'21-'22 Roster Construction

[grindhouse]

The last 5-6 games have been horrible on defense. There is something wrong when the team can boast at least 3 very good man-to-man defensive players in OG, SB and PS. FVV and Khem and GTJ are next tier and pretty good too. Something has happened coincidental to Pascal's returning to the lineup. Cannot put my finger on it but opposing teams are having a run of it from the 3 and we are doubling up unnecessarily quite often. The "simple" answer is we need to mix it up with the "positionless" switching... seems the oppo are catching on especially late in games. Hope NN finds a solution soon!

Earlier in the season We would have one of our wings able to rotate for the weak side help now whoever Fred is guarding they move to the weak side and he can’t defend close outs. Or bother those pasting lanes.

[Kagemusha]

I really wish Kyle Lowry is still here instead of Van Vleet.

Kyle would have been a great mentor and a significant factor in the development of Scottie

Watching Kyle and Adebayo having great chemistry considering it is their first year together is amazing.

The intangibles and not the boxscore is what makes Kyle so impactful to a team with high level talent around him.

You're not happy we got Achiuwa and Dragic? Shame.

[grindhouse]

We also have a spacing probably that needs to be solved.

[The Claw Reborn]

You're not happy we got Achiuwa and Dragic? Shame.

I was jumping for joy when I heard we got the two….imagine my euphoria

[TrueTorontoFan]

I think Masai and Bobby's philosophy is that defensively elite players are undervalued and offensively elite players are overvalued. We are pretty confident in our development system to improve the offensive end for players, so we target the undervalued players with elite defense. That's how you end up with Barnes and Banton, and why we wanted Precious.

It's a slow burn improving the offensive game of players, but we're seeing that come to fruition this season with OG. All the moves we're making are looking years ahead, and that makes them confusing to fans only looking at this season.

I think this is partially correct. I think its more so that the second comment you made. I don't think they thing elite offensive players are overrated. Instead I think its more so the fact that you can more easily develop offensive ability to even an average level or above average level but working on defence is difficult and you need a certain level of ball IQ to really do it well.

[grindhouse]

Let’s be honest here OG and pascal offence has a lot to be desired and that’s mainly because of the lack of blow by ability. Pascal has to finesse his way to the rim and OG powers his way to the rim both of which is a process. The only player on the team that can get a shot anywhere on the court is Trent. And we don’t want mr chucker Trent putting up 50 shots a night.

I blame offence design and lack of understanding what your players can and can’t do.

Say if Barnes gets the ball in the post our best shooters should be in the far corner and the top of the three to create spacing.

Banton for example should be running pick and pops with Fred or Trent

I mean if our offence is not creating mismatches or forcing long rotation then it’s coaching.

Fred running pick and rolls down the middle works once in every 10 times why when he gets in the lane he can’t pass and can’t finish amongst the trees.

its all coaching

[Yuri Gagarin]

I disagree. Defense is mostly effort. Yes IQ helps a lot too. But look at Trent. He didnt suddenly learn d. He turned up his intensity to 11. And we see offensively gifted players turn up their defensive effort when it counts as well like in the playoffs. Defensive players dont just turn up their offence come playoffs. Maybe a lucky game or two but thats it.

our original core 3 has too many holes in their games. Good players are consistent. Pascal and fred disappeared for an entire playoff series. Good players dont do that. Maybe a game - two max

some players like lowry you can say stats dont represent the positive impact he has on the floor. I think fred is a player whos negative impact doesnt show in the stats. Theyre going after him. Hes got great hands but hes getting shot over and blown past.

honestly im digging deep here. I dont see an obvious problem although an anchor in the C position whos a defensive shot blocker migt go a long way. But i think with this core theres gonna be a lot of tinkering without success and everyone will be continuously looking around everywhere to see whats wrong and nothing will ever get fixed with these three taking all the minutes and the shots. “Rotten to the core” maybe rotten is too strong but theres something fundamentally wrong here

[TrueTorontoFan]

I disagree. Defense is mostly effort. Yes IQ helps a lot too. But look at Trent. He didnt suddenly learn d. He turned up his intensity to 11. And we see offensively gifted players turn up their defensive effort when it counts as well like in the playoffs. Defensive players dont just turn up their offence come playoffs. Maybe a lucky game or two but thats it.

our original core 3 has too many holes in their games. Good players are consistent. Pascal and fred disappeared for an entire playoff series. Good players dont do that. Maybe a game - two max

some players like lowry you can say stats dont represent the positive impact he has on the floor. I think fred is a player whos negative impact doesnt show in the stats. Theyre going after him. Hes got great hands but hes getting shot over and blown past.

honestly im digging deep here. I dont see an obvious problem although an anchor in the C position whos a defensive shot blocker might go a long way. But i think with this core theres gonna be a lot of tinkering without success and everyone will be continuously looking around everywhere to see whats wrong and nothing will ever get fixed with these three taking all the minutes and the shots. “Rotten to the core” maybe rotten is too strong but theres something fundamentally wrong here

It's effort and IQ. Because you have to know spacing, positioning, scouting reports. There is a level of cognitive processing that is involved in all that. Obviously there is a required level of effort. That is partly why I think effort wise its hard to develop that fire on defence. Defence for the vast majority of guys is not sexy like how scoring is. That is why Lowry was so incredible. Also shot blocking is one form of defence but also making it so that you remove good shots or shift to uncomfortable shots or remove the ability to even take a shot and have more possessions is big.

[grindhouse]

Here’s what I will say when it comes to the effort conversation. Ppl are human you can ask to run on offence run on defence and stay 1 healthy and 2 Efficient.

run hard on defense , walk the ball up and pound on offence. Of course u run on turnovers if the shot is there. Basketball is simple you shouldn’t have to work hard on offence if your sets are solid. We are working way too hard for points way too hard.

90% brain 10% Bron

[grindhouse]

Banton is very start if they are not going to play him as a starter raise high stock go to the g league get minutes and run the team. When nurse has sense or Bobby gets sense and makes trades to give banton that starting role they come back. Make use of your time he knows he is a starter

[TrueTorontoFan]

Banton is very start if they are not going to play him as a starter raise high stock go to the g league get minutes and run the team. When nurse has sense or Bobby gets sense and makes trades to give banton that starting role they come back. Make use of your time he knows he is a starter

I dont know if he is ready quite yet still turn over prone but we do need to clear space for some of the pieces that need more time and we o need a center.

[The Claw Reborn]

Here is my retool proposal....

Trade Siakam for KAT
Trade Van Vleet/ Boucher and 2 SRPs for Brogdon and Sabonis

Sign GTJ for 15 million
Sign JJ Redick for the MLE

Edit: 9th spot - select Kai Jones/ or Giddey/ or Kispert/ or Wagner (whoever is the Best Player available)

so lucky we got to no.4

Another idea....

retain Siakam.

Sabonis
Siakam
OG
GTJ
Brogdon

Reassess until the Feb trade deadline.

Prudent Asset management shying away from mediocrity with Kyle Lowry very likely gone but still very young core (Sabonis/ OG/ GTJ/ Flynn/ 2021 FRP) to develop

or just stick to the original proposal

Sabonis - 25
KAT - 25
OG - 23
GTJ - 22
Flynn - 23
2021 FRP - 19/20

Last edited by The Claw Reborn; Sat May 22, 2021, 11:26 AM.

who would have thought, we acquired Scottie who can be the center piece of this retool down the road and now having Turner or Sabonis being available.

Maybe KAT would raise the white flag as well.

​​​​​​…..damn this is really getting interesting

[TrueTorontoFan]

who would have thought, we acquired Scottie who can be the center piece of this retool down the road and now having Turner or Sabonis being available.

Maybe KAT would raise the white flag as well.

​​​​​​…..damn this is really getting interesting

KAT isn't going any where yet.

[grindhouse]

I dont know if he is ready quite yet still turn over prone but we do need to clear space for some of the pieces that need more time and we o need a center.

he is not ready but honestly i would bet on the kid

[TrueTorontoFan]

he is not ready but honestly i would bet on the kid

I think he will be ready in the future but this is why you don't just hand him the keys to being a starting guard right now or even put him in the starting line up. You develop him over the course of two years. He has a LONG way to go before he is ready for prime time. This is why him playing on the big roster AND getting 905 time is great for accelerating his growth.