Leonard at the 2..How would it transform the Spurs offense?

[SAGirl]

The problem is Lee is our 1st big off the bench. He really needs to shape back in form to earn that. But by default he is. And Bertans body is not mature enough for big minutes at the 4. Situational, yeh sure, but as a standard rotation? No. I really wish we dial Brown and ask for one of Sixers bigs for Anderson/Simmons/picks. Heck, even Grant can play PF. Or Bjenica or Dieng from the Twolves. We are short one decent big. And we let JaMycal Green go, and now he is starting for the Grizzlies. Which makes me think Joel Anthony has a shot.

Kind of agree with everything. I don't think Anderson is up for trade though not right now anyways but maybe at some future point. I feel like right now Spurs have been raising him as a child through this journey and don't fully yet know what they have bc he's young and they could afford to bring him in slowly in a vet team. This season they will know for sure.

I think Spurs regret letting Jamychal Green go though. Bertans might see some time but I see what you are saying he ha to prove himself too an His health and endurance for the whole season, but he may help...

[YGWHI]

So, you want your best Curry defender (Kawhi will have to switch between Durant and Klay) on the bench? Nope!

Barring injuries, the starting lineup would be the same all season, with Parker, Danny, Kawhi, LMA and Pau.

But at some point you can use Kyle as point-forward and exploit Pau's passing game with a bigger size lineup Danny/Kawhi/Kyle/LMA/Pau...I'd like to watch it.

[SAGirl]

Can a larger size lineup with Kawhi, Kyle-Davis, LMA, and Pau counter small balls teams?

It seems like Pop's willing to play mad scientist experimenting with lineups until find the answer.


He can exploit the mismatch that he creates attacking smaller defenders.

Davis is a 4. I don't expect him to play on the wing unless there are injuries.

Anyways, I saw in the review they experimented with a 1-3-1 zone for some parts of the game.

Kyle's legnth and instincts are helpful in a zone, remember the Mavs game he ended up with 5 steals. He deflected a lot of passes. Anyways preseason is the time for speculation and experimentation so this is perfectly fine. It's too bad we didn't see it.

[apalisoc_9]

Lol..Im not suggesting starting Kyle.

Groce.



Simply a few stretches in minutes where Kawhi plays the 2 and Anderson the 3...

[tbdog]

Kind of agree with everything. I don't think Anderson is up for trade though not right now anyways but maybe at some future point. I feel like right now Spurs have been raising him as a child through this journey and don't fully yet know what they have bc he's young and they could afford to bring him in slowly in a vet team. This season they will know for sure.

I think Spurs regret letting Jamychal Green go though. Bertans might see some time but I see what you are saying he ha to prove himself too an His health and endurance for the whole season, but he may help...

I agree, Spurs are not making any trades. It is a little too early. We have 4 legit big man on the roster, not counting Anthony. The last time we had 4 bigs was the 2011-2012 season, where we had Duncan, Blair, Bonner and Splitter. We ended up nabbing Diaw on the deadline, but man what an awful big man rotation. And we obviously survived and went on that huge run before the backdoor sweep against the Thunderefs.

[kobyz]

With the roster we have Simmons should start over green!

[Russ]

Putting Leonard in the backcourt might cause him to be more engaged, more of a leader.

Right now, the Spurs lack leadership. That's a death sentence in the NBA.

[cd98]

Spurs going with a big lineup of Kawhi and Anderson would force a two guard to handle either Kawhi or Anderson in the block or force a double team. Even if you aren't high on Anderson, he has proven that if you stick a small player on him, he can post up and score at will. I think it depends mostly on whether the rest of the shooters on the court can punish a double team. Most teams don't have two small forwards that can guard those two.

[cd98]

What would be interesting is to see if Murray could bulk up and post up PGs on the block. Then you could have a less athletic, but longer version of Harper, Pippen, and Jordan who used to victimize front courts in the 90s. Sure, Anderson isn't Pippen, but he's got long arms and good enough handles and passing skills to post and pass out of a double team. Kawhi could fit the Jordan role, even if he isn't Jordan. And if Murray could get them something on the block, it would punish point guards like Curry who would have no where to hide.

[dabom]

Anderson post up and score on a smaller defender.

Recipe for disaster in the playoffs if you expect fathead to score.

[J_Paco]

Putting Leonard in the backcourt might cause him to be more engaged, more of a leader.

Right now, the Spurs lack leadership. That's a death sentence in the NBA.

Did Manu and Tony die or something?

The Spurs have more than enough veterans (Danny, Patty, Pau, Tony, Kawhi, Lee & Manu), so leadership won't be in short supply.

Kawhi at the 2 and Anderson playing the 3 is redundant, plus Anderson needs to start playing the 4 position. The longer Pop waits (IMO) the more likely Anderson fails in San Antonio and possibly in the NBA.

[dabom]

Lol at anyone actually thinking he is gonna be a major liege for the Spurs in the playoffs. This team goes as far as kawhi lma Manu Patty takes us. And how little Tony hurts us. . And health.

[dabom]

Murray hasn't even played one NBA game and people already expect him to post up players.

[J_Paco]

Lol at anyone actually thinking he is gonna be a major liege for the Spurs in the playoffs. This team goes as far as kawhi lma Manu Patty takes us. And how little Tony hurts us. . And health.

Not sure if you're referencing me, but I don't have much faith in the ability of Anderson. His skillset and IQ are overrated by some posters especially when he does nothing at an elite level or has any overwhelming positive trait (except maybe passing).

He'll never be a competent SF in the NBA with his complete lack of athleticism. Maybe he could have survived 20 or more years ago, but not in today's NBA with all the cutting and movement. He has a better chance (IMO) playing a combo forward role (while guarding the bigger forward) like Boris Diaw, Thaddeus Young and Draymond Green.

His savvy and "I.Q." could come in handy against secondary PF's, plus it'll allow Manu to defend SF's which he is more than capable of doing. The only issue/question that creates is with Simmons and the backup shooting guard spot.

[cd98]

Murray hasn't even played one NBA game and people already expect him to post up players.

Not this year, but in 2 or 3. He needs to bulk up more, which will take two or three years.

[dabom]

Not sure if you're referencing me, but I don't have much faith in the ability of Anderson. His skillset and IQ are overrated by some posters especially when he does nothing at an elite level or has any overwhelming positive trait (except maybe passing).

He'll never be a competent SF in the NBA with his complete lack of athleticism. Maybe he could have survived 20 or more years ago, but not in today's NBA with all the cutting and movement. He has a better chance (IMO) playing a combo forward role (while guarding the bigger forward) like Boris Diaw, Thaddeus Young and Draymond Green.

His savvy and "I.Q." could come in handy against secondary PF's, plus it'll allow Manu to defend SF's which he is more than capable of doing. The only issue/question that creates is with Simmons and the backup shooting guard spot.

I was referencing the bold above my comment.

Fathead is overrated along with his "passing". His passing is actually his worst trait tbh.

[SAGirl]

Lol..Im not suggesting starting Kyle.

Groce.



Simply a few stretches in minutes where Kawhi plays the 2 and Anderson the 3...

I don't know why ppl thought you said benching Danny...

I guess there are some guys that are always up for the new "bench danny" crusade.

I knew what you meant. I think Pop will experiment bc he has to. Jeezzz with ppl thinking no other wing will get minutes with Leonard when Manu is resting or unavailable. Someone has to rotate in.

The first game of the season the Spurs started Simmons so I think they are evaluating different guys. Simmons is not looking so good right now and that is unfortunate.

[SAGirl]

What would be interesting is to see if Murray could bulk up and post up PGs on the block. Then you could have a less athletic, but longer version of Harper, Pippen, and Jordan who used to victimize front courts in the 90s. Sure, Anderson isn't Pippen, but he's got long arms and good enough handles and passing skills to post and pass out of a double team. Kawhi could fit the Jordan role, even if he isn't Jordan. And if Murray could get them something on the block, it would punish point guards like Curry who would have no where to hide.

Could be a Spurs of the future thing, specially the part with Murray.

For right now, I see exactly what you meant with Kawhi/Anderson tandem. It also means the opponent can't hide their PG and rest him guarding Danny spotting up. (By the way, I don't know if the current Spurs offense this season will feature Danny coming off screens or keeping active. Last season, he spotted to space the floor a lot, which allows his defender to rest, and often the opponent guarded Danny with a PG, knowing he's not going to take anyone off the dribble or shoot over anyone)... With Anderson and Kawhi, they can't do that. It's an interesting pairing. Anderson has to show he's going to survive on defense and that is something he's allegedly worked on in practices (where he's been guarding Kawhi). As Pop said, they are going to push him along this season, it's a natural progression to see him do more and be more involved in what the team is doing if he's not getting token minutes. For his minutes to increase, as Pop said was obvious he needed to do, Anderson has to become more useful with different guys and matches.

[alpha_HaZE]

A lot of things "have happened". A few years back, I remember Parker defending Dirk for a stretch, in a regular season game. This was pre-season, and lots of unusual things happen in pre-season. I suspect it had more to do with Pop wanting to observe KA at the 3, and not Kawhi at the 2.

I don't know exactly what situations you think will benefit from having Kawhi at the 2 and KA at the 3, but if it "happens" in the regular season, it will most likely be from some odd-assed convergence of subs utions and Pop just wanting to throw a different look at an opponent. If it gets more than token minutes during the regular season, I'll be more than shocked. It's an aberration, at best, come the regular season. You and Apo are talking like it's some big thing to watch out for this year.

It's not that Kawhi can't play as a 2 - but it's probably not a good way to maximize his value. But Anderson's speed really limits him as a 3, unless you re-define what a 3 is. I'm not getting into any long-winded discussions about the whole thing, because we aren't going to see it enough to make it worth discussing.

Pop told the media that he wants to give him more time and also find a way to use him, find him a spot in the team so to speak. In the preseason he tried Kawhi at the 2 and Kyle at the 3. We know that both wing positions are interchangeable, but it allows Kawhi to go against a smaller defender, and it worked in the pre-season. There is potential here.

[Solid D]

Lol..Im not suggesting starting Kyle.

Groce.



Simply a few stretches in minutes where Kawhi plays the 2 and Anderson the 3...

I'm not sure if Kawhi and Kyle playing as both wings "barely" happened last season or it was more frequent than that. Danny is such a good defender and rebounder for a wing that he normally trumps what Kyle can bring to the table...but if Danny needs a rest or has foul trouble, that combo can be workable.

Anyway, some people may have thought you meant Anderson "starting" over Danny because you said "For Starters, You can play two bigs, Anderson at the 3 and Kawhi at the 2."

[TD 21]

It would make it worse because they'd lose spacing and teams would still put their best wing defender on Leonard, the same way they put their best post defender on Duncan, no matter whether he was playing power forward or center.

Sure, at times, that would leave Anderson with a mismatch, but it would be like Parker guarding Barnes in the '13 WCSF: If the Spurs fixate on milking Anderson in isolation's, even if he hurts the opposition here and there, in the long run, that's a win for them.

[SAGirl]

It would make it worse because they'd lose spacing and teams would still put their best wing defender on Leonard, the same way they put their best post defender on Duncan, no matter whether he was playing power forward or center.

Sure, at times, that would leave Anderson with a mismatch, but it would be like Parker guarding Barnes in the '13 WCSF: If the Spurs fixate on milking Anderson in isolation's, even if he hurts the opposition here and there, in the long run, that's a win for them.

It's still a reality they have to work with. Manu is 39 and not playing 82 games. He might be on minutes restrictions and I doubt he will be overplayed in close games, OT games and things of that nature.

As I said this is not about "benching Danny" though apparently some thought so. It's about finding a lineup/rotation that is viable when the inevitable Manu rest game (or minor snag) pops up. It may also be an experimental thing at this point, bc Pop already said it was "obvious" Anderson needed to play more, so how they do that, at what spots, etc. may still be up in the air.

In all likelihood, I view it as a contingency plan for now, and I do believe he will be pushed to develop this season. We may indeed see him doing things he wasn't last season, etc.

[TD 21]

It's still a reality they have to work with. Manu is 39 and not playing 82 games. He might be on minutes restrictions and I doubt he will be overplayed in close games, OT games and things of that nature.

As I said this is not about "benching Danny" though apparently some thought so. It's about finding a lineup/rotation that is viable when the inevitable Manu rest game (or minor snag) pops up. It may also be an experimental thing at this point, bc Pop already said it was "obvious" Anderson needed to play more, so how they do that, at what spots, etc. may still be up in the air.

In all likelihood, I view it as a contingency plan for now, and I do believe he will be pushed to develop this season. We may indeed see him doing things he wasn't last season, etc.

Whether they're viable or not, they've put a good amount of developmental time into Simmons. At least in the early Ginobili rest games, he has to play. Murray may be raw, but he's their best prospect since Leonard and they need to get the occasional look at him too.

Anderson's supposedly "obvious" need for an expanded role can come with more minutes at power forward. It's not as if it figures to be difficult to garner backup big minutes.

[TheGreatYacht]

It doesn't matter what position Kawhi plays, as long as it ain't PG

The offense looked terrible and the team scored 14 points in the third quarter

[SAGirl]

Whether they're viable or not, they've put a good amount of developmental time into Simmons. At least in the early Ginobili rest games, he has to play. Murray may be raw, but he's their best prospect since Leonard and they need to get the occasional look at him too.

Anderson's supposedly "obvious" need for an expanded role can come with more minutes at power forward. It's not as if it figures to be difficult to garner backup big minutes.

The obvious was just the reference to minutes by Pop not me. Where and what he does when he plays is entirely up to Pop obviously as well as how well he is playing when he does play. That is still up in the air and preseason games are for experimental stuff we may see later or they may discard if they don't like it. Him passing up 3 pt shots is problematic, so maybe this is to be revisited later, but we saw Kawhi handle the ball a lot, and we saw him with Kyle again tonight.

I don't disagree on J.Simms, in fact I mentioned he started the suns game way back in this thread, and up until this game Dijon had not played a solid/tame game so I wasn't considering him as an option really.