Too Small to Win it All

[footey]

We must be the smallest team in the NBA, certainly in the bottom 5.  And our starting 5  is as well.

I'd like to see us transition to a longer, switchable lineup. I'm not looking for monsters. Just long, athletic and switchable defensively.

How do we construct such a roster, based on what we have?

Tatum and Brown fit that mold very well, at 6'7" or more in height, nearly 7' wingspan. Can't touch this.

Romeo is about 6'6" in shoes, with long wingspan. Pretty similar to Aaron Nesmith.  I'd keep them both if possible, they fit  the profile of athlete we can build around, and have them under contract for a while, cost effectively. Especially if we make the other moves I propose below.

Kemba is turning into a pretty tough contract.  We may have to face the fact that we have to move him the way the Sixers moved Al Horford; by packaging him with a first round pick to get him off the books.  I don't expect anything in return.  This is reality, folks. (how many of you were laughing at Michael Jordan when he got back Terry Rozier as a consolation prize when we signed Kemba?  Have you seen Rozier lately? MJ got the last laugh).

Smart has trade value, and if we want to utilize Nesmith and Romeo more in the lineup, we should consider moving Smart. I'd move him for Harrison Barnes or Josh Jackson.  Use first round pick(s) and/or TT to get the guy we can't get with Smart.

I don't mind our center position being under sized. All 3 guys have good length, and are pretty switchable.  The really tall centers actually struggle at switching on defense.  We could afford to move at least one of them, however, and in that case I would move TT.   

Brown
Tatum
Romeo
Barnes
Theis

Pritchard
Josh Jackson
Nesmith/Semi (until Nesmith gets more experience)
Grant Williams
Rob Williams

That kind of roster would be much more competitive, especially on the defensive end. Very switchable.  I think we have the assets to get it done.

[cltc5]

I like our roster except Kemba and Teague.  They both add little to nothing on offense.  But if we can’t move them for a player, I’d bring Kemba off the bench and trade Teague for a second rounder.

[W8ting2McHale]

I agree, which is why I would prefer to see Grant or Carsen moved instead of Aaron or Romeo, if someone needs to be thrown into a deal. None of them have a ton (or any) value right now, but I want to keep the guys with length.

At least Danny has been trending drafting length with some of his picks lately. Rob Williams, Romeo, and now Aaron fit that mold of some of the rest don’t.

[Goldstar88]

We must be the smallest team in the NBA, certainly in the bottom 5.  And our starting 5  is as well.

I'd like to see us transition to a longer, switchable lineup. I'm not looking for monsters. Just long, athletic and switchable defensively.

How do we construct such a roster, based on what we have?

Tatum and Brown fit that mold very well, at 6'7" or more in height, nearly 7' wingspan. Can't touch this.

Romeo is about 6'6" in shoes, with long wingspan. Pretty similar to Aaron Nesmith.  I'd keep them both if possible, they fit  the profile of athlete we can build around, and have them under contract for a while, cost effectively. Especially if we make the other moves I propose below.

Kemba is turning into a pretty tough contract.  We may have to face the fact that we have to move him the way the Sixers moved Al Horford; by packaging him with a first round pick to get him off the books.  I don't expect anything in return.  This is reality, folks. (how many of you were laughing at Michael Jordan when he got back Terry Rozier as a consolation prize when we signed Kemba?  Have you seen Rozier lately? MJ got the last laugh).

Smart has trade value, and if we want to utilize Nesmith and Romeo more in the lineup, we should consider moving Smart. I'd move him for Harrison Barnes or Josh Jackson.  Use first round pick(s) and/or TT to get the guy we can't get with Smart.

I don't mind our center position being under sized. All 3 guys have good length, and are pretty switchable.  The really tall centers actually struggle at switching on defense.  We could afford to move at least one of them, however, and in that case I would move TT.   

Brown
Tatum
Romeo
Barnes
Theis

Pritchard
Josh Jackson
Nesmith/Semi (until Nesmith gets more experience)
Grant Williams
Rob Williams

That kind of roster would be much more competitive, especially on the defensive end. Very switchable.  I think we have the assets to get it done.

For a guard, Smart has enough size and is very strong. He’s one of the most switchable players the C’s have. He’s the defensive anchor of the team and has a very reasonable contract. I wouldn’t want to move him in a deal unless you are getting back a Collins or KAT. Pritchard is 6’1” and he’s built pretty strong too. Plays well defensively. The Issue is the C position. We should have a Center that’s taller than 6’8” to matchup with the teams that have larger bigs such as Embiid, Lopez, Sabonis, Turner, Jordan. Those guys just steamroll the C’s.

[ETNCeltics]

LOL @ trading an all-NBA defender and an all star guard for a bunch of other teams scraps makes us a contender.....

 

[hwangjini_1]

LOL @ trading an all-NBA defender and an all star guard for a bunch of other teams scraps makes us a contender.....

but at least the team would be tall!!!!!!!! 

[Vermont Green]

We can put out a team of:

Smart
Brown
Tatum
Theis
Thompson

That is plenty of length.  Beyond that though, I agree, guys like Walker, GWilliams, Ojeleye, Edwards, all a bit undersized.  Teague is listed at 6'-3", for a PG length isn't his problem.

I feel that if we just added a real, full-sized, starting level PF, we would be fine.  I don't mind that Kemba is a bit undersized, that is only one position of the core rotation.

[wikkid1]

We must be the smallest team in the NBA, certainly in the bottom 5.  And our starting 5  is as well.

I'd like to see us transition to a longer, switchable lineup. I'm not looking for monsters. Just long, athletic and switchable defensively.

How do we construct such a roster, based on what we have?

Tatum and Brown fit that mold very well, at 6'7" or more in height, nearly 7' wingspan. Can't touch this.

Romeo is about 6'6" in shoes, with long wingspan. Pretty similar to Aaron Nesmith.  I'd keep them both if possible, they fit  the profile of athlete we can build around, and have them under contract for a while, cost effectively. Especially if we make the other moves I propose below.

Kemba is turning into a pretty tough contract.  We may have to face the fact that we have to move him the way the Sixers moved Al Horford; by packaging him with a first round pick to get him off the books.  I don't expect anything in return.  This is reality, folks. (how many of you were laughing at Michael Jordan when he got back Terry Rozier as a consolation prize when we signed Kemba?  Have you seen Rozier lately? MJ got the last laugh).

MJ might have gotten the last laugh but you also have to wonder about Rozier’s huge ego getting in the way if he doesn’t get enough shots.  We’ve seen him act like a malcontent when he feels he’s not getting his just due.  I doubt he’d have been very happy deferring to the Jays.

[todd_days_41]

I hadn't seen this thread. But then in looking up where the Cs stand in age of roster, this morning I noticed we're the shortest team in the NBA -- by far (which I posted in the "IQ" thread).

Take a look:

https://cdn.nba.com/manage/2021/01/2020-21-NBA-Roster-Survey.pdf

By over a half an inch per average player... which doesn't seem like much until you look at it in the context of the rest of the teams. I'm not making anything specific out of it. This factors the whole roster, no line-ups precisely, etc. But two things occurred to me:

1) This can't be a GOOD thing
2) How on earth does a team with Tacko average as the shortest in the NBA?!

[PhoSita]

We've seen that (when healthy) -- Kemba / Smart / Brown / Tatum / Theis does just fine, even if they get bodied at times inside by bigger centers.


I do think that the bench could use more effective size.  Robert Williams and Tristan Thompson are both effective in terms of being large and reasonably athletic, having the ability to finish and board.  Problem is you can't really play them together because they're both centers.

Then you have Teague, who is not good defensively and is relatively thin even if he's not especially short for a point guard. Semi Ojeleye is built like a truck but he's short for a guy playing 3/4.  Grant Williams is similarly thick and strong, but has the height and length of a 2/3.  Romeo Langford is 6'5'' and Nesmith is 6'6''. 

So overall, not many guys at any position coming off the bench who provide exceptional size at their position.

[wdleehi]

I wouldn't mind them upsizing a PF that can be switchable.


A better Grant Williams that is also consistent.   

[Who]

I hadn't seen this thread. But then in looking up where the Cs stand in age of roster, this morning I noticed we're the shortest team in the NBA -- by far (which I posted in the "IQ" thread).

Take a look:

https://cdn.nba.com/manage/2021/01/2020-21-NBA-Roster-Survey.pdf

By over a half an inch per average player... which doesn't seem like much until you look at it in the context of the rest of the teams. I'm not making anything specific out of it. This factors the whole roster, no line-ups precisely, etc. But two things occurred to me:

1) This can't be a GOOD thing
2) How on earth does a team with Tacko average as the shortest in the NBA?!

That is a cool survey. Thanks for sharing it. TP.

[td450]

I wanted the C's to get Halliburton and it killed me that we missed out by two slots.

I think we are too small if we are this small at the 4/5 spot and start Kemba, who can't switch and isn't a disruptive defender. One of those things probably needs to change.

[Wretch]

2) How on earth does a team with Tacko average as the shortest in the NBA?!

Tremont Waters

[86MaxwellSmart]

I would have liked to see Tacko for a few minutes against Gobert...See his shot get blocked for once.