Celticsblog Mock GM Press Conferences: Central Division

[bucknersrevenge]

I think Detroit is obviously the class of the division.  Chicago, though, did some good things with its roster, adding quality vets.  I think they're a playoff team.

Agree on Detroit of course. With all due respect to Steve I still don't Kobe and a collection of bench players beating Cleveland or Milwaukee.

[Roy Hobbs]

I think Detroit is obviously the class of the division.  Chicago, though, did some good things with its roster, adding quality vets.  I think they're a playoff team.

Agree on Detroit of course. With all due respect to Steve I still don't Kobe and a collection of bench players beating Cleveland or Milwaukee.

I disagree about Milwaukee being better than Chicago.  I think you have Chicago at two positions: small forward and point guard.  I like Chicago at every other position, when you take bench depth into account.  Also, as much as it pains me to say it, Kobe is, *by far*, the best player on either team.

I also think Bayless is the best young player on either roster; I think the kid is going to be a star.

[bucknersrevenge]

I think Detroit is obviously the class of the division.  Chicago, though, did some good things with its roster, adding quality vets.  I think they're a playoff team.

Agree on Detroit of course. With all due respect to Steve I still don't Kobe and a collection of bench players beating Cleveland or Milwaukee.

I disagree about Milwaukee being better than Chicago.  I think you have Chicago at two positions: small forward and point guard.  I like Chicago at every other position, when you take bench depth into account.  Also, as much as it pains me to say it, Kobe is, *by far*, the best player on either team.

I also think Bayless is the best young player on either roster; I think the kid is going to be a star.

I like Bayless a bunch and almost drafted him but he's a player without a real position right now. He shows negative pg instincts at this point and not much range on his jumpshot at all. Though he is a plus when it comes to driving the lane and getting contact. But nobody on Chicago is playing any defense save for maybe Kobe which makes almost a certainty he wouldn't be playing much because he's going to have to concentrate all his energy into do EVERYTHING for that team. I think Joe Smith is the only guy on that team that started more than 30 games last year. That team is a sieve defensively no matter how you slice and "best player on either team" or not, there's nowhere near enough talent on that roster to outscore Cleveland or Milwaukee. Sorry not buying it. Then again if you believe Nazr Mohammed is better than Chris Wilcox, or that Joe Smith is a more complete overall player at both ends than Antonio McDyess I doubt I'd be able to change your mind anyway. We're just gonna have to agree to disagree on that.

[bucknersrevenge]

I think the Clippers are better than Dallas and will give Houston a good challenge. What? I thought we were touting our teams? 

So Milwaukee worried about your bench depth? What about TA's health?

I posted earlier that I thought Tony would be ready to go. it took him a while last season to get his confidence up and get going but by the end of the season with that alley I think he was finally just playing and not thinking about that knee. Another full offseason of strengthening and by training camp he's gonna be good to go.

As for bench depth I think we have a lot of depth. It's young depth but it's talented depth but its depth nonetheless. We are after all a young team that's building for the future. Are we ready to contend for a title this year? Probably not. But we're building for the future with talent first.

[Roy Hobbs]

I think Joe Smith is the only guy on that team that started more than 30 games last year.

Qrich:  65 starts
Foster: 52 starts
Wilkins: 31 starts
Knight: 39 starts

Nazr started some games, Quinn did, Wally is capable of starting...  it's not like this team is a bunch of scrubs.

That team is a sieve defensively no matter how you slice

Jeff Foster is an excellent defender, Nazr is pretty good, Knight is good.  Kobe is good-to-excellent.  Smith isn't bad.  The only poor defenders are at the SF position, where both Wally and QRich are terrible.

...and "best player on either team" or not, there's nowhere near enough talent on that roster to outscore Cleveland or Milwaukee. Sorry not buying it.

Points from the starting lineup:  Milwaukee -- 66.0 ppg, Chicago -- 62.3 ppg.  I think Chicago has you in terms of bench scoring (QRich, Bayless, Wilkins, etc.); I'm not sure what you're seeing that I'm not.

Then again if you believe Nazr Mohammed is better than Chris Wilcox, or that Joe Smith is a more complete overall player at both ends than Antonio McDyess I doubt I'd be able to change your mind anyway. We're just gonna have to agree to disagree on that.

I think Nazr + Foster + Bonner is better than Wilcox + Armstrong + Speights

I think Smith + Powe + Abdur-Raheem is better than McDyess + Cook + Speights

You have better starters at those two positions, but in terms of depth, I think Chicago kills you.  Jeff Foster is a *fantastic* player, and I think you must be overlooking him.

[Lucky17]

Detroit's roster, and CFF's last comments on it:

C:  Yao Ming/Jake Voskuhl/Jason Collins
PF: Shawn Marion/Carl Landry/PJ Brown
SF: Hedo Turkoglu/Al Harrington/Steve Novak
SG: Michael Redd/Flip Murray/Gerald Green
PG: Earl Watson/Kyle Lowry/Steve Francis

The way I see it, we are contenders in the East for the next 3-5 years.

I got a slight logjam at PG, and not that many good back-up big guys. Stevie Franchise or Lowry could be available for a good big man.

But otherwise, I think my team is pretty darn good.

Most likely Green, Voskuhl, and Novak (injuries) inactive:

So minutes-wise:

Center: Yao 34, Brown 6, Landry 4, Harrington 4    (gonna play some small ball at times)
PF: Marion 35, Landry 10, Harrington 3
SF: Turkoglu 35, Harrington 13
SG: Redd 35, Murray 8, Francis 5
PG: Watson 28, Lowry 12, Francis 8

Detroit's hopes and prayers hinge on Yao, of course. I don't buy Landry or Harrington as backup centers, even in a small-ball lineup. I'd deactivate Green in favor of Collins or Voskuhl.

PG is also a concern for me. Is Watson capable of leading a team deep into the playoffs?

Clearly though, Detroit is the class of the division.

[indeedproceed]

Roy, Nazr Mohammed is not a pretty good defender, he's awful. he's a guy that can fill up stats but ultimately make your team worse on both ends of the floor. Agree about Foster though.

Brevin Knight is a pretty awful defender too. He just gambles on steals but gets killed otherwise.

[Roy Hobbs]

Roy, Nazr Mohammed is not a pretty good defender, he's awful. he's a guy that can fill up stats but ultimately make your team worse on both ends of the floor. Agree about Foster though.

Brevin Knight is a pretty awful defender too. He just gambles on steals but gets killed otherwise.

I think both Knight and Nazr are underrated.  Nazr, when he puts in an effort, isn't bad at all.  The problem is, he doesn't always put in the hustle that he should.  Nazr outproduced his opponents in Charlotte (in points, rebounds, and FG%, as well as PER), and held both power forwards and centers to a very respectable eFG% below 50%. 

Knight, I don't think is nearly as bad as his critics make him out to be.

[Lucky17]

Chicago's roster:

Nazr/Foster/Bonner
Smith/Powe/Shareef
Wally/QRich/Wilkins
Kobe/Sasha/Bayless/Wright
Knight/Quinn/Jones

Kobe, Jeff Foster, Jerryd Bayless, Nazr Mohammed, Leon Powe, Joe Smith, Sasha Vujacic, Quentin Richardson, Wally Szczerbiak, Brevin Knight, Shareef Abdur-Raheem, Chris Quinn, Matt Bonner, Damon Jones, Antoine Wright, Damian Wilkins

Do I count 16 players?

Glad this was posted, since I had pencilled Milwaukee in as the 2nd-place team. It's a very good supporting cast for Kobe (extra man aside).

The PG rotation is little iffy: can Knight log 30 minutes a night on a consistent basis? SF is a turnstile, but Kobe can take the opponent's best wing scorer. Excellent frontcourt depth: with Powe and Foster behind Mohammed and Smith, Chicago will be very tough inside.

I think it's really close between the Bucks and the Bulls for 2nd, and possibly the last playoff berth in the East.

[Roy Hobbs]

Chicago's roster:

Nazr/Foster/Bonner
Smith/Powe/Shareef
Wally/QRich/Wilkins
Kobe/Sasha/Bayless/Wright
Knight/Quinn/Jones

Kobe, Jeff Foster, Jerryd Bayless, Nazr Mohammed, Leon Powe, Joe Smith, Sasha Vujacic, Quentin Richardson, Wally Szczerbiak, Brevin Knight, Shareef Abdur-Raheem, Chris Quinn, Matt Bonner, Damon Jones, Antoine Wright, Damian Wilkins

Do I count 16 players?

Glad this was posted, since I had pencilled Milwaukee in as the 2nd-place team. It's a very good supporting cast for Kobe (extra man aside).

The PG rotation is little iffy: can Knight log 30 minutes a night on a consistent basis? SF is a turnstile, but Kobe can take the opponent's best wing scorer. Excellent frontcourt depth: with Powe and Foster behind Mohammed and Smith, Chicago will be very tough inside.

I think it's really close between the Bucks and the Bulls for 2nd, and possibly the last playoff berth in the East.

You're right, looks like 16.  I've got to think that either Bonner or Wright gets cut, but I'm not sure what Steve's plan is.

I agree that PG is the weak link, but as Steve said in an earlier post, Kobe is the primary ball-handler anyway.

[bucknersrevenge]

I think Joe Smith is the only guy on that team that started more than 30 games last year.

Qrich:  65 starts
Foster: 52 starts
Wilkins: 31 starts
Knight: 39 starts

Nazr started some games, Quinn did, Wally is capable of starting...  it's not like this team is a bunch of scrubs.

That team is a sieve defensively no matter how you slice

Jeff Foster is an excellent defender, Nazr is pretty good, Knight is good.  Kobe is good-to-excellent.  Smith isn't bad.  The only poor defenders are at the SF position, where both Wally and QRich are terrible.

...and "best player on either team" or not, there's nowhere near enough talent on that roster to outscore Cleveland or Milwaukee. Sorry not buying it.

Points from the starting lineup:  Milwaukee -- 66.0 ppg, Chicago -- 62.3 ppg.  I think Chicago has you in terms of bench scoring (QRich, Bayless, Wilkins, etc.); I'm not sure what you're seeing that I'm not.

Then again if you believe Nazr Mohammed is better than Chris Wilcox, or that Joe Smith is a more complete overall player at both ends than Antonio McDyess I doubt I'd be able to change your mind anyway. We're just gonna have to agree to disagree on that.

I think Nazr + Foster + Bonner is better than Wilcox + Armstrong + Speights

I think Smith + Powe + Abdur-Raheem is better than McDyess + Cook + Speights

You have better starters at those two positions, but in terms of depth, I think Chicago kills you.  Jeff Foster is a *fantastic* player, and I think you must be overlooking him.

That team is gonna get killed by perimeter penetration. Foster for being decent defensively is not a shotblocker. Cleveland is gonna be in their kitchen all night. Milwaukee's best player plays the position their weakest at and breaks down their defense. Tony penetrates all day and Kirk pick n rolls them to death. At the other end Kobe may get his but Tony makes them tough looks with his quickness and if he comes out of games who scores for them. No chance. Kobe would say he is "playing with butter knives" on that team.

[bucknersrevenge]

I think Joe Smith is the only guy on that team that started more than 30 games last year.

Qrich:  65 starts
Foster: 52 starts
Wilkins: 31 starts
Knight: 39 starts

Nazr started some games, Quinn did, Wally is capable of starting...  it's not like this team is a bunch of scrubs.

That team is a sieve defensively no matter how you slice

Jeff Foster is an excellent defender, Nazr is pretty good, Knight is good.  Kobe is good-to-excellent.  Smith isn't bad.  The only poor defenders are at the SF position, where both Wally and QRich are terrible.

...and "best player on either team" or not, there's nowhere near enough talent on that roster to outscore Cleveland or Milwaukee. Sorry not buying it.

Points from the starting lineup:  Milwaukee -- 66.0 ppg, Chicago -- 62.3 ppg.  I think Chicago has you in terms of bench scoring (QRich, Bayless, Wilkins, etc.); I'm not sure what you're seeing that I'm not.

Then again if you believe Nazr Mohammed is better than Chris Wilcox, or that Joe Smith is a more complete overall player at both ends than Antonio McDyess I doubt I'd be able to change your mind anyway. We're just gonna have to agree to disagree on that.

I think Nazr + Foster + Bonner is better than Wilcox + Armstrong + Speights

I think Smith + Powe + Abdur-Raheem is better than McDyess + Cook + Speights

You have better starters at those two positions, but in terms of depth, I think Chicago kills you.  Jeff Foster is a *fantastic* player, and I think you must be overlooking him.

Shareef lost last year to injury. Hell Speights is better than Nazr and Bonner right now walking into the lockerroom.

[Roy Hobbs]

I think Joe Smith is the only guy on that team that started more than 30 games last year.

Qrich:  65 starts
Foster: 52 starts
Wilkins: 31 starts
Knight: 39 starts

Nazr started some games, Quinn did, Wally is capable of starting...  it's not like this team is a bunch of scrubs.

That team is a sieve defensively no matter how you slice

Jeff Foster is an excellent defender, Nazr is pretty good, Knight is good.  Kobe is good-to-excellent.  Smith isn't bad.  The only poor defenders are at the SF position, where both Wally and QRich are terrible.

...and "best player on either team" or not, there's nowhere near enough talent on that roster to outscore Cleveland or Milwaukee. Sorry not buying it.

Points from the starting lineup:  Milwaukee -- 66.0 ppg, Chicago -- 62.3 ppg.  I think Chicago has you in terms of bench scoring (QRich, Bayless, Wilkins, etc.); I'm not sure what you're seeing that I'm not.

Then again if you believe Nazr Mohammed is better than Chris Wilcox, or that Joe Smith is a more complete overall player at both ends than Antonio McDyess I doubt I'd be able to change your mind anyway. We're just gonna have to agree to disagree on that.

I think Nazr + Foster + Bonner is better than Wilcox + Armstrong + Speights

I think Smith + Powe + Abdur-Raheem is better than McDyess + Cook + Speights

You have better starters at those two positions, but in terms of depth, I think Chicago kills you.  Jeff Foster is a *fantastic* player, and I think you must be overlooking him.

That team is gonna get killed by perimeter penetration. Foster for being decent defensively is not a shotblocker. Cleveland is gonna be in their kitchen all night. Milwaukee's best player plays the position their weakest at and breaks down their defense. Tony penetrates all day and Kirk pick n rolls them to death. At the other end Kobe may get his but Tony makes them tough looks with his quickness and if he comes out of games who scores for them. No chance. Kobe would say he is "playing with butter knives" on that team.

Eh...  this gets us more into the "Celticsblog" side of things, but I'm not exactly sold on Tony Allen. 

As for who scores for Chicago, QRich, Wilkins, Wally, and Bayless (presumably) are all pretty good scorers.  I mean, couldn't somebody say the same thing about your team?  When Carmelo isn't in there, who is going to create their own shot?  If you're relying upon The Human Turnover, I personally think you're in trouble.  Tony Allen...  he just isn't that good.

Also, it's not like Chicago would ask Wally and QRich to defend Carmelo; they'd put Kobe on him, and Kobe wins that matchup (as demonstrated by the first round of this year's playoffs). 

Shareef lost last year to injury. Hell Speights is better than Nazr and Bonner right now walking into the lockerroom.

Again, in Charlotte, Nazr outscored, outrebounded, and outshot his opponents.  If Speights is doing that as a rookie, I'll be impressed.

[bucknersrevenge]

I think Joe Smith is the only guy on that team that started more than 30 games last year.

Qrich:  65 starts
Foster: 52 starts
Wilkins: 31 starts
Knight: 39 starts

Nazr started some games, Quinn did, Wally is capable of starting...  it's not like this team is a bunch of scrubs.

That team is a sieve defensively no matter how you slice

Jeff Foster is an excellent defender, Nazr is pretty good, Knight is good.  Kobe is good-to-excellent.  Smith isn't bad.  The only poor defenders are at the SF position, where both Wally and QRich are terrible.

...and "best player on either team" or not, there's nowhere near enough talent on that roster to outscore Cleveland or Milwaukee. Sorry not buying it.

Points from the starting lineup:  Milwaukee -- 66.0 ppg, Chicago -- 62.3 ppg.  I think Chicago has you in terms of bench scoring (QRich, Bayless, Wilkins, etc.); I'm not sure what you're seeing that I'm not.

Then again if you believe Nazr Mohammed is better than Chris Wilcox, or that Joe Smith is a more complete overall player at both ends than Antonio McDyess I doubt I'd be able to change your mind anyway. We're just gonna have to agree to disagree on that.

I think Nazr + Foster + Bonner is better than Wilcox + Armstrong + Speights

I think Smith + Powe + Abdur-Raheem is better than McDyess + Cook + Speights

You have better starters at those two positions, but in terms of depth, I think Chicago kills you.  Jeff Foster is a *fantastic* player, and I think you must be overlooking him.

That team is gonna get killed by perimeter penetration. Foster for being decent defensively is not a shotblocker. Cleveland is gonna be in their kitchen all night. Milwaukee's best player plays the position their weakest at and breaks down their defense. Tony penetrates all day and Kirk pick n rolls them to death. At the other end Kobe may get his but Tony makes them tough looks with his quickness and if he comes out of games who scores for them. No chance. Kobe would say he is "playing with butter knives" on that team.

Eh...  this gets us more into the "Celticsblog" side of things, but I'm not exactly sold on Tony Allen. 

As for who scores for Chicago, QRich, Wilkins, Wally, and Bayless (presumably) are all pretty good scorers.  I mean, couldn't somebody say the same thing about your team?  When Carmelo isn't in there, who is going to create their own shot?  If you're relying upon The Human Turnover, I personally think you're in trouble.  Tony Allen...  he just isn't that good.

Also, it's not like Chicago would ask Wally and QRich to defend Carmelo; they'd put Kobe on him, and Kobe wins that matchup (as demonstrated by the first round of this year's playoffs). 

Shareef lost last year to injury. Hell Speights is better than Nazr and Bonner right now walking into the lockerroom.

Again, in Charlotte, Nazr outscored, outrebounded, and outshot his opponents.  If Speights is doing that as a rookie, I'll be impressed.

You wanna put Kobe on a guy hes giving up size and length to on defense be my guest!  Melo exploits that defensive matchup 5 times a week and twice on Sunday.

As for Nazr, again smoke and mirrors. Fact is, Nazr couldn't even beat out Amir Johnson for playing time in Detroit and got traded to a Charlotte team absolutely DESPARATE for anyone who could play center. They were starting Gerald Wallace at the 4 for godssake. I'm sorry putting up 9 and 7 on a smallish team going 24-37 after he gets there doesn't impress me. He couldn't even consistently start for that team. Speights is gonna be blocked by a former MVP candidate but he'll get some burn.

By the way, when did i say Tony was my #1 option when Melo came out? Kirk-Wilcox pick n roll. Speights can post up and get his shot. I have way more options than just Tony. Although Tony lights up Wally and QRich like a Christmas tree. Those 2 are liabilities, period.

[Roy Hobbs]

You wanna put Kobe on a guy hes giving up size and length to on defense be my guest!  Melo exploits that defensive matchup 5 times a week and twice on Sunday.

Kobe played Carmelo quite a bit in this years playoffs, and did quite well against him (he also defended AI, and also played him well).  Carmelo managed to shoot an amazing 36.4% against the Lakers in the first round; I'm not sure that I'd be worried if I were the Bulls that Carmelo would exploit much of anything.