My Prediction: Outlaw will be the starting SF

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sactownfan

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Im gonna go WAY OUT on a limb here and predict Outlaw to be the starting SF come opening day. I honestly cant believe im feeling this or saying this. But maybe he's actually turned himself around or maybe its due to this team having a REAL coach/offensive system in place. I have been posting about Casspi in the NBA general thread and his reemergence (so far). I'd have to say that it looks like Outlaw could actually be clicking the same way Casspi is. Outlaw it seems, isn't forcing things anymore. Hes mostly just spotting up now, and keeping the floor spaced for Cousins. Which is obviously what Malone wants. Outlaw has been working on that 3 ball all offseason and if that continues to stay true plus we continue to NOT using him as a small ball PF or Center LOL! he could be a perfect fit at SF for the time being. Hes a scrappy defender and a good rebounder.... he is out rebounding Pat Patterson so far! haha.

what it really comes down to is Salmons and Luc RMM. Im ready to put a fork in the Salmons project. hes a one trick pony and completely embodies all that has been wrong with this team for years now. 1 on 1 garbage. good news is Salmons doesnt have to play to have trade value his contract is up and that alone sells itself.

Luc however is a real contender to start. However im getting a really bad feeling that the Bucks probably knew that his knee was gonna be problematic from here on out. In fact Malone has said as much in the sacbee. that "luc will just have to sit out some nights or fight thru it others". that doesn't sound like its going away EVER. even if he was healthy he cant shoot at all ala a better defending James Johnson.

OUTLAW FOR MVP!!!!! lol! jeez we need a trade this year for sure!
 
Yep, that will win us a lot of games.

lol! well not to be debbie downer here but how many games did you expect seriously to win without any trades or additions to this current roster??? the actual SF ANSWER isn't obviously gonna be either Luc, Salmons, or Outlaw... so in reality all 3 of those are terrible non game winning factors. A TRADE is gonna NEED to happen in order to fill the SF spot in the long term.

Right now this team is STILL in a building mode? correct? haha... i hope... so keep in mind i said out of the current options Outlaw has surprisingly emerged as the front runner. to take it back to the threads title. IS MY PREDICTED STARTING SF FOR OPENING DAY..... also keep in mind i didn't say ALL YEAR LONG....lol!!! or STARTING SF FOR THE FUTURE!!!
 
Outlaw winning the starting job wouldn't shock me. If he continues to play like he has in the first two game, I think he deserves consideration. I personally want to see as little as possible of Salmons. Let him be the band-aid at SG and SF. Yes, this team is in the building stage, and anyone that management projects as the future of the team should get minutes, and those that aren't, unless there's a shortage of bodies, shouldn't! Salmons isn't in the future of this team. I'm not against using him when necessary, but I don't want him taking minutes away from someone like McLemore.

I suspect that Salmons will get minutes at SF though precisely because of what you said. I'm worried about Mbah a Moute. Landry is gone, Mbah a Moute looks to be part time, and Vasquez is recovering from an ankle injury. Lets hope that his recovery is successful. If, god forbid, anything happens to Cousins, were done!
 
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If Outlaw wins the starting job, then good for him. Some guys get theirs no matter what. Other guys need to be in a certain environment to succeed. I suspect that Outlaw doesn't thrive in the type of chaos Sac had last year and the new found stability in the organization is helping him. He is clearly outplaying the other small forwards right now, so deserves the playing time he gets.

I still hope to see what we can get out of LMAM as I think he is a lot better player than a lot are giving him credit for and the best SF we have.
 
I hope outlaw wins it, he is our most well rounded SF and it appears a few within the org are hoping to get the most from him after 2 sub par seasons
 
I really like that Outlaw seems to know what this team needs and what mike malone is looking for.... Outlaw isn't forcing the type of shots he took last year and is moving well without the ball and even sharing it too! unlike Salmons who didn't seem to get the memo. lol! nor will he ever. jeez. salmons isn't terrible but hes living in the past and not buying into the off the ball stuff we need from that position... thats for sure. Pretty sure i saw Mike Malone lose his mind on Salmons....after Salmons held it too long on one position that resulted in a shot clock violation.
 
Ya can't stand salmons he isn't who he thinks he is. Outlaw is younger, more athletic, and gets his role. Hopefully he starts by December. If he can keep shooting the 3 we'll and provide defense he is a very good start. I think we will be trading salmons by the deadline with his 8 mill expiring. Look for teams wanting to clear space
 
i'd really like to see LRMM play a few 20-30 min games to see what he has not much do see in his brief stint against golden state. If Outlaw keeps playing role player and moving without the ball then I could handle him starting. Its when he thinks he is Durant is when we get in trouble. I do like his ability as a shot blocker out there with Thompson and Cousins.
 
I don't know what's got into me but I am all of a sudden rooting for this guy and I completely hated his guts up until 3 games ago, if he keeps this up he should be starting no doubt him and M16 on the wings is unreal length/transation and athletic ability meaning we can match up defensively with anyone on the wings (only if Outlaw plays well). He has the most natural physical ability on the team Outlaw does it's just he was a massive idiot before still waiting to see if he returns to old ways.
 
I think the ball stoppers are going to be phased out as we go...whether its over the whole year or in a trade....but Salmons, Reke, IT, MT are guys whose game is based upon looking for their shot on penetration. I think it's one reason Reke isn't with us, why Salmons probably is getting beat out by Outlaw, why IT comes off the bench, and why MT might not fit this team.
 
I know the bar is set pretty low, but he's been...well, OK. At the very least, I think he'd fill what we need at the 3 position and give us good size/defense there. All he needs to do is his job on defense, hit a couple of open shots, and get a couple of boards. Based on the current/(future?) structure of the team, it's not like we're going to need excellent offensive play from the 3 spot.

Again, this is all with the caveat that I would jettison him if an upgrade were available, but with the roster as currently constructed, I think he's doing, well, OK.
 
he does seem to be pretty fluid out there these first few games. Maybe its actually having a role and knowing what your are supposed to do on offense and not just everybody run down court and see who gets open and try to pass them the ball or else create something (smart ball)
 
Outlaw might be the best of the bunch. He's shown he can hit the open outside shots. He has length, which is maybe more significant in help out defense rather than his one-on-one defense. It's troubling about Mbah's knee. That was the worry from the get-go. It could be chronic, which would be dissapointing.
 
Outlaw might be the best of the bunch. He's shown he can hit the open outside shots. He has length, which is maybe more significant in help out defense rather than his one-on-one defense. It's troubling about Mbah's knee. That was the worry from the get-go. It could be chronic, which would be dissapointing.

The bad thing is Mbah's knee, the good thing is that there are only 4 contracts that go beyond the 2014/15 season. Cousins, Thompsons, Landry's, and McLemore's. Of course that could all change in the next offseason. But there's flexibility there if they desire it.
 
I don't know what's got into me but I am all of a sudden rooting for this guy and I completely hated his guts up until 3 games ago, if he keeps this up he should be starting no doubt him and M16 on the wings is unreal length/transation and athletic ability meaning we can match up defensively with anyone on the wings (only if Outlaw plays well). He has the most natural physical ability on the team Outlaw does it's just he was a massive idiot before still waiting to see if he returns to old ways.

I echo this sentiment. I can't think of a longer/more athletic SG/SF combination west of Lebron and Wade. It would be a huge advantage to have that kind of combo on the wings. Defensively, both can help out Thompson and Cousins as shotblockers while being dangerous in the passing lanes. On offense, Outlaw, as long as he keeps shooting well and moving without the ball, combined with McLemore, who is a prodigy at both, plus Cousins' and Vasquez's court vision could lead to some fun times.
 
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I think it will probably be Salmons but if Mbah a Moute can get his knee healthy I could see it being him for defensive purposes that this team desperately needs. But of course as bad as Salmons has been the past couple years maybe Outlaw starting wouldn't be such a bad thing especially if he can keep shooting like he has this preseason.
 
Being at the game tonight and seizing both Outlaw and Salmons play significant minutes, it's hard to choose. I expect it to be Salmons because he is a better all around ball player even though he gives away 3inches to Outlaw. Tonight Outlaw didn't get many touches.
 
if Outlaw effectively quells his desire to pass up open shots in order to take one dribble pullups -contested ones at that- he might be an acceptable stopgap solution before the team targets a new SF next offseason. a healthy Mbah a Moute might be preferable, but if that's not in the cards, I'd rather have him than Salmons.
 
I really think it's a toss up between the two players, which means I think it will come down to who else Malone decides to start.

For example, I think Salmons has the edge in any lineup where Thomas starts with either Thornton or McLemore because his ball handling and playmaking ability would be useful. Especially if McLemore is somehow the starter. Salmons will need to be the secondary ball handler.

If Vasquez starts with Thornton, a scenario that seems very possible - or ANY scenario where Jimmer starts at the 2 (as unlikely as that is) Outlaw has a real shot for his rebounding / length and shooting ability, and salmons handling ability becomes less important.

It sucks, but I don't know how we could consider Mbah A Moute as a starter if he's going to be in and out of the lineup.
 
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