I'M Comfortable with Our Point Guard Situation

[LastDon]

Unlike most people on this board I don't think we need a point guard. Personally, I just think we should insert Salim into the starting lineup. What we have to understand that Salim just did what was asked of him this season and that was come in and provide instant offense. This is the reason why in most games he was overly aggressive.

Our team doesn't need a traditional point because we have a 2 guard that is able to create in the mold of Anfernee Hardaway in his prime.

I think that in this draft and free agency we should focus on getting Long and Atheletic(6'10-7') 4/5s. If we can't get a big in the lottery we should just trade down and take a chance on a big like Boone,Armstrong, O'bryant or Gray. I think that our rotation on the perimeter is set for the next 10 years if we stand pat with Salim/Childress/Williams/Smith/Johnson. Drafting another Perimeter player should definitely be out the questions!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lascar78]

I agree that we don't need a traditional PG, and I agree that he was instructed to let em fly, but the problem with Salim is that a) he doesn't play D well at all, and b) he doesn't have a good ball handle, and frequently just flat out looses the ball. I am not comfortable with him even bringing it up in the backcourt if there is any player there defending or pressing. I think he's fine in the halfcourt offense though.

[DJlaysitup]

Running Salim or JJ at the point makes us very vulnerable to press-type defenses and turnovers. I think Lue can be workable at point but he's about it (IMHO). Ball security is a must.

Maybe Salim will make some strides in the offseason.

[exodus]

Then you obviously weren't paying attention. Opposing pgs had a field day against the Hawks. And Salim is so weak handling the ball that the Hawks frequently used Al or Chill to bring the ball up the court when Salim was in and JJ was out.

[Johnnybravo4]

That wasn't the reason. They only used started using Childress to bring the ball up the court when Lue and Salim were out, and we were pretty much stuck with one PG.

[exodus]

Wrong. When Salim was in and JJ was out they didn't let Salim bring the ball up much because he was a disaster. That is why they used Chill and Al to bring the ball up.

Sadly Al seems to handle the ball better than Salim.

[Johnnybravo4]

You are insane if you believe that. The only players on the team with better handles than Salim are Ivey and Lue.

[Packfill]

I agree with Exodus. Salim can shoot and that is about it. He is looking at a Tony Delk like career.

[Lascar78]

They definitely started having Chill bring the ball up while Salim was still playing. And Chill's handles are definitely better that Salim. Sure Salim is closer to ground and can probably do some nasty crossover that Chill can't, but Chill can handle pressure without turning it over while Salim can't. Hell half the time Salim just throws the ball ahead to himself and then catches up to it. He has very little control.

[Johnnybravo4]

First of all, it is easier for Chills to bring the ball up the court because he was being guarded by some 6'9 SF or PF, while Salim is getting harassed by some 5'11 pest.

Second of All, Childress didn't bring the ball up the court because of Salim's ball handling. He brought the ball up because of the offense they were running. Sort of like Lamar Odom on the Lakers, or Lebron on the Cavs.

[Lascar78]

Quote:

---

Second of All, Childress didn't bring the ball up the court because of Salim's ball handling. He brought the ball up because of the offense they were running. Sort of like Lamar Odom on the Lakers, or Lebron on the Cavs.

---

If you want to look at it that way, we went to that offense because Salim couldn't dribble well enough.

I don't recall a single player flat out losing the ball while dribbling without anyone poking it away. Smith would be your best candidate, but he knows better than to try to dribble in most cases. I can recall Salim doing this at least around 10 times this season. That's just unacceptable. That's not to say that he can't improve over the summer, but last year his handle was completely unacceptable for a starting PG

[Johnnybravo4]

I count JJ doing it at least 5 times last year. I mean everyone overblows Salim's ballhandling skills. You would think that Shaq had better handles by reading this board.

[LastDon]

and JT is contributing on a championship calibur team. Also our lack of defense from our guard has been magnified by our lack of Big defending the basket.

[Lascar78]

Because in a system where JJ is the primary ballhandler in the halfcourt, having the handles to bring the ball up under pressure is just about the only thing that we absolutely need our PG to be able to do.

[Lascar78]

SALIM HAS BETTER HANDLES THAN JT???

One of us is nuts because I could not possibly disagree more. He also is a score first guy who isn't a distributor and who doesn't play much D, but his handles are miles ahead of Salim.

[Johnnybravo4]

You all act as if we play against the Kentucky Wildcats and the 80's Arkansas teams every night. Teams press once and every blue moon, and every guard that can make an NBA roster can defeat it. Salim was a rookie and he made careless turnovers. But trust me, if his ball handling was as bad as you all think, he would have never made a college roster, much less a pro one.

[exodus]

That is just plain nuts. JT never had a season where he had more turnovers than assists, which is what Salim managed to do this year.

[Lascar78]

If a guy's my starting PG and I expect to be successful, he can't be a guy that I have to pull out of the game in any clutch situation because I know he's going to choke it up under the press. That's the problem. My starting 5 should be able to perform in the clutch if I want to go to the playoffs, and win in the playoffs. As of right now, I don't see that in Salim. Maybe it's something he can improve in a summer of non-stop dribble drills, but it needs improving. His D does too.

[Johnnybravo4]

That is just plain nuts. JT never had a season where he had more turnovers than assists, which is what Salim managed to do this year.

You like to bring up that point, but the point is that Salim was never brought into the game to pass the ball. His role was to shoot...shoot...shoot.

[1524]

Quote:

---

Unlike most people on this board I don't think we need a point guard. Personally, I just think we should insert Salim into the starting lineup. What we have to understand that Salim just did what was asked of him this season and that was come in and provide instant offense. This is the reason why in most games he was overly aggressive.

Our team doesn't need a traditional point because we have a 2 guard that is able to create in the mold of Anfernee Hardaway in his prime.

I think that in this draft and free agency we should focus on getting Long and Atheletic(6'10-7') 4/5s. If we can't get a big in the lottery we should just trade down and take a chance on a big like Boone,Armstrong, O'bryant or Gray. I think that our rotation on the perimeter is set for the next 10 years if we stand pat with Salim/Childress/Williams/Smith/Johnson. Drafting another Perimeter player should definitely be out the questions!!!!!!!!!!!

---

Well I am very happy that you are comfortable with the PG situation, but we need a PG. Salim has a great future, but this team is way to close to winning to insert him into the point. He needs more time. We need a vet PG, an AI or a Sam I Am...a vocal leader like those guys are.