There is something wrong with this team.

I'm almost certain this is this coaching staff's position too, and I wish to hell it wasn't. Its the exact same thing Smart said. And in both cases it was being driven by incompetent front offices not bringing in enough size.

And the thing is? I think it does a huge disservice to both the team and Jason. I often think Jerry Reynolds is wrong about things. In few places moreso than this one: JT is a PF. he's 6'11" and so that confuses people who haven't watched him for 5 years. But he's a PF. He's had a long career where he's started and provided solid PF numbers. Nothing spectacular, but solid. Even his most effective stint as a bench player? Came when the other two main frontcourt guys were Cousins and Dalmebert. In other words whenever Jason was on the court he was the PF. He's a PF. When he gets put at center, starter or reserve, he often struggles. And when you're a coach and you come in preaching "let's rebound!", then you damn well owe it to the team to put your best rebounders out there in the lineup for as many minutes as they can go. Having a starting PF grab 2 rebounds in 28min is simply intolerable. It would be one thing if Jason were a rookie and you were just looking at his height or something. But Jason Thompson has started 281 NBA games in his career, probably virtually all of them at PF unless there's some stretch back there I am forgetting about. He's been a solid 11-8 for half a decade doing that. What is the possible advantage of benching him in favor of nobody, restricting his own effectiveness in the process?
Then who Is you big off the bench???? Chuck and ppat? Can you imagine the rebounding with that combo on the court? You need JT coming off the bench period!
 
I'm almost certain this is this coaching staff's position too, and I wish to hell it wasn't. Its the exact same thing Smart said. And in both cases it was being driven by incompetent front offices not bringing in enough size.

And the thing is? I think it does a huge disservice to both the team and Jason. I often think Jerry Reynolds is wrong about things. In few places moreso than this one: JT is a PF. he's 6'11" and so that confuses people who haven't watched him for 5 years. But he's a PF. He's had a long career where he's started and provided solid PF numbers. Nothing spectacular, but solid. Even his most effective stint as a bench player? Came when the other two main frontcourt guys were Cousins and Dalmebert. In other words whenever Jason was on the court he was the PF. He's a PF. When he gets put at center, starter or reserve, he often struggles. And when you're a coach and you come in preaching "let's rebound!", then you damn well owe it to the team to put your best rebounders out there in the lineup for as many minutes as they can go. Having a starting PF grab 2 rebounds in 28min is simply intolerable. It would be one thing if Jason were a rookie and you were just looking at his height or something. But Jason Thompson has started 281 NBA games in his career, probably virtually all of them at PF unless there's some stretch back there I am forgetting about. He's been a solid 11-8 for half a decade doing that. What is the possible advantage of benching him in favor of nobody, restricting his own effectiveness in the process?

I don't disagree with you there. This is why I really miss Cole Aldrich, scrubby player though he was. He was a legitimately sized backup center who hustled every play and boarded at a reasonable rate. The problem I have is that you can maybe get 36 minutes out of JT and Cousins on any given night, meaning you have to dole out 20 minutes to somebody else. I'm leaning toward Hayes at present myself, as you know he will box out and defend his man competently. If any one of those three get in foul trouble, the team really gets in a pickle.
 
The lack of the simple thing like signing Cole makes me wonder what their point is about this season. It's not like he wasn't available or for some mysterious reason we were unable to sign him. He even tried hard. He wouldn't have hurt the team and the direction it wants to go. Is N'daiye better?
 
The lack of the simple thing like signing Cole makes me wonder what their point is about this season. It's not like he wasn't available or for some mysterious reason we were unable to sign him. He even tried hard. He wouldn't have hurt the team and the direction it wants to go. Is N'daiye better?
of course Aldrich is better than D'daiye.
 
This.

Rookies learning on the job will lose but atleast they will bring it every night. Maybe going stupidly young will bring the college atmosphere back to Arco

Yep. Heart and hustle, effort and enthusiasm will bring the college atmosphere back to the barn. Lack of focus, no effort, "me, me, me" and "who the eff cares" are what sucks the life out of everyone. I'm to the point where I would personally bench anyone who showed up without realizing they're getting paid ridiculous money to ENTERTAIN and COMPETE. In fact, I'd be docking paychecks if I could.
 
Yep. Heart and hustle, effort and enthusiasm will bring the college atmosphere back to the barn. Lack of focus, no effort, "me, me, me" and "who the eff cares" are what sucks the life out of everyone. I'm to the point where I would personally bench anyone who showed up without realizing they're getting paid ridiculous money to ENTERTAIN and COMPETE. In fact, I'd be docking paychecks if I could.

That sums up how I feel watching Salmons and Thornton in the first Quarters
 
Patterson also

Patterson I really think is more useful at the 3, if he doesnt have to worry about being in the trenches and he can focus onn his 3s hes fine....thats not a good thing, but its his game. He will get killed by elite 3s but so does everybody else
 
I will believe it when I see it.
Usually, I feel that way too, but Malone has the favor of Cousins, which is always good. Ben's game is suited towards team play and is a good complement to Cousins, so that's another bonus.

Also (probably most important), Malone knows this roster will turn over, and he knows that Vivek has his back. If he tells the rest of the players to go crap in a hat, they have no one to complain to. You only need at least 3 more players to buy in. Jimmer seems like one. Luc, another. The coaches/owners have the upper hand here, especially with Cousins on their side. He has to know that there will be changes.
 
Usually, I feel that way too, but Malone has the favor of Cousins, which is always good. Ben's game is suited towards team play and is a good complement to Cousins, so that's another bonus.

Also (probably most important), Malone knows this roster will turn over, and he knows that Vivek has his back. If he tells the rest of the players to go poopoo in a hat, they have no one to complain to. You only need at least 3 more players to buy in. Jimmer seems like one. Luc, another. The coaches/owners have the upper hand here, especially with Cousins on their side. He has to know that there will be changes.

Don't forget about GV. I think he's a strong advocate of what Malone is trying to build.
 
There is actually a very simple answer to why there is something wrong with most players except Vasquez, IT, and Cousins. They are the main ball handlers/creators on the team. There is a total lack of confidence and still a lack of a cohesive system that has been implemented. Role players like JT, Patterson, Outlaw, etc. are always going to have the hardest time when a system is being worked on or tweaked. Thornton is totally lost right now. There aren't easy shots for him within the flow of the offense like he needs. They are getting better but he'll have to find his rhythm first.
 
MT shooting horrible, meanwhile Ellis is scoring 23 a game on 50% shooting.. :] Wish we signed him

Wouldn't have been good for what they're trying to build. He takes too many shots, which would take away from the development of Cousins as the center piece. McClemore is great for the team, because he won't look to hog the ball and will look for Cousins a lot...as well as his obvious potential as an NBA shooter.

Ellis would have been in the way of McClemore's development, which is no good for the future. Player's who 'suck' at the moment, are actually good for the future, because they'll be moved out of the way
 
start Ben over MT, give the rookie more playing time to gain more experience and confidence. Anyway Ben is more all-around than MT. Let Jimmer come of the bench for Ben, give him also enough playing time and confidence, he might find his niche like what Doc Rivers is giving to Redick.
 
So for those locals who get to see more of the team than those of us watching from a distance (the Midwest) and without League Pass...

It looks like the players on board with Malone are DMC, RookieMac, Vasquez, Issiah, Chuck, and Outlaw. I suspect Jimmer is as well, but there's something else going on there that would explain why he was banished. Am I missing anyone (besides RookieRay who will likely be in the conversation next year)?

 
So for those locals who get to see more of the team than those of us watching from a distance (the Midwest) and without League Pass...

It looks like the players on board with Malone are DMC, RookieMac, Vasquez, Issiah, Chuck, and Outlaw. I suspect Jimmer is as well, but there's something else going on there that would explain why he was banished. Am I missing anyone (besides RookieRay who will likely be in the conversation next year)?

I'd assume that Moute and JT are as well
 
That seems about right though I'm not too certain about IT being included in that bunch since Malone shoved him onto the bench after the third quarter last night.

JT and IT had limited minutes and Malone comes out with a burr under his saddle. Certainly he is not happy with either. I suspect they will come around though.
 
I'm nowhere near as down on Carl Landry as some around here. I think he can bring a solid veteran presence and I'm anxious to see how it works on when he comes back.

I think he will bring the veteran presence but I was hoping for a taller veteran presence. :( It isn't Landry that is the problem but the idea that we needed him on the court. I don't understand that. I thought we needed someone quite different like a defender but perhaps PDA and Malone thought Cuz could handle the defense. Didn't one of them say that Cuz was to be the defensive anchor?

Unfortunately we then have Cuz as our main man on offense, our defensive anchor, and people STILL gripe that he doesn't hustle. He has a lot on his plate and has to haul a lot of weight up and down the court. (Insert quote from Kareem in "Airplane")
 
MT shooting horrible, meanwhile Ellis is scoring 23 a game on 50% shooting.. :] Wish we signed him

It's called sample size

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I'm nowhere near as down on Carl Landry as some around here. I think he can bring a solid veteran presence and I'm anxious to see how it works on when he comes back.
Oh my problems with Landry are not so much his play per-say... heck once he can play he might even be our best option at the 4. My problem is and has been what we paid, how long the contract is for for what we got. In fact the reality that he will be either our best or second best option at the 4 IS my complaint. If he were mentoring a young talent or a "fit" player behind JT I could live with a commensurate salary, also to make JT a back up center to start CL really scares me.
 
Oh my problems with Landry are not so much his play per-say... heck once he can play he might even be our best option at the 4. My problem is and has been what we paid, how long the contract is for for what we got. In fact the reality that he will be either our best or second best option at the 4 IS my complaint. If he were mentoring a young talent or a "fit" player behind JT I could live with a commensurate salary, also to make JT a back up center to start CL really scares me.
Landry can be the starting PF when he comes back coz he can take some load off DMC, but of course the team still needs a defensive big that will sub for DMC or Landry.
 
Landry can be the starting PF when he comes back coz he can take some load off DMC, but of course the team still needs a defensive big that will sub for DMC or Landry.
We tried playing DMC and Landry together before... It was NOT successful. In all honesty I think the best use of Landry will be off the bench with chuck at the 5 and outlaw to help with boards and to thin out the paint. With DMC and CL togehter teams packed the paint and it was a mess.
 
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