B-Roy
If it takes months
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2008
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The biggest need for this team isn't a big. It isn't a true superstar. It's shooters. We have a player we can build around. Aldridge is good enough. But this team as constructed, makes life incredibly difficult for our best player.
Feeding our most consistent player can bog down the offense when the rest of the team isn't making shots. Teams double up on Aldridge and force him to pass out. Felton is shooting 15% from three, Crawford is at 30%, and Wallace is at 28%. We currently have two players who have something resembling a three point shot: Batum and Matthews; who by all accounts, aren't even on the floor together most of the time. So the Blazers usually field a lineup with only one real three point threat. Matthews is usually feast or famine, so if he's ice cold, you have even less to work with. That's why when they aren't running, the offense slows to a halt. Driving lanes are nonexistent because teams pack the paint, and of course, Aldridge has a hard time working in the post.
Almost all the successful teams in recent memory were loaded with role players that could hit the three. Prime example: 10-11 Dallas Mavericks. They had 7 rotation players that shot the 3 better than 34%. (Shooting 33% from three is the equivalent of shooting 50% from 2)
Kidd 34%
Barea 35%
Terry 36%
Stevenson 38%
Dirk 39%
Peja 40%
Cardinal 48%
Heck they signed Peja who was basically done just because he could hit the three. Freaking Brian Cardinal got rotation minutes because he could hit threes. It paid off too. Peja and Kidd killed us with the three point shot during the playoffs, and their shooting even improved as they went on to win the title.
Another example is the San Antonio Spurs. They're constantly rotating shooters on their roster. Danny Green, Richard Jefferson, Matt Bonner, Manu Ginobili, Gary Neal. etc. etc. They're still a great team, even with Tim Duncan declining.
So what do we need to do? I think the easiest solution is messing with Gerald Wallace. He doesn't compliment Aldridge. They don't work well together, they score their points separately, and they get by on talent alone. One option is to bench Wallace in favor of Batum, so we have two shooters in the starting lineup to go along with Aldridge. Another option is to trade Wallace. I like trading him to the nets for Anthony Morrow+Jordan Farmar+Houston or New Jersey's own 2012 lotto protected 1st round pick. Both guys are shooting over 40% from three and don't need a ton of minutes to be effective. Farmar gives us an actual backup point, while Morrow can backup Batum or start for either Batum or Matthews for injuries. The first rounder gives us options for the future.
I'd also look at bringing over Jon Diebler next year. He's playing in Europe right now and while he can't play a lick of defense, he's shooting 50% from 2, 53% from three and 93% from the free throw line. Perfect role player material.
Feeding our most consistent player can bog down the offense when the rest of the team isn't making shots. Teams double up on Aldridge and force him to pass out. Felton is shooting 15% from three, Crawford is at 30%, and Wallace is at 28%. We currently have two players who have something resembling a three point shot: Batum and Matthews; who by all accounts, aren't even on the floor together most of the time. So the Blazers usually field a lineup with only one real three point threat. Matthews is usually feast or famine, so if he's ice cold, you have even less to work with. That's why when they aren't running, the offense slows to a halt. Driving lanes are nonexistent because teams pack the paint, and of course, Aldridge has a hard time working in the post.
Almost all the successful teams in recent memory were loaded with role players that could hit the three. Prime example: 10-11 Dallas Mavericks. They had 7 rotation players that shot the 3 better than 34%. (Shooting 33% from three is the equivalent of shooting 50% from 2)
Kidd 34%
Barea 35%
Terry 36%
Stevenson 38%
Dirk 39%
Peja 40%
Cardinal 48%
Heck they signed Peja who was basically done just because he could hit the three. Freaking Brian Cardinal got rotation minutes because he could hit threes. It paid off too. Peja and Kidd killed us with the three point shot during the playoffs, and their shooting even improved as they went on to win the title.
Another example is the San Antonio Spurs. They're constantly rotating shooters on their roster. Danny Green, Richard Jefferson, Matt Bonner, Manu Ginobili, Gary Neal. etc. etc. They're still a great team, even with Tim Duncan declining.
So what do we need to do? I think the easiest solution is messing with Gerald Wallace. He doesn't compliment Aldridge. They don't work well together, they score their points separately, and they get by on talent alone. One option is to bench Wallace in favor of Batum, so we have two shooters in the starting lineup to go along with Aldridge. Another option is to trade Wallace. I like trading him to the nets for Anthony Morrow+Jordan Farmar+Houston or New Jersey's own 2012 lotto protected 1st round pick. Both guys are shooting over 40% from three and don't need a ton of minutes to be effective. Farmar gives us an actual backup point, while Morrow can backup Batum or start for either Batum or Matthews for injuries. The first rounder gives us options for the future.
I'd also look at bringing over Jon Diebler next year. He's playing in Europe right now and while he can't play a lick of defense, he's shooting 50% from 2, 53% from three and 93% from the free throw line. Perfect role player material.
