Everything Valanciunas

[MixxAOR]

Talking about JV becoming a 3 point shooter and JV hitting his 15 foot jump shots more consistently and decisively are two pretty different things...

I'd advocate for the idea that if you've got a big man with the ability to dominate a team and change a game on the interior (flashback to Indy and Heat series), you're doing the other team a favour by pulling him out to the perimeter too often. Once in a while to mix things up, sure. I wouldn't do it regularly, though.

Having a guy like Chris Bosh step out to the 3 point line makes some sense (and he often did that playing next to a pf/c with little range, like Haslem or Birdman), asking guys who can dominate inside, like Boogie, makes a bit less sense. JV's more Boogie than Bosh.

If he has a small dude that he can dominate in a post then let him go to work. Of course some sort of balance is needed.

But if JV can take the opposing rim protector away from the rim thats huge for this team. Dont see whats wrong with that.

[Atothe]

I don't trust Casey with a jump shooting JV. He'll keep JV on the perimeter just so Lowry and DeRozan have space

[Atothe]

The best version of JV lives in the paint and dominates. Offense should run through him

[Sinbad]

I don't trust Casey with a jump shooting JV. He'll keep JV on the perimeter just so Lowry and DeRozan have space

Ugh. Let's force our most efficient offensive player and a renowned offensive rebounder out to the perimeter so our guards can drive more.

[rocwell]

the press conference

Oh Masai's one? Yeah right.. I have stopped watching his press conferences. Not worth my time

[Barolt]

Oh Masai's one? Yeah right.. I have stopped watching his press conferences. Not worth my time

Yeah. I watched it, and people are reading a lot into what he said, and the 're-signing DeMar is our number one priority' comment. There was also a lot of hesitation before he said it, and he was extremely non-committal before that. And it all might be a smoke screen either way. Impossible to know with Masai.

[Sinbad]

Yeah. I watched it, and people are reading a lot into what he said, and the 're-signing DeMar is our number one priority' comment. There was also a lot of hesitation before he said it, and he was extremely non-committal before that. And it all might be a smoke screen either way. Impossible to know with Masai.

Masai is very good at talking without saying anything. That's what made is initial non-answer and sidestepping of retaining DeMar intriguing. He ultimately caved and gave a direct answer, but the hesitation was unexpected. I think the mountain of criticism DD garnered this off-season has to play into it, as does the universal praise for JV and calls from the national US media for him to get the ball more prior to his injury. That said, I find it hard to believe that JV will get an increased role if DD returns. Not happening under Casey.

[S.R.]

The best version of JV lives in the paint and dominates. Offense should run through him

Ugh. Let's force our most efficient offensive player and a renowned offensive rebounder out to the perimeter so our guards can drive more.

Top 5 offensive rebounder in the playoffs, ranked with Dwight, Deandre, TT, and Zach Randolph. JV's rebounding and interior presence absolutely saved the Raptors' ass in the first two rounds. I feel like "let's get the 7 footer to shoot 3's" is just a generic and trendy thing to do without really thinking about the local context & impact. My favourite version of JV was what we saw in the playoffs. Absolutely dominated on the inside and eventually demanded double teams. You use that guy to generate open 3's instead of trying to turn him into a 3 point shooter.

[OldSkoolCool]

Ya if JV can be a reliable threat on the short roll to hit a 15 foot jumper, that is a useful skill for a C as he still influences the paint.

Having the center run out plays to the three point arc 15 times a game where he has no hope of influencing the play outside of his 1.2 makes per game...is just rediculous and teams will be happy he is out there

No summer threes

[Barolt]

Ya if JV can be a reliable threat on the short roll to hit a 15 foot jumper, that is a useful skill for a C as he still influences the paint.

Having the center run out plays to the three point arc 15 times a game where he has no hope of influencing the play outside of his 1.2 makes per game...is just rediculous and teams will be happy he is out there

No summer threes

Reasons why I like the 3pt shot for JV:

1) Transition 3s when he's the trailer. If he's coming in late against a defense that collapsed to take away penetration, this can be a quick, easy shot.

2) Changes the way teams guard the pick and roll. How do you guard a Lowry/JV pick and roll if you have to have your big guy take away Lowry's pull-up, you have to respect JV rolling to the rim, but you can't sell out to dive to the paint because then you're leaving JV open for 3?

[Gambino]

The main usefulness of the three would be in pick and roll and pop situations. Instead of the other team's center being able to sort of stay home, he'd have to defend Jonas more tightly. Against a team like Miami that would've meant Whiteside regularly being pulled out of the paint in pick and roll slashing situations, which is a layup or dunk all day.

It shouldn't be the focus of his game but it is something Spurs do with Aldridge (moreso from mid-range than from 3). Some guys I'm sure Jonas looks up to like Sabonis and Ilgauskas also had the ability to step outside and hit shots in their primes.

Do you guys remember the game we played Denver and Jokic just wrecked us because of his ability to mix it up inside and outside? JV is way more talented Jokic and with that same confidence in his outside game could terrorize opposing defenses. People are getting way too caught up in looking at this negatively thinking that Casey just wants more driving opportunities for DD and Lowry. Well this makes JV a way better player too so there's no reason not to add it if he can.

[OldSkoolCool]

Reasons why I like the 3pt shot for JV:

1) Transition 3s when he's the trailer. If he's coming in late against a defense that collapsed to take away penetration, this can be a quick, easy shot.

2) Changes the way teams guard the pick and roll. How do you guard a Lowry/JV pick and roll if you have to have your big guy take away Lowry's pull-up, you have to respect JV rolling to the rim, but you can't sell out to dive to the paint because then you're leaving JV open for 3?

I don't mind the transition three but I HATE the pick and pop idea

Teams will double their center down on the guard anyways unless JV is making 3+ threes a game. That would mean he is popping 8+ times a game instead of rolling. I'll take the rolls which forces the weak side corner guard to help and opens up a three point shooter (like Carroll) in a win win situation

Centers shooting threes is a really bad idea to run plays for. Avoid it like the plague. There are so many negative spinoffs that aren't counted in the box score, even though they will improve JV's individual box score

[KHD]

I don't mind the transition three but I HATE the pick and pop idea

Teams will double their center down on the guard anyways unless JV is making 3+ threes a game. That would mean he is popping 8+ times a game instead of rolling. I'll take the rolls which forces the weak side corner guard to help and opens up a three point shooter (like Carroll) in a win win situation

Centers shooting threes is a really bad idea to run plays for. Avoid it like the plague. There are so many negative spinoffs that aren't counted in the box score, even though they will improve JV's individual box score

yeah the only time JV should ever shoot a 3 is as the trailer. Making a few of those would be enough to force guys not to sag off him from anywhere, which is the point.


Putting one of the best offensive rebounders and post scorers in the NBA on the perimeter so that you can force more derozan iso is the pinnacle of fuckwitted casey-ball, though. So i expect it to happen.

[OldSkoolCool]

yeah the only time JV should ever shoot a 3 is as the trailer.


Putting one of the best offensive rebounders and post scorers in the NBA on the perimeter so that you can force more derozan iso is the pinnacle of fuckwitted casey-ball, though. So i expect it to happen.

DD stuff aside, JV has proven that just his presence rolling to the rim makes his other 4 teammates drastically better. An advantage lost when he pops (short rolls are still ok). Game planning to give him that pop every once and a while is not a useful skill for JV or the team, not when he demands so much respect by putting one foot in the paint

[white men can't jump]

I have no problems with JV getting some jumpers up. For 3s I agree you'd mostly only want to see those occasionally when he's trailing a play, and of course in emergency bailout situations it's a nice tool to have.

But for mid range jumpers I wouldn't mind if we gave him more. It's not going to take away his effectiveness in the paint. It could help him and his teammates get better looks down low if it keeps his defender off balance and unsure how to guard him. It's especially a great tool against shotblockers. It's already good having JV in there against such guys. They're scared to leave him near the rim, but then they'd also be scared to cheat off him when he's farther away.

If he has skills, using them properly will only make him more effective, so it's up to the staff not to fuck up how they use him in those situations.

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