Game 19: Oklahoma City Thunder (12-6) vs. Dallas Mavericks (11-7) | 8:00pm CST

[surfpuckmd]

It was kind of telling last night that the G-league guys got more burn than Hardy.  As Killer said, we may have passed peak trade value.  It has always been about decision making for Hardy.  It hasn't been good.  You get glimpses of brilliance followed by glimpses of THJ at his worst.

I think whatever you call Green, he fits nicely between Kyrie and Luka in the starting lineup.  Doesn't demand shots, takes the more difficult back court matchup and helps out on D (maybe too much).  Moves the ball and helps with pace.  I don't think he's the long term problem here and I like Exum/Seth providing depth and helping to manage minutes here.  With this much depth, it is hard to find developmental minutes for Hardy.

What that leaves you with is THJ, GWill and DJJ eating up 3/4 minutes (and if Green is starting, we are calling Luka a 3 also).  GWill is 27 of 82 from the field in his last 11 games (.329%).  DJJ beats him at FG%, 3% and per minute rebounding and scoring.  GWill's body language hasn't been what it was to start the season (and Green's doesn't look great either, which makes you wonder).  I think GWill is miscast as a starting four here.  But, he can't be a three as he can't guard perimeter 3's/2's.  He's probably a valuable bench guy.    

I think at some point we'll need to decide between OMax and Hardy to get developmental minutes.  It is hard to find time for both.  Right now, the bigger need is for OMax to step up, but it feels like a pretty long term project.  Will we have the patience?  And, who do you play him with that also hides his issues on O?  I thought he looked more comfortable (or less lost) last night.   

In one of the recent games there was some complaining about defensive rotations and guys not knowing where to be.  Watch THJ sometime.  He squares up on guys and tries hard and we all think he's playing D.  But, watch him away from the ball.  It isn't good.  It is the same old story.  We have 3 starters and a bunch of guys who are 5 - 9's in Green, THJ, DJJ and GWill.  We need a starting four and we need better at the backup 5 (especially on those nights when Lively has foul issues).  That Iztok video you posted makes a fantastic point.  The way Lively is developing, by the end of next season (assuming we get that one more guy who pushes GWill to the bench), we are going to be trouble.

Hardy has been the biggest disappointment of the season thus far.  I expected he'd become our number 3 scorer this season.  I was very wrong.  I think we should send him to the G-league for a while so he can work on his handle and his defense.  Both are bad right now.  I think his trade value has plummeted and we're better off trying to rehab him here.  In positive news, THJ has played reasonably well for us so it's good that we didn't trade him.  THJ has been our 3rd or 4th best player despite his flaws.

The other big disappointment this season is Josh Greens defense.  I'm still a Josh Green fan but his defense is not impactful right now despite the obvious effort.  Coaching needs to be better.  Josh Green has the athleticism and motor to be a very good defensive player.  If this doesn't improve, it's a failure of the coaches (as well as a failure of Green himself)

Our biggest need is size.  As our two power forwards are undersized (Williams and DJJ), we need a backup center who can compensate.  We require a backup big who protects the rim and is a rebounding machine.  I believe Powell is still a useful player but it just doesn't work with him playing next to an undersized power forward who doesn't rebound.  I'd prefer to obtain the backup center for cheap.  Andre Drummond seems the most appropriate candidate.  I'd even be fine with bringing Hassan Whiteside back from China.