2021-2022 ROSTER TALK: [ARCHIVED]

[KillerLeft]

The highlights I saw of Wood made him a driver/finisher in traffic. If DFS improves  on his driving from last season, he could possibly be a gap closer from SD to CW. Going by the 2ball handlers on the court at all times, can THJ and CW be at least mostly that for them? Getting 1 more guy that is comfortable with the ball in his hands (the wing we hear they are looking for) also closes that gap, IMO.

Then we’re playing a much more versatile offensive game. One where guys are constantly driving and breaking down the defense, not just Luka, then JB, then SD. I just think it’s kindof a myopic view that because Kidd figured out that the only way the team assembled was going to do damage was to play the way they were taught to do, so that is the only way we have to play going forward.

I'm not entirely sure I follow you here, so sorry if I misunderstand. It seems like you think the "your turn/my turn" is the product of too many players not able to floor the ball? 

I think teams can always use more drive-competent players, as you know. Been on that crusade since the bubble playoffs. And, I agree with your assessment of the "you go, I go" stuff. 

I just have a different opinion of what's causing that. To me, it's about Luka and Brunson both being a little green and not quiiiiiiite understanding that the ball needs to move faster, sometimes before they, personally, create an advantage. Sometimes, the timely, correct, simple pass is the right one, and I think those guys are both prone to getting stuck in the mindset of beating someone, drawing a second defender and making the "assist" pass, which is often a difficult skip pass. I think it's awesome that Luka CAN succeed in that way so often, but my suspicion is that as he ages, he'll learn to take it easier on himself by getting teammates involved earlier in possessions, and in simpler ways. 

I know there's a chance some of this issue is systemic, but I don't really worry about that because there were stretches last season (some of which happened while Luka missed time) wherein the offense functioned beautifully. Maybe they abandoned all of that in favor of "find mismatches and iso" full time in the playoffs intentionally, or maybe that's just all those guys felt comfortable doing against defenses of that caliber (on court judgments, not called from the bench). IDK, but either way, I really think it's a development/training/teaching/learning problem, not a talent problem. Just my opinion. 

The only thing that worries me about this issue long term is the pace that Luka likes to play. It's VERY slow. In that way, he's very unlike Kidd - young Kidd, at least. I wonder if that GS-level ball movement will ever be possible if 10 seconds of the shot clock are always gone by the time the first action begins. That, more than anything else, is what worries me about Luka. The maturity, barking at refs, body care...he's too much of a winner not to fix all of that as he gets older, imo. The pace, while making HIM really effective, kind of puts a ceiling on what his teammates are able to do in support, imho. 

But if I see it, then so does Kidd, of course. Hopefully, they'll find the sweet spot together.