The Bucks stopped being a contender when Middleton got hurt. They needed him to better than Holiday and he wasn't even close after the injury. It was that injury that led them to the Lillard trade which was an abject disaster. If Middleton doesn't get hurt, I believe the Bucks would have gone back to the Finals in 22 and beaten GS going back to back. I mean they pushed Boston to 7 in the ecs without Middleton (the Bucks swept the Heat in 21, and maybe they don't sweep, but they imo would have beaten Miami again in 22).
I don't see why Atlanta would make that trade. Johnson is younger, a better fit, and may just be outright better than Brown moving forward.
Jalen Johnson might be a better player than Brown... eventually.
But right now, Brown would make the Hawks better. And adding Pritchard would also give them the 6MOY.
If Zaccharie Risacher can improve after his sophomore slump, along with Nickeil Alexander-Walker coming off his Most-Improved campaign, and paired with McCollum and Kuminga, wow!
That backcourt looks nice. Brown as an All-NBA small forward. They just need Kuminga to stay engaged and for Risacher to develop. And their #8 draft pick to contribute and grow.
PG: McCollum (19.2ppg) / Pritchard (17ppg)
SG: NAW (13.7ppg) / Dyson Daniels
SF: Jaylen Brown (28.7ppg / 6.9rpg / 5.1apg)
PF: Kuminga (13.7ppg) / Risacher
C: Okongwu (15ppg / 7.6rpg) / #8 Pick (Aday Mara, C, Michigan)
That's a team that could make the ECF or Finals. I don't think that would be the case with Jalen Johnson.
That team doesn't have anywhere near enough play making. That is why Johnson is a better fit. He is a much better passer and shot creator (for others) than Brown is. He is a better rebounder. Turns the ball over less. Has a higher TS%, better VORP, better WS, etc.
Johnson is arguably better than Brown right now, but he is a much better fit for what the Hawks are than Brown is. I have no doubt the Hawks would love Brown, just not for Johnson.
Right now? Really? Brown is a 1st team All NBA player after this past season. Johnson is a 3rd team.
As for playmaking, you don?t think McCollum and Pritchard fit that bill? And Brown himself? Come on, man.
ah yes because 1st Team All NBA vs. 3rd Team All NBA automatically makes someone better.
Brown is a terrible play maker. He is a poor dribbler, doesn't pass well, and turns the ball over a lot. He has gotten better, but he is no where near as good as Johnson who will keep get better and will do so much faster than Brown (given his age). McCollum is a score 1st guard, and always has been, so is Pritchard. None of those guys are even good play makers (for others). They can generate scoring for themselves well, but they aren't passers. Johnson is a much better passer than Brown. Brown is a very good scorer and a solid defender, but that is what he is. This year he got to be a #1 scorer, and the team was still better when he was on the bench. He plays too much iso, doesn't look to pass, and turns the ball over a lot. There is a reason pretty much every advanced metric favors Johnson. He is a more efficient, a better team player, and even a better defender. Johnson is also 5 years younger and on a much better contract. The Hawks will not trade Brown for Johnson. They might have last summer when I was proposing those trades, but there is a reason I'm not proposing those trades anymore and it isn't because I don't like Johnson or want to keep Brown. It is simply because it isn't realistic.
