Would Josh Smith AND Big Al Be Enough?

[LilRip]

A core of Rondo, Green, Smith, and Jefferson looks amazing on paper. It would all depend on who else we could get to provide the roles behind this core.

I disagree. it looks like a great regular season team and an average playoff team. One that might get past the first round. In short, it looks like a brooklyn nets team (or was i the only one who thought that the nets weren't real contenders when they formed their core of Deron-Johnson-Wallace-Lopez?)

Did you seriously compare that team to the Nets?

Deron is still one of the best point guards, but Rondo is easily the better one in the post season, and in grabbing more open looks for his teammates. Johnson is falling off steadily, and his contract is RIDICULOUS! Wallace is washed up. Lopez is probably one of the best offensive Centers, but struggles at time trying to post up other Centers...

Josh Smith is way more athletic than Wallace, and isn't a detriment on rebounds/blocking, or scoring points. Rondo can lead a team to a championship if he has the right pieces.

A team of Josh Smith, Green, Wallace, Rondo is definitely way more younger/athletic than the team posted up.

Lopez/Deron being the only two you can build your team around.

Yes, I did. i think Deron is still one of the best PGs in the league and i put him at equal to Rondo, a little below CP3 and above the highly inefficient Westbrook. and Lopez is indeed probably one of the best offensive centers, not as good of a post game as al jefferson, but a better shotblocker and defender and i'd take him over Big Al.

Josh smith is indeed better than wallace, agreed. but coming into this season, wallace looked good on paper. (remember, we're talking about on-paper here). He was more than solid with portland and seemed to make all the hustle plays and was a good defender (though not on the level of Josh Smith).

and even though joe johnson is on his way down and despite jeff green's late season run (contract aside because i'm talking about on-paper talent), i think once it gets crowded and rondo-smith-jefferson are running the show, he'll more or less have the same impact as joe johnson. Someone who can win you a few games, still bail you out on some possessions, still hit some timely shots, but nowhere near fulfilling what we hope his potential to be.

So yes, more or less, the team on paper would look pretty similar to the nets. It's not exact because the C's team would be better, but it's close enough. The foursome isn't a team that jumps out at you and says "wow, now that's a contender!", but it's a perennial playoff team, at the 4-5th seed. it's a team built around flawed players that don't really hide each others weaknesses. When the double team comes on Big Al in the post, who's going to bail you out? And furthermore, can Big Al even make that pass?

But it'll undoubtedly be a fun regular season team with tons of speed and athleticism, full of dunks and fast breaks, but when the playoffs slow down, i think Rondo-Pierce-Green-KG can actually beat a Rondo-Green-Smith-Jefferson team. Pierce and KG, even in their advanced age, compliment Rondo very well.

in my opinion, it'd be fine to have either Smith or Jefferson but not both because that means we've spent all possible resources on building a flawed core. And besides, will we even be able to realistically keep Green while acquiring both Smith and Jefferson?

[Monkhouse]

A core of Rondo, Green, Smith, and Jefferson looks amazing on paper. It would all depend on who else we could get to provide the roles behind this core.

I disagree. it looks like a great regular season team and an average playoff team. One that might get past the first round. In short, it looks like a brooklyn nets team (or was i the only one who thought that the nets weren't real contenders when they formed their core of Deron-Johnson-Wallace-Lopez?)

Did you seriously compare that team to the Nets?

Deron is still one of the best point guards, but Rondo is easily the better one in the post season, and in grabbing more open looks for his teammates. Johnson is falling off steadily, and his contract is RIDICULOUS! Wallace is washed up. Lopez is probably one of the best offensive Centers, but struggles at time trying to post up other Centers...

Josh Smith is way more athletic than Wallace, and isn't a detriment on rebounds/blocking, or scoring points. Rondo can lead a team to a championship if he has the right pieces.

A team of Josh Smith, Green, Wallace, Rondo is definitely way more younger/athletic than the team posted up.

Lopez/Deron being the only two you can build your team around.

Yes, I did. i think Deron is still one of the best PGs in the league and i put him at equal to Rondo, a little below CP3 and above the highly inefficient Westbrook. and Lopez is indeed probably one of the best offensive centers, not as good of a post game as al jefferson, but a better shotblocker and defender and i'd take him over Big Al.

Josh smith is indeed better than wallace, agreed. but coming into this season, wallace looked good on paper. (remember, we're talking about on-paper here). He was more than solid with portland and seemed to make all the hustle plays and was a good defender (though not on the level of Josh Smith).

and even though joe johnson is on his way down and despite jeff green's late season run (contract aside because i'm talking about on-paper talent), i think once it gets crowded and rondo-smith-jefferson are running the show, he'll more or less have the same impact as joe johnson. Someone who can win you a few games, still bail you out on some possessions, still hit some timely shots, but nowhere near fulfilling what we hope his potential to be.

So yes, more or less, the team on paper would look pretty similar to the nets. It's not exact because the C's team would be better, but it's close enough. The foursome isn't a team that jumps out at you and says "wow, now that's a contender!", but it's a perennial playoff team, at the 4-5th seed. it's a team built around flawed players that don't really hide each others weaknesses. When the double team comes on Big Al in the post, who's going to bail you out? And furthermore, can Big Al even make that pass?

But it'll undoubtedly be a fun regular season team with tons of speed and athleticism, full of dunks and fast breaks, but when the playoffs slow down, i think Rondo-Pierce-Green-KG can actually beat a Rondo-Green-Smith-Jefferson team. Pierce and KG, even in their advanced age, compliment Rondo very well.

in my opinion, it'd be fine to have either Smith or Jefferson but not both because that means we've spent all possible resources on building a flawed core. And besides, will we even be able to realistically keep Green while acquiring both Smith and Jefferson?

Honestly, the only real weakness I see in the team of 4 is no deadly perimeter shooting. Which is why we try to find a deadly SG, or improve on Lee's confidence.

I don't disregard the fact KG/PP still has some tank left. But by then their running on straight determination, and who knows how their health will affect their overall game close to post season?