2020-2021 ROSTER TALK: Archived

[mvossman]

I know you've laid out your argument but you have to understand that while you're getting a center to address KPs issues defensively there, now you're taking Maxi's defense out of the lineup and asking KP to guard the following PFs in the West:

Utah - Bogdan/Royce O'Neal
Phoenix - Jae Crowder
Denver - Aaron Gordon
Clippers - Marcus Morris
Portland - Robert Covington 
Lakers - AD
Grizz - Jaren Jackson

Now if you get someone like Holmes, you could argue maybe he has the perimeter defense to handle those guys but it also goes against the argument that you're getting a defensive center because you aren't even playing him there if you did that.

Rick going to zone the first time we've ever seen KP at the 4 defensively all year tells you all you need to know about what Rick thinks of KP at the 4.  And he's right.

I honestly don't care about KP at the 4 or 5 on offense.  Him at the 5 is better for him but him at the 4 with a rim runner at 5 is better for Luka so perfect world is he's a floor spacer when Luka is with him and he takes over at the 5 when Luka's not but he's proven he gets easily bothered by wing defenders in the post and doesn't really have any actual...you know...moves which is why when everything was on the line Rick put baby in the corner.

I agree with almost all of this, but I think its a myth that Luka is better with a rim runner.  The numbers suggest he may be even better with 5 out:

2020  Powell/KP/Luka/DFS/THJ   120 off rating   +11 net  (the most used 5 man lineup that year)
2020  Powell/KP/Luka                118 off rating   +8 net

2021  Maxi/KP/Luka/DFS/JRich  124 off rating    +13 net  (the most used 5 man lineup, and they did this with JRich!)
2021  Maxi/KP/Luka                 123 off rating    +12 net