« Reply #33 on: February 23, 2010, 07:35:16 PM »
Sacramento Kings (Truck Lweis)Sacramento Kings (Truck Lewis)-
Tyreke Evans, Corey Brewer, Caron Butler, Jeff Green, Andrew Bynum
Kyle Lowry, David West, Al Thornton, Marcus Thornton, Jared Dudley
This is one of my favourite teams in the league due to the mix of talent.
I think Tyreke Evans + Andrew Bynum + Jeff Green is an excellent core to build around. I think that trio could make a top 10 offensive team if surrounded with complementary players. They'd combine to score 55 points a night easily and would give every team in the league nightmares matchup wise. The size and interior play of Bynum, the perimeter orientated play at PF of Green, and the size/power of Tyreke Evans at the point. I also think they could be the foundation to an above average defensive team and an above average rebounding team. Overall, they could lead the Kings to 53+ win season comfortably.
Add another impact player on the wing and they're a contender. Or, add higher quality role players and just give that trio some time to grow and they'll become a contender by themselves.
However, I don't think the rest of the team complements that trio effectively enough to fulfill all of that. I think Caron Butler is too demanding offensively. Needs too many touches, too many shot attempts. I think he'll have a negative impact offensively and curb his teammates effectiveness.
I also think Corey Brewer is a low level but serviceable fit alongside our Big Three ... but a problem when placed alongside Butler. I don't like the idea of the two of them together.
I also worry about David West. A player who will definitely have problems accepting a secondary role behind those three players. He'll take too many shot attempts while only scoring at a mediocre clip + limit his teammates' offensive opportunities as a result.
Again, same issue with Al Thornton. A player who is only comfortable offensively as a go-to scorer. Struggles to fit into a team based offense. Efficiency a concern again.
Marcus Thornton is another shot happy player that will take touches away from others. He will, however, fit into a team structure offensively and he won't be quite as aggressive in terms of looking for his own stats as Butler or West.
I like Kyle Lowry a great deal but I'd rather see a point guard with shooting ability. Someone who is a better fit alongside Tyreke Evans to allow them to play together. To give opponents a great deal of discomfort with the Kings ability to change matchups and create different problems for opponents. I think a Lowry + Evans backcourt is a very poor jump shooting combination and that they would put a lot of pressure on the frontcourt for spacing.
I love Jared Dudley. An excellent complementary offensive weapon, a solid defender and a good rebounder. He is the right sort of role player to play alongside the Big Three.
Continuing with the matchups flexibility + ability to create problems for opponents -- I like the idea of a big frontcourt of Green + West + Bynum. That could be a good weapon for Sacramento. Not a first choice lineup though because Green is needed at power forward to facilitate the offense.
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If I was given the Evans + Bynum + Green trio and allowed the choice between:
Butler + West + Lowry + Brewer + Thornton + Dudley + Thornton
or
Casspi + Garcia + Nocioni + Thompson + Hawes + Udrih
I would choose the Kings current cast of characters. I think they would be more effective as a supporting cast. I think they'd allow the Kings main trio to blossom. To fulfill their talent and to create an amazing foundation for everyone else to play off of.
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Still, I think the Kings will be a good team. The talent of their three best players is too good ignore. A certain playoff team that wins in the high 40s.
The team could also find a lot of internal improvement down the road if Evans rounds out his game as facilitator + improves his jump shot. Also, if several other players accepted their reduced roles offensively. If they committed themselves to their new roles. This team could then become a 60 win powerhouse. A couple of big "ifs" but interesting nonetheless.
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