2023-2024 General Game Thread

[TreyMachine 398]

Agreed with the above. If we play like this until the deadline, we're just keeping this team in tact and not trading anyone. Our solution to "how to we get better" is merely "how do we stay healthy" if we go 4-0 or something in these next 4 games. 

[Jon 30]

I’m still looking to trade.

Being healthy has been our issue for almost a decade. It’s been the usual suspects as well. You just can’t rely on them.

Im good with keeping Carter but I still believe we need to get a starting PG who will spread the floor. The defense is very important but if playoffs  and beyond is the goal you have to get a PG who isn’t shy with the outside shot.

[Soul Bro 1,421]

46 minutes ago, Jon said:

I’m still looking to trade.

Being healthy has been our issue for almost a decade. It’s been the usual suspects as well. You just can’t rely on them.

Im good with keeping Carter but I still believe we need to get a starting PG who will spread the floor. The defense is very important but if playoffs  and beyond is the goal you have to get a PG who isn’t shy with the outside shot.

I’m with Jon. Two issues with Kelle: 1. He’s limited in his availability… by being hurt a lot, 2. He’s limited in his ability… by not having an outside shot. If we can upgrade, I believe it’s a must. 

[ball junkie 277]

10 minutes ago, Soul Bro said:

I’m with Jon. Two issues with Kelle: 1. He’s limited in his availability… by being hurt a lot, 2. He’s limited in his ability… by not having an outside shot. If we can upgrade, I believe it’s a must. 

lol Soul …I know you …you live for the trade talk …thrive on it …I’m sure you believe this but since the starting group has only played together 5 games all year I think management will observe closely how these games go until the trade deadline …winning cures all …management is also under pressure to make the playoffs …them and the players have said so …so we shall see 

[CTMagicUK 1,488]

I'm pro trade too... I just don't think Weltman does it if for example we rattle off a stretch where we win 6 of the next 8 games or something.

[OnlyFranz 293]

1 hour ago, Jon said:

I’m still looking to trade.

Being healthy has been our issue for almost a decade. It’s been the usual suspects as well. You just can’t rely on them.

Im good with keeping Carter but I still believe we need to get a starting PG who will spread the floor. The defense is very important but if playoffs  and beyond is the goal you have to get a PG who isn’t shy with the outside shot.

You hit the nail on the head. We can’t keep hoping that the same players who are always injured stay healthy. Even if we miraculously stay healthy for the rest of the year come playoff time this team will struggle in a 7 game series if we don’t have a pg who can reliably stretch the floor and keep defenses honest. We need to get rid of our expiring contracts (Fultz and Harris) and should also include Anthony if necessary to make a trade. I’m tired of management taking the easy route and simply evaluating this team instead of being proactive and addressing the glaring issue this current unit has with our horrible 3 point shooting. 

[CTMagicUK 1,488]

This wasn't a big Anthony Black game at all. But I want to talk about Anthony Black and why being a 6'7 PG is so interesting not defensively but offensively. 

Because Anthony Black is 6'7, and as yet teams aren't super worried about him cooking you off the dribble (that take on Kevin Love was kinda nice though) teams sometimes just switch when he tries to run pick and roll. Which for him could probably be kind of frustrating because he's got nowhere to go, no advantage etc, but from a scheme perspective allows you to do some fun stuff. 

There was a possession in this game I found super interesting that utilized this. Want to say back end of the second quarter.

So this possession starts, AB/Paolo pick and roll. Switched. Paolos guy, a big wing, switches out onto AB leaving a smaller guy on Paolo. We don't go directly to Paolo in the post though. Then we run AB/WCJ pick and roll. Switched again. Now AB has the best defensive player on the Heat, and one of the best defensive players in basketball, on him on the left wing/top of the key area. A horrible matchup for AB, a terrific outcome for us. Bam Adebayo is as far from protecting the rim as he can be guarding our worst offensive player and we have Paolo one on one on the right block with a smaller guy in the post. We swing it to Paolo in the post and I think it ends up in a Franz Wagner corner 3 after a double team if I remember correctly (not super certain, like I say I was so taken back by the process that I kind of didn't care about the result). 

That's really fun, "moving the chess pieces" stuff from our players and coaches. 

[All Eyes On Me 1,213]

Fultz listed as out tonight for injury maintenance . Gary still out. Jett re-assigned to Lakeland. Everyone else should be a go

[Jon 30]

3 minutes ago, All Eyes On Me said:

Fultz listed as out tonight for injury maintenance . Gary still out. Jett re-assigned to Lakeland. Everyone else should be a go

Start Black

[harryfromphilly 75]

I agree start black      But I also have to say how disappointing it is that Fultz is being held out

We got a tease last night of how good this team can be, and now it changed again.

I understand the why, so not angry about it, just disappointing    i wanted to see our starters

on a second and third game back together to get a real sense before the deadline.

[MagicMan1979 107]

You can add me to the list of fans that want a trade.  I’d hate to let these expiring contracts get to the summer.   I want a long term solution at PG that we can get with our many Picks and Expiring Contracts.   Maybe we can keep Fultz coming off the bench?

[All Eyes On Me 1,213]

Yeah, if Fultz’ trade value is just that he’s an expiring and the offers that we get reflect that, and we think we can keep him here cheap and long term as a backup that we don’t have to overrely on, that could be the move. I’m 99% sure the knee tendinitis diagnosis that held him out was BS, I think his TOS flared up hard. When he first came back and was struggling he had his shoulder wrapped up heavy in K-Tape. Last night didn’t look like he had any on and it was easily his best game of the season.