Phalanx wrote:StevensTechU wrote:Guard rotation of Scoot, Brogdon, Sharpe, and Anfernee is very solid. Forward rotation is garbage. Centers are upper tier. I don't expect them to win a lot, but I was fearing a Houston-like dumpster fire season, and I don't think that will be the case.
Grant certainly isn't garbage; the dude scored 20ppg last season. I don't know who starts at the three, but the Blazers haven't had a true small forward for years now. It will probably be Thybulle/Sharpe/ Knox
If Grant could rebound he'd be an All-Star level PF, otherwise he's still one of the best shooting bigs and also has one of the quickest releases in the league. I really don't see the team trading him (or Thybulle) this season, next year sure, but right now it sure sounds like this team is going to try and compete with the team it has.
Thybulle is an ideal 5th option to me because he can hit the 3 and take on the toughest defensive assignment. I don't want Sharpe starting over Matisse because he'd take shots away from other starters whereas on the 2nd unit, Brogdan can set him up to flourish in more favorable situations. I also think when it is time for Sharpe to start, he'll likely replace Ant and the team would then play a heavy 3-man Guard lineup where each pairing can seemingly play off/with one another for their 32/night.
It also sounds Sharpe really has taken on more defensive strides as Chauncey noted how well he was calling out things from the back. Scoot-Sharpe-Thybulle-Grant-Ayton could be our best defensive lineup so long as they can grab defensive boards as a team. This is also the benefit of some lineups where you could take Grant out for RW and know you could control the glass.
I think as far as a steady rotation goes, the only area that's not checked off is whether Toumani Camara takes some of the backup PF minutes away from Jabari Walker that aren't taken by RW. As I've watched some of his film, he's got a tenacity to him on Defense and someone who could be an ideal Thybulle replacement in the future when it is more prudent to move him. Murray is someone who may never be a Star, but could sure become one of those useful role-players on a good team.
Frankly if our Forward rotation was any better, Cronin would already have the Executive of the Year award locked up. As it is, we've got starters who will help the progress of the young guys in Scoot, Sharpe, Ayton and Simons while also having a nice balance of Murray, Camara and Walker fighting for backup minutes along with a steadying presence of Brogdan and Williams.
Now it's up to Chauncey to see what he can do with a roster of guys that can play defense save the 1 flamethrower.