You guys, I think we need to pay Lonzo

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Lonzo is not a ballhandler.

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Some people gotta rewatch Chris Paul.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

Some people gotta rewatch Chris Paul.

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I just cannot for the life of me understand how people are still so invested in Lonzo.

I could get it if it was like, a sort of nonchalant ''yeah keep him if it's a budget deal'' thing, but there are still so many people - on Twitter and a few on here - who are somehow still passionately in favour of giving him a multi-year deal on significant money.

What has he shown to earn that? Very very little. There are still people who talk about him like he's this PG savant and a lockdown defender, when neither of those things are close to true.

I’m not sure what this team is building (and I have little confidence the front office does either), but Lonzo is a talent that will get paid, and for good reason. If we don’t pay him that’s fine, I just hope we find a way to get something for him. I see him as a positive on this team as he gains confidence with the talent around him. He has already come a long way from when he first got here, and he is still young enough to continue to develop with the staff on hand.

Lonzo has clearly checked out because he doesn't want to play for that bum head coach but whatever people going to see what they want to see. And the era of losing good players due to scapegoating them for SVG has begun. We'll lose BI and Zion next then Jaxson. All for a bum coach and GM. This sucks. I hate this.

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Originally Posted by HoustonPelicans

Lonzo has clearly checked out because he doesn't want to play for that bum head coach but whatever people going to see what they want to see. And the era of losing good players due to scapegoating them for SVG has begun. We'll lose BI and Zion next then Jaxson. All for a bum coach and GM. This sucks. I hate this.

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You are so right...what ever you want to see, you will see.

There is no appetite for reality in some folks' worlds.

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Originally Posted by HoustonPelicans

Lonzo has clearly checked out because he doesn't want to play for that bum head coach but whatever people going to see what they want to see. And the era of losing good players due to scapegoating them for SVG has begun. We'll lose BI and Zion next then Jaxson. All for a bum coach and GM. This sucks. I hate this.

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I think this is much more insulting to Lonzo than just thinking he's a more limited player than his Stans believe.

The situation you describe here is a situation in which a career losing player, racked with injury concerns, can't even be bothered to play hard for the final 15 or so games of the year in a contract year because he's in a bad mood with the coach.

That's arrogant, unprofessional, egotistical, and insulting to his teammates, some of whom - whatever the end result is on the court - are clearly playing hard.

If that's who you think he is then I don't want him on the team for any price.

Luckily, I don't think this is true. Lonzo seems to be a decent guy who plays hard much of the time and works on his game and gets along with his teammates. He's just very flawed as a player: that's much more forgivable than the situation you outline.

Lonzo is just a bad investment. Let the Knicks pay him. He is a classic shoulda woulda coulda been Knicks player. Same as his dad’s mouth, overrated and overhyped.
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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

I just cannot for the life of me understand how people are still so invested in Lonzo.

I could get it if it was like, a sort of nonchalant ''yeah keep him if it's a budget deal'' thing, but there are still so many people - on Twitter and a few on here - who are somehow still passionately in favour of giving him a multi-year deal on significant money.

What has he shown to earn that? Very very little. There are still people who talk about him like he's this PG savant and a lockdown defender, when neither of those things are close to true.

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The lock down defender narrative is by far way more egregious that PG savant. He constantly gets cooked, fouls, and never gets set to jam a ballhandler.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

I think this is much more insulting to Lonzo than just thinking he's a more limited player than his Stans believe.

The situation you describe here is a situation in which a career losing player, racked with injury concerns, can't even be bothered to play hard for the final 15 or so games of the year in a contract year because he's in a bad mood with the coach.

That's arrogant, unprofessional, egotistical, and insulting to his teammates, some of whom - whatever the end result is on the court - are clearly playing hard.

If that's who you think he is then I don't want him on the team for any price.

Luckily, I don't think this is true. Lonzo seems to be a decent guy who plays hard much of the time and works on his game and gets along with his teammates. He's just very flawed as a player: that's much more forgivable than the situation you outline.

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Exactly. To be fair I don’t buy that he’s given up. Lonzo is just mentally weak at this point in time. I like the guy, and boy I’d love him to be the player he can be, but that light is not clicking. He is a bonafide risk at this point in time.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

The lock down defender narrative is by far way more egregious that PG savant. He constantly gets cooked, fouls, and never gets set to jam a ballhandler.

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The biggest two things standing in the way of him and being a legit lockdown defender, in my mind:

1) Footwork; it's bad. Constantly gets himself off balance when defenders on the perimeter, causes slow recoveries. Sometimes he sees a play far enough in advance to recover from the bad footwork and make a play on the ball anyway because he does have very good anticipation, but he's almost always fighting his poor feet.
2) Flat out cannot navigate a screen. Just can't do it. You can't be an on-ball guard stopper when you can't deal with a screen at all. When you die on them as often as Lonzo does, you are forced off-ball because putting you in a PnR as a defender basically concedes the defense the screen and forces the big into trying to defend both guys every single time and it's not fair on the big at all.

Lonzo has good hands and good anticipation and reads passing lanes well, so off-ball he can be pretty good, but on ball it's just not a reality for him right now.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

I think this is much more insulting to Lonzo than just thinking he's a more limited player than his Stans believe.

The situation you describe here is a situation in which a career losing player, racked with injury concerns, can't even be bothered to play hard for the final 15 or so games of the year in a contract year because he's in a bad mood with the coach.

That's arrogant, unprofessional, egotistical, and insulting to his teammates, some of whom - whatever the end result is on the court - are clearly playing hard.

If that's who you think he is then I don't want him on the team for any price.

Luckily, I don't think this is true. Lonzo seems to be a decent guy who plays hard much of the time and works on his game and gets along with his teammates. He's just very flawed as a player: that's much more forgivable than the situation you outline.

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He's literally being taken off of the ball for frigging Eric Bledsoe. Call it what you want, but that's downright horrible. I don't blame Lonzo for not going all out for a coach that has consistently disrespected him with his decisions all year long. It's not just Lonzo, the entire team has completely checked out on SVG. Lonzo has shown hes a very good player. The rest of the league knows. Go all out for the last 15 games for what? This team ain't going nowhere at all with SVG and Griffin

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Originally Posted by HoustonPelicans

He's literally being taken off of the ball for frigging Eric Bledsoe. Call it what you want, but that's downright horrible. I don't blame Lonzo for not going all out for a coach that has consistently disrespected him with his decisions all year long. It's not just Lonzo, the entire team has completely checked out on SVG. Lonzo has shown hes a very good player. The rest of the league knows. Go all out for the last 15 games for what? This team ain't going nowhere at all with SVG and Griffin

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Let the rest of the league pay him then. Don't want that level of disrespect on the team.

Like I said, you can criticise the end results for a lot of players, but there's no denying that Ingram tries hard and puts effort in. There's no denying that Kira or Jax or Naji or Zion are trying hard. Whatever mistakes they make, they're trying.

If Lonzo Ball thinks he's too good to try, and he's beyond those guys, he can pack his bags and get on the next plane to Chicago for all I care.

Luckily, I don't think that's the case: he's just not that good. He should be taken off the ball in the halfcourt by almost anyone because he is not even remotely capable of running half-court offense. Flat out.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Let the rest of the league pay him then. Don't want that level of disrespect on the team.

Like I said, you can criticise the end results for a lot of players, but there's no denying that Ingram tries hard and puts effort in. There's no denying that Kira or Jax or Naji or Zion are trying hard. Whatever mistakes they make, they're trying.

If Lonzo Ball thinks he's too good to try, and he's beyond those guys, he can pack his bags and get on the next plane to Chicago for all I care.

Luckily, I don't think that's the case: he's just not that good. He should be taken off the ball in the halfcourt by almost anyone because he is not even remotely capable of running half-court offense. Flat out.

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One day you will learn that it is a player's league. Like I said, Lonzo isn't the only player that has checked out. He's the one thats being disrespected and you think he should just go all out just because. These players ain't going for that crap anymore.

Lonzo has shown he's a good player. He developed a midrange jumper, a bank shot, improved his handle. Just to come into the season and be used as if he's some role player when he is currently the 3rd best player on the team. He went all out all season. I don't blame him one bit for checking out. You're comparing him to rookies and 2nd year players. Naji literally just got off the bench 2 weeks ago, of course he's going to go all out. If we lose Lonzo just know that it won't be a good look, whether you like him or not.

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Originally Posted by HoustonPelicans

One day you will learn that it is a player's league. Like I said, Lonzo isn't the only player that has checked out. He's the one thats being disrespected and you think he should just go all out just because. These players ain't going for that crap anymore.

Lonzo has shown he's a good player. He developed a midrange jumper, a bank shot, improved his handle. Just to come into the season and be used as if he's some role player when he is currently the 3rd best player on the team. He went all out all season. I don't blame him one bit for checking out. You're comparing him to rookies and 2nd year players. Naji literally just got off the bench 2 weeks ago, of course he's going to go all out. If we lose Lonzo just know that it won't be a good look, whether you like him or not.

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Lonzo is having the best year of his career precisely because he is being limited in his use.

You ask Lonzo to be a 'real' halfcourt point guard and you get failure. Because he is terrible at doing that thing. He's producing the best, most efficient play of his career being used as a roleplayer because - to the surprise of nobody who has actually watched the games - he is a roleplayer. He's not some star: maybe one day he'll figure out all of his problems and turn into one, but right now he isn't. Just flat out isn't.

''He went out all season'' if him starting the year with 6 weeks of 40/32/58 is going ''all out'' then that's even more of an insult.

I'm comparing him to rookies and second year players because his production is on that level right now. If you have a problem with that, why not hit him up and tell him to stop playing like garbage?

I don't care what is a ''good look'' for social media, I care about having a fun and successful basketball team. If Lonzo's ego is in the way of that he can take a hike.

I want players that want to be here. It’s why I love Hart. I still don’t want to over pay to keep hart but I love his style of play. If Lonzo gave what Hart does I’d be happy to keep him and pay him.

Let. Him. Walk.

If they have to start next season with a Kira/NAW back court, I have much more confidence in that than Lonzo/Bledsoe, Lonzo/NAW.

If they want to tank these final games to try and land Moody, I'm fine with that too.

There just needs to be massive change in this back court situation.

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Originally Posted by luckyman

Let. Him. Walk.

If they have to start next season with a Kira/NAW back court, I have much more confidence in that than Lonzo/Bledsoe, Lonzo/NAW.

If they want to tank these final games to try and land Moody, I'm fine with that too.

There just needs to be massive change in this back court situation.

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Amen.

Whatever your take on Lonzo, whatever your take on Bledsoe, it's inarguable at this point that starting those two is not viable. Some change has to be made to our guard play, that's just not something that can be disputed, and it hasn't been disputable for a long time.

Ok, I’m officially on the let Lonzo walk bandwagon. Especially if he and his agent are demanding $18-20M a year.

You cant "demand" a contract. Especially as a RFA. You get what someone is willing to pay you. And I have never believed that there is a team out there that will offer 20

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Originally Posted by MichaelMcNamara

You cant "demand" a contract. Especially as a RFA. You get what someone is willing to pay you. And I have never believed that there is a team out there that will offer 20

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I hope you are right.

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Originally Posted by luckyman

Let. Him. Walk.

If they have to start next season with a Kira/NAW back court, I have much more confidence in that than Lonzo/Bledsoe, Lonzo/NAW.

If they want to tank these final games to try and land Moody, I'm fine with that too.

There just needs to be massive change in this back court situation.

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Since we are trying to change the mood and play nice; I'll play along.

Respectfully, I know I am in the minority (Heck, I might be the only one), but, I can't, for the life of me, see what everybody else seems to see in Kira. I'll admit that he's "lightening fast" from base line to base line, but it's what he does in between the two end-lines that I find lacking. It takes more than jackrabbit-speed and quick hands to play basketball in the NBA.

He's a 20 year old, 6'3'', string-bean who is at least two or three seasons away from a a 34 minute a night starter in this league. How can Pelican Fans who are worried about losing Zion's loyalty to this team, and rightfully so, possibly entrust the keys to the team in Kira's hands, as early as next year? It's baffling!!!

And just so you don't get the wrong idea, I have no interest in retaining Lonzo. This team needs to identify a competent veteran point guard in free agency, or a trade, to lead this team and teach these young 'uns how to compete in the NBA.

For the team's sake...
For Zion's sake...
And most importantly, for Kira Lewis, Jr's sake...

....DON'T RUSH HIM!!!

Kira wont be the starter next year and the team doesnt want him to be.

The answer, to me, if Zion is going to be more of a lead playmaker is a NAW/Ingram backcourt. Now, you need a multipositional defending forward who can knock down the 3 and you got a solid lineup. Getting that guy, of course, is the hard part. But that is the path.

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Originally Posted by MichaelMcNamara

Kira wont be the starter next year and the team doesnt want him to be.

The answer, to me, if Zion is going to be more of a lead playmaker is a NAW/Ingram backcourt. Now, you need a multipositional defending forward who can knock down the 3 and you got a solid lineup. Getting that guy, of course, is the hard part. But that is the path.

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I always did want to see BI moved to the 2, but NAW at the 1? YIKES!!

I believe that there are times in a game when a competent point (apologies to Zion) is a necessity.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

Since we are trying to change the mood and play nice; I'll play along.

Respectfully, I know I am in the minority (Heck, I might be the only one), but, I can't, for the life of me, see what everybody else seems to see in Kira. I'll admit that he's "lightening fast" from base line to base line, but it's what he does in between the two end-lines that I find lacking. It takes more than jackrabbit-speed and quick hands to play basketball in the NBA.

He's a 20 year old, 6'3'', string-bean who is at least two or three seasons away from a a 34 minute a night starter in this league. How can Pelican Fans who are worried about losing Zion's loyalty to this team, and rightfully so, possibly entrust the keys to the team in Kira's hands, as early as next year? It's baffling!!!

And just so you don't get the wrong idea, I have no interest in retaining Lonzo. This team needs to identify a competent veteran point guard in free agency, or a trade, to lead this team and teach these young 'uns how to compete in the NBA.

For the team's sake...
For Zion's sake...
And most importantly, for Kira Lewis, Jr's sake...

....DON'T RUSH HIM!!!

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Perhaps your expectations are completely out of whack for a lead guard that entered the league at 19. What I see is a very young guard that has shown flashes of controlling a half court offense. He's made the lobs, the PnR pockets, the left handed corner whips. He obviously can draw extra defenders on a drive. He's scored on all 3 levels without looking awkward.

He's shooting 35% in limited minutes from 3 his rookie year and looks comfortable shooting. Chris Paul shot 28% his rookie year and did not look comfortable shooting.

Defensively he's got work to do off-ball and how to handle screens according to the scouting report. However, when in position, his def fg% is now 45.3% (slightly up from the 44% it was a week ago). That's not horrible by any means. Better than Bledsoe's 48%.

So while I never said they should go into next season with Kira as the starter, I wouldn't be nervous about it either. IMO he is nowhere near as behind as you make him out to be. At all.

But so far, this team has whiffed on every vet guard they've brought in.

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Originally Posted by luckyman

Let. Him. Walk.

If they have to start next season with a Kira/NAW back court, I have much more confidence in that than Lonzo/Bledsoe, Lonzo/NAW.

If they want to tank these final games to try and land Moody, I'm fine with that too.

There just needs to be massive change in this back court situation.

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I am totally on the Moody bandwagon. He’s the perfect 3&D this team currently needs.

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Originally Posted by DaFranchise80

I am totally on the Moody bandwagon. He’s the perfect 3&D this team currently needs.

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Big Moody fan.

Depending on where we end up picking, I'd be very into Moody, Franz Wagner, and Corey Kispert all as options.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Big Moody fan.

Depending on where we end up picking, I'd be very into Moody, Franz Wagner, and Corey Kispert all as options.

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I like Kispert’s game also.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Big Moody fan.

Depending on where we end up picking, I'd be very into Moody, Franz Wagner, and Corey Kispert all as options.

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I been on the Moody bandwagon for a hot minute.

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Originally Posted by HoustonPelicans

Lonzo has clearly checked out because he doesn't want to play for that bum head coach but whatever people going to see what they want to see. And the era of losing good players due to scapegoating them for SVG has begun. We'll lose BI and Zion next then Jaxson. All for a bum coach and GM. This sucks. I hate this.

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To me, Bledsoe's comment that he did not pay attention during the final timeout of regulation shows how little this team thinks of SVG. I do not think he has the respect of the players.

The question with Ball is that of value. What can we do with the savings of letting him walk. If we can improve the team more with that money than with keeping him, we should do so. If not, they should re-sign him and go from there. I see something in the $18 million a year range as his sweet spot. Even if the Pels renounce Ball and Hart and release Gabriel, they will likely not be able to create enough cap space to get a player for that amount in free agency and fill the roster with anything other than league minimum players. At that level or less, his contract is still a tradable one and not an albatross.

I see no value in keeping a guy who is going to hinder the development and playing time of the young kids like Kira and NAW. Both Bledsoe and Ball needs to be unloaded this offseason and the FO needs to stop playing games and build the roster around Zion asap. The time you have to sit and wait to move him is another season of mediocrity. Take the L and sign guys like Otto or Hardaway Jr and call it a day.

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Originally Posted by PELICANSFAN

The question with Ball is that of value. What can we do with the savings of letting him walk. If we can improve the team more with that money than with keeping him, we should do so. If not, they should re-sign him and go from there. I see something in the $18 million a year range as his sweet spot. Even if the Pels renounce Ball and Hart and release Gabriel, they will likely not be able to create enough cap space to get a player for that amount in free agency and fill the roster with anything other than league minimum players. At that level or less, his contract is still a tradable one and not an albatross.

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The issue is that people always think like this in the single year.

Think about Asik - this was the logic in keeping him. All we would have had is 3 mil to replace him so you have to keep him when you think of it in the context of that one seaeon. But then future seasons came up and we would have had some flexibility if he wasnt on the books.

People get so worried about losing a guy "for nothing" but there is always opportunity costs gained and future flexibility that is more possible.

I have been trying to teach people this for years but stop thinking about it as losing a guy and instead imagine he was never on the team. Would Ball be a top option you went after this year to pay big money and take minutes feom other young guards and flexibility away in future years? Of course not. Always reverse your thinking and the answer becomes clear because you remove fear and bias

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Originally Posted by MichaelMcNamara

The issue is that people always think like this in the single year.

Think about Asik - this was the logic in keeping him. All we would have had is 3 mil to replace him so you have to keep him when you think of it in the context of that one seaeon. But then future seasons came up and we would have had some flexibility if he wasnt on the books.

People get so worried about losing a guy "for nothing" but there is always opportunity costs gained and future flexibility that is more possible.

I have been trying to teach people this for years but stop thinking about it as losing a guy and instead imagine he was never on the team. Would Ball be a top option you went after this year to pay big money and take minutes feom other young guards and flexibility away in future years? Of course not. Always reverse your thinking and the answer becomes clear because you remove fear and bias

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No one here needs to to "teach" us anything as if your opinion is all that counts. Stop being so condescending. My point is that if he is better as an asset, you keep him and use his contract as such. I believe you made a similar comment just a few weeks ago about a contract at that amount is very moveable in today's NBA.

If you could get Ball at $16-$18 million or a much lesser player at a lower salary due to being a below the cap team, I would choose Ball and use his contract in a larger trade later if needed.

And if there's no takers for him? Then what?

That last play in regulation was one of the biggest Lonzo brain farts. Also he took a very early 3 pt shot when we were up. I thought his bb IQ was higher

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Originally Posted by Snarly

And if there's no takers for him? Then what?

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we took bledsoe....im pretty sure lonzo can be traded in the future..

Lonzo at $16-18MM is logical. Looking at the guys making that amount right now, Bertans, OG, Fultz, Adams, Aaron Gordon, Capela, Harris, Issac, Levert, Rubio, Rozier, Turner, Bogdan, Bledsoe. If you can get Ball to agree to that deal, you can find a team to take that deal if it doesn’t work out for him here in NO.

An argument for a guy should never be "there are some other overpaid guys, so we can have one too. And if he dorsnt play well, then we can probably get off his contract"

Again, you guys are having faulty logic because you think of him as already here and him leaving as losing him for nothing. If he were never here, you would not have him as a top 10 guy in this market you would give up that money to.

SVG must be compensating for not having coached in a bit. Whatever he is doing is not only failing, but it is extreme (given his defensive tendencies). He was brought in to deal with less mature guys and if anything the play has become even more void of discipline. I am just not sure what is going on. I hear Ingram studies film and wants to get better but he has had anything but an all-star season. Bledsoe should not be on this team and the front office made mistakes getting bound with his salary. I just don't see SVG staying after this season and he might be quicker to resign and retire before he gets the heave.

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Originally Posted by Lee2000

I hear Ingram studies film and wants to get better but he has had anything but an all-star season. Bledsoe should not be on this team and the front office made mistakes getting bound with his salary. I just don't see SVG staying after this season and he might be quicker to resign and retire before he gets the heave.

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I really don't understand this weirdness around Brandon Ingram with some of yall. It's just weird. Many of his numbers have increased vs the all-star year last year.

Outside of the Knicks game, just had a 3-game stretch of 32/6/5 on shooting splits of 48/39/96. Yes he has some bad shooting nights but so have many other wings. Devin Booker went 9-24 last night. Jayson Tatum a horrendous 3-17 in a bad loss last night. This is just an odd, grind-it-out year for players. Ingram has been comparatively pretty damn good.

Now also apply this odd year to a young with with a new coach. Just because Bledsoe has been horrible doesn't mean the entire team has checked out. Defense for young teams with new coaches are often bad even in normal years with full off-seasons.

So what's happening this year is not unexpected and sure isn't some reason for SVG to quit.

You might be right, but this team is not performing as expected. That sounds like front-office talk. I have generally thought SVG was a good coach and the situation in New Orleans is not a true reflection. Bledsoe is 30 years old and should know better. I do believe he will tell the media what he wants to tell them but body language does speak. Maybe Ingram's numbers have improved, but the overall look doesn't reflect that. The loss of games in the last minutes, the choice making. I don't know.

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Originally Posted by luckyman

I really don't understand this weirdness around Brandon Ingram with some of yall. It's just weird. Many of his numbers have increased vs the all-star year last year.

Outside of the Knicks game, just had a 3-game stretch of 32/6/5 on shooting splits of 48/39/96. Yes he has some bad shooting nights but so have many other wings. Devin Booker went 9-24 last night. Jayson Tatum a horrendous 3-17 in a bad loss last night. This is just an odd, grind-it-out year for players. Ingram has been comparatively pretty damn good.

Now also apply this odd year to a young with with a new coach. Just because Bledsoe has been horrible doesn't mean the entire team has checked out. Defense for young teams with new coaches are often bad even in normal years with full off-seasons.

So what's happening this year is not unexpected and sure isn't some reason for SVG to quit.

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By the way, you can state your case without having to put down others who don't share you views. I am perfectly ok to take responsibility for my views and don't mind being wrong. But I wouldn't say I am weird about it.

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Originally Posted by MichaelMcNamara

An argument for a guy should never be "there are some other overpaid guys, so we can have one too. And if he dorsnt play well, then we can probably get off his contract"

Again, you guys are having faulty logic because you think of him as already here and him leaving as losing him for nothing. If he were never here, you would not have him as a top 10 guy in this market you would give up that money to.

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But he is here, and he does have chemistry with the team, and that isn’t a bad contract. Him leaving frees up more money for us to do what? He isn’t some dinosaur like Asik who is two generations too late, he is a talented player who has made steady improvements to his game.

You move on from him, you get those mins and cap space to do what you want, what are you expecting? More playing time for Bledsoe, and cap space for another Favors/Adams/Bledsoe trade?

Chemistry based on what? He threw a few lobs?

He has a good month or so every year and that gets the optimists juices flowing. But he has had 4 years now of overall below average play. If he was the 26th pick in the draft and played EXACTLY the same over the first 4 years, would you be advocating for 16-18?

Of course not.

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Originally Posted by Lee2000

By the way, you can state your case without having to put down others who don't share you views. I am perfectly ok to take responsibility for my views and don't mind being wrong. But I wouldn't say I am weird about it.

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Read it again. Read it twice. Nowhere in anything I typed, did I say YOU are weird. I said some of the takes on this board around Ingram are weird, and they are. I gave a few numbers to illustrate what I meant to support that.

Lots of players lose games in last minutes. Did you see Giannis with Milwaukee last night? I almost felt bad for him because that was not pretty. Ingram has also won some games with big shots recently.

This team has lots of issues to sort, but Ingram isn't one of them.

And to be clear, I'd say 90% of this team's issues are in the back court. NAW provided some stability as far as a level of play, even when his shot wasn't falling.

Him going down with that ankle might have been the nail in the coffin.

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Originally Posted by luckyman

And to be clear, I'd say 90% of this team's issues are in the back court. NAW provided some stability as far as a level of play, even when his shot wasn't falling.

Him going down with that ankle might have been the nail in the coffin.

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NAW isn't the answer, my friend, but I'll certainly agree with you; he isn't the problem.

Great breakdown of Lonzo's game vs the Knicks. The 3 and D role is just not it. If you know basketball it's obvious.

https://youtu.be/nEPH0U0vqls

You dont build a scheme around an average to below average player - to make him the best he can possibly be. You do that for stars. I mean, I am sure there are ways we can make Adams look much better, but you dont make that a priority.

He has failed in numerous opportunities, in different roles. And if he showed ability to be as great as this guy thinks he can be in those moments when he was playing other ways, a coach would bend over backwards to design a team around him. But I guarantee you he will never be the player this guy seems to think he can be and the blame will always be on someone else. Like there is some great talent underneath it all and there is a conspiracy to hold him back

It was brought up by someone on Twitter earlier (can’t recall the persons name, and want to give them credit), but just as Zo left his man for that 3, BI also left his man (who was on the 3pt line). Neither of those guys weren’t prepared for Bledsoe’s brain fart.

Perhaps Zo’s best option is to leave for a system that knows how to use him. Van Gundy hasn’t bounced around the league so many times because he knows what he is doing with players. It’s either ditch Van Gundy or roll with the young talent we have. The two can’t coexist.

Regarding MM’s comment:
“He has failed in numerous opportunities, in different roles. And if he showed ability to be as great as this guy thinks he can be in those moments when he was playing other ways, a coach would bend over backwards to design a team around him. But I guarantee you he will never be the player this guy seems to think he can be and the blame will always be on someone else. Like there is some great talent underneath it all and there is a conspiracy to hold him back”

I am not sure if that’s describing Ballor Van Gundy. Perhaps it’s discussing them both.