11-15-2023, 10:22 AM
(11-15-2023, 08:31 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: Given Luka's young age, I suspect there will be era's within his tenure here (like the Finley/Nash era of Dirk's career). I like that Vuc is 3 years which matches Kyrie and is out of the way before you have to extend Lively. Maybe the next few years you have vets like Irving, Vucevic and THJ in your top 8 while you let the kids season some more.
We have some data on Vucevic and DJJ playing together (D-Rating of 109 last year and 108.5 the season before). Whether that is a bench tandem or a starting tandem (short term), there probably are ways to get the Vuc positives without being just awful defensively.
The Bulls are such a shitshow. Makes the whole assessment so difficult. There was a season Lavine/White were the Bulls starting backcourt. I think they were literally the worst defensive backcourt in the whole league. Next year they had a different set-up, White off the bench, minimum overlap. They were both net-neutral defenders. Guess who is the Bulls starting backcourt again? You have Lavine, DeRozan and Vucevic already in your S5. Who in their right mind puts volume chucker White at 39/31/81 splits next to them, when it could be Williams, Craig, Dosunmu or Caruso.
Billy Donovan is a poor coach imho. Another puzzle piece to fit into the picture. Always expecting his stars to bail him out. Only play-off success he ever had was blowing a 3-1 conference finals lead with peak Westbrook/Roberson/Durant/Ibaka/Adams. The Doc Rivers special.