This team is regressing.
Opposing teams are attacking closeouts and perimeter defenders like they are not there. Rebounding is atrocious (beyond Sabonis) and our playmaking with Fox out is JV.
Monk lost us this game.
The team is not getting Keegan in position to contribute if he's not open for 3.
Barnes was very winded at the end of the game.
We have needed a shot in the arm defensively and people are saying we need Collins and McBucketts. What game are you (or aren't you) watching?
Collins is a good defensive C so I’m not sure why you’ve included him in that statement.
Agree on McDermott though. I don’t want anything to do with him. He doesn’t address the issues on defense or rebounding and he’s not an expiring (cutting into our cap by $14 mil). He’s a horrible target in my opinion.
I posted it in another thread but I think this deal would be solid for us…
Richaun Holmes
Davion Mitchell
For
Josh Richardson
Zach Collins
2023 SAS 2nd
…which gives us a roster of…
PG - Fox / Monk / Dellavedova
SG - Huerter / Davis
SF - Murray / Richardson / Okpala
PF - Barnes / Lyles / Metu
C - Sabonis / Collins / Len
It helps in many ways:
- Richardson & Collins are both good defenders. Richardson is very versatile & long and can guard 1-3 very effectively. Collins is big & long but also fairly nimble on the perimeter. He’s a solid shot blocker and rebounder (something we desperately need behind Sabonis)
- Collins is a solid rebounder while Sabonis is resting but I think the improvement in rebounding will come from not having to play so small. We’ve been playing two small guard lineups for ~37 mpg. With Mitchell gone and Monk sliding in as the backup PG spot, you’re probably only playing a two small guard lineup (Fox & Monk) 10-12 mpg with Huerter, Davis, and Richardson getting the rest of the minutes at SG.
- Richardson & Collins are both good shooters. One of the issues with the defenders we do have (Mitchell, Okpala) is they aren’t reliable from outside. Richardson will be able to help the defense while not sacrificing our spacing. Collins’ ability to shoot also gives us another dynamic on offense as it can allow us to play a 5 out scheme with Fox attacking the paint.
- Richardson & Collins are both good passers averaging 5.0 (Richardson) and 4.3 (Collins) assists per 36 min. Richardson gives us another passer/ball handler in the 2nd unit so the onus isn’t all on Monk to make plays for everyone. Collins allows us to run the same sets that we do with Sabonis and is decent in the DHO game.
- Richardson & Collins can help with the bench scoring as they’d be an upgrade over Mitchell & Metu in that department.
- It helps with our cap space next year as it clears the salary of Holmes & Mitchell (Richardson & Collins are expiring). We go from $26 mil in cap space to $43 mil in cap space.
- That 2023 SAS 2nd is likely to be a very early 2nd round pick in a deep draft. Well hopefully be able to grab a solid young talent that will be on a rookie deal for the next 3-4 years.
I think this trade undoubtedly helps our team be better this year as it improves the defense, rim protection, size/length, rebounding, bench scoring, shooting, and playmaking/passing. I could easily argue that it would be better for the future as well considering the cap flexibility and the early 2nd round pick.