[Game] Nuggets at Kings, 12-16
- Thread starter Capt. Factorial
- Start date
This is the concern. Its really beyond a concern. Its not even like he's showing flashes or look at that talent sort of stuff. The only thing I can say about him if you asked me what can he build on is...good athlete. Which is a good, but hell, that's how you describe a project, not a supposedly polished #5 pick.
It also further highlights concerns we have about management. If we wanted to draft someone who was only going to get rebounds and play a little bit of defense with little to no regard for the offensive end Drummond made a LOT more sense. Better athlete, better size and more potential as a defensive stopper. TRob isn't being featured in any offensive sets so it is easy to consider the pick a waste from what we could have had in trades/projects.
What offensive sets to feature him in though? Can't post big guys. The jumper is highly erratic right now (I still think somehow developing a consistent midrange jumepr could be his key into dependability). His one thing is trying to drive from far outside, but half the time once he hits the big guys inside he turns it over or throws us something wild. There's just nothing much to run a play for, and the size is determing so much. If I was actually going to run a play for him I think I might actually treat him like a SF or SG actually. Try to set a back pick and have him fly to the rim off the ball for an alley oop. But you only get so many of those a game.
My biggest issue is that he doesn't box out. If you're an undersized rebounder you simply have to box your man out or you're going to be damn near useless in this league. Maybe it was because the game was already over, but Anthony Randolph went right around him for a ton of offensive boards and putbacks.
Those are the things that I was thinking off. Having him cutting and running off of screens. That is all I think he really should be doing now, getting feeds from Cousins and Tyreke when they draw the attention. I think all of this might be above Smart's pay grade however, which is why we haven't seen much of it. When I said featured it was the wrong word. As Cousins/Reke will be the two featured and when they draw the attention he could be option 2a/b in the form of the cutter. He cuts and waits for the drop off while one of the other guys is camping out at the three point line. He has the potential to be the guy we drop the ball off to and goes in for the easy score. As it is now the spacing is usually horrendous which eliminates any chance for him to be that guy. With the amount of attention Cousins and Tyreke draw near the basket there should be more than just a few times per game he can come flying in to finish it when they draw the double.
Typing this though I realize how silly it is as TRob normally only plays with the bench which doesn't draw the attention needed for him to play the role above. I would love to see him matched up with JT or Cousins and being the first guy they kick it too when defenses rotate. The swapping of entire lineups really screws up offensive flow in my mind. Having Trob, Hayes, Johnson, Thomas and Thornton out there at the same time is just setting them up for failure.
Typing this though I realize how silly it is as TRob normally only plays with the bench which doesn't draw the attention needed for him to play the role above. I would love to see him matched up with JT or Cousins and being the first guy they kick it too when defenses rotate. The swapping of entire lineups really screws up offensive flow in my mind. Having Trob, Hayes, Johnson, Thomas and Thornton out there at the same time is just setting them up for failure.
Bigs need time to develop people. We're 20 games into his career on an incredibly inconsistent team, coach, and he's only getting 15 minutes a game to play. Yea, Lilard and Davis and a few other rooks are playing well, but they also are getting tremendous playing time and are feature players on their teams. One of my biggest beefs with Smart is the dude is absolutely destroying the development of Jimmer, IT, Trob, and all our young guys with his inability to nail down a rotation
I never liked the pick and was keen for us to trade it for Lowry BUT now that we have this guy on the roster its time to lock him in the gym with a shooting coach and get him to develop a spot up 3pt shot. He would have more chance to succeed in this league as a athletic SF that can stretch the defence and be a defensive role player at SF than he will as a PF.
He just gets overpowered in there, has poor technique and is just not very good. It's almost mission impossible to turn him into a SF but from all the reports he is a worker so if he can develop that spot up 3 and focus on defensive side of the ball he just might become a useful player. Granted he still would not be your typical pick 5 talent but at least he could become a valuable piece on a good team.
If James Johnson can turn himself into a SF (albeit one that can't shoot) there is no reason why T-Rob can't. Its just about his only saving grace in this league and it just happens to be the sort of player we are in desperate need of.
He just gets overpowered in there, has poor technique and is just not very good. It's almost mission impossible to turn him into a SF but from all the reports he is a worker so if he can develop that spot up 3 and focus on defensive side of the ball he just might become a useful player. Granted he still would not be your typical pick 5 talent but at least he could become a valuable piece on a good team.
If James Johnson can turn himself into a SF (albeit one that can't shoot) there is no reason why T-Rob can't. Its just about his only saving grace in this league and it just happens to be the sort of player we are in desperate need of.