I'm all for Ray playing. However, I'm not all for the IT/Ray lineup we saw last game. That's just dumb. If we're going to commit to playing him more and developing him, do it while cutting IT's mins and play him next to an actual SG.
What I don't like early on after all this development and increased min talk about Ben and Ray is that we're half-assing the strategy. Traded MT and will start Ben, play him more mins but are doing so thus far in the same system and next to the same PG he does not fit next to at all. There's no role for Ben next to IT. Then we hear Ray will get more mins and much of those last game were next to IT playing off the ball, rather than subbing in for IT.
It's spinning wheels. It's committing to development but at the same time not doing what's necessary to even come close to maximizing that development plan. What makes the most sense to me given Malone's statements, chemistry this season between players and MT's trade is to play Ray/Ben some mins together each night. See if they click at all as IT/Ben have atrocious chemistry. Yet, we haven't seen any of that.
And this doesn't mean I think Ben is ready for this. I don't. But if we're going with this development plan then do everyone a favor and and at least attempt to help these two succeed and put them more in a position of strength to do so. Don't tell me the plan is to develop those two these final 28 games and play them more mins, then turn around and put them in bad situations on the court because you suddenly feel the need to try to win these games, Malone. Those strategies work against each other.
BTW, Malone needing to come out last week and say there is no philosophical difference between he and the FO tells me there is. If he's on board with developing these two an playing them more mins, we'll see changes which we haven't yet seen. Continue playing them as you are and it's pretty f'ing clear Malone is not on board with maximizing the development of these two.
