If we lose DeMar next year, I wonder if Pop will move KJ to the 3 and give Luka minutes at the 4?
If we lose DeMar next year, I wonder if Pop will move KJ to the 3 and give Luka minutes at the 4?
That'd be a nice mix of youth and vets if DeRozan leaves. Murray-White-Johnson-Samanic-Aldridge
His 11 FGs highlights
I feel like Luka's time should be 60% at PF, 40% at C
Keldon should split the remaining time at PF with a do-it-all type good size forward similar to Nicholas Batum (ahem Franz Wagner) and majority of his minutes at small forward
48 minutes of PG: DJ (26 mins), White (12), Tre (10)
48 minutes of SG: White (18 mins), Vassell (14), Lonnie (10), DJ (4)
48 minutes of SF: Keldon (18), Vassell (18), Wagner (16)
48 minutes of PF: Luka (20), Keldon (16), Wagner (10)
48 minutes of C: Poetl (26), Luka (12), Eubanks (10)
Last edited by Dejounte; 02-18-2021 at 05:14 PM.
If Luka makes it in the big leagues and he rises to become a starter, it would signal a return to structured basketball (inside out set plays) with Luka taking the LMA role. Luka is at his most effective when plays are run through him, similar to LMA. This means less "Bubble Spurs", so it may hurt some of the play of the young guards. On the flip side, the bubble style of play may have developed the skills of the players enough that they may still be effective in other styles of play.
The future is bright.
Subscribe, tbh.
I'm of the opinion that a certain freedom in playstyle was really good for our young guards, but you also have to have set plays, offensive schemes and dynamics, since those are things you can always rely on when the game slows down and you need to get buckets against good defenses. Right now, it's sorely obvious that our only true "go-to play" is just give the ball to DD and let him go to work, which works to a point now but certainly isn't reliable for the future (not even the immediate future, if DeRozan walks). Still, I don't know yet whether Luka has good BBIQ, good enough to act as a distributor from the high or low-post, which would be a bit of a "must-have" if the team is going to actually run plays through him. So far, he looks much more like a scorer than a distributor, save for a few nice passes.
Definitely way too soon to be worrying about that, though. I'm happy Luka's looking good so far. Thanks as always for all the content, dee-jay.
I agree with your assessment for much of the season so far, but if the last game by the Spurs is any indication, DJ and White are going to be superb shot creators for us. That game wasn't necessarily "give it to DeMar and let him work". If they continue with that, I think there will be less weight on Luka's shoulders and they can slowly bring him in.
Not sure if you saw the game vs the Hornets, I suggest you do if you can. Was absolutely fun to watch.
Also agree with you that that style of play (inside out grind basketball) would be perfect for the playoffs
lol Aldridge will not be back let alone starting and that’s hardly a mix of youth and vets
If DDR stays both he and Keldon should be repatriated back to their natural positions; DDR at the 2 and Keldon as a 3. Luka is nowhere near ready to start at the 4 spot which should be filled via cap space or trade.
Saw his recent highlights. Physically he is gifted beyond most out there but his release on his jump shot and layups all appear too lose. Needs to more control on his touch so he can finesse his finishing with more adaptability.
Did we know Keldon was ready to start at the 4 before the season started?
I doubted him, but feels like Spurs have a plan and are playing long game developing him. With hiatus and games dumped into later in season (more BTB), Spurs may need him in the next few month once G League wraps up.
Even if he tops out as a nice 7th or 8th man, Spurs knocked it out of the park between him and KJ. And if he’s more...
He needs to add more strength and i need to see real desire and passion when he gets back. He had lackluster performances last time we saw him with the first team, can't happen again.
If Spurs loses Demar next season, Spurs will have a difficult time scoring. A playoff team would need at least a star, 2 and more and will be a contender. It’s still too early to say DJ will be that until he proves more this year, that he can carry the team. He has shown great progress. The ideal would be to get the 20/10 FP/C, resign Demar, and hope the rest made great improvements, DJ, Derrick, Keldon, Jakob, Lonnie, Devin and Samanic. That would make as a contender. Hopefully Samanic could back either PF/C depending on the lineup.
Let DDR walk and use the $$ to sign good players or trade him for good players to some sucker. DDR aint worth the money he getting now or will ask for
It's a $ issue. If you want to keep our youth, you can't pay what DDR would likely want, much less add a 20/10 player on top of that.
I agree with some of this, and Luka isn’t ready right now in a perfect world. But the team isn’t winning a le any time soon. I mean we started Forbes not long ago. I’d rather roll out Luka next year then max out John Collins or sign someone like Drummond and waste our money.
When you talk so vaguely it kinda sounds like a plan but when you take a look at who'd actually be available and for what price it becomes difficult. If you don't think DDR is worth his money, do you think someone like Collins for the same price would be?
Yep, exactly. A lot of cap space looks good on the surface but they should be very smart about how they use it unless they're OK being unable to keep some of the younger guys.
I guess that's why I said ideal. It's a goal, however the PATFO do it. They're the one's making millions to sort things out.
Maybe DDR would take a paycut, if it would help sign a 20/10 PF/C. Maybe that 20/10 PF/C would do the same and sign favorably with the Spurs salary cap.
Because if they could sell the idea, that a Demar + 20/10 PF/C + improved DJ, White, Keldon, and Co. = Contender.
Let the PATFO do the math.
I can't see how Lonnie is only getting ten minutes total per game (same as Tre).
It was hard for me to write that either because on the one hand, White needs to be playing about 30 mins a game (because of how much he's being paid if not for his performance), and on the other, Vassell looks like he's the better player. So whose minutes do you take away from to give to Lonnie?
*This is in the event that Keldon slides down to 3
Last edited by Dejounte; 02-19-2021 at 04:52 AM.
Tre and Wagner if we get him. Some of Wagners minutes go to Devin. Franz, at least as a rook, won't get >20 minutes imo, and surely not 26.
I don't see how Wagner and Tre impact Lonnie's minutes unless we slide everyone up and play small again, something like this:
48 minutes of PG: DJ (26 mins), White (10), Tre (12), Lonnie (2)
48 minutes of SG: White (20 mins), Lonnie (24), DJ (4)
48 minutes of SF: Keldon (18), Vassell (30)
48 minutes of PF: Luka (12), Keldon (12), MLE/Draft (24)
48 minutes of C: Poetl (26), Luka (14), Eubanks (8)
IMO, Vassell plays best when he's guarding the 1s and the 2s
Last edited by Dejounte; 02-19-2021 at 06:16 AM.
Like Dirk?
The other Luka is a defender...so if we had him, we would keep him in the G-league too?
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