Best ⭐️ Robin to Trae’s Batman 🦇

[ShooterSays]

Almost voted Brown until I saw SGA.

[REHawksFan]

1 hour ago, kg01 said:

I voted SGA because it's gotta be an offensive threat.

Simmons is probably the hero we need though.

This was my exact thought prior to reading the posts.  LOL.  

[TheNorthCydeRises]

SMH . . . not even a debate if those are the choices.

 

 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

50 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

Y'all sound pretty convinced that Trae ain't the problem

 

Trae is always the problem. We established this yesterday.

This team functions so well without Trae, so maybe we should get rid of him.

Trae for Ben Simmons and Danny Green.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

45 minutes ago, Sothron said:

Let's be honest: Trae's game against the Clippers is about the height of where he'll get on defense. He's just not a good defensive player. I've said for years the most we can hope for is average. Trae's defense in that Clippers game was average. It might actually have been slightly above average. 

It isn't fair to Trae to expect him to give 100% energy as the only play maker AND primary scorer for the entire game, every trip down the court and then expect him to have 100% energy on defense. That's not possible. No one can do that. Jordan didn't do that until Pippen came along and he has a secondary playmaker and scorer to take the load off on offense so Jordan could play better defense.

 

Trae is the leader on the floor, so he is required to exert 100% energy on offense and defense at all times.

Play lockdown defense and fully run the offense. 

Make all of the shots at the end of games.

Get the steal on the defensive end to seal it.

 

And Trae is young ( no pun intended ).  He can play 44 minutes a night if need be.

[Sothron]

49 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

They ain't tried anything else so how do you know having the ball in someone else's hand with a motion or triangle offense won't work?

I'm fine with having another playmaker. Again, something I've said for years as have others here. We need another playmaker. It isn't possible for any player to be the primary ball handler, primary scorer AND somehow have 100% energy on defense. You add in Trae is six one and maybe 160 pounds and it really skews things.

[Sothron]

6 minutes ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

 

Trae is the leader on the floor, so he is required to exert 100% energy on offense and defense at all times.

Play lockdown defense and fully run the offense. 

Make all of the shots at the end of games.

Get the steal on the defensive end to seal it.

 

And Trae is young ( no pun intended ).  He can play 44 minutes a night if need be.

This has to be sarcasm.

[marco102]

1 minute ago, Sothron said:

This has to be sarcasm.

lol...it is.

[Spud2nique]

I haven’t voted 🗳 on the poll yet. I like Jaylen Brown in the playoffs but I’m back and forth. Ben a bit too, always loved Sabonis. 
 

Id trade JC and parts for Sabonis.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

2 hours ago, JeffS17 said:

I want to go back and change my choice to an offensive Xs and Os assistant coach that can be our "offensive coordinator" while letting Nate focus on the defense.  Someone that can call plays, spot mismatches, find weak spots in opponents defense/personnel.  I don't know if that position exists in the NBA but I would hire someone like that.

 

Damn . . this sounds like the Woody days.

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

SMH . . . not even a debate if those are the choices.

 

 

U the Soth burner? 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

1 hour ago, marco102 said:

No, they are to improve the team.  KAT would improve the team as whole because he'd be a clear number two. Not sure our offense ranking would move up much if at all.  There are other supplemental moves I'd make if we were to get KAT to make sure the defense doesn't fall off a cliff. 

 

KAT might actually make Trae the #2.  KAT would definitely be the guy to go to at the end of games.

[Spud2nique]

I’m about to vote 🗳 for Jaylen Brown.. 26 and 15 in a Schmeltic win. Eww  

[AHF]

My $.02:

KAT - The most talented and potentially transformative of any of these players.  He is not a perfect player but is an offensive stud and solid enough on D given what he does on the boards and the other end.  His .630% TS% is ultra-elite.  Mid 20's age is perfect.  He would be expensive but could be well worth it.

Brown - Good two-way player.  Very good.  Not sure he is more than very good.  Seems like a borderline whether he is a #2 guy or #3 guy on a championship team.  If I had to pick, I'd say best as a #3 guy on a championship team.  Given how much he is set up by others, he is better in some ways as a fit than other guys who are more reliant on having the ball in their hands or running iso (example: Beal).  Would clearly be a big upgrade on our wings.  Mid 20's age is perfect.

Simmons - One of the most divisive players for sure.  His defense is a great and obvious fit.  I'll say that again - he would immediately be our best defender and the idea of him, OO and Capela shutting down the opposition is exciting.  His offense, however, is a very tough fit given his total lack of a jumper and his past refusal to play any role other than primary ballhandler.  He is closer to a driving Clint Capela than he is to someone like Playoff MVP Iggy with his shot distribution.  His mental game is a big question mark.  His pass out rather than dunking on Trae was the post moment but he was scared out of his mind in the fourth quarter in the playoffs and had Nick Anderson vibes at the line.  Does he carry damage forward from that?  Big unknown.  Mid 20's age is perfect.

Beal - No D, having a down year, no winning pedigree, and closing on 30 are all signs that you don't trade your core to get him.  He will be age 31-34 when Trae is 26-29.  That doesn't really work.  Fit is tough and matching assets to what Washington demands that makes sense is tough.  If the price is right, you definitely get him but I have a hard time seeing that align.

Sabonis - Good player.  Definitely not more than that.  He is a #3 with no argument as a #2.  This is all about value and fit if you are going to deal for him.  He is much more proven than most of our young guys but clearly isn't a transformative player.  Lack of an effective jumper is a limiter on his upside but young enough to improve that.  Rebounding and passing are his biggest strengths.  Age is a good fit.

Davis - Some of the same problems in terms of age as Beal but he is a better player so I could overlook that if wasn't for his injury history.  Can't see a match of our assets for his high upside.  On the plus side, he is an impact player on both sides of the floor.  I'd be excited if it happened but I feel like that window has passed.  Wanted to trade Horford for him when he was first coming into the league.

SGA - Love all these Cats on the list and love Gilgeous-Alexander.  Everything about this works for me except for the fact that I don't know that SGA can truly be at his peak without the ball in his hands.  As a scorer, he is one of the worst on this list in terms of efficiency.  As bad as Beal has struggled this year, he is still significantly more efficient as a scorer than SGA this season.  At age 23, definitely has growth left ahead of him and aligns well with our core.  If he got stronger, it would also make me feel better about a defensive Trae/SGA backcourt.

 

[Diesel]

Let's start by saying...Giannis and Embiid = Untouchable.   But if they were not.. maybe Giannis. 

KAT = Good for offense but not the guy that would be the best Robin. 

Here's the best Robin (theoretically)...

A Healthy Klay Thompson. 

Unfortunately, there's only one him and he's so endeared in GS that he's not going anywhere either. 

So of the realistic choices, 

I go back to Simmons.  His defense and ball handling makes him a very good choice as robin.  Trae needs somebody who can pass the ball and play defense.  You guys keep popping scorers up... but if they can't pass, it will mean nothing.  We need to let Trae play off the ball from time to time.  Because even if you get a threat like KAT.. offensively, what happens when they crowd Trae.  You're forcing Trae to do too much. 

 

[AHF]

8 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Let's start by saying...Giannis and Embiid = Untouchable.   But if they were not.. maybe Giannis. 

KAT = Good for offense but not the guy that would be the best Robin. 

Here's the best Robin (theoretically)...

A Healthy Klay Thompson. 

Unfortunately, there's only one him and he's so endeared in GS that he's not going anywhere either. 

So of the realistic choices, 

I go back to Simmons.  His defense and ball handling makes him a very good choice as robin.  Trae needs somebody who can pass the ball and play defense.  You guys keep popping scorers up... but if they can't pass, it will mean nothing.  We need to let Trae play off the ball from time to time.  Because even if you get a threat like KAT.. offensively, what happens when they crowd Trae.  You're forcing Trae to do too much. 

 

What happens when they crowd Trae is that it gives KAT and our shooters a ton of room.  

What happens when they crowd Trae and Simmons is on the perimeter?  They just laugh?  I'm not sure that you can play Simmons and Capela on the floor at the same time.  Neither guy shoots anywhere other than right around the basket.  That is how you see Trae get crowded when you have non-threats on the floor.

[Diesel]

11 minutes ago, AHF said:

What happens when they crowd Trae is that it gives KAT and our shooters a ton of room.  

What happens when they crowd Trae and Simmons is on the perimeter?  They just laugh?  I'm not sure that you can play Simmons and Capela on the floor at the same time.  Neither guy shoots anywhere other than right around the basket.  That is how you see Trae get crowded when you have non-threats on the floor.

Giving the ball to KAT is not a guaranteed score.  I have seen enough passing from KAT to suggest that he's going to help.  In essence, when you say KAT, I see a Bigger JC that plays less defense but scores better.   That's not going to help. 

Simmons and Capela works because.. Simmons is a ball handler who can find the open man better than everybody else we have not named Trae.  Simmons' threat is that he can score downhill...   He's much like Lebron but he doesn't have the midrange shot.  However, with Trae on the floor, you have a PG who can be score first or pass first.   Simmons is relief.   We have other guys that can hit open shots.   Even JC. 

 

[AHF]

33 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Giving the ball to KAT is not a guaranteed score.  I have seen enough passing from KAT to suggest that he's going to help.  In essence, when you say KAT, I see a Bigger JC that plays less defense but scores better.   That's not going to help. 

Simmons and Capela works because.. Simmons is a ball handler who can find the open man better than everybody else we have not named Trae.  Simmons' threat is that he can score downhill...   He's much like Lebron but he doesn't have the midrange shot.  However, with Trae on the floor, you have a PG who can be score first or pass first.   Simmons is relief.   We have other guys that can hit open shots.   Even JC. 

 

I don't see Philly playing any combination resembling Simmons / Capela.  And for good reason they are playing guys who spread the floor with him like Mike Scott and Tobias Harris.  Having one guy who can't shoot is very workable.  Two of them is very difficult.

[Diesel]

8 hours ago, AHF said:

I don't see Philly playing any combination resembling Simmons / Capela.  And for good reason they are playing guys who spread the floor with him like Mike Scott and Tobias Harris.  Having one guy who can't shoot is very workable.  Two of them is very difficult.

They actually played Simmons/Howard...  which is very similar to Simmons/Capela. 

The thing is that in the game you will definitely have spaces.. When Trae is playing the two man game (PNR) with Capela, he can always opt to pop it over to Simmons who can either go downhill or formulate his own drive and kick.   I think most people forget that in any lineup that we have with Simmons and Capela on the floor, there are three other shooters.  Yes, Trae becomes a shooter two...

So if the lineup is:   Cap, JC, Hunter, Ben, and Trae...

JC - Shooter.   (Hunter/Kev/Bogi) - Shooter.  Trae - Shooter. 

Ben  - Slasher.   Cap - Finisher. 

The second point is eventually, Capela will surrender more of his playing time to OO.   It's the natural order of things. 

Now.. Explain to me why we must have 4 shooters on the floor because that's what you're saying.. .there must be 4 shooters.   And if that's a Must.. .why is it not working for us now?

[AHF]

1 hour ago, Diesel said:

They actually played Simmons/Howard...  which is very similar to Simmons/Capela. 

The thing is that in the game you will definitely have spaces.. When Trae is playing the two man game (PNR) with Capela, he can always opt to pop it over to Simmons who can either go downhill or formulate his own drive and kick.   I think most people forget that in any lineup that we have with Simmons and Capela on the floor, there are three other shooters.  Yes, Trae becomes a shooter two...

So if the lineup is:   Cap, JC, Hunter, Ben, and Trae...

JC - Shooter.   (Hunter/Kev/Bogi) - Shooter.  Trae - Shooter. 

Ben  - Slasher.   Cap - Finisher. 

The second point is eventually, Capela will surrender more of his playing time to OO.   It's the natural order of things. 

Now.. Explain to me why we must have 4 shooters on the floor because that's what you're saying.. .there must be 4 shooters.   And if that's a Must.. .why is it not working for us now?

The issue is more the fact that neither Ben nor Cap can score when they aren't right next to the basket.  

Looking at Philly's 2020-21 5 man lineups, the story is that they did NOT play together by design.  Look at the lineups with Simmons and those with Howard and what do you see?  Almost every one where Simmons is on the floor, Howard isn't.  Almost every one where Howard is on the floor, Simmons isn't.  And the one lineup with both of them?  It stunk offensively.

The clear message here is that Philly concluded they did not work together.  And that makes perfect sense.