How's My Pick 2 Team?

[KCattheStripe]

Pick 2 Miami Heat:
PG:Nash
SG: Wade 
SF:Granger 
PF: Favors 
C: Gortat

Bench: Haslem. Mozgov. Livingston. The Jones Brothers James and Dahntay. Ben Wallace.

Gave my opinion on this team in the now defunct Discussion Thread but to summarize, I think this is one of the best teams in this Draft but think that Favors isn't close to being ready for starting minutes and might be years away from reaching the potential he occasionally flashes. I would worry about Nash's defense against teams with fast PGs or a set of big tall guards.

A good team, but a step down from what it could be had you not traded Lebron. 

Wade and Lebron have figured out how to play with each other. 

What is the learning curve between Nash and Wade?  Can Wade be as effective without the ball?  Is Miami going to be as good with the reduction of defense?

I agree with this.

I would never have traded LeBron and I question just how effective Nash's strengths will be when mitigated by Wade's need for the ball in his hands.

I disagree. Wade and LeBron have figured out how to play together but they still haven't found a way to make Joel Anthony grow 6 inches or have a legitimate three point threat on the wing. I agree that the total tonage of talent on the actual Heat is greater but the pieces don't fit and they don't lead to championships.

I am also convinced that LeBron is just never going to be the tenacious player that Wade is, but he'll also never accept that. He's a staggering statistical player but he does lack the killswitch that the all timers do. I see a lot more Tracy McGrady in LeBron than I do Kobe. So if I can get rid of him, keep Wade who does have that gear, get comprable talent in return and make the team more balanced in the process, I call that a win. And I would take this Heat team verses the current Heat roster 10 time outta 10.

Except Lebron has been to the finals twice, T-Mac never got out of the 1st round.

The current Heat team went to the finals last year and have the best record currently in the NBA.  I would still take that team over the one you have.

Fine. More Drexler than Jordan. And you still don't win an NBA title with the frontcourt the actual Heat have.

[KCattheStripe]

I see a lot more Tracy McGrady in LeBron than I do Kobe. So if I can get rid of him, keep Wade who does have that gear, get comprable talent in return and make the team more balanced in the process, I call that a win.

That makes sense to me.  Basically, you have a team with comparable talent that you are personally a lot happier with.  In a non-competitive draft where the whole goal is to reshape teams to one's own liking, I call that a win.

Word. Remember, I've been calling for Miami to trade LeBron straight up for Dwight since last fall. No one who had Dwight in this draft wanted to trade him to me, so instead I got Nash, Gortat and Granger and followed the same principle.

[wdleehi]

Pick 2 Miami Heat:
PG:Nash
SG: Wade 
SF:Granger 
PF: Favors 
C: Gortat

Bench: Haslem. Mozgov. Livingston. The Jones Brothers James and Dahntay. Ben Wallace.

Gave my opinion on this team in the now defunct Discussion Thread but to summarize, I think this is one of the best teams in this Draft but think that Favors isn't close to being ready for starting minutes and might be years away from reaching the potential he occasionally flashes. I would worry about Nash's defense against teams with fast PGs or a set of big tall guards.

A good team, but a step down from what it could be had you not traded Lebron. 

Wade and Lebron have figured out how to play with each other. 

What is the learning curve between Nash and Wade?  Can Wade be as effective without the ball?  Is Miami going to be as good with the reduction of defense?

I agree with this.

I would never have traded LeBron and I question just how effective Nash's strengths will be when mitigated by Wade's need for the ball in his hands.

I disagree. Wade and LeBron have figured out how to play together but they still haven't found a way to make Joel Anthony grow 6 inches or have a legitimate three point threat on the wing. I agree that the total tonage of talent on the actual Heat is greater but the pieces don't fit and they don't lead to championships.

I am also convinced that LeBron is just never going to be the tenacious player that Wade is, but he'll also never accept that. He's a staggering statistical player but he does lack the killswitch that the all timers do. I see a lot more Tracy McGrady in LeBron than I do Kobe. So if I can get rid of him, keep Wade who does have that gear, get comprable talent in return and make the team more balanced in the process, I call that a win. And I would take this Heat team verses the current Heat roster 10 time outta 10.

Except Lebron has been to the finals twice, T-Mac never got out of the 1st round.

The current Heat team went to the finals last year and have the best record currently in the NBA.  I would still take that team over the one you have.

Fine. More Drexler than Jordan. And you still don't win an NBA title with the frontcourt the actual Heat have.

I would take the front court of Lebron, Bosh and Haslem over the front court you have. 

[indeedproceed]

Earl Clark is playing 10 minutes a night for the 3rd seed in the East, homeboy! (although you're right, I'm not counting on Earl Clark to be the backbone of my second unit, this was a potential pick.)

Chris Anderson helps, but Clark/Erden is a patch job. Fine if you don't have aspirations beyond the second round, but I can't buy in otherwise.

Ridnour has won me over, and I've been impressed by his play both as a back up point in Milwaukee and Minnesota and as a starting two guard when forced into the role.

Clark/Erden is a patch job but I think they'll do. But, you're right its a patch job.

I think the Ridnour/Thompson/Brewer/Andersen is a pretty darn good second unit though. Brewer has been playing very well in Denver, Thompson has been making as much out of his second unit minutes as any rookie out there, and you already like Ridnour/Birdman.

I think its perfectly suitable, especially when you consider the real playoff rotation will look like:

Lowry (~37), Ridnour (11)
Rush (20), Thompson (~16), Ridnour (12)
Prince (36), Brewer (12)
Millsap (37), Clark/Erden/Birdman (11)
Howard (38), Birdman (10)

Not worried about the backup 4. I think with a season to figure it out, one of those guys will be the obvious answer.

[KCattheStripe]

Pick 2 Miami Heat:
PG:Nash
SG: Wade 
SF:Granger 
PF: Favors 
C: Gortat

Bench: Haslem. Mozgov. Livingston. The Jones Brothers James and Dahntay. Ben Wallace.

Gave my opinion on this team in the now defunct Discussion Thread but to summarize, I think this is one of the best teams in this Draft but think that Favors isn't close to being ready for starting minutes and might be years away from reaching the potential he occasionally flashes. I would worry about Nash's defense against teams with fast PGs or a set of big tall guards.

A good team, but a step down from what it could be had you not traded Lebron. 

Wade and Lebron have figured out how to play with each other. 

What is the learning curve between Nash and Wade?  Can Wade be as effective without the ball?  Is Miami going to be as good with the reduction of defense?

I agree with this.

I would never have traded LeBron and I question just how effective Nash's strengths will be when mitigated by Wade's need for the ball in his hands.

I disagree. Wade and LeBron have figured out how to play together but they still haven't found a way to make Joel Anthony grow 6 inches or have a legitimate three point threat on the wing. I agree that the total tonage of talent on the actual Heat is greater but the pieces don't fit and they don't lead to championships.

I am also convinced that LeBron is just never going to be the tenacious player that Wade is, but he'll also never accept that. He's a staggering statistical player but he does lack the killswitch that the all timers do. I see a lot more Tracy McGrady in LeBron than I do Kobe. So if I can get rid of him, keep Wade who does have that gear, get comprable talent in return and make the team more balanced in the process, I call that a win. And I would take this Heat team verses the current Heat roster 10 time outta 10.

Except Lebron has been to the finals twice, T-Mac never got out of the 1st round.

The current Heat team went to the finals last year and have the best record currently in the NBA.  I would still take that team over the one you have.

Fine. More Drexler than Jordan. And you still don't win an NBA title with the frontcourt the actual Heat have.

I would take the front court of Lebron, Bosh and Haslem over the front court you have. 

I would take Favors/Gortat over Bosh/Anthony any day.

[wdleehi]

Pick 2 Miami Heat:
PG:Nash
SG: Wade 
SF:Granger 
PF: Favors 
C: Gortat

Bench: Haslem. Mozgov. Livingston. The Jones Brothers James and Dahntay. Ben Wallace.

Gave my opinion on this team in the now defunct Discussion Thread but to summarize, I think this is one of the best teams in this Draft but think that Favors isn't close to being ready for starting minutes and might be years away from reaching the potential he occasionally flashes. I would worry about Nash's defense against teams with fast PGs or a set of big tall guards.

A good team, but a step down from what it could be had you not traded Lebron. 

Wade and Lebron have figured out how to play with each other. 

What is the learning curve between Nash and Wade?  Can Wade be as effective without the ball?  Is Miami going to be as good with the reduction of defense?

I agree with this.

I would never have traded LeBron and I question just how effective Nash's strengths will be when mitigated by Wade's need for the ball in his hands.

I disagree. Wade and LeBron have figured out how to play together but they still haven't found a way to make Joel Anthony grow 6 inches or have a legitimate three point threat on the wing. I agree that the total tonage of talent on the actual Heat is greater but the pieces don't fit and they don't lead to championships.

I am also convinced that LeBron is just never going to be the tenacious player that Wade is, but he'll also never accept that. He's a staggering statistical player but he does lack the killswitch that the all timers do. I see a lot more Tracy McGrady in LeBron than I do Kobe. So if I can get rid of him, keep Wade who does have that gear, get comprable talent in return and make the team more balanced in the process, I call that a win. And I would take this Heat team verses the current Heat roster 10 time outta 10.

Except Lebron has been to the finals twice, T-Mac never got out of the 1st round.

The current Heat team went to the finals last year and have the best record currently in the NBA.  I would still take that team over the one you have.

Fine. More Drexler than Jordan. And you still don't win an NBA title with the frontcourt the actual Heat have.

I would take the front court of Lebron, Bosh and Haslem over the front court you have. 

I would take Favors/Gortat over Bosh/Anthony any day.

Except Haslem plays more minutes the Anthony and will be the one in there during crunch time.


Can Favors actually win a starting job on a 500 team before we springboard him up so high?

[KCattheStripe]

Can Favors actually win a starting job on a 500 team before we springboard him up so high?

Would Haslem or Anthony be starting over Jefferson or Millsap? I really would equate Favors to 2008 Rondo on this team. " Could Rondo please start an entire season for a lottery before we elevate him to starting on championship team?"

[KCattheStripe]

Except Haslem plays more minutes the Anthony and will be the one in there during crunch time.

This is part of Miami's problem. When it comes to close games, there are no easy baskets to have. Their two best players are on the wings and neither Bosh nor Haslem are good enough in the post to feed.

[wdleehi]

Can Favors actually win a starting job on a 500 team before we springboard him up so high?

Would Haslem or Anthony be starting over Jefferson or Millsap? I really would equate Favors to 2008 Rondo on this team. " Could Rondo please start an entire season for a lottery before we elevate him to starting on championship team?"

And until Rondo proved himself as a worthy starter, people were right to question it.  


I agree Haslem would not start over those two, but Bosh would.

[KCattheStripe]

Can Favors actually win a starting job on a 500 team before we springboard him up so high?

Would Haslem or Anthony be starting over Jefferson or Millsap? I really would equate Favors to 2008 Rondo on this team. " Could Rondo please start an entire season for a lottery before we elevate him to starting on championship team?"

And until Rondo proved himself as a worthy starter, people were right to question it.  


I agree Haslem would not start over those two, but Bosh would.

So would Gortat.

[wdleehi]

Except Haslem plays more minutes the Anthony and will be the one in there during crunch time.

This is part of Miami's problem. When it comes to close games, there are no easy baskets to have. Their two best players are on the wings and neither Bosh nor Haslem are good enough in the post to feed.

There problem is they do not involve Bosh enough.  

[wdleehi]

So, front court with Lebron and Bosh (plus which ever big man you want to put next to them) better offensively and defensively then the one you now have.

[KCattheStripe]

Except Haslem plays more minutes the Anthony and will be the one in there during crunch time.

This is part of Miami's problem. When it comes to close games, there are no easy baskets to have. Their two best players are on the wings and neither Bosh nor Haslem are good enough in the post to feed.

There problem is they do not involve Bosh enough.  

Their problem is that Bosh isn't a threat in the post and that makes him less effective when all the offense is coming from the wings.

[wdleehi]

Except Haslem plays more minutes the Anthony and will be the one in there during crunch time.

This is part of Miami's problem. When it comes to close games, there are no easy baskets to have. Their two best players are on the wings and neither Bosh nor Haslem are good enough in the post to feed.

There problem is they do not involve Bosh enough.  

Their problem is that Bosh isn't a threat in the post and that makes him less effective when all the offense is coming from the wings.

Lebron and Bosh were pretty effective as a two man offense when Wade was out. 

And Lebron is the low post threat on that team.

[KCattheStripe]

So, front court with Lebron and Bosh (plus which ever big man you want to put next to them) better offensively and defensively then the one you now have.

Well, I was referring to PF/C when I said frontcourt. But again, you're making the point that they're more talented, but not a better fit.  Miami has one glaring weakness-- and it's one most of the league can't exploit-- it's that they're incredibly vulnerable to a great PF/C combo which was evident in the finals. An astonishing amount of their offense has to start beyond the free-throw line, so a team that can score easily and defend the basket can grind them down, especially in a 7 game series. I've removed that vulnerability and kept the twalent level on the team high.