Which position is our greatest need?

[Veteran_Picksetter]

I'll try to explain the reasoning for the consensus wanting to add another center. Haywood & Diop are the only true centers on the roster, but they both are limited physically, which will lead to limited minutes (25 minutes at most nightly) and the possibility of sudden nagging injuries (a la hamstring pulls, hyperextended knees, soreness in foot, etc.) that will keep them out of the lineup occasionally throughout the rigors of a 82-game season. Tyrus is Tyrus, so inconsistency and untapped potential will always be a part of his game. Biyombo & Mullens are still both raw projects that have yet to learn but are hopefully progressing on how to rebound at the professional level, so we don't want to depend on them at the center position when they probably can't keep your typical starting small forward from going mano a mano with them on the boards. All that said, not to mention the foul trouble history of some the aforementioned, it's pretty obvious that they need more depth at the center spot. Undoubtedly, I also agree with you that we need a SF, but the thought of someone taking minutes away from the growth of MKG isn't something that you should shunned upon when you look at the frontcourt issues as a whole.

I'm assuming no one we get for roster spot 14-15 will be as decent a prospect as Mullens or Biyombo. So I say just play them at 4-5 when we don't have Haywood, Tyrus, or Diop(5 minutes a night?) in there. And now with Dunlap considering MKG a part time 4, that could mean even less minutes at the big man spots for the guys we already have.

[Veteran_Picksetter]

I would say a post scoring big. I think we have question marks at both center and power forward and nobody on our roster is a legit two way player right now. Bis, Haywood and Tyrus will give us solid defense. Mullens can score some but I don't feel like he defends either position well. We could really use a post player who could do both like Horford or Aldridge.

I hear ya, but it just seems that "post scoring bigs" are hard to come by at roster spot 14 or 15.

[Veteran_Picksetter]

I don't want to bring in any worthwhile vet wing unless they're okay with getting only a handful of minutes.

Yes MKG is a 19 year old rookie, but he was also the second pick in the draft and has the pressure of being a franchise cornerstone. We need to see if he can fulfill that promise. Too many times have we drafted guys and put them in a time share (Felton, DJ, Kemba to just name the PGs), which prevents them from improving with meaningful time on the court and prevents the FO from being able to make a decision about the future depending on how well they progress. MKG needs to get ~35 minutes a night for his sake and ours. That leaves "13 minutes" at the 3 for other players. JT, Hendo, and Reggie are more than capable of fulfilling that role.

So to me, it would make no sense wasting our last roster spot on a SF.


What has proven to be a much more glaring need is a big man specialist that can clean the boards with aplomb or a big man than can execute a post move without looking like Happy Jack. A guy like Reggie Evans would be perfect to fulfill that rebounder role and I guess (ew) Eddie Curry would be satisfactory (ew) for the scoring big man (ew) role.

I'd be really happy with a Reggie Evans type.

Now we have Dunlap throwing around this idea of MKG at the 4 spot part of the time. If that happens, maybe a legit rotation SF makes a little more sense for the roster.

Personally, I wouldn't entertain the notion of the MKG at 4 because I want the kid to get learning minutes at his true position. Even if it means a couple less wins this season.

A tough 4 like Evans, or a combo forward who occasionally creates a match-up problem makes sense to me.

[kitch0202]

I absolutely agree that the team needs a post scoring, and post defending, big but there's no room for one on this roster for this season. Once Diop and his contract have gone and please God, Tyrus and his contract too (hopefully he can play well enough this season that we can actually work some sort of trade with him involved) then we will have the space.

But there is no proven commodity at the 3. Whoever we bring in absolutely will know that they're keeping the starting spot warm for MKG, but I do think it would benefit him to be coming off the bench. He will need, and get, proper minutes (roughly half the game) so his development won't suffer. I just think it's THE glaring hole in our roster.

[SWedd523]

I'd be really happy with a Reggie Evans type.

Now we have Dunlap throwing around this idea of MKG at the 4 spot part of the time. If that happens, maybe a legit rotation SF makes a little more sense for the roster.

Personally, I wouldn't entertain the notion of the MKG at 4 because I want the kid to get learning minutes at his true position. Even if it means a couple less wins this season.

A tough 4 like Evans, or a combo forward who occasionally creates a match-up problem makes sense to me.

You're reading way too much into MKG getting spot minutes at the 4. He's also probably going get a few minutes at the 2. Just Like Sessions will play some 2, Gordon some 1, and Hendo some three. It's just part of natural rotations.

[BrotherDave]

Maybe I'm biased for big men but there is no way we are going to be a competitive team with Haywood and Diop as our centers, Tyrus as a "power"forward, and Biz and Mully as F/C's (hopefully they'll become more competent as they develop but they're not there yet).

Rebounding is obviously so vital to success but also, looking at our offense these past two games, it seems like our offensive schemes revolve around screens to open up quick backdoor cuts or quick passes swung around to find an open shooter. The problem is none of our bigs are scoring threats in the paint, so their men can sag off them really easily to block these cuts or run out and defend the shot. Even if the small miracle occurs that Haywood/Biz/Diop/Tyrus get the ball on the block, they're so inept at scoring that help defenders have plenty of time to put a body on them and worst case scenario for the D, hack and send us to the line, where our bigs outside of Mullens generally blow.

[Veteran_Picksetter]

You're reading way too much into MKG getting spot minutes at the 4.

I hope you're right for obvious reasons. I want him to be forced to learn the perimeter game. We've been down this road with Felton playing the 2 instead of learning his longterm position.

He's also probably going get a few minutes at the 2. Just Like Sessions will play some 2, Gordon some 1, and Hendo some three. It's just part of natural rotations.

With the current roster, I don't see any realistic lineup where MKG would be guarded by the opposition's 2-guard. Taylor, Carroll, Henderson, Gordon, or Reggie would all draw the smaller wing. Unless we run Tyrus at the Wing, but I seriously hope that is not happening again.

I guess there's always the situation where the "bigger wing" is the better defender on the other team and needs to stop Gordon or Henderson. Then perhaps we could send MKG down on the block to exploit a smaller defender....

[Veteran_Picksetter]

I absolutely agree that the team needs a post scoring, and post defending, big but there's no room for one on this roster for this season. Once Diop and his contract have gone and please God, Tyrus and his contract too (hopefully he can play well enough this season that we can actually work some sort of trade with him involved) then we will have the space.

But there is no proven commodity at the 3. Whoever we bring in absolutely will know that they're keeping the starting spot warm for MKG, but I do think it would benefit him to be coming off the bench. He will need, and get, proper minutes (roughly half the game) so his development won't suffer. I just think it's THE glaring hole in our roster.

I wish we could find a solid combo forward: Someone to push MKG at the 3, but who could also play 4 next to him. That might be too much to ask, though.

[kitch0202]

I wish we could find a solid combo forward: Someone to push MKG at the 3, but who could also play 4 next to him. That might be too much to ask, though.

Fingers crossed Cho can find the guy.

[BrotherDave]

I wish we could find a solid combo forward: Someone to push MKG at the 3, but who could also play 4 next to him. That might be too much to ask, though.

Uh, we've already got Tyrus "mad handles" Thomas. j/k