2013 CB Draft: Central Division Press Conferences

[fairweatherfan]

I watched Jeff Taylor very little last year, but advanced metrics didn't like him much.

10.3 PER, 0.0 defensive win shares, 114 DRtg, 0.96 points allowed per possession (ranked 393rd in the NBA!!), a .552 eFG% allowed at his primary position, a PER differential of -7.6 at his primary position, etc.

That doesn't describe a very effective player.

Yeah, he showed flashes and I think he's got some promise, but what he's actually done on the court so far is being seriously overblown.

Fair enough, though, I think as a guy I expect to play about 15 mpg mainly to provide help on defense with the first unit he should work well.  His starting is mainly about setting up my rotation so Ray can bring some offense off the bench.

Yeah, his role is small so I don't consider it a major issue for your team, and I really like bringing Ray off the bench.  It's just that some of the praise for Taylor seems pretty out there when looking at what he's actually done.

[Rondo2287]

I watched Jeff Taylor very little last year, but advanced metrics didn't like him much.

10.3 PER, 0.0 defensive win shares, 114 DRtg, 0.96 points allowed per possession (ranked 393rd in the NBA!!), a .552 eFG% allowed at his primary position, a PER differential of -7.6 at his primary position, etc.

That doesn't describe a very effective player.

I actually did watch him a decent amount, My Fiance and I are talking about moving to NC so I was scouting the teams, Panthers/Hurricanes/Bobcats to make sure it was someplace I would consider. 

Taylor was pretty solid from what I saw, nothing flashy, but good defensively.  I think the fact that there are rumors of him starting over MKG next year are very telling.

Did you first hear those from me?

Also, when you don't pick in the second, third and 4th rounds you need to do something to fill up the days, researching sleeper picks was what I did.  Considering the way I filled out my bench in the late rounds I think the hours paid off.

[Who]

I really like Indiana's perimeter play.

An MVP candidate in Kevin Durant. A top five PG in Deron Williams. A solid low usage role player in Jeff Taylor (in a Keith Bogans type role). A top notch combo guard off the bench in Rodney Stuckey. A strong backup SG in Ray Allen.

I think those five players can handle the rotation minutes if needed. If Marvin Williams struggles post injury (achilles injuries scare me). If Marvin recovers well, then Indiana have a very strong backup SF to add to their perimeter corps. And then Shaun Livingston as third string guard who can defend all three perimeter positions and provide extra ball-handling.

I think that is a really good group.

[indeedproceed]

Thoughts on Indiana:

Durant/Deron, even if I'm not even in the same stratosphere of high as you are on Deron (a top 10 player? Did the Tin Man get a heart? Is it 2008?). He's a much better passer than Russell Westbrook, so just from there Durant's job becomes a little easier. I'm actually also on board with Robin Lopez being a legitimate defensive anchor, and a starter. He's not in the same class as Sanders, Noah, Chandler, or Asik in defensive specialists, but he's just the next step down. I like Rodney Stuckey as a combo-guard, and I like Ray Allen as a bomber off the bench and a compensation shooter when Livingston is the facilitator. That's not really a question, I just like all those things.

Who's your first guy off the bench? Allen, right?

I am really having a hard time buying Scola. He's just not a 30 mpg player anymore, and while Indiana was lauded for acquiring him, it was because he'd be playing significantly reduced minutes against weaker competition. How many minutes are you thinking of playing him? 33? 35?

I think Shawn Livingston should take a good amount of those backup 3 minutes, and should just be wiped off the rotation at the 1. He can't defend the point, and while I don't think defensively your team is so bad it worries me, I do think that when your second best defender is either Brand or Durant, you really can't have the potential for 2 well below average defenders on the court at the same time. When Livingston is at the point, that's a trainwreck, but he can at least make an attempt at the 3 without getting out-quicked by the primary ball handler.

Hm.

[KGs Knee]

Of interest: Bayless had a higher win share than quite a few starting PGs and was the primary backup for the western runners up.

Also, Ellington and Green are both useful players.  Ellington is a respectable defender and Green is a seasoned vet who has been known to provide a bit of instant offense.  Neither will likely see many playoff minutes though.  Redick will likely see most of the backup PG minutes.

[Who]

Less enthusiastic about Indiana's big men.

I think Luis Scola's days as a starter should be behind him. Regularly getting outplayed over the past two seasons. I think Scola could be a top backup PF but is a liability as a starter.

Robin Lopez is also ideally a backup center rather than a starter (like Scola). Robin Lopez does have legitimate size and strength at the center position (always a concern when picking up a starting C late in the draft) which will be valuable in helping him matchup effectively against the more talented centers he'll face. I think he has a big role to play here and I think he'll respond well to that because I think R.Lopez is the type of player who responds well to responsibility but not so well to competition / lack of minutes. So I think they'll get the best out of him. 

Elton Brand is a solid backup center. Undersized but strong and tough, good post position defender. Lot of length. Some shot-blocking. Very good midrange game on offense which I'm sure Deron Williams and Kevin Durant will enjoy playing with. Can play some PF in addition to C minutes.

Not sold on Andrew Nicholson as a contributor yet. He showed too little last season. I don't have confidence in him. Markieff Morris was a player I liked coming into the league but he has struggled so far in his NBA career. A below par defender, a weak rebounder and an inefficient offensive player. Hurts his teams considerably. Which leaves Beasley. I don't have much confidence in him either. Not in a minor bench role on a team like this. I think he'll be a net negative too.

If Indiana had a more solid defensive PF, I would have liked to have seen them start him for 20mpg and bring Scola off the bench to protect in him some. But I don't think they have suitable backup PFs to do that.

[Rondo2287]

Thoughts on Indiana:

Durant/Deron, even if I'm not even in the same stratosphere of high as you are on Deron (a top 10 player? Did the Tin Man get a heart? Is it 2008?). He's a much better passer than Russell Westbrook, so just from there Durant's job becomes a little easier. I'm actually also on board with Robin Lopez being a legitimate defensive anchor, and a starter. He's not in the same class as Sanders, Noah, Chandler, or Asik in defensive specialists, but he's just the next step down. I like Rodney Stuckey as a combo-guard, and I like Ray Allen as a bomber off the bench and a compensation shooter when Livingston is the facilitator. That's not really a question, I just like all those things.

Who's your first guy off the bench? Allen, right?

I am really having a hard time buying Scola. He's just not a 30 mpg player anymore, and while Indiana was lauded for acquiring him, it was because he'd be playing significantly reduced minutes against weaker competition. How many minutes are you thinking of playing him? 33? 35?

I think Shawn Livingston should take a good amount of those backup 3 minutes, and should just be wiped off the rotation at the 1. He can't defend the point, and while I don't think defensively your team is so bad it worries me, I do think that when your second best defender is either Brand or Durant, you really can't have the potential for 2 well below average defenders on the court at the same time. When Livingston is at the point, that's a trainwreck, but he can at least make an attempt at the 3 without getting out-quicked by the primary ball handler.

Hm.

I hear ya, while Livingston may be playing PG on offense, AKA initiating the offense, I don't see him defending the PG spot for the reasons us mentioned.  Also, in my presser I mentioned I would have scola in there for 30 minutes, (the other 3-5 minutes that I think was confusing was that I may play him at the 5 for some of those 30 minutes if we go small, but I wouldnt play him for more than 30) 

I still Think Scola can play starters minutes, as I said I didnt see that any of his per 36 minutes or advanced stats have dropped all that much, most of his production issues last season were a result of a drop in minutes in Phoenix. 

Also, I think you will see him play better for Indiana in real life and here because he is part of a contender.  Scola has always struck me as an intense player, sometimes annoyingly so, and I think being stuck in Phoenix is tough to get up for every single game when you are on the worst team in the league.

[KGs Knee]

Milwaukee is here, but only for a short time...let's here it

[Who]

Also, Ellington and Green are both useful players.  Ellington is a respectable defender and Green is a seasoned vet who has been known to provide a bit of instant offense.  Neither will likely see many playoff minutes though.  Redick will likely see most of the backup PG minutes.

Wayne Ellington grew on me a lot last year. I think he is a really solid backup SG. Very good shooter and a decent defender. Will help you spread the floor. Willie Green is a fine third string SG.

I love the SF depth with Trevor Ariza + Alonzo Gee. Ariza is a top backup SF. Very strong defender and possession creator. Great athleticism. Alonzo Gee would have been a pretty good primary backup SF himself. As a third string SF, he is fantastic.

[rondoallaturca]

Milwaukee's depth is what has me ranking them the best regular season team of the division. Bayless, Ellington, Ariza, Gee, Evans, Smith... all solid rotation pieces. Come playoffs, I'm not sure if they have enough A-level talent though.

[KGs Knee]

Let me just say i fully expect George to be in contention for DPOY and possibly MVP this season.

[Rondo2287]

Milwaukee's depth is what has me ranking them the best regular season team of the division. Bayless, Ellington, Ariza, Gee, Evans, Smith... all solid rotation pieces. Come playoffs, I'm not sure if they have enough A-level talent though.

Haha, Funny that the reason you are ranking them first and I am ranking them 3rd are the same set of players.  TP

[pearljammer10]

Let me just say i fully expect George to be in contention for DPOY and possibly MVP this season.

Extremely bold statement for a fourth year player who shot only 42% from the field last year and had a below 17 PER, and isn't even the best defender on his own (real) team.

I still think he makes a leap as opposed to last year but MVP and DPOY contention is a bit extreme.

[pearljammer10]

Milwaukee's depth is what has me ranking them the best regular season team of the division. Bayless, Ellington, Ariza, Gee, Evans, Smith... all solid rotation pieces. Come playoffs, I'm not sure if they have enough A-level talent though.

Haha, Funny that the reason you are ranking them first and I am ranking them 3rd are the same set of players.  TP

Yes I am with you. Ariza and Gee make for a crazy deep 3 slot. Other than that I see third stringers being asked to play a bigger role that they might not be able to handle.

[KGs Knee]

Well...you heard it here 1st then.  I have no problem saying I told you so.