Game #11 Charlotte Hornets @ Toronto Raptors 7:30 pm. TSN

[MixxAOR]

All correct. And yet with that fact clear as day (heck we're the only team in history that had a finals MVP leave in free agency immediately after a title), this was our post-championship strategy: Don't sign anyone that eat into 2021 cap space. Since we're so good at attracting free agents, we're going to pry the league MVP (Giannis) OUT of his current team, which happens to be able to pay him more, and has a better record than us.

Hard swing, hard miss. Now we gotta own it, accept the fallout of the miss, and hopefully adjust our sails so we re-focus on what we do best: Draft and trade.

I fear the stubbornness though. 2021 is circled hard on their calendar. My worry is that Lowry will walk in free agency (as the 5th rotation champion leaving with nothing in return), so that for 2021 we can continue to "save cap space" (with which we've never done anything meaningful with like you guys pointed out).

Lowry is looking to be the best free agent in 2021 though, so they'll probably re-sign him and celebrate that we at least managed to retain our own FAs, like with Fred. Ironically though, doing that might get us stuck to that 7-11 zone, away from contention, but also away from the better draft positions.

Masai: "Believe in yourself. Believe in your city"

LOL

[inthepaint]

I would start our 5 best players: Lowry/Fred/OG/Siakam/Boucher

Off the bench you need scoring and length, so I'd go with TD/Thomas/Norm/Yuta. I would also give Watson the chance stanley got to see what he can do with consistent minutes. He's a 6'7" wing this team could use, and crack the rotation.

Len/Baynes minutes are a waste imo, they're just a theoretical advantage vs Bulkier C's that often doesn't materialize on the court.

Give the backup C minutes to Pascal/OG and backfill the PF spot with Yuta.

If TD, Thomas and Pascal can share the court, they can open up each other's game because of optimized spacing. TD & Thomas have been under-utilized. With rhythm and 20 minutes a night they could give you 12-14 pts with reasonable defence every night, while also taking some pressure off Pascal (which Stanley doesn't do)

[golden]

All correct. And yet with that fact clear as day (heck we're the only team in history that had a finals MVP leave in free agency immediately after a title), this was our post-championship strategy: Don't sign anyone that eat into 2021 cap space. Since we're so good at attracting free agents, we're going to pry the league MVP (Giannis) OUT of his current team, which happens to be able to pay him more, and has a better record than us.

Hard swing, hard miss. Now we gotta own it, accept the fallout of the miss, and hopefully adjust our sails so we re-focus on what we do best: Draft and trade.

I fear the stubbornness though. 2021 is circled hard on their calendar. My worry is that Lowry will walk in free agency (as the 5th rotation champion leaving with nothing in return), so that for 2021 we can continue to "save cap space" (with which we've never done anything meaningful with like you guys pointed out).

Lowry is looking to be the best free agent in 2021 though, so they'll probably re-sign him and celebrate that we at least managed to retain our own FAs, like with Fred. Ironically though, doing that might get us stuck to that 7-11 zone, away from contention, but also away from the better draft positions.

What we used to do best was Draft, Develop and Trade.

The jury is still out on Nurse as a player development coach for young players. DD, JV, Ross, Norm, Pascal, Fred, OG, Delon & Jakob were all young players became consistent rotation players under Casey. The only Nurse guy is Boucher, who isn't even young and 90% of what he brings is hustle and elite physical tools.

When you see 2 talented sophomores like TD & Thomas rotting on the bench, you have to wonder what's going on.

[golden]

I would start our 5 best players: Lowry/Fred/OG/Siakam/Boucher

Off the bench you need scoring and length, so I'd go with TD/Thomas/Norm/Yuta. I would also give Watson the chance stanley got to see what he can do with consistent minutes. He's a 6'7" wing this team could use, and crack the rotation.

Len/Baynes minutes are a waste imo, they're just a theoretical advantage vs Bulkier C's that often doesn't materialize on the court.

Give the backup C minutes to Pascal/OG and backfill the PF spot with Yuta.

If TD, Thomas and Pascal can share the court, they can open up each other's game because of optimized spacing. TD & Thomas have been under-utilized. With rhythm and 20 minutes a night they could give you 12-14 pts with reasonable defence every night, while also taking some pressure off Pascal (which Stanley doesn't do)

One rationale behind starting the bulkier center against a touch matchup (e.g. Embiid) is that if you start Boucher, then he could pick up 3 quick fouls in the first quarter and then he's nailed to the bench until the second half.

[MixxAOR]

What we used to do best was Draft, Develop and Trade.

The jury is still out on Nurse as a player development coach for young players. DD, JV, Ross, Norm, Pascal, Fred, OG, Delon & Jakob were all young players became consistent rotation players under Casey. The only Nurse guy is Boucher, who isn't even young and 90% of what he brings is hustle and elite physical tools.

When you see 2 talented sophomores like TD & Thomas rotting on the bench, you have to wonder what's going on.

JV and Ross were rotting on the bench with Casey too. JV couldn't see forth quarter with Casey. Ross was glued to come off the bench in the end.

[DogeLover1234]

What we used to do best was Draft, Develop and Trade.

The jury is still out on Nurse as a player development coach for young players. DD, JV, Ross, Norm, Pascal, Fred, OG, Delon & Jakob were all young players became consistent rotation players under Casey. The only Nurse guy is Boucher, who isn't even young and 90% of what he brings is hustle and elite physical tools.

When you see 2 talented sophomores like TD & Thomas rotting on the bench, you have to wonder what's going on.

Im not worried about Nurse as a development guy yet. Partially because I think assistents do all the work behind the scenes, but also Boucher and OG have advanced quite a bit in the last year. TD still isnt quite there imo. Thomas I guess is just a core belief of Nurse that all 5 guys have to play good defense. Im hoping Norm gets traded to free up minutes for those two though. I honestly dont mind Stanley, Norm and Yuta as rotation guys with a couple guys battling for the final spot. Still hoping a couple months will turn Len into a rotation guy - im totally out on Baynes though.

[A.I]

JV and Ross were rotting on the bench with Casey too. JV couldn't see forth quarter with Casey. Ross was glued to come off the bench in the end.

The entire fanbase used to complain about how Casey handled JV lol

[MixxAOR]

The entire fanbase used to complain about how Casey handled JV lol

I will not accept Casey as a good developmental coach after how they mishandled JV.

[golden]

I will not accept Casey as a good developmental coach after how they mishandled JV.

I'm the last person on this board who would defend Casey, but he was mostly right about JV. The game was moving away from slow-footed centers who also couldn't stretch the floor. But my point was more that at least with Casey, young players actually cracked the lineup with a consistent role. We haven't seen anybody do that under Nurse, except Boucher.

I mean Nurse platooned JV off the bench here, and he never saw any closing minutes. He hasn't busted out in Memphis or is used any differently. And he still can't defend the PnR, or in space. With Ross, he found his niche as a 6th man, which is the same as he was used here. Casey was right about him, too.

TD was solidly in the rotation last year, so I was hopeful for Nurse, but he seems to have shortened his leash on TD since the bubble. I don't get it. Thomas had only 1 bad game and now he's relegated to playing with 3rd stringers? WTF? He's probably top 5 in the NBA in pure 3-pt shooting skill. Surely Nurse can find a regular place for him in the rotation on a team that needs regular scoring and spacing.

[golden]

The entire fanbase used to complain about how Casey handled JV lol

But he was still starting games with a regular role.

[planetmars]

I'm the last person on this board who would defend Casey, but he was mostly right about JV. The game was moving away from slow-footed centers who also couldn't stretch the floor. But my point was more that at least with Casey, young players actually cracked the lineup with a consistent role. We haven't seen anybody do that under Nurse, except Boucher.

I mean Nurse platooned JV off the bench here, and he never saw any closing minutes. He hasn't busted out in Memphis or is used any differently. And he still can't defend the PnR, or in space. With Ross, he found his niche as a 6th man, which is the same as he was used here. Casey was right about him, too.

TD was solidly in the rotation last year, so I was hopeful for Nurse, but he seems to have shortened his leash on TD since the bubble. I don't get it. Thomas had only 1 bad game and now he's relegated to playing with 3rd stringers? WTF? He's probably top 5 in the NBA in pure 3-pt shooting skill. Surely Nurse can find a regular place for him in the rotation on a team that needs regular scoring and spacing.

Pascal and Fred were young under Nurse and got significant minutes. Pascal started. Fred was voted 3rd for 6MOY. They were Nurse guys. McCaw got a lot of burn and he's young. Nurse just plays favourites.. but you can be young and be a favourite. You don't have to be old.

Casey started Scola all year. I don't know if Nurse would have done that.

[golden]

Pascal and Fred were young under Nurse and got significant minutes. Pascal started. Fred was voted 3rd for 6MOY. They were Nurse guys. McCaw got a lot of burn and he's young. Nurse just plays favourites.. but you can be young and be a favourite. You don't have to be old.

Casey started Scola all year. I don't know if Nurse would have done that.

Your memory is a little foggy PM. The vaunted Bench Mob (Fred, Pascal, Delon, Jakob + CJ) and Fred's 6MOTY was 2018.... under Casey. And they all flamed out in the playoffs, which is why we hired Nurse. But the young guys got their first consistent minutes and a defined role under Casey. TD & Thomas can't even get or stay into the rotation for more than a few games.

And the only reason Boucher is even in the rotation is because we lost Marc & Serge. No question, he'd still be getting yanked around and scrapping for minutes if those guys were still here.

[planetmars]

Your memory is a little foggy PM. The vaunted Bench Mob (Fred, Pascal, Delon, Jakob + CJ) and Fred's 6MOTY was 2018.... under Casey. And they all flamed out in the playoffs, which is why we hired Nurse. But the young guys got their first consistent minutes and a defined role under Casey. TD & Thomas can't even get or stay into the rotation for more than a few games.

And the only reason Boucher is even in the rotation is because we lost Marc & Serge. No question, he'd still be getting yanked around and scrapping for minutes if those guys were still here.

You're right.. my bad. Siakam started as well because we were thin at PF. Nurse wanted to split JV/Serge and then Marc/Serge. Agree with your point then.

Still doesn't explain Nurse's love for McCaw though lol.

[MixxAOR]

I'm the last person on this board who would defend Casey, but he was mostly right about JV. The game was moving away from slow-footed centers who also couldn't stretch the floor. But my point was more that at least with Casey, young players actually cracked the lineup with a consistent role. We haven't seen anybody do that under Nurse, except Boucher.

I mean Nurse platooned JV off the bench here, and he never saw any closing minutes. He hasn't busted out in Memphis or is used any differently. And he still can't defend the PnR, or in space. With Ross, he found his niche as a 6th man, which is the same as he was used here. Casey was right about him, too.

TD was solidly in the rotation last year, so I was hopeful for Nurse, but he seems to have shortened his leash on TD since the bubble. I don't get it. Thomas had only 1 bad game and now he's relegated to playing with 3rd stringers? WTF? He's probably top 5 in the NBA in pure 3-pt shooting skill. Surely Nurse can find a regular place for him in the rotation on a team that needs regular scoring and spacing.

Time will tell how good Matt Thomas and TD are.

Maybe we overrating a guy who got let go by Lakers, travelled Europe before coming to NBA and a guy who went undrafted.

[inthepaint]

What we used to do best was Draft, Develop and Trade.

The jury is still out on Nurse as a player development coach for young players. DD, JV, Ross, Norm, Pascal, Fred, OG, Delon & Jakob were all young players became consistent rotation players under Casey. The only Nurse guy is Boucher, who isn't even young and 90% of what he brings is hustle and elite physical tools.

When you see 2 talented sophomores like TD & Thomas rotting on the bench, you have to wonder what's going on.

I give Nurse credit for his experience with other leagues (and for the fact that he stresses the importance of playing defence early in guys), but ultimately he's too biased and plays favourites too much to develop Nba players properly.

Once he has a list of favourite players, if you're not on that list, your ability to play through mistakes and correct them (which is key in learning and developing anything), is eliminated. Meanwhile if you're on his list, you have a free pass to screw up indefinitely, way into the playoffs sometimes. The leash sizes are grossly different.

TD & Thomas (and maybe Watson) are poised to be solid Nba contributors if given rhythm and confidence. There's tons of untapped potential in all 3 (and yes, areas to work on of course), but Nurse has no patience for them, so unfortunately I can see another team buying low, giving them minutes, and reaping the value.