Does Olynk Sullinger front court work in the future?

[scotto1205]

Title says it all. I guess I'm just happy to see Olynk finally playing well but it got me wondering does a Sullinger Olynk frontcourt work? Both these players could blossom into pretty good players but could they start together? Maybe if the rest the lineup was athletic and defensive minded rondo Bradley wiggins Sullinger Olynk. We will have a lot of money in fa the next 2 years if we move some pieces. I'd like wiggins at sg and a uber athletic sf in fa (Lebron). Anyways what do you guys think?

[Snakehead]

I think it could probably work.  Both players are very smart and can both space the floor which helps. It wouldn't have shot blocking unfortunately though.

I really like Olynyk but I hope he is like a 6th man off the bench for us, playing a role like Odom did for the Lakers.  And we get a legit defensive C with length to start next to Sullinger.

He would be great for that since Olynyk could play both positions, space the floor, pass, run the floor.  He would be a different look from the starters.

[Donoghus]

Long term, I think one of those two gets moved in a package deal. 

They could probably co-exist given their skill sets. I give don't think they could for a contending team.

[Tr1boy]

Hibbert and west and gasol and zbo are not really athletic nor quick players, but have pro bodies and gained experience to be good defenders.

So olynyk and sully can take this path to be solid defenders. It will help them though if we got a sf that can really  defend and ideally play above the rim (for example drafting gordon, grant, mcadoo)

[guava_wrench]

I would prefer to have Sully paired with someone who can protect the rim. Olynyk and Sully should both be playing the 4.

[gar]

Stevens seem to like pairing them with more experienced players Bass/Humphries. This makes sense for now. Would like to see Vitor get more playing time once Bass or Humphries get traded; but will hate to see them go.

[ScoobyDoo]

Good point Snakehead re the defensive center - and many have mentioned the same. I was going to chime in with somethign along those lines, as follows:

If you added Asik through trade you could have a really nice three man rotation in your front court. Maybe you also add Vonleh though the draft this year?

Asik, Vonleh and Sully would be a big, physical, rebounding and defensive trio. Olynyk could compliment all of them with his outside shooting, passing and rebounding for that matter.

[sofutomygaha]

No.

and that's not a knock on either player.

They have the same shortcoming- a lack of length and athleticism. At their fullest potential, Dirk and Booz, if you will, they will not be a passable defensive front court together.

[2short]

I see Kelly being a nice compliment big off the bench.  A smart solid do everything guy almost like Walton was for the celtics.  My theory has always been a top notch team can get away with one starter who isn't top notch but not more than that.  See perk, bill wenington (?) bulls center etc

So a future team of rondo sully is good, green maybe but then Bradley is a sub and we don't have a center.  Would like Kelly to add some muscle so he can be more physical next year.  Like his game, love him on high post.  Unfortunately singe has a group of guys who are about on same level for one/two posistions.  IMO in order:
Sully
Hump
Bass
Olynyk
Fav
Anthony
At the least two guys need to be moved.  I think Kelly is safe as he wouldn't bring that much in trade.  Want sully to stay but he might be needed in trade if ainge is going after a top notch guy.  Hump I'd like resigned at better contract as he can give minutes at pf/c but I expect his quality play and expiring contract will be more important in trade

[PhoSita]

I don't think they can be dominant enough offensively to make up for the lack of defense.

I think both can stick around here long term, though, because I think both are versatile enough to play at both front-court spots.

[Mr October]

I like olynyk. He and Sullinger are a bad defensive duo. Hopefully that improves to at least respectable over time. Olynyk has potential to be a nice stretch big, who also hustles, while coming off the bench.

Perhaps he could be described as a rich man's Travis Knight?

[slamtheking]

In limited minutes, they could do fine together.  The key, as mentioned earlier, is to get a good starting center to pair with Sully.  bring KO off the bench as first big (hoping he continues to develop where this is a good situation) where he can play with Sully when it presents a good matchup.

[SHAQATTACK]

Problem is.......as its been since Shaq s career ended .......he have no serious true center .......small ball isn't going to get it done .....we need a serious center like DMC, A Davis, Hibbert , Howard , Duncan , Gasol......on and on .....yet all I hear is shooting guards and tiny players.

Until we get a real center presence .......we aren't going anywhere .......just like Nets will go no where without Lopez

Getting a big to build around needs to to the prime directive .

Sully and Kelly are a nice start.

Dear Danny for like million times we need a freak n center .....years latter still .... El Hombre is the best we can do?

[mmmmm]

I don't know about the future, but it's been working pretty darn good so far in the present.

At least with Jeff Green with them.

So far this season, including last night's game against the Spurs (which dropped these numbers just slightly) when Green, Sully & Olynyk have been on the floor together:

ORtg:  103.3 (points per 100 possessions)
DRtg:   99.4

An interesting point is also to note that when Kelly plays with others (i.e. Green & Sully both on the bench) the DRtg leaps to 109.5 points per 100 possessions while the ORtg drops slightly to 101.6.

But it is also interesting to note that when Green & Sully play together, but without Sunshine, THEIR numbers are worse as well!  ORtg:  100.2, DRtg 102.9.

So, basically, these three have performed very well as a front court threesome.

[PhoSita]

I don't know about the future, but it's been working pretty darn good so far in the present.

At least with Jeff Green with them.

So far this season, including last night's game against the Spurs (which dropped these numbers just slightly) when Green, Sully & Olynyk have been on the floor together:

ORtg:  103.3 (points per 100 possessions)
DRtg:   99.4

An interesting point is also to note that when Kelly plays with others (i.e. Green & Sully both on the bench) the DRtg leaps to 109.5 points per 100 possessions while the ORtg drops slightly to 101.6.

But it is also interesting to note that when Green & Sully play together, but without Sunshine, THEIR numbers are worse as well!  ORtg:  100.2, DRtg 102.9.

So, basically, these three have performed very well as a front court threesome.

Good stuff.

To add onto this, I was looking at 82.games last night to see if the talk about Kelly being such a horrendous defender were warranted, and I found that while lineups featuring Kelly do tend to be worse defensively, they're also significantly better offensively.