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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 3, 2023 23:49:25 GMT -5
Story is excellent defensively, especially his range. But, his arm strength was bottom quarter of the league, so his short stops days maybe numbered. Also, Marcelo Mayer should be given the keys to the cornerstone position, not punted to second base. He'll have the arm strength, and assuming he's what we think he can be, he should play his entire damn career at Short Stop for the Red Sox. He needs to not be kind of ass at AA first though. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 3, 2023 21:38:53 GMT -5
Don I don't disagree about Horford, just pointing out without a complete change to the offense it won't be the massive upgrade it should be. The Unicorn standing at 3 point line floor spacing for the Jays isn't some huge upgrade. I don't think Unicorn is a bad defender, there's a massive difference though in can anchor your D to what the Unicorn is. Like I said it can work, it just requires massive changes with a young inexperienced coach who was in way over his head last year. Holiday is 33 years old, which limits your time. I'd look at this much differently if he was younger. Nevermind I'm a huge advanced stat guy. This is what I see per the stats. An older Holiday struggles against good D in playoffs to get to basket and becomes more of a jump shooter in playoffs. Where his 3 point percentage tanks. Heck even in regular season his percentage of shots at rim has gone down for 4 straight years. Now I'll admit I don't know if this is athletic decline or more to do with Bucks offense. The ideal guy for us is age 29 Holiday, over 30% of his shots at rim. Last four years, 33.7%, 27.9%, 22.2% and 19.4% last year. Last four playoffs 32.9%, 22.4%, 17.0% and 10.6% last year. Last four playoffs 3 point shot percentage 29.4%, 36.5%, 33.6% and 49.4%, for a guy who's well below average from distance in playoffs. It causes his true shooting percentage to tank. We don't need another guy just jacking up 3 point shots in the playoffs. While shooting 32%, 30.3%, 31.6% and 28.6% last year playoffs. He is much better than Smart from mid range, but so was Brogdon. His stats against teams like Celtics and Heat just aren't good, the exact teams we need hin to step up against. I truly hope I'm wrong and it's more what the Bucks did than athletic decline. Even his dunks have gone from 20 to 30 a season to single digits. Yeah I'm worried. It's not just big man depth either, who's your 6th man? What's your playoff rotation? Pritchard, Horford and Hauser? I love Pritchard, it's certainly not ideal if he's your 6th man. That's a problem with this move, if made earlier you keep Grant and that bench looks a lot better. I'm not trying to be negative, it's just what I see. I really worry by the time our coach figures this out Holiday is Horford and well past his prime. A guy like Lillard could have produced in the system you ran last year. I really wonder if Stevens builds teams for his coaches or ones he'd want to coach and he could do well with. The Porzingod isn't simply a 3 point shooter though, he can score at mid range, he can get to the rim because he's surprisingly agile and he knocks FTs. Sure if you just tell him to stand beyond the arc that's not going to help the Jays, but then that's on coaching and that is the area I'm afraid of. We need Joe to not just run an "open wide everyone" offense. I'll check Holiday more often this season for obvious reason, but everytime I watched him last year he looked absolutely fine. He did not look like an old player, he didn't move like an old player. Athletic decline is possible, but IMO it hasn't been a thing for him. And on the 6th man, I agree that this team lacks depth. However, look at the main 6 players. They all can score. You can have 2-3 of these guys on the court at all times and the offense shouldn't drop. I guess I'm saying we don't need a high volume scorer bench player, there's too much offense already. I'm worried about health, but honestly it's not Timelord and Smart never had any injury issues. I would like to see Brad another big so we're never at risk of Kornet Time. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 3, 2023 11:21:18 GMT -5
You could end games last year with Horford, Tatum, Brown, White and Brogdon, Horford shot almost 45% from 3 last year. You had the 4th best offensive in the league and the 4th best D. The issues in playoffs were as much coaching as the player mix. To make this mix work and I do believe it can, you need to insert a system like the 2018/2019 Celtics, but add in going into the post. That wouldn't be an easy task for a veteran coach that was darn good and that's not what we have. Let's be real our coaching was a huge problem and now you're asking him to change everything and go win a championship. Yeah I have major doubts and the problem with Holiday is your window is short. The Unicorn isn't close to a Robert Williams type defender, he's not even close to prime Horford. I have to say given some of these comments people are going to be surprised. He was a much better fit playing next to Horford and Williams at PF than playing center and anchoring your D. Brogdon is probably a better offensive player than Holiday, major upgrade on D. It doesn't make up for losing Robert Williams who might have been the leader in defensive win shares per minute over the last two years. The only way you are better on offense is by playing team ball 100%. Let's be real, as much as we bitched about Smart, the issues run much deeper. Coaching and years of the Jays being influenced by players like Irving and Walker. 2008 worked because those guys were older and put the team first, not individual stats. Last year was the same thing, Brogdon will fix everything, HR type move. Sure this team will be good during the regular season, that was going to be the case no matter what was done. To be better in playoffs, it's about coaching and the Jays changing the way they play, back to that early run before they spent years working on iso heavy offense. You play the way you did last year, I don't see a better team. I see a team that lost depth, it's best defensive player and a new PG who has really sucked the last two years in the playoffs. Nevermind the Unicorn is likely to miss a ton of games, now with no depth behind him. I respect your opinion umass, but there are some things I want to point out here. First, Al Horford is really goddamn old, he should NOT be in the closing line-up, save for injuries. We saw him last season completely gassed at the end of games. You really need to limit his minutes. Second, you're underrating The Porzingod's defense. He's a big body who can guard the paint, he adds real size that the Celtics haven't had in forever. Sure Timelord is a better defender than him, but The Porzingod is solid out there, he won't be a black hole and his offense is miles ahead of Williams and Horford to the point it is not even funny. Third, you're REALLY underrating Holiday. Brogdon is NOT a better offensive player than Holiday when you consider that Jrue is also a true floor general. You have long wanted for the team to get a real PG, there, they got a real PG. The real issues IMO right now are a severe lack of depth at the big man spot, which is honestly IMO more due to not retaining Grant than Timelord, and coaching questions because I don't think anyone is sold on Joe. Brad seems to be though and Brad was a fantastic coach, so maybe he sees something there. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 2, 2023 11:19:30 GMT -5
Then with Holiday, it obviously a wait and see. You did just basically trade 4 first round picks for a 33 year old PG that the Bucks traded because he sucked in the playoffs the last two years. While trading our best defensive player on a team built to win with D. Only way that is a HR trade is if they win a championship. BTW he can opt out after this year. Which could be good or bad depending on what happens. Jrue Holiday is overall a much better defender than Rob is though. I think you're overrating Timelord a bit here friend, especially considering he's not a tall guy and that he relies on jumping and his knees could be toast. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 1, 2023 17:37:09 GMT -5
Cowboys going for it up 28 late in the 3rd. Stay classy Mike McCarthy!
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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 1, 2023 17:33:10 GMT -5
Is tank talk too soon? If the Patriots end up with a high pick, they're taking a QB. I can't see them being top 5 and sticking with Mac for another year, even if he's not the biggest problem. Zappe is coming in, Bill had enough of Mac. This is officially tanking season. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 1, 2023 15:29:50 GMT -5
Bring in Dwight Howard as the 3rd big? I'd do that in a heartbeat. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 1, 2023 14:17:24 GMT -5
Josh Allen having a very "I'm the best QB in the league" game is SCARY.
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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 1, 2023 14:13:51 GMT -5
Oh my f*cking God this absolutely devastated me. I'm a sucker for a knuckleball and watching Wake pitch was like a baseball version of a D&D session with a very unnatural character. He was a nerdy dream, a misadjusted dream, truly one of us. Stuff that couldn't be possible, but somehow was.
Rest in peace Wake. You will be missed.
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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 1, 2023 14:10:48 GMT -5
This team just got eminently more watchable. I very much agree with you friend, but one thing giving me pause is that Joe Mazzulla is the coach. There is a non-zero chance he'll have White running point and Jrue as a wing. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Oct 1, 2023 11:53:24 GMT -5
I'm not sure about this one. Timelord is an incredible player, but he has major durability issues. Brogdon was probably as good as gone. Jrue is a fantastic player and a terrific defender, so that on a vacuum would make it a good trade. However, there's absolutely 0 depth in the frontcourt now, Horford is probably better suited for a team ambassador role at this point in his career. You better pray to god that The Porzingod's health hold up well.
The closing line-up of Jrue, White, Brown, Tatum and The Porzingod is one of the best line-ups, on paper, of all time in this league, bar none. Lot to like and a lot to dislike. We'll see. Huge fan of Jrue though, so I'm pending GOOD TRADE.
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 28, 2023 21:59:11 GMT -5
Bring back John Farrell!
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 28, 2023 16:34:22 GMT -5
I'm assuming that's the Chandler Jones video? Terrifying what is happening to him. Also - you're probably right on head injuries but, given his history with altering substances, not sure we can come to an absolute conclusion on that (caveat - i'm in NO WAY an expert on such things so mine is pure conjecture) Yep, the video and the tweet where he accused Josh McDaniels of killing Hernandez. Scary stuff. Truly sick. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 28, 2023 13:50:30 GMT -5
Bros, football is TRULY bad for your head.
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 27, 2023 23:57:55 GMT -5
Himmelsbach reporting that Boston will, indeed, look into trading for Holiday. Don't see it happening, but man I would absolutely LOVE that. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 27, 2023 13:53:36 GMT -5
Milwaukee - They had to make Giannis happy and this will. They'll have to play differently w/o Jrue (or find a player that can do what he did) but I don't know if they are definitively worse (though it could easily turn out that way). Phoenix - They've been trying to move Ayton and their return under that framework was decent Portland - They are the biggest ? mark but it largely depends on what they do with Holiday. Not sure he fits into their plan but the salary was needed so ?? That the biggest prize is a pick in 29 that is unprotected was a smart move. The rest is (mostly) trade mechanics (Ayton swapping in for Nurkic is probably a plus as well - at least in pure talent). But the Bucks lose BIG on defense, the Suns downgrade from Ayton to Nurkic (who's a borderline JAG at this point) and the Blazers get two pieces that will keep them from fully TANKING while also not being true cornerstones. Also I agree with your reasoning, but I absolutely HATE when teams do trades to keep a player happy, that's a poor way to evaluate talent and roster construction. I think the fringe guys save this trade for the Suns, Allen and Little are good depth pieces. For the Blazers, they can get a decent return for Jrue, not unlike how the Wizards got for Chris Paul. For the Bucks, I guess you pair a dominant big man with one of the best shooting guards ever, so that's always fun. And Miami gets boned in the process. I'm warming up to the trade. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 27, 2023 13:33:18 GMT -5
Ah yes, the rare superstar trade that somehow manages to make every team involved worse. Don't get it for the Bucks, don't get it for the Suns and I truly don't get it for the Blazers.
Unless the Blazers are able to flip Jrue for a good return. Honestly I think I like Jrue more than Dame lol.
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 27, 2023 0:22:31 GMT -5
Kai Jones may be trying to crazy his way out of Charlotte, take a flier on him if he hits the market I don’t know man, he’s doing TOO good of a job convincing people he’s crazy that he got me believing that too. We could do without the distraction. Cole Anthony, on the other hand, would be a savvy move if we think Brogdon is an injury liability. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 26, 2023 18:50:45 GMT -5
This would be really funny and also, subsequently, terribly painful when somehow the return for Soto is an Alex Verdugo level player who then actually develops into a star. Verdugo could be a star like Benintendi once made a random All-Star game, but I don't see much past that. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 25, 2023 14:50:35 GMT -5
Not just from the alleged crotch hit I think it was actually Kendrick Bourne who accidentally hit Sauce in the nuts. EDIT: saw a different angle and yeah it was Mac, cheap shot. He needs to either stop doing that or to get out of the league. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 22, 2023 13:51:06 GMT -5
Bolded is simply untrue. BA and FG both have them top 5. Pipeline and ESPN have it mid. Law hasn't updated. That's a pretty big distortion. Oh sorry then, I stand corrected. I thought publications weren't as high on the farm system. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 22, 2023 13:37:26 GMT -5
I think we are going to be picking higher than 13. I would love to get Alt or Marvin Harrison. But Harrison is very likely gone before pick 4. So Im all in on Alt. I know this is unlikely, but there's a non-zero chance that Harrison end up as the first overall pick. He's just ridiculous and you never know what could happen to Caleb Williams. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 22, 2023 12:57:52 GMT -5
They were never ever going to win 90 games a year for the past four years and rebuild the farm system with the budget given. Wasn't realistic. But that was my point earlier, people's opinions on how Bloom did largely depend on what each group believes realistic expectations were for this stretch of time. But the farm system is still mid, according to most major publications, and he has given big contracts to Story and Yoshida which LOL. While it's hard to quantify his job in win percentage due to the amount of variables, the roster construction is pedestrian at best and honestly we shouldn't settle for pedestrian. His approach was turning us into the MLB equivalent of the Indiana Pacers. Kind of too good to tank, too bad to win. Irrelevant is the word. |
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 22, 2023 12:30:31 GMT -5
Not the positive people think it is with this ownership group. Averaging 90 wins or better (.555) would've likely kept him on. yes living up to an absurdly unrealistic expectation would have kept him on but what is the point of saying that How the hell is that an "absurdly unrealistic expectation"? |
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Post by Don Caballero on Sept 21, 2023 18:12:44 GMT -5
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