Fez's summer plan: The bullet points

[Fez Hammersticks]

* Hire Mike D'Antoni

* Sign Steve Nash to a 2/3-year deal

* Assuming we get NJ's #4-6 pick: Draft Bradley Beal

* Trade up (over Utah) -- Draft Kendall Marshall

* Re-Sign Nicolas Batum

* Sign Joel Freeland

* Sign Jon Diebler

* Re-Sign JJ Hickson

* Offer GM position to Donnie Walsh

* At the very least -- set up a seminar with the PHX Suns training staff for our training staff.

* Re-sign Abby Chin long-term to CSNW.

PG: Steve Nash | Kendall Marshall
SG: Bradley Beal | Elliot Williams | Jon Diebler
SF: Nicolas Batum | Wesley Matthews
PF LaMarcus Aldridge | Luke Babbitt
C: Joel Freeland | JJ Hickson

 

[Natebishop3]

The only changes I would make is to hire Jerry Sloan, and sign Dragic instead of Nash.

 

[Mediocre Man]

* Hire Mike D'Antoni - Yuck. He has won nothing

* Sign Steve Nash to a 2/3-year deal - Yuck. He is older than our last title

* Assuming we get NJ's #4-6 pick: Draft Bradley Beal - If he checks out tall enough, it' sa great draft pick

* Trade up (over Utah) -- Draft Kendall Marshall - Another solid pick

* Re-Sign Nicolas Batum - Assuming money isn't stupid

* Sign Joel Freeland - I don't get the love, but ok

* Sign Jon Diebler - I'd like to see him in summer league first

* Re-Sign JJ Hickson - See Batum

* Offer GM position to Donnie Walsh - Older than my father who passed away

* At the very least -- set up a seminar with the PHX Suns training staff for our training staff. - If nothing else this

* Re-sign Abby Chin long-term to CSNW. - And this

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

The only changes I would make is to hire Jerry Sloan, and sign Dragic instead of Nash.

The whole point was to bring the SSOL system to this roster. It didn't work in NY because that roster's best player was a notorious ball-stopper. Build this roster around D'Antoni and we already have a lot of the pieces in place. His Suns were very good, remember -- he wasn't fired in PHX. The Knicks roster just didn't work. You can't have this system and be successful with ISO players like Carmelo.

The reason why I'd sign Nash over Dragic is because I think Marshall is a rare (non-combo) PG: he's a pure PG in the mold of Rubio/Andre Miller. And there is no better guard to learn from.

 

[Natebishop3]

The whole point was to bring the SSOL system to this roster. It didn't work in NY because that roster's best player was a notorious ball-stopper. Build this roster around D'Antoni and we already have a lot of the pieces in place. His Suns were very good, remember -- he wasn't fired in PHX. The Knicks roster just didn't work. You can't have this system and be successful with ISO players like Carmelo.

The reason why I'd sign Nash over Dragic is because I think Marshall is a rare (non-combo) PG: he's a pure PG in the mold of Rubio/Andre Miller. And there is no better guard to learn from.

I'm not sold on the SSOL system. It was consistently shut down by teams that run a good pick and roll/half court system.

I would go with Sloan over D'Antoni because I think Sloan has proven he can win. The guy has a system that has consistently put his team into the playoffs, and has gotten him to the Finals twice. I think the right guard/forward combo could get Sloan to the Finals again. Aldridge could be Karl Malone. We just need our John Stockton. Could Marshall be that guy? Perhaps. I would sign someone like Sessions or Dragic as insurance. If Marshall is the PGOTF, you have another guard with value that you can deal.

 

[MickZagger]

I don't understand the D'Antoni love affair with some around here.

 

[e_blazer]

If you're going to do 1 through 8, once that's taken care of what do we need to hire Donnie Walsh for? May as well give the job to Fez.

I really don't want Mike D'Antoni as a coach. I'd be okay with Nash, but only if there's no way to get a younger guy.

 

[MickZagger]

D'Antoni's teams are cute in the regular season and can win a lot of games. But, once you get in the playoffs and face teams with good defenses on a consistent basis, they crumble.

 

[RoyToy]

Alvin Gentry went to the WCF with Nash and Amare, too.

Just say no to D'Antoni. Players walk all over him and D'Antoni doesn't have the balls to do anything about it.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

* Hire Mike D'Antoni- YEAH, A PROVEN SUCCESS. THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN (THANKFULLY).

* Sign Steve Nash to a 2/3-year deal- HAHAHAHAHA!!!! GOOD JOKE.

* Assuming we get NJ's #4-6 pick: Draft Bradley Beal- MEH.

* Trade up (over Utah) -- Draft Kendall Marshall- EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

* Re-Sign Nicolas Batum- YES!

* Sign Joel Freeland- ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…………………..

* Sign Jon Diebler- SEE ABOVE.

* Re-Sign JJ Hickson- YES!!

* Offer GM position to Donnie Walsh- [YAWN]

* At the very least -- set up a seminar with the PHX Suns training staff for our training staff.- GOOD THINKING

* Re-sign Abby Chin long-term to CSNW. HUBBA HUBBA!

 

[Sinobas]

I like all the moves except for Nash and Walsh. Nash would make sense if we still had a healthy Roy and Oden and were going for a title, but I'd go with Dragic. Deron Williams will probably be the #1 target, but if we do that, it will leave 28 million dollars to fill out the roster (aside from LA and DW). That would pretty much relegate us to filling the team with scrubs.

For GM, I'd rather see us get Geoff Petrie or Mark Warkentien.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

A pretty good write-up on the SSOL system by Bill Simmons: The pros and cons:

That's why you can play the what-if game all day with the NBA. Just make sure to include Mike D'Antoni, the Coors Field of coaches, the guy who screwed up our beloved offensive numbers a little too much, swung consecutive MVP votes and turned a borderline All-Star into an NBA icon. Had he taken Chicago's job last summer, we'd be calling Derrick Rose "Magic 2.0" and Ben Gordon would be averaging 29 a game on his way to juggling monster free agent offers next summer. Play a few seasons of SSOL ball, and people will eventually believe that you're better offensively than you really are. Coach Mike has the magic touch. Not for everyone—yes, I'm pointing at you, Jerome James and Eddy Curry—but for some.

One of those players was a forever-grateful Nash, who was slightly better than Mark Price and now goes down for eternity as an all-time great. Another is Duhon, who gets to hold his own record in something. There are a few others in the past and present and more coming in the future. I just hope one of them isn't named LeBron. Why? Because I don't have enough brain cells to properly calibrate his first triple-double Knicks season. Could he average 36-13-13 every game with Coach Mike? What about a 40-15-15?

SSOL​

 

[Mediocre Man]

A pretty good write-up on the SSOL system by Bill Simmons: The pros and cons:

SSOL​

I have no issue at all with the SSOL system as long as defense is played on the other end. Adelman's teams here in Portland played a similar style, but they also played defense.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

On Joel Freeland:

“He's the best big in Europe,” one scout in Europe told Beyond the Beat.

“He’s equipped not just with his physical build, but his efficiency, skills and disposition. He does everything you want in a big over here. Plus, he can play both the 4 and 5, but will be a solid 5 in the NBA.”

What kind of player could Joel Freeland be for Portland and playing alongside LaMarcus Aldridge?

“He really knows how to get position, he sets up deep, and then scores over both shoulders. And he is deceptively quick when pivoting and spinning off his man. He's a beast,” the scout continued.

“Freeland is quick and mobile for his size over here. Defending those athletic and perimeter-based power forwards might be tough, but that’s why he’d be good fit at center.

"Obviously, the NBA is a different style but he's still a big-time player.”

http://beyondthebeat.net/articles-2...-man-portland-needs-but-cant-seem-to-get.html​

Played great against NBA comp last summer. Scored at will against Joakim Noah and (surprisingly) especially Serge Ibaka. Has that hillbilla meanstreak.

[video=youtube;lDE2wzz027w]

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I have no issue at all with the SSOL system as long as defense is played on the other end. Adelman's teams here in Portland played a similar style, but they also played defense.

D'Antoni has yet to have more than one player who is capable on defense.

Nash, Melo, Amare -- all notoriously play one side of the ball before and after D'Antoni.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I seriously doubt he will come over anytime soon

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

* Sign Steve Nash to a 2/3-year deal- HAHAHAHAHA!!!! GOOD JOKE.

He'll speed up the development of the young players and would be a great mentor to Kendall Marshall. By the time his contract runs out Marshall will be more than ready. MDA will have his PG who can push the ball and find the open man for the next decade - something he did not have in NY.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Dream: Thibodeau leaves Chicago and comes to Portland
Reality: another year of "Coach K"

Dream: D-Will signs with us.
Reality: No, D-Won't. Neither will Nash. Neither will Dragic.
Nightmare: we re-sign Felton, because Coach K has a good relationship with him.

Dream: We get pick #4 from NJ.
Reality: we get no pick, because they luck into the top 3.

Dream: We luck into the top 3 with OUR pick
Reality: two teams above us luck in, and we're bumped down two spots.

Dream: Anthony Davis
Reality: Austin Rivers (because we just love 'tweeners from Duke)

 

[e_blazer]

Dream: Thibodeau leaves Chicago and comes to Portland
Reality: another year of "Coach K"

Dream: D-Will signs with us.
Reality: No, D-Won't. Neither will Nash. Neither will Dragic.
Nightmare: we re-sign Felton, because Coach K has a good relationship with him.

Dream: We get pick #4 from NJ.
Reality: we get no pick, because they luck into the top 3.

Dream: We luck into the top 3 with OUR pick
Reality: two teams above us luck in, and we're bumped down two spots.

Dream: Anthony Davis
Reality: Austin Rivers (because we just love 'tweeners from Duke)

Paranoia much?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Paranoia much?

I don't think anything he said is remotely out of the realm of possibility

 

[Rastapopoulos]

* Hire Mike D'Antoni

I wouldn't be averse. It would certainly make us more fun to watch.

* Sign Steve Nash to a 2/3-year deal

Presumably this is the MDA connection. I still don't see him leaving Phoenix. I'd settle for Dragic (happily) or even just drafting Marshall.

* Assuming we get NJ's #4-6 pick: Draft Bradley Beal

I guess... He really is short, though. I'd take him over Lamb, though.

* Trade up (over Utah)

What makes you think this will be necessary? How in hell are they going to out-tank us?

-- Draft Kendall Marshall

I like this idea a lot. And besides, drafting a PG is a Blazers tradition.

* Re-Sign Nicolas Batum

Of course.

* Sign Joel Freeland

I wonder if that will be harder if we keep Hickson. He doesn't like the idea of a minutes squeeze. He's already behind Aldridge at PF, and being third in line might not appeal, especially if Barcelona tries again to sign him.

* Sign Jon Diebler

No. He's a one-trick pony. Leave him in Greece. Try to sign Claver, though - he's much better.

* Re-Sign JJ Hickson

Maybe AFTER you sign Freeland.

* Offer GM position to Donnie Walsh

Sure, why not? I have a feeling he might turn it down, though. He's an East Coast kind of guy.

* At the very least -- set up a seminar with the PHX Suns training staff for our training staff.

This is the one area where Paul Allen's money really should give us an advantage. Just offer them three or four times what they're earning to come over. PLEASE.

My unrealistic dream:
Clear up cap space by trading the picks alongside Wesley and Shawne Williams (and Nolan, if you like, and DEFINITELY Jamal if he opts in) and try to sign BOTH D-Will and Eric Gordon, kind of like LeBron teaming up with Bosh (only on a tinier scale). Mike D'Antoni would be part of the recruitment effort, letting them know it would be run'n'gun fun in the sun.

Failing that: try to pry Rondo off Boston for the picks plus maybe Hickson. And/or pursue a trade of Aldridge for Harden and/or Ibaka just to shake things up. A lineup of Rondo, Harden, Batum, Hickson and Freeland/Kendrick Perkins (part of the Harden trade) would be fun to watch, especially if MDA was coaching.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Paranoia much?

Paranoia would be if I thought our bad luck was the result of a conspiracy. You mean negativity. But after the past few years have turned out to be so much worse than any of us imagined, I don't know if it counts as negativity any more.

 

[RR7]

He'll speed up the development of the young players and would be a great mentor to Kendall Marshall. By the time his contract runs out Marshall will be more than ready. MDA will have his PG who can push the ball and find the open man for the next decade - something he did not have in NY.

Ahhh, the two year mentorship that always helps so much with developing young PGs.

Looking at the top PGs in the league, just working backwards from assists per game......

Assists Per Game
1. Rajon Rondo-BOS 11.6............Starting by the end of his rookie year. No mentor.
2. Steve Nash-PHO 10.9
3. Chris Paul-LAC 9.0................. Has started every game of his career.
4. Jose Calderon-TOR 8.8.........."Mentored" by TJ Ford.
5. Deron Williams-NJN 8.7...........Starting by half way through his rookie year. No mentor.
6. Ricky Rubio-MIN 8.2....................Starting after 10 games. No true mentor.
7. John Wall-WAS 7.7.................Starter since he was drafted.
8. Tony Parker-SAS 7.6.........Has been basically a full tyime starter since he was drafted.
9. Kyle Lowry-HOU 6.8................No true mentor in Memphis or Houston.
10. Mike Conley-MEM 6.7..........Started most of his games, no true mentor.
11. Andre Miller-DEN 6.6.................Starter by end of his rookie year. No true mentor.
12. Ty Lawson-DEN 6.6
13. Raymond Felton-POR 6.5.........Starter most of his rookie year, and ever since. No mentor.
16. Ramon Sessions-TOT 5.7
17. Brandon Jennings-MIL 5.7.........Started every game as a rookie. No real mentor.
18. Jameer Nelson-ORL 5.6
20. Russell Westbrook-OKC 5.4...Started every game.


Wow. Looks like a GREAT track record of guys that truly needed two years of development behind a better PG in order to develop into a good one themselves.
More than anything, looking at the landscape of PGs in the league, what it has shown me is getting a guy out there, trusting him, and allowing him to learn with starters has BY FAR been a better track record to "developing" your PGOTF. But we can keep searching for a guy to develop for 2 years. It's been successful so far, for us and the league.

 

[Masbee]

I have no issue at all with the SSOL system as long as defense is played on the other end. Adelman's teams here in Portland played a similar style, but they also played defense.

Name 2 very good defensive players that D'Antoni had on his team?

Amare and Nash are TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE defenders. So, the only way a team with those two could be any good defensively is if they had a DPOY on the squad, and the rest of the rotation were above average defenders.

You can't escape your personnel.

 

[RR7]

Name 2 very good defensive players that D'Antoni had on his team?

Raja Bell and Shawn Marion?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Raja Bell and Shawn Marion?

Damn you

Shumpert Fields and Chandler as well

 

[Masbee]

Raja Bell and Shawn Marion?

Who was their Ben Wallace dominator on defense?

Didn't have one.

Who was the 3rd very good defender?

Didn't have one.

How many seasons were Marion and Bell playing together in Phoenix?

Two. 2005-2006, 2006-2007.

What was the Suns record those years?

54 Wins (with Amare out all but 3 games). 61 Wins.

What happened in the playoffs?

2006: No Amare. 6 man rotation took the Mavs to 6 games in the WCF. Before he got hurt Amare was a fucking beast. The most explosive scoring big in the NBA. The Suns did well without their superstar.

2007: The infamous series with the Spurs where Amare and Diaw got DQ'd for game 5, and the Suns went on to lose the series to the eventual World Champs. Amare was the single best player in that series with a 30 PER.

Yes, the Sun blew their best chance to prove that SSOL could win. But, did Jordan win every year he was in the league? Did Shaq? Did Bird? Of course not. The Suns put together a very good SSOL roster for only 2 seasons, but because Amare got hurt only were able to run it for one season. That isn't enough of a run to test the principle.

All other years the Suns management failed to provide D'Antoni enough defense to go with Nash/Amare to make the thing work.

 

[RR7]

IMO, if they provided him with "enough defense", then his SSOL wouldn't work.

 

[B-Roy]

IMO, if they provided him with "enough defense", then his SSOL wouldn't work.

I don't understand. Bell was a capable offensive player. Marion was a great offensive player, especially in the system.

Why can't you get more players that offer defense AND offense?

 

[RR7]

I don't understand. Bell was a capable offensive player. Marion was a great offensive player, especially in the system.

Why can't you get more players that offer defense AND offense?

because good 2 way players are tough to find? I dunno. In order for the mismatches to work well in SSOL, Amare played C, when he's really a PF. Thus, Diaw was their PF. Maybe they could have found a "Ben Wallace", but, many teams would love to have one. To just say oh, they sucked because they never had an elite defensive big is a little ridiculous, IMO. SSOL works well running apick and roll with Nash/PG and a big, and spreading the floor with shooters. It's not always tough to find good wing defenders that can shoot the 3. Finding Cs that are defensive anchors that are also either spreading the floor, or an offensive powerhouse on the pick and roll is extremely difficult, which is probably why the system struggles defensively at times. Or, offensively, if the defense is better.