...to be on this team, who would it be? I got thinking about this last night on the drive home from the game and have struggled with it. Here's my reasoning with my choice at the end:
The 1 - Monte is no brainer here. You add Tinsley or Hornacek and while those are great players, I don't think it helps this team much. Keep Monte at the point and add a player that helps in other areas on this team.
The 2 - With how Matt is shooting the ball and being serviceable defensively even with his bone spurs, I think he can man the 2 just fine. Sure Fred is better and you have guys like Dedric Willoughby that are better scorers, but again, I don't think that helps this team as much as other areas.
The 3 - Starts getting harder for me now. In the end, I've decided that Naz, Nick, and Deonte can be serviceable at the 3. Maybe Naz plays both the 2 or 3, depending on the situation and Nick at the 3. Deonte frustrates me maybe more than any player in recent history..so good then so bad. I think though again, for this team what it really needs is a big, so I keep Deonte in the starting lineup and let him slash and create. He hasn't shown it the last couple games but he has a decent outside shot that teams at least have to respect.
The 4 spot - Now it gets really hard, this team just does not have any high quality big men for both the 4 and 5 spots. This is where Deonte has been playing but again, I just don't see a back to the basket game and all the talk of him being a our best rebounder hasn't panned out either. But...if I add someone like Melvin Ejim or Georges Niang here, the team is certainly better, but is that what would help this team the most? It's so hard for me not to add Georges, probably my favorite Cyclone of all time, but I'm not going to. I guess leave Deonte here with Bowie and Young coming of the bench. Which brings me to the 5..
The 5 spot - In the end I think what helps this team the most is a big guy. I thought about Kelvin Cato here. Would provide shot blocking and altering. Great rebounder. Great energy running the court hard. Would get second chance points and lobs from Monte for most his scoring. So a good choice, heck, Jared Homan here helps this team a ton as well...but I just have to go with Marcus Fizer. The guy was a beast down low and demanded a double team at all teams. That would open up things for the others. Monte to drive and kick, Deonte to slash, Matt and Naz to spot up. He scores in bunches so the others wouldn't have to so much. Mainly thinking about Naz and Deonte taking bad shot after shot thinking they have to do it all. Fizer was a great rebounder as well. Not the best defensive choice I admit but again, tough to choose and I think he would help THIS TEAM the most.
I'm curious what others think. Certainly there is no 1 clear right answer but I found it a fun distraction from the disappointment I'm feeling in this team.
The 1 - Monte is no brainer here. You add Tinsley or Hornacek and while those are great players, I don't think it helps this team much. Keep Monte at the point and add a player that helps in other areas on this team.
The 2 - With how Matt is shooting the ball and being serviceable defensively even with his bone spurs, I think he can man the 2 just fine. Sure Fred is better and you have guys like Dedric Willoughby that are better scorers, but again, I don't think that helps this team as much as other areas.
The 3 - Starts getting harder for me now. In the end, I've decided that Naz, Nick, and Deonte can be serviceable at the 3. Maybe Naz plays both the 2 or 3, depending on the situation and Nick at the 3. Deonte frustrates me maybe more than any player in recent history..so good then so bad. I think though again, for this team what it really needs is a big, so I keep Deonte in the starting lineup and let him slash and create. He hasn't shown it the last couple games but he has a decent outside shot that teams at least have to respect.
The 4 spot - Now it gets really hard, this team just does not have any high quality big men for both the 4 and 5 spots. This is where Deonte has been playing but again, I just don't see a back to the basket game and all the talk of him being a our best rebounder hasn't panned out either. But...if I add someone like Melvin Ejim or Georges Niang here, the team is certainly better, but is that what would help this team the most? It's so hard for me not to add Georges, probably my favorite Cyclone of all time, but I'm not going to. I guess leave Deonte here with Bowie and Young coming of the bench. Which brings me to the 5..
The 5 spot - In the end I think what helps this team the most is a big guy. I thought about Kelvin Cato here. Would provide shot blocking and altering. Great rebounder. Great energy running the court hard. Would get second chance points and lobs from Monte for most his scoring. So a good choice, heck, Jared Homan here helps this team a ton as well...but I just have to go with Marcus Fizer. The guy was a beast down low and demanded a double team at all teams. That would open up things for the others. Monte to drive and kick, Deonte to slash, Matt and Naz to spot up. He scores in bunches so the others wouldn't have to so much. Mainly thinking about Naz and Deonte taking bad shot after shot thinking they have to do it all. Fizer was a great rebounder as well. Not the best defensive choice I admit but again, tough to choose and I think he would help THIS TEAM the most.
I'm curious what others think. Certainly there is no 1 clear right answer but I found it a fun distraction from the disappointment I'm feeling in this team.
