re: Of the first 34 picks in the 2020 NBA Draft.....

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Our backcourt has looked well the first few games without even NAW playing much. So why would it makes sense to throw Lewis in the mix? f we add any more people to the rotation it should be to help the bigs. If people follow our team they would see this shite instead of sit here and worry about our draft pick because past stats say so.

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Couple things:

1.) In the last two games Eric Bledsoe and JJ Reddick have combined for 19% shooting and 13.6% shooting from three. They have a combined net rating of around -30. Reddick’s -48 net rating over the last two games is only surpassed in its awfulness by Hayes -58 net rating

So I don’t think the rotation can be explained simply by saying our guards have played so good we don’t have any need for someone to come in to pick up the slack. My initial hunch is simply it’s a trust issue, as SVG seems to be a vet centric coach(for good and bad). Worst case scenario is that it is in fact performance related and both NAW and Kira are simply not looking good in practice/camp, which would be less of an issue for Kira but a concerning one for NAW who is already an older player with more college years, but had a full season.

2.) As I mentioned, Hayes has been downright terrible, which begs the question why then haven’t we seen Willy? In the other thread I suggested one rationale may be that it’s political, SVG might not want Hayes to start if this were the playoffs, but Griff and CO want their second year top ten pick to get minutes. The other explanation is again, that it might be performance related, Willy just ain’t good. To which it will be interesting to see what happens with Wenyen back. If he gets minutes immediately it’s pretty clear it is performance related and it would raise some larger questions about Hayes future if he can be easily unseated by a second year journeyman undrafted FA.

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"we are 2-1, our guards are playing great and our bugs suck arse, we have to play the rookie PG now or all else is lost"

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Bledsoe has been "good" in only 1 of 3 games so far, same with Redick. Ball has been "good" in 2 of 3. There's been some opportunity for NAW to play, and I think he will get some run soon. I don't know when/if Kira will get minutes, outside of garbage time.

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We are different than any other team in the league. Its just weird to see the context of the conversation based off EVERY other team or past pick/ stats. Our team is different, new, and has a lot to figure out. If we had issues at PG/ SG then ok. If we needed help at that position then ok. If we aren't letting our starters gell together then ok. But our PG/ SG rotation has been playing well and our big issues are at backup 3,4, and 5. So why should I give a frick about what is going on with 29 other teams and their draft picks or base that for my argument?


I really like Kira Lewis and I would also really like to see him play. I'd also really like to see us win and our starters get going. But playing him doesn't help our current roster issues. So saying every other team is playing their guys while we are struggling at other positions and building chemistry is a pretty shitty argument honestly.

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blah blah blah, we are different. that's a bunch of bullshite.

This is the stupidest argument you could make. So we already have good players so no need to play the rookie and see if he's any good?
Do you think that every other rookie in the history of the nba never had what appeared to be better players ahead of them in the offseason?
Did you really say that playing a rookie doesn't help our current roster issues? What if NAW or Kira show they can play 20+ mpg and contribute in a positive way, do you not think that helps the roster, even with a crowded backcourt? Do you not think we could upgrade our frontcourt by trading a backcourt player?

i've given examples in the other thread of guys getting minutes behind good players. WHen you have a player worthy of getting NBA minutes, they get them, regardless of who's ahead of them on the depth chart. That's never really an excuse. It may be an excuse as to why they aren't playing as much, but not an excuse to not play at all. Mo Bamba is the perfect example for this in Orlando, team trying to make the playoffs the last few years, with a plethora of big men, yet they still find the time to get their rookie minutes. And you know what, if Mo Bamba was really good, Aaron Gordon or Vucevic wouldn't be on that team anymore. but i'm sure you'll give me the "he's not a pg" excuse to get rid of that one.

Langford didn't play last year until the 25th game for Boston's crowded backcourt. Carson Edwards, 2nd round pick, was playing 12+ minutes a night to start the season for the Celtics. Payton Pritchard, the 26th pick this year, has played in all 3 Celtics games, playing 20mpg, while Edwards is back on the bench, and so is Waters, while Kemba is out until January. Does that not tell you a lot about Edwards and Waters, that Pritchard is getting so much run with Kemba out? That doesn't mean Pritchard is going to be good, but he's obviously shown from the get go that he at least has shown something to make the coaches play him and see what he can do.

OG was playign from the 1st game, and was starting by game 13 his rookie year as the 23rd pick. They had DeRozan, CJ Miles, Norman Powell, Siakam, Ibaka, all ahead of him to take minutes at the 2/3/4 postion. They drafted Bruno Caboclo 3 years earlier at the same position, with the 20th pick, yet he played 8 games his rookie year, then 6 the next, and 9 games the next year. OG shows up as the 23rd pick playing game 1 and becomes a starter after 13 games, and Norman Powell came off the bench and got his minutes reduced from the previous season b/c of OG.

and i say all of that and we don't have enough info yet to come to any real conclusions on anythign yet. We'll know more in a month or two.

There isn't any excuses. We are 3 games into the season with a new coach and he is trying to figure out starting rotations before throwing in rookies and end of roster spots. Does that make sense? You whole basis of the argument is that we have to do this because teams with different coaches, players, and FO's have done it in the past.

Once again let's wait a while but you bringing up these examples and bullshite because we haven't started a rookie 3 games into the season is beyond premature. Its worse that you decline to take into reason that we have a new coach, players, and essentially FO. If that's an "excuse" in your opinion then you are stupid or choose to be ignorant.

It's not an excuse b/c it doesn't matter what system you run, what new players you have, or if you have a new coach, when you are talented enough to play, you play. That's why i bring it up.

and i agree, we will wait to see what's happening in about 15-20 games from now.


I do think the biggest concern with this team currently is the bench, mainly the bigs. We should not expect Wenyen to be a savior, but we hope he is. I think we need to play more small ball, meaning NAW and Kira, as well as Thornwell, should get some run instead of Melli and Hayes at this point. And that's if we are assuming Hernangomez and Magnay or worst than Hayes/Melli.


It also still pisses me off that we traded away the 22nd pick, and didn't make a 2nd round pick.
We could have very easily moved up to get Maxey, or Precious, or Bey. What's the point of having Thornwell and Hernangomez on this team over a draft pick? Maxey is playing more than Thybulle is in Philly already.

I get why it is upsetting. I see Lewis and NAW as our backcourt of the future. If they can't play now, then we are in serious trouble later in the season. We have little to no depth and one major injury kills us. Redick and Bledsoe are older players. Its expected they are going to miss time eventually..

I get your point but we need to be more worried about winning games and our starters performing or the end the season won't matter anyway. We can't start rookies 3 games in because JJ may get hurt on game 70.

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We can't start rookies 3 games in because JJ may get hurt on game 70.

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WHy do you have to say "start"?
This is why arguing with you is pointless.
It's like you're incapable of being reasonable.

Why couldn't you just say the accurate statement, "we can't take minutes away from our core players so our lone rookie can get experience in case jj may get hurt on game 70"


Why is Tyrese Maxey playing ahead of Thybulle in Philly, and getting minutes with their crowded backcourt and playoff team with a new coach?

No one has said to start Kira and Naw.

The discussion is about(in part) why it is neither of them have found a way on the court despite the struggles our current guard rotation has had.

You’ve offered a contradictory explanation for this to go with dickish commentary: we need to stick to the current guard rotation despite performance issues for synergy purposes, we need to break up the current big rotation with a UFA to improve performance, and have proceeded to get irate at people disagreeing or pointing out the contradiction.

Reddick has had one good game, but in that scenario you think it insane we should even discuss why our second year guard or first round pick hasn’t seen some action, then, when it comes to Hayes performance you’re all like, yeah, I hope we can put in that second year UFA on a one year contract to maybe help alleviate performance issues....Which is what people are discussing about with our guard rotation.

Is it possible that the core players (BI, Zion, JJ, Zo, Hart) lobbied to play extended minutes to start the season off as a sort of tone setter and a way to play themselves into shape?

The assumption seems to be this is an SVG/front office pushed thing but what if it's coming from the vets/young vets?

This team really struggled in the bubble and maybe some of the guys wanted to flip the script on that ending and not have a carryover effect of that poor showing.

I, also, keep remembering there are 10 less games this season. That does lessen the margin for error fringe playoff teams have to mess around this year. Any extended losing streaks can derail any potential playoff chances.

Idk. Devil's advocate commentary...