If you were to step beyond this season and look at the likely core of Players that will remain on the roster and try to envision that future core as a Playoff Caliber Team that is built to get beyond the 1st round of the Playoffs ( a mindset that I think we should be taking after this season IF we return to the Playoffs this season ), what role do you think that each Player would best fit?
We know who will be our future Starting PG, SF and Center:
PG - Collison
SF - Granger
C - Hibbert
However, looking at the remaining core of Players that will likely be on the roster ( assuming that we resign McBob and let the Expiring Contracts go ):
AJ / BRush / PG / Posey / Hans / McBob / Inferno / Lance
I think that we have a very solid depth at all positions......but not any real Starters to fill the 2 remaining spots at the Starting SG and PF spots.
AJ - AJ's best suited to be DCs backup at the PG spot. A no-brainer here.
BRush - IMHO, BRush maybe a Starter on a "Bad" to "Playoff Bubble" Team ( basically where we are now )....but on a Playoff Caliber Team....I think that BRush is best suited to be the 1st GF off the bench. To me, on a Playoff Caliber Team....he's not Starting material but a much better option as the 6th Man in our rotation on a really good Team.
Posey - As a smart Veteran GF that can provide some good leadership on the floor ( that won't likely be going anywhere due to the $$ owed to him in the 2011-2012 season ), I think that he'd best fill whatever remaining GF minutes are left behind BRush and next to PG in the GF rotation.
PG - For now; I only see PG playing behind Granger, whatever Starting SG that I think we should get ( assuming that BRush isn't that guy....which I do not ) and BRush in the GF rotation while fighting for whatever leftover minutes that are left for Posey and PG. I'd anticipate AT WORST that next season, PG will be playing next to Posey in the GF rotation ( meaning either of them...but not both....should get 10-15 and AT BEST playing ahead of Posey and next to BRush in the GF rotation. I really hope that he does blossom as a Starter under a new Coach or role...but I think that it will be later rather then sooner ( I hope he proves me wrong in this aspect ).
McBob - On a "Playoff Bubble Team", McBob is a Starter...on a Playoff Caliber Team...he has obvious flaws that will limit his effectiveness. Assuming that we are able to resign him ( which I hope we do ) and seeing how well he has played so far....I really think that he should be the 1st Big Man off the bench to fill the role that Foster should have filled when we were actually a good Team. Offensively, he's still a liability...when he's not doing some Alley-Oop or dunking on someone....but on a Playoff Caliber Team...I think that he'd fill the roll as a 1st Big Man off the bench more then adequately and can ( if injury occurs ) step in to be a good "stop-gap" Starter at the PF or Center spot. To me, McBob has an edge over Hansbrough as the 1st Big Man off the bench.
Hansbrough - Just like BRush, I think that he'd be much better suited to be a rotational Big rather then a Starter. There are some flaws to his game ( as Seth continually likes to point out ), but he's clearly ( at worst ) good enough to be a rotational Player that should get a minimal # of consistent Minutes in the rotation. The question is how well he progresses and how well he does in the next season. For now, I look at Hansbrough ( at best ) next to McBob as the 1st Big Man off the bench but more then likely play behind McBob in the Big Man PF/C rotation.
Inferno / Lance - For now, both of them are inconsequential and in suits.
The reason I bring this is up is because when I started look at the future core how well our Team would fit the mold of being a "Playoff Team and beyond" Team....it gave me an idea about what positions of need we'd have to target to get this Team to the next level.
Thoughts anyone?
What role and position do you think our future likely core of Players will fill IF we wanted to start making a major push for the Playoffs and to try to get past the 1st round?
Right now, McBob and BRush are our Starters...but I feel that if we are to get over the next "hump", they are much better suited to be 6th/7th rotational Players as the "1st GF" or "1st Big Man" off the bench. To me, if we get a taste of the Playoffs...unless PG, Lance and Hansbrough take significant steps forward and they "finally get it"...I think that Bird and Company will be looking more to in "Win now" while looking less on the Younger Players to "get it". This would likely translate into looking to sign either a Starting quality PF and/or a Starting quality SG to fill out the roster. This ( of course ) dove-tails into the whole "Make a run for Iggy or not" thread.
We know who will be our future Starting PG, SF and Center:
PG - Collison
SF - Granger
C - Hibbert
However, looking at the remaining core of Players that will likely be on the roster ( assuming that we resign McBob and let the Expiring Contracts go ):
AJ / BRush / PG / Posey / Hans / McBob / Inferno / Lance
I think that we have a very solid depth at all positions......but not any real Starters to fill the 2 remaining spots at the Starting SG and PF spots.
AJ - AJ's best suited to be DCs backup at the PG spot. A no-brainer here.
BRush - IMHO, BRush maybe a Starter on a "Bad" to "Playoff Bubble" Team ( basically where we are now )....but on a Playoff Caliber Team....I think that BRush is best suited to be the 1st GF off the bench. To me, on a Playoff Caliber Team....he's not Starting material but a much better option as the 6th Man in our rotation on a really good Team.
Posey - As a smart Veteran GF that can provide some good leadership on the floor ( that won't likely be going anywhere due to the $$ owed to him in the 2011-2012 season ), I think that he'd best fill whatever remaining GF minutes are left behind BRush and next to PG in the GF rotation.
PG - For now; I only see PG playing behind Granger, whatever Starting SG that I think we should get ( assuming that BRush isn't that guy....which I do not ) and BRush in the GF rotation while fighting for whatever leftover minutes that are left for Posey and PG. I'd anticipate AT WORST that next season, PG will be playing next to Posey in the GF rotation ( meaning either of them...but not both....should get 10-15 and AT BEST playing ahead of Posey and next to BRush in the GF rotation. I really hope that he does blossom as a Starter under a new Coach or role...but I think that it will be later rather then sooner ( I hope he proves me wrong in this aspect ).
McBob - On a "Playoff Bubble Team", McBob is a Starter...on a Playoff Caliber Team...he has obvious flaws that will limit his effectiveness. Assuming that we are able to resign him ( which I hope we do ) and seeing how well he has played so far....I really think that he should be the 1st Big Man off the bench to fill the role that Foster should have filled when we were actually a good Team. Offensively, he's still a liability...when he's not doing some Alley-Oop or dunking on someone....but on a Playoff Caliber Team...I think that he'd fill the roll as a 1st Big Man off the bench more then adequately and can ( if injury occurs ) step in to be a good "stop-gap" Starter at the PF or Center spot. To me, McBob has an edge over Hansbrough as the 1st Big Man off the bench.
Hansbrough - Just like BRush, I think that he'd be much better suited to be a rotational Big rather then a Starter. There are some flaws to his game ( as Seth continually likes to point out ), but he's clearly ( at worst ) good enough to be a rotational Player that should get a minimal # of consistent Minutes in the rotation. The question is how well he progresses and how well he does in the next season. For now, I look at Hansbrough ( at best ) next to McBob as the 1st Big Man off the bench but more then likely play behind McBob in the Big Man PF/C rotation.
Inferno / Lance - For now, both of them are inconsequential and in suits.
The reason I bring this is up is because when I started look at the future core how well our Team would fit the mold of being a "Playoff Team and beyond" Team....it gave me an idea about what positions of need we'd have to target to get this Team to the next level.
Thoughts anyone?
What role and position do you think our future likely core of Players will fill IF we wanted to start making a major push for the Playoffs and to try to get past the 1st round?
Right now, McBob and BRush are our Starters...but I feel that if we are to get over the next "hump", they are much better suited to be 6th/7th rotational Players as the "1st GF" or "1st Big Man" off the bench. To me, if we get a taste of the Playoffs...unless PG, Lance and Hansbrough take significant steps forward and they "finally get it"...I think that Bird and Company will be looking more to in "Win now" while looking less on the Younger Players to "get it". This would likely translate into looking to sign either a Starting quality PF and/or a Starting quality SG to fill out the roster. This ( of course ) dove-tails into the whole "Make a run for Iggy or not" thread.
Comment