Rotation?

[Pinwheel1]

I don't think we really know with Smith just yet. The backup PG situation is not great right now, but let's see how Smith progresses this year.

I tend to agree with this. We think we know what Nolan can and can't do based on his rookie year, but he may have progressed his PG skills as well. I wouldn't put it past him. He will never have starter skills, but who was the player that described him as more of a set up man than Lillard? Maybe in practice he has looked like he can.

 

[Natebishop3]

I don't think there's any way Leonard starts at the beginning of the season. My gut says Hickson because he has already shown he can start, and he is a talented big. If it's not Hickson, it'll be Freeland. Leonard has a long way to go and I think he'll be hampered by foul trouble his first year or two. It took Joel a LONG time to earn the respect of the refs and stop getting in foul trouble.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't think there's any way Leonard starts at the beginning of the season. My gut says Hickson because he has already shown he can start, and he is a talented big. If it's not Hickson, it'll be Freeland. Leonard has a long way to go and I think he'll be hampered by foul trouble his first year or two. It took Joel a LONG time to earn the respect of the refs and stop getting in foul trouble.

Yeah totally agree. He's so damned raw and is going to be in immediate foul trouble because of the way veteran players are going to be able to play into his chest and bigs will have him jumping and swiping right off the bat. The best example of how far he has to go is his performance against Motiejunas. I know he was supposedly throwing up that day, but he had no answer for a skilled player that knew how to manipulate him.

 

[Sedatedfork]

I think Smith can be more effective than he showed last year, but after four years at Duke and what we saw of him last year, play-making for others just isn't all that natural for him. He can handle the ball and run some simple stuff and can probably create a little bit for himself, but that doesn't make him a point guard.

If he can show himself to be an adequate off-the-bench "combo guard" then that's nothing for him to be ashamed of.

I am kind of throwing last year's season for Smith out the window for now. Someone has to run the offense when Lillard is on the bench. If Smith can't do that, I don't see him getting a lot of minutes. He can still be a good combo guard, but unless they are running a small lineup or E Will gets injured, I think his opportunities at the off guard position are going to be pretty limited.

 

[Natebishop3]

Yeah totally agree. He's so damned raw and is going to be in immediate foul trouble because of the ways veteran players are going to be able to play into his chest and bigs will have him jumping and swiping right off the bat. The best example of how far he has to go is his performance against Motiejunas. I know he was supposedly throwing up that day, but he had no answer for a skilled player that knew how to manipulate him.

It's funny because as I was reading your post I immediately started thinking about how bad Motiejunas made him look, and then you mentioned him towards the end of your post. That one pump fake he threw at Leonard stands out in my mind, where he threw a fake and Leonard went flying by and then he did a little move and put it in. It was a thing of beauty and Meyers looked like the rookie he is. I expect to see that kind of thing a lot next season until he figures things out.

 

[tlongII]

Day one?

Hickson and Freeland both have so much more experience

Hickson's an undersized power forward. It would be stupid to start him at center. Freeland doesn't have any more NBA experience than Leonard.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I am kind of throwing last year's season for Smith out the window for now. Someone has to run the offense when Lillard is on the bench. If Smith can't do that, I don't see him getting a lot of minutes. He can still be a good combo guard, but unless they are running a small lineup or E Will gets injured, I think his opportunities at the off guard position are going to be pretty limited.

Just curious, but why are throwing out last year's season? I'm not saying you can't (because I'm tempted to do it myself ) but what's your reasoning?

 

[Nikolokolus]

Hickson's an undersized power forward. It would be stupid to start him at center. Freeland doesn't have any more NBA experience than Leonard.

Actually no, he's an average sized power-forward with an above average ability to handle the ball in traffic.

 

[Eastoff]

Hickson's an undersized power forward. It would be stupid to start him at center. Freeland doesn't have any more NBA experience than Leonard.

6'9" is on the low end of the spectrum, but probably not undersized.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Hickson's an undersized power forward. It would be stupid to start him at center. Freeland doesn't have any more NBA experience than Leonard.

We are going to have to agree to disagree on this, I guess?

Hickson had a 23.3 PER last year playing center for us, and a 19.4 playing PF. Doesn't mean everything, but maybe it shows a little bit that he can play center? At 6'9" and 245, I'm not sure he is undersized for either the front court spots. He has a very good reach and a wingspan of 7'1"

What are the centers that would give him trouble?

Bynum
Howard
Hibbert


Is that it?

 

[Nikolokolus]

For those interested in average height of NBA players at any given position, this might help

http://basslinespin.blogspot.com/2011/06/average-size-of-nba-starter.html

 

[Natebishop3]

You can call Hickson the "center" but in all actuality it will probably be Aldridge that is defending the center. Does it really matter who plays what when you have Aldridge who is clearly a 7 footer now and Hickson who is in the 6'9 - 6'10 range?

 

[Nikolokolus]

You can call Hickson the "center" but in all actuality it will probably be Aldridge that is defending the center. Does it really matter who plays what when you have Aldridge who is clearly a 7 footer now and Hickson who is in the 6'9 - 6'10 range?

Yes ... wait? ... No? ... Ummm ... Maybe?

Dammit, is this a trick question?

 

[Natebishop3]

Yes ... wait? ... No? ... Ummm ... Maybe?

Dammit, is this a trick question?

Always.

 

[Sedatedfork]

Just curious, but why are throwing out last year's season? I'm not saying you can't (because I'm tempted to do it myself ) but what's your reasoning?

Mainly because:

(1) There was no Summer Ball or Training Camp for Nolan Smith;

(2) Condensed schedule = hit the wall even earlier

(3) Nate's not fond of rookies;

(4) He had to play with and learn from Ray Felton and Jamal Crawford; and

(5) The team was pretty dysfunctional the 2nd half of the season causing the coach to get fired and a bunch of vets to be traded.

Now sure, if he was a stud this should not have been an obstacle, but I am going to withhold judgment on him until I see what he does this year.

 

[Nikolokolus]

All you had to say was "Nate" and that's enough

 

[Natebishop3]

All you had to say was "Nate" and that's enough

Or the judges would accept "Assclown"...