12-13-2025, 01:15 PM
(12-13-2025, 10:53 AM)Winter Wrote: It is interesting how we take Naji for granted. The few times he's mentioned is when we're looking at trade material. Yet, his game is almost predictably solid most nights with double digit offense and above average defense. It feels like he's been more valuable than PJ on most nights.
Klay I think has value as a role player for some playoff team, and I agree that should there be a way we can translate into another young shooter (or perhaps another center if Gafford is out-going).
Marshall is taken for granted around here and has been from the start, I agree. Having said that, while he is a good player and more of a natural 3 than basically anyone else on the roster, I don't love his fit with Flagg. The more I watch Flagg, the more I'm realizing he's starting his career as a midrange-in type of attacker. You can see the perimeter skill potential, and I have no doubt he'll be a 3-level guy with time and experience, but I think he's at least a couple of years away from "can't go under on that guy" status, maybe more.
Ironically, Thompson, the guy from your second point, feels to me like the best fit on the team playing the other forward spot. Unfortunately, he's no longer the defender he once was, but the good news is that I don't think the guy they need at the other forward spot needs to be quite as much of a shooting threat as prime Thompson was and can still be in spurts. I think the long term goal there should be to find a good defender (like Marshall or PJW), but one who's more comfortable as a catch and shoot player than either of them. Maybe one of them can adjust to that play style - both have improved as spacers since coming here, but both still shine most when they have a live dribble in the midrange areas, which is precisely where the team needs Flagg to live.
For now, my inclination is to make one of them (either Marshall or PJW) available in an attempt to upgrade at the 1-2-3 spots, acquire picks, shed salary (whichever direction the team ultimately decides to go, basically) and hold onto Thompson until the player I'm describing above is acquired (maybe you get him right away and this is a moot point). Basically, I think Flagg levels up even faster if you put a little more shooting around him, and I think with the combo of he and AD on the back line you can afford to play Thompson more on the defensive end.