TideCPA

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I see this as more of a response to Kentucky dropping a massive, desperation bag for Freeman. Fielder is more of a 4.

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He'd be a fine 4 offensively, but not sure he can guard really athletic 4s. That's why I'm saying it'd be interesting to see him paired with Garrison. One might play the 5 offensively and 4 defensively and vice versa.

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Drew Fielder will visit tomorrow. That would be a great pickup

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Would make the 4-5 rotation interesting. He's pretty much a drop-in Sherrell replacement, but rim protection becomes an issue. Wonder if you'd basically flex Garrison out at the 4 defensively and count on all the extra wing size to help at the rim.

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I definitely think we should add another 4, but if Oats doesn't trust Jemison at the 4 he shouldn't keep him around and Allen certainly has the size and defensive ability to play there.

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Agree on Jemison, though he's got a lot of work to do to be able to defend the paint. Allen would never stay if we planned on playing him at the 4, and I wouldn't blame him a bit for leaving if we did.

Unless Oats thinks we can stretch Bristow and Garrison out at the 4 (and that they'll be competent enough shooting the ball to play there), I think we have to go get someone.

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Allen has to be the plan at PG, and he could do it. Could you imagine his draft stock as a PG with his size? We could easily sell him on that, plus a healthy NIL, to keep him.

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Either that's the plan or we are pretty certain he's gone. It's one or the other.

I'd still like a dynamic 4 though.

An Allen/Samuels/Cloer/Jemison/Garrison lineup is intriguing. Plenty of offense and a lot of size/switchability defensively.

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Yeah, I’m pessimistic about the portal because the costs for sure-things, drop-in and flourish players is just too high.

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The other thing that has to be a nightmare to manage are these mid-to-late first-round type guys who may or may not come back depending on draft grade (Philon last year, Allen this year). You either assume they leave and use up all your funds, risking them going elsewhere if they decide to come back, or you hold some in reserve hoping to lure them back and risk them staying in the draft, leaving you undermanned and underspent on the roster.

So we're set at the 5. Now need a dynamic 4 and a couple guards.

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It’s gonna be close

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Not sure what would lead anyone to this conclusion. We haven't won a PL match since December 28. A draw or two to close out the next few weeks won't save us from relegation.

Yeah, that will never happen. The US will play along to some degree with the EU when it comes to their chief export, which is asinine regulations. You think China is going to do that? :lol:

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Freeman and Dak would be decent starters. Really need depth though.

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Freeman and Dak would kind of replicate that Bediako/Clowney look from 2022-23. I like that a lot. Add in Jasper Johnson and our potential starting 5 would be very similar:

- Johnson ~ Jaden Bradley (young creative guard with good size and defensive upside)
- Holloway ~ Mark Sears (veteran scoring and creative guard with great 3P shot, minus defender)
- Allen ~ Brandon Miller (NBA caliber creative wing who can score from deep or get to the rim, tenacious defender, good rebounder)
- Freeman ~ Noah Clowney (well-rounded 4 who can score at multiple levels and rebound and defend multiple positions well)
- Dak ~ Bediako (long, rim-protecting 5 who provides a lob threat on offense and is a major defensive disruptor in the lane)

I like Phillips a lot. I think this represents a bit of a change in thought on roster construction. IMO we’ve been far too enamored with how guys project from 3P range and have focused on maximizing shooting, which has come at great cost to physicality and defense.

5 blue collar guys with 4 who shoot 30%+ from deep is more ideal than 5 dudes who shoot 35%+ from deep while getting bullied around the gym.

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What sucks about losing Sherrell

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May not be gone just yet.