Everything Valanciunas

[Gambino]

The midrange game and getting comfortable with that is really more important than the 3, definitely. Most of the great centers had incredible mid-range games except for the guys that were just so physically dominant that they didn't need to shoot from more than 5 feet away, like Shaq and Wilt. We saw a bit of it in the playoffs, but if JV can add a reliable in between game to his post game it's gonna be scary. That shoulder fake to turnaround fadeaway he hit over Love I think was incredible.

[DanH]

Whether it's a three or a midrange two, I really like the idea of JV being able to pop instead of roll. A big man that can do both very efficiently can rip defences apart, since they don't know what he's going to do when the play is run, and have to defend both scenarios. Yes, he should still be rolling more than popping, but a 2:1 ratio sounds about right to keep the defence honest.

[Barolt]

Whether it's a three or a midrange two, I really like the idea of JV being able to pop instead of roll. A big man that can do both very efficiently can rip defences apart, since they don't know what he's going to do when the play is run, and have to defend both scenarios. Yes, he should still be rolling more than popping, but a 2:1 ratio sounds about right to keep the defence honest.

The key part here, of course, being that we have to put the ball in his hands and not simply leave it with the ball handler.

[MixxAOR]

Baby Sikma

[Barolt]

For what non-Raptor fans think about how we use JV:

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comment...dy_for_bigger/

Most of them agree that we underutilize him, badly.

[Barolt]

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comment...bigger/d3pjv6p

My favorite comment.

[Gambino]

I know that most people won't agree with this, but I think the tight leash that JV has had is going to turn him into a superstar and extremely disciplined and efficient player as his role increases. He has had weaknesses and things that have held him back from being played as much, but I feel like every year he's worked on those things to become an even better player. I think next year is the year we finally see the result of all of it.

[OldSkoolCool]

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comment...bigger/d3pjv6p

My favorite comment.

Pretty much

I expect no change if we keep Casey and DD

[hotfuzz]

Yea, I don't really expect any increase in JV's usage, if at all. To expect that now would be foolish, regardless of what they say in the media.

[3inthekeon]

DD sometimes fights his ball-hogging tunnel-vision tendencies and sometimes doesn't. Lowry doesn't use JV enough as a PnR finisher because Lowry doesn't run the PnR well and probably never will.

That said, JV's usage has increased each year from 16.9 to 18.5 to 19.1 to 20.9.

It's going to be 22.0 next year, probably a bit more.

[ball4life]

Yea, I don't really expect any increase in JV's usage, if at all. To expect that now would be foolish, regardless of what they say in the media.

exactly. They said the same thing last year, inside out..blah blah blah.. untill I see it, I won't believe it.

Also, this JV shooting 3 pointers is giving me bad feelings... you are taking away his strength by doing it.

Casey always does this shit.. making players do what they are not capable of(eg: ISOing Demarre/ Salmons, making Vasques defend key players, the summer 3s in crunch time). Sometimes it turns out good, but often times it just sucks. they should just let them play to their strength!!

[tDotted]

JV should work to be a consistent mid range shooter before he stretches out to the 3 (ala Serge Ibaka, Al Horford, Paul Millsap).

[Billy103]

Jv needs to lose the ugly pump fake and just shoot right away he actually looks very good just shooting right away

[DanH]

DD sometimes fights his ball-hogging tunnel-vision tendencies and sometimes doesn't. Lowry doesn't use JV enough as a PnR finisher because Lowry doesn't run the PnR well and probably never will.

That said, JV's usage has increased each year from 16.9 to 18.5 to 19.1 to 20.9.

It's going to be 22.0 next year, probably a bit more.

Yeah, they've said every year he'd be used more and every year he is (although a portion of that is his offensive rebounding). The difference to me this year is that they DID run the offence through him in the MIA series before he got hurt, and it worked, and they saw it with their own eyes. I expect a larger role based on that more than based on anything anyone is saying.

[Atothe]

I honestly think a lowry/valanciunas pnr offence with multiple three point shooters would be a lethal offence.