.  

Gobert?  A lesser Gobert (like Capella or Turner)?  Another small/mobile center who is good at the PnR like Powell?  A cheap big thug who is nothing like Powell to eat up some minutes against bigger bodies?  A 3&D center (who actually hits 3’s) to replace/supplement Maxi?  I have no problem with Powell moving to the bench if a new starter pushes him there.  I’ve always thought it much more likely he stays next season in some capacity.  That probably means Maxi either goes or moves to backup PF behind DFS (a position he would compete with Bertans for).  I do think it would be a mistake to try to roll with what we have at this position past the current season, but I can make a good argument for just about any of those possibilities.  Its not like we were all pinning for Bullock prior to his signing, so the odd are none of us has this exactly nailed at this point.

Good stuff.  I think the one argument you could make in favor of this season's Powell is that he is doing this as a starter instead of 2019 when he was mostly terrorizing opposing benches.  

I definitely fall into the camp of folks thinking Powell is better suited as a 20 minute a game key rotational bench player (a la 2019), but that kind of player makes the MLE.  Honestly as I look over the roster, Bertans is the only truly overpriced player on the team (other than the silly Burke, Boban, Brown contracts that should be mins).  Even THJ is a reasonably priced contract (once he gets healthy), he just does not really fit.