Not on the same team. Barnes is better.
Castle and Fox look like a bad fit on paper. However, Fox should open up more opportunities for he (and Vassell) to really shine at beating weak side/rotating defenders. This is a big-time work in progress but most of the pieces are here now.
We need a guy who is the stretch 4 hustler archetype. Like Mamu but plays defense, rebounds and shoots better, long story short.
Congratulations
Rookie of the Month!!
Bou-yah! He’d get it, but we don’t know how Fox coming will affect his minutes.
I agree with all of this, just wanted to note:
Fox shot 36.9% on 8 3pa last yr, should have better looks here. Castle's at 31% with the starters, 34.7% since coming back to SL, should benefit from Fox too (and a consistent role).
And that stretch 4 sounds like a Sochan that hits 36-38% of his 3s? Sochan's gone from 24.6% to 30.8% to 32.6%, I'd expect more time with CP3 and Wemby+Fox will get him better looks, maybe gets him up to 33-34% this year.
36+% seems ambitious next season, but 34-35% seems very possible. Big-time work in progress, but I think Sochan may well be that exact piece in 2-3 years, at least on small volume.
& Vic will play a lot above the arch until he bulks up, so we don't really want a 4 hanging out there full-time, someone needs to play in the paint next season and grab O-rebs, Sochan is 30th in NBA in O-rebs. If he ups his 3% by 2-3pts and he is damn close to that guy, at 22 year old.
If Fox or Castle can get to 35% with the other at 33%, Wemby keeps improving (he's 37% after those October games), and Barnes/Vassell shoot their career avgs (38%, 37%) there's no spacing problem with Sochan at 32%, gravy if he improves and the team D could be crazy good.
As for ROY, Castle is at 17.7/4.4/3.8A:2.4 TOs on 46.8/34.7/72.5 on 14.1FGa/4.6 3pa over his last 10games. Fox may hurt the PPG, but should improve the As and %s. ROY is Castles to lose imo.
If it's on small volume, then he won't be a stretch 4 because no one will bother defending him out on the perimeter. In the contemporary NBA, volume has become almost as important as shooting percentages in regards to three point shooting.
As much as I am a fan of sochan, I’ve more or less given up on hoping he’d ever be a stretch four. He’s a hustle guy, he is a versatile defender, he is a great offensive rebounder, he is a decent passer and ball handler for his size, he is a fantastic cutter, and he is surprisingly effective working with wemby despite his shooting, but he will never be an average shooter, let alone a 36-38% shooter.
If he can be a 32% shooter on 4 attempts a game, I’d be ecstatic because he would be a valuable piece on the current spurs team.
He'd be a horrific fit on the Rockets next to Amen Thompson. I bet they would have taken Clingan at 4 had the pick orders been swapped and the Spurs taken Sheppard at 3.
He's been playing ball for like 5 years.
He's been actually shooting maybe 2-3 of those.
He has plenty of time to develop a shot. Most players come into the NBA with 10 years of being "the guy" from little league to college.
Not sure where you're getting this from -- he played youth basketball, his mom was a basketball player, and five years ago he was MVP of the FIBA U16 European Championship.
his dad played at Wake Forest with Tim
I think he was talking about Sochan there, not Castle. If not, my bad.
oh ok my bad
I didn't know. (thx)
That makes his current level and development even more head scratching tbh. He has no excuses, it has to be related to his work ethic or willingness to make the best of his opportunities.
Usually, children of former players have an above average feel for the game.
Question for you guys:
Where do you think Kel'el Ware would have gone last year if he didn't have concerns about his motor and his freshman year wasn't such a disaster? And based on what you currently see out of him, would a double big lineup with Wemby and him work in the future hypothetically? I'm not interested in trading for him or anything, just wanted to revisit the double-big lineup and see if there's any kind of big other than the Naz Reid-Lauri-Cam Johnson big shooting forward types that would fit next to him.
You guys made poor Bill all but apologize for an excellent take and over explain it. But the scars make him beautiful!
Seriously, a player like Ware is exactly what this team is missing. Other than legit starting SF.
Unless we get a KAT-like C who can shoot lights out, we'd be sabotaging ourselves with 2 bigs lineup.
Everyone is going to defend Wemby with long forwards as on-ball defenders. Having another big next to him would just make those matchups natural and easier for opposing bigs to not get exploited.
Get a 6'9-6'11 forward who can shoots lights out and put it on the floor against a close-out and we make it near-impossible for the opponents to defend everything.
Now that we have Fox and Castle who will never be elite shooters, we can't afford to have subpar shooters in forward positions.
Yeah, I agree that the tall long forward who can shoot is the ideal type to put next to him. Let's say for a minute that that type of player isn't available. Do you prefer the 6'7-8" wing type player who can shoot lights out and give up some size and physicality - like a Cam Johnson? Or do you prefer the 7 foot+ 3 point shooting rim protector who gives up a some shooting accuracy and agility to add some physicality and size up front next to Wemby - like a Brook Lopez? Let's assume both of these types of players are available.
Tbh, we have that wing in Barnes.
I'd say I prefer Barnes unless it's a very bad matchup where we get killed physically and can't make it up on the other end.
For example Warriors small ball wasn't about amazing defense in itself, but about running the opposing bigs who could exploit them off the floor.
That should be our end goal, imo. No point in playing any other way now that we have Fox.
I said it many times, I'd be fine with just one high end addition this summer, a starting PF.
Naz Reid, Aldama, PJ Washington and John Collins would be my realistic targets.
1. Jaren Jackson Jr.
2. Jabari Smith Jr.
They can both defend the rim, and shoot the ball, and both will be FAs when we have money in 2026, Smith being restricted, but on a team with many mouths to feed.
Can't say JJJ is untouchable considering what just happened, but he's definitely the most important player in Memphis and will be offered max extension. I don't see any indications that he'd refuse it.
Idk about Smith, he just might be available, but we need someone next season, not in 2025.
Naz and Aldama are FA and they could be moved to the bench later on if a better player comes along.
PJ Washington is also FA in 2026 and will probably want out of Dallas dumpster fire this summer.
John Collins would be the emergency solution if other options fail.
And we're off-topic, btw.
This is what makes a guy like Trey Murphey so perfect, IMO. He's not just a shooter who you can put your big on in the corner, If you did that, Trey has the athleticism and skills to just abuse that big off the dribble every single time. I think someone like Naz or Lauri would be fine, but they don't bring that next level athleticism like Trey does. With that said, I need to stop thinking about Trey because NOP isn't going to ever go for it
I'm actually most intrigued in PJ Washington since the Mavs fiasco happened, if AD wants to play PF, I doubt he'll move to the bench and he's not a natural SF.This is what makes a guy like Trey Murphey so perfect, IMO. He's not just a shooter who you can put your big on in the corner, If you did that, Trey has the athleticism and skills to just abuse that big off the dribble every single time. I think someone like Naz or Lauri would be fine, but they don't bring that next level athleticism like Trey does. With that said, I need to stop thinking about Trey because NOP isn't going to ever go for it
He killed OKC in the playoffs last year, the best defender of that bunch and a very good shooter. Also fills the enforcer role.
We just need Mavs fans to do their thing and for him to ask out.
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