Everything James Johnson

[GLF]

Yeah, JJ would do fine at the 3 or the 4. We won't find out though. Last year's team needed his skill set far more than this year's does, and he couldn't get consistent minutes last year. I still see no reason for optimism regarding JJ playing for anyone who paid the least bit of attention last season.

Exactly.

[Chr1s1anL]

I disagree 20 mins a game for JJ seems fair to be. His been in the league for 7 years and that was probably the most minutes his gotten. Handful of coaches have chosen not to utilize him.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

I disagree 20 mins a game for JJ seems fair to be. His been in the league for 7 years and that was probably the most minutes his gotten. Handful of coaches have chosen not to utilize him.

His 19.6 MPG from last season is a little misleading though, as there were many games that were DNP-CD, where he played 0 minutes. It's only 16.7 MPG across the full 82 game schedule. The disparity between <10 MPG and high MPG is also quite telling. You need to look past the average MPG stat to get better context and to see the whole picture.

Just look at the playoffs, when the Raptors couldn't stop Pierce. In 4 games, JJ played 0, 0, 5 and 7 MPG, for a true average of 3.0 MPG (despite the official stat saying 6.0 MPG). He was significantly underutilized and misused by DC, plain and simple.

0 minutes - 12 games (14.6% of games)

1-9 minutes - 8 games (9.8% of games) / [24.4% < 10 MPG]

10-19 minutes - 30 games (36.6% of games) / [61.0% < 20 MPG]

20+ minutes - 32 games (39.0% of games) --> I would be curious to cross-reference these games against DeRozan's injury logs (ie: extra time mainly out of necessity)

[Chr1s1anL]

His 19.6 MPG from last season is a little misleading though, as there were many games that were DNP-CD, where he played 0 minutes. It's only 16.7 MPG across the full 82 game schedule. The disparity between <10 MPG and high MPG is also quite telling. You need to look past the average MPG stat to get better context and to see the whole picture.

Just look at the playoffs, when the Raptors couldn't stop Pierce. In 4 games, JJ played 0, 0, 5 and 7 MPG, for a true average of 3.0 MPG (despite the official stat saying 6.0 MPG). He was significantly underutilized and misused by DC, plain and simple.

0 minutes - 12 games (14.6% of games)

1-9 minutes - 8 games (9.8% of games) / [24.4% < 10 MPG]

10-19 minutes - 30 games (36.6% of games) / [61.0% < 20 MPG]

20+ minutes - 32 games (39.0% of games) --> I would be curious to cross-reference these games against DeRozan's injury logs (ie: extra time mainly out of necessity)

But he didn't play 82 games.

[Cody73]

Hmmmmm........ if we are to listen to Casey....



Could we see a KL-DD-JJ-DC-JV line-up?????

[Chr1s1anL]

Hmmmmm........ if we are to listen to Casey....



Could we see a KL-DD-JJ-DC-JV line-up?????

JJ at 4 I'm all for it.

[Kuh]

I don't know who else saw this quote from Casey in the Toronto Sun:

There is a slight change in store for Johnson this year. A year ago, he saw time at both small forward and power forward. This year he will only see time at the four, something Casey feels is best for Johnson and good for the team. “It’s kind of the way the league is going,” Casey said. “And I think for James it’s easier to produce in one position than to try and flip flop him back and forth. We have a need at that position too.”

Let's get this straight. The Raptors have a need for James Johnson at the four, with Patrick Patterson, Luis Scola, Anthony Bennett and even Bismack Biyombo all potential candidates to play this position?

Meanwhile at the three we have Demarre Carroll and who else? General consensus on here has been that TRoss is a better shooting guard than small forward. So is Cory Joseph going to be our backup small forward. Huh? And JJ will ONLY get time at the four?

This makes so little basketball sense. It honestly seems like Casey is carrying a grudge against JJ, a grudge he can't let go of.

[Joey]

I don't know who else saw this quote from Casey in the Toronto Sun:

There is a slight change in store for Johnson this year. A year ago, he saw time at both small forward and power forward. This year he will only see time at the four, something Casey feels is best for Johnson and good for the team. “It’s kind of the way the league is going,” Casey said. “And I think for James it’s easier to produce in one position than to try and flip flop him back and forth. We have a need at that position too.”

Let's get this straight. The Raptors have a need for James Johnson at the four, with Patrick Patterson, Luis Scola, Anthony Bennett and even Bismack Biyombo all potential candidates to play this position?

Meanwhile at the three we have Demarre Carroll and who else? General consensus on here has been that TRoss is a better shooting guard than small forward. So is Cory Joseph going to be our backup small forward. Huh? And JJ will ONLY get time at the four?

This makes so little basketball sense. It honestly seems like Casey is carrying a grudge against JJ, a grudge he can't let go of.

Demar will likely get quite a few minutes as a 3 beside Ross. But ya, I still think Casey is an idiot. JJ is a very good wing defender, and not a guy who should be filling up a stat sheet, but just doing the hustle dirty work that only his crazy ass is capable of.

[raptors999]

Don't know why Casey needs to make positional judgements in early October. In January or the playoffs if a matchup favors playing JJ at the 2 then so be it

[DanH]

Ugh. JJ is a good wing defender, able to leverage his size there. Play him exclusively at the 4 and you lose minutes of good wing defence, and you handicap JJ in his minutes against much bigger players who he wouldn't have a size advantage over.

It's as bad as the Carroll at the 4 suggestions. Anything to go small. Who plays backup 3 minutes? DD? Ross? Wasn't the whole storyline that they wouldn't have to defend the 3 anymore? Powell? Bruno? There aren't any other options. Sounds like the bench is going small. Lovely...

[GLF]

Ugh. JJ is a good wing defender, able to leverage his size there. Play him exclusively at the 4 and you lose minutes of good wing defence, and you handicap JJ in his minutes against much bigger players who he wouldn't have a size advantage over.

It's as bad as the Carroll at the 4 suggestions. Anything to go small. Who plays backup 3 minutes? DD? Ross? Wasn't the whole storyline that they wouldn't have to defend the 3 anymore? Powell? Bruno? There aren't any other options. Sounds like the bench is going small. Lovely...

I told you guys he said somewhere or I read somewhere that he plans on playing Powell as the backup 3 this season. Keep an eye out for that. It's clear Casey really dislikes James and he is doing anything he can to make sure James doesn't get minutes.

[GLF]

it was actually a tweet from raptors insider. It said "according to Dwane Casey, we will see Norman Powell playing SF this season, starting tonight". Tonight meaning yesterday's game.

[GLF]

But who knows how credible they are. We will see.

[MixxAOR]

I told you guys he said somewhere or I read somewhere that he plans on playing Powell as the backup 3 this season. Keep an eye out for that. It's clear Casey really dislikes James and he is doing anything he can to make sure James doesn't get minutes.

James Johnson didn't really proved him wrong. Randle manhandled him.

[raptors999]

James Johnson didn't really proved him wrong. Randle manhandled him.

Because he's a three not a four, especially against Randle who really dominates the post. Not good against Jefferson, ZBo or Lee in Boston either