re: Spacing on this team is terrible.

That's why we needed to target DJ Agustin in the offseason

Lonzo just can't be relied on to handle the ball well in the clutch

We are 27th in the league in Catch and Shoot FG%, 28th when they are from three(31%), 25th in the league on wide open threes, and from pretty much every space on the arc we are near the bottom of the league as well, no matter the type of shot.

To climb out we are going to need Lonzo to shoot like he has the last couple games the rest of the season, JJ to get out of his slump, and for others to find a groove more nights than not. Whether that is Bledsoe, Melli, or NAW.

We also shoot a surprisingly high number of tightly contested threes, third in the league. Which seems to be driven heavily by Redick and BI. Which one might argue means they need to take better shots, but I think speaks to how poor our spacing is that they feel these are the only two you need to smother to tank our teams shooting.

At the end of the day this is a personnel issue though, and I am not sure either of our current starting guards are the right fit for this team. But they certainly aren’t the right pair to be complimenting the rest of our team if we have actual championship aspirations in the foreseeable future.

I’ve said it before but to me the ideal unit around Zion/Bi is a rim protecting stretch 5 with a Reddish/Hunter type 3 and D forward that can guard 2-4, and a Brogdon type 2-way combo guard that can effortlessly run your half court or move off ball as a gravity guy and serve as a reliable outlet for someone like Ingram and Zion to utilize when they are the facilitator, but isn’t going to be ball dominate to the point you take away from Ingram’s(and eventually Zion’s) playmaking abilities.

I think you can make it work with Adams but I think that means that long term you need both of your guards to be good floor spacers and individual playmakers. I wish we had been able to move up to take Halliburton like some rumors suggested, but if Kira can become a Sexton/Garland type hybrid(which I think he can based in his skillset) you can certainly win with that if he hits his potential. And ideally you compliment Adams with someone that can stretch the floor and play defense. I’d like to see us find another Daniel Oturu/Christian Wood type of prospect in the latter part of one of these drafts since money will start getting tight. NAW’s a wildcard that more and more I see as a 6th man, not a full time starter, but he could surprise.

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Z is hellbent and focused on fighting through 2-3 guys and never looks to the perimeter. We don’t have the sharpest of shooter but I feel like we’ve shot a high % on open threes - and guys are open out there when Zion has the ball in the post

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Yea, for as much attention as he gets, it's a bit disappointing(but super early) that he averages only 1 assist per game at this point.

I’m not against Adams. The archetype for this is outdated but it’s Griffin/Jordan. It’s nog bad to have an enforcer there when you have a guy jumping as much as Zion.

But those minutes are gonna need to be staggered greatly, and as Bronc said, y all need mucho flexibility on the perimeter.

Another move might be Bledsoe and a pick for Oladipo.

Look I don’t think Adams is bad in a vacuum. And in a young locker room you need old glue guys. But if you’re going to have him out there you need lights out shooting surrounding him and Zion, or exactly what’s happening would happen.

I think if you lose Bledsoe and replace with a shooter, you have enough.

I’d also trade Adams too but I don’t think anyone but presti wants him at that number

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But those minutes are gonna need to be staggered greatly,

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This

But if both dudes are starting the game, starting the 3rd, and finishing while playing 32mpg, they won't be staggered very much.

Adams is one of the most enjoyable dudes to watch and love having him on the team, but it's pretty clear we can't unlock the full potential of Zion with Adams at the 5, and that's a pretty big concern IMO.

I don’t think those numbers bear out. An upper 30s shooter would make worlds difference

They don't need to upgrade Adams. They need a complimentary piece that's reliable unlike Melli. Kira in the starting line up and NAW as a 6th man type of scorer off the bench would solve some of the issues. They need to go into the offseason targeting a long stretch big who can actually hit shots at a relatively high level to solve the spacing issues to close the games. Ingram would benefit from having more space to work with down the stretch.