[Game] Kings @ Rockets - 12/14/16 - 5PT/8ET
- Thread starter VF21
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Boogie is a great player. The argument is if he's a top 7-15 player, who is still a very good all star, or if he can get to that upper tier. Now, players like Harden and Westbrook who are in that upper tier have arguably equal supporting casts.
If he isn't in that elite tier it's questionable if he can be moved
If he isn't in that elite tier it's questionable if he can be moved
I think you're wrong, with a caveat: the modern game favors a team that shoots a lot of threes, and guards are generally better at shooting threes than centers. Also, complementary players for a dominant big man appear to be harder to find nowadays.
It may be easier to build a team around the strengths of an elite guard than to do so around the strengths of an elite center, but I utterly dispute the notion that a guard can lead a team to more wins.
It may be easier to build a team around the strengths of an elite guard than to do so around the strengths of an elite center, but I utterly dispute the notion that a guard can lead a team to more wins.
Its crazy because not only is it statisically proven through team record without him and him being a top real plus/minus player in the league, if you understand basketball, you understand what the load he carri s on this team. The real culprit for the lack of winning is the whiffing on draft picks since 2011. No real young talent to grow with him. Now, they organization is faced with a major decision. Waste Boogie's prime or trade him for pennies on the dollar and hope for the best with draft picks.
I think it has less to do with elite guards being able to shoot threes and being able to breakdown a defense. The dribble and drive offenses are very successful today. Probably because guards are better at passing and can put the ball where it's needed.
Dwayne Wade couldn't shoot a lick, but consistently led mediocre Miami teams to 40+ wins every year.
Dwayne Wade couldn't shoot a lick, but consistently led mediocre Miami teams to 40+ wins every year.
I mean, we have yet to see how that plays out in either location, though. Minnesota seems to be the closest to the right track: I do think that, if you're going to have a dominant big, you need high-level two-way wings. I don't think that they need to be elite shooters and elite defenders, but they probably need to be above average at one or the other, and at least league-average at the other one.
Those Miami teams were probably slightly better than mediocre defensively, they just didn't have anybody besides Wade who could get their own shot. Also, we should be so lucky as to aspire to have a mediocre team to put around Cousins; let's not pretend that they were starting from equal starting points.
With Cousins, we're mediocre; those Heat teams were mediocre without Wade. Without Cousins, we're looking up at mediocre. In fact, without Cousins, we can't even see mediocre from where we are.
Saying that those Miami teams "might have" been better defensively, but were pretty bad on offense does absolutely nothing to dissuade me from my belief that defense is more important than offense.
Saying that those Miami teams "might have" been better defensively, but were pretty bad on offense does absolutely nothing to dissuade me from my belief that defense is more important than offense.
Minnesota was expected by many to take that next step up and that is out of lottery land. They have yet to do so and that is why we are seeing trade rumors involving them. They have their main core pieces in tact, it's all about bringing in some veteran help for the youngsters to help them close games and I'm not just talking about any average role player, they have the assets to bring in a productive ball player to help them win now or if they so choose, win later.
I think it's harder to build around a big like Cousins. He's amazingly talented, but he's very ball dominant. To put things into perspective, Cuz's lowest usage came in his rookie year at 27%. Tim Duncan's career usage is 27%. On top of his ball dominance, he's mostly been an isolation player who doesn't move well off-ball in an offense. Cuz is athletic, but unlike traditional PFs and Cs, he can't play above the rim at all. He also, strangely, struggles a little bit in PnR, PnP, etc. He's a heavy scorer, but not the most efficient. In a Cousins-type offense, you really need to run the offense through him to get the most out of Cuz has evolved his game throughout the years to fit into modern NBA, but the above still remains true.
I don't think it's necessarily hard to build around a center, but I think it's harder to build around Cousins. He's such a unique player, and it does hurt him sometimes.
Cuz has the usage of a PG, but he's a C. Problems usually come up when that happens.
I don't think it's necessarily hard to build around a center, but I think it's harder to build around Cousins. He's such a unique player, and it does hurt him sometimes.
Cuz has the usage of a PG, but he's a C. Problems usually come up when that happens.