Joerger's rotations and overreliance on playing the starters is a huge problem. If he couldn't find rest for Zbo and Gasol when we had Ed Davis, James Johnson, and Kosta Koufos backing them up, when will he? Our frontcourt rotation will likely never be that deep or versatile again.

(05-20-2015 11:42 AM)salukiblue Wrote:  If he goes, do you try to move Zbo for more pieces?

If he goes you have to blow it up. Nothing lasts forever and I'd rather suck hard next year and get a great pick than finish 10th and get a late lottery pick.

(05-22-2015 09:58 PM)tiger1016 Wrote:  Yeah...ZBo needs to play less than 30 mins on average during the regular season. The POs are a grind and from game 3 onwards in the conference semis games are played every other day. We need to get our big men rest during the regular season and hopefully develop a decent bench.

Then we need capable back ups.

(05-23-2015 01:20 PM)spankadelphia Wrote:  Joerger's rotations and overreliance on playing the starters is a huge problem. If he couldn't find rest for Zbo and Gasol when we had Ed Davis, James Johnson, and Kosta Koufos backing them up, when will he? Our frontcourt rotation will likely never be that deep or versatile again.

I think Joeger - 1 of only 30 coaches in the best basketball league in entire world - has a firm grasp of his team's strengths and weaknesses and deploys his players in a manner best assuring success.

(05-23-2015 03:51 PM)Rob Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 09:58 PM)tiger1016 Wrote:  Yeah...ZBo needs to play less than 30 mins on average during the regular season. The POs are a grind and from game 3 onwards in the conference semis games are played every other day. We need to get our big men rest during the regular season and hopefully develop a decent bench.

Then we need capable back ups.

We had capable backups in 13/14 and they rarely played.

Hahaha... defeatism lives ... smh

(05-21-2015 02:43 PM)salukiblue Wrote:  

(05-21-2015 02:21 PM)Stammers Wrote:  

(05-20-2015 02:21 PM)salukiblue Wrote:  

(05-20-2015 02:16 PM)Stammers Wrote:  

(05-20-2015 12:15 PM)salukiblue Wrote:  He HAS to do the 1 year. Unless he became paralyzed, he would still make money beyond next year. Getting the max contract AFTER next year will be so much more than what could be offered this year.

Memphis makes the most sense.

1) If he really wants to stay after next season, Memphis will simply pony up and offer the max.

2) If he has designs on going elsewhere, playing at Memphis allows him to maintain his position as one of the best centers. The team's style is built around him and allows him to maximize his strengths. Makes him look his best for possible free agency.

3) If he goes to NY, let's say, there's no guarantee he will fit right into that system. If they are more of a run and gun team, he won't keep up as well. If he gets into the wrong scheme, his flaws can be exposed. Hell, I'm still scratching my head that he was taking fall away jumpers against a 6'7 Draymond Green. Do that ish in NYC and he'll be on blast within a week.

Quote:2) If he has designs on going elsewhere, playing at Memphis allows him to maintain his position as one of the best centers. The team's style is built around him and allows him to maximize his strengths. Makes him look his best for possible free agency.

They get the ball to him and Randolph down low, so in theory yes; in reality, no. The outside shooting is so lousy that defenses push them farther out to receive the ball and the perimeter players sag a lot to help.

Spacing is a horror show. The best way to play to their style is to find someone that can light it up from outside.

I see what you are saying.

I was just noting that, factually, he is considered one of the best right now (perhaps he could be better in a different system) so staying at Memphis should, at the least, preserve his status as one of the best. That should be a "plus" in the "stay in Memphis for one more year" column.

I agree. The thing that I wonder about is why he isn't a better shooter. He obviously IS a great shooter but he should be better statistically. I would have to think that it is because he isn't getting the ball deep enough. I think better guard play and better outside shooting would make it a lot easier for him to score baskets.

Memphis might not be the best place for him, but their philosophy and the way they run the offense certainly showcases him and Randolph. IMO, the way the organization deals with Randolph will have the most bearing on whether or not Gasol stays. Keep an aging Randolph and that spells curtains. Trade him or replace him with an equally important piece (probably at another position) and it will make it much more attractive for him to stay.

His game is completely different from when before Zbo got here.

His first three years, 80% of his shots were inside of 10 feet. Not surprisingly, he shot around 55% from the field his first three years.

The last three years he has taken about 52% of all his shots inside 10 feet and averaged about 48.5% from the field.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not terribly keen on my 7'1 center taking almost half his field goal attempts from beyond 10 feet. Amazingly, almost a quarter of all his shots are beyond 16 feet.

Not to get on another Tarik Black tangent--merely for surprising stats--Tarik had more dunks than Marc this past season: 57 to 56.

That makes perfect sense to me. From the 20 or so games I watch or watch parts of, I always thought that him and also Randolph were getting the ball too far from the basket, and Gasol was taking too many shots from outside.

That spin move 12' from the basket would work like a charm 6' from the basket with no dribbling.

It would be a risk for Marc Gasol, or any potential free agent (not named Lebron James) , to sign a 1-year deal and cash in during the 2016 free agency period.

Guys who have seen their star rise out of nowhere (a la Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green) may want to "strike while the iron is hot". Look at Wes Matthews...he was considered by some to be a potential "market max" free agent - an elite 3 & D guy - out of nowhere! Making $16M per year wouldn't have been totally out of the question (though I still doubt he would've gotten TAHT, even with the cap set to increase). Even so...after his injury late this year, he won't sniff that kind of money. So...holding out is risky!

BUT, proven commodities like LaMarcus Aldridge or Marc Gasol could hold out and PROBABLY be fine. When the cap jumps, a max contract would be 4-5 years and worth close to/ just over $30M PER YEAR! A max contract this season would only be worth approx. $20M. You do the math, that's a lot of money to leave on the table. That almost NEVER happens in ANY sport. Heck, Marc could sign a 1 year max deal here - get $18-$20M - get injured and still be able to get $18-$20M next year after the injury. That'll be seen as a bargain contract for a "star". So, if he can get that either way...why not risk it for the potential $10M per year increase.

I say all that to say this - I think he will sign a 1 year max deal around $18M with Memphis and take one more swing with the current core intact.

In the end, money talks and BS walks. Marc may love Memphis. He may have grown up here and made a name for himself here...blah blah blah. In the end, he wants to win, but he also wants to get paid. He will get paid wherever he decides to go, so the question then becomes - where can he go that allows him to compete for championships. Lucky for us, I think we get another year to prove that he can do that in Memphis!

(05-23-2015 03:51 PM)Rob Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 09:58 PM)tiger1016 Wrote:  Yeah...ZBo needs to play less than 30 mins on average during the regular season. The POs are a grind and from game 3 onwards in the conference semis games are played every other day. We need to get our big men rest during the regular season and hopefully develop a decent bench.

Then we need capable back ups.

Didn't they spend a future first round pick to get that guy who played for Tennesse, who was drafted in the second round? Seems like a bad move in hindsight. Kid had a hell of an SEC tourney and NCAA run but anyone could see he was undersized and not a stretch four.

(05-26-2015 06:02 PM)idroot4russia Wrote:  

(05-23-2015 03:51 PM)Rob Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 09:58 PM)tiger1016 Wrote:  Yeah...ZBo needs to play less than 30 mins on average during the regular season. The POs are a grind and from game 3 onwards in the conference semis games are played every other day. We need to get our big men rest during the regular season and hopefully develop a decent bench.

Then we need capable back ups.

Didn't they spend a future first round pick to get that guy who played for Tennesse, who was drafted in the second round? Seems like a bad move in hindsight. Kid had a hell of an SEC tourney and NCAA run but anyone could see he was undersized and not a stretch four.

We traded a future second to Utah for the 34th pick in a loaded draft. Not a bad deal IMO, even if Stokes turns out to be a bust.

The 2 picks that are hanging around are the reverse protected (!!!) 1st rounder sent to Cleveland (Denver has it now), and the 1st sent to Boston for the Jeff Green deal. Both are potential future lottery picks.

(05-26-2015 06:17 PM)spankadelphia Wrote:  

(05-26-2015 06:02 PM)idroot4russia Wrote:  

(05-23-2015 03:51 PM)Rob Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 09:58 PM)tiger1016 Wrote:  Yeah...ZBo needs to play less than 30 mins on average during the regular season. The POs are a grind and from game 3 onwards in the conference semis games are played every other day. We need to get our big men rest during the regular season and hopefully develop a decent bench.

Then we need capable back ups.

Didn't they spend a future first round pick to get that guy who played for Tennesse, who was drafted in the second round? Seems like a bad move in hindsight. Kid had a hell of an SEC tourney and NCAA run but anyone could see he was undersized and not a stretch four.

We traded a future second to Utah for the 34th pick in a loaded draft. Not a bad deal IMO, even if Stokes turns out to be a bust.

The 2 picks that are hanging around are the reverse protected (!!!) 1st rounder sent to Cleveland (Denver has it now), and the 1st sent to Boston for the Jeff Green deal. Both are potential future lottery picks.

EXACTLY!

It's way too early to give up on Stokes. Even JaMychal Green.

Because we don't have many draft picks coming up, we need to DEVELOP the young players we do have. That means we need to give them minutes.