Bagels wrote:
FavreFan wrote:
Bagels wrote:
FavreFan wrote:
but there's a lot of talent on this team. They would still be playing right now and we wouldn't even be having this conversation if Rondo doesn't break his thumb in the first round.
there's a lot of talent ? care to point out who, other than Butler ?
Rondo and Lopez. Wade was ok this year but hopefully you replace him with a better, younger option in free agency. Portis and Valentine could be decent. Guys like Felicio and Zipser are fine as bench rotation guys. I'm sure you'll laugh at this because they aren't the Warriors but I think with Rondo as a starter their sample size is big enough that it's clear they are a pretty decent team.
You think taking a 2-0 lead against the Celtics and outscoring them by 18 was a fluke?
OK, c'mon....Rondo and Lopez ? I do like Lopez and think he's a solid piece, but I wouldn't cite him as evidence of having talent. When you're qualifying your statements with "could be decent" and "bench rotation guys", that's not exactly high praise.
And yes I do think the 2-0 lead was a fluke...as evidenced by the fact Boston came back to take 4 straight and is currently up 2-0 on the Wizards. Yes i'm aware of the impact Rondo had, but I still think had he played the entire series Boston would still have come back
Realistically, they have one open spot and an overall lack of athleticism. Mirotic could end up starting, but that's not really a solution. Wade would probably be best served in a more limited role, 25-30 minutes max, but he really shouldn't be more than a 4th best player on a roster going forward, if that. Right now, he may be their 2nd best player still depending on Lopez/Rondo.
F ????????????
F Dwayne Wade
C Robin Lopez
G Jimmy Butler
G Rajon Rondo
The bench is thin and I'm not sure what upside John Paxson sees with this group of young talent. Portis showed some ability, and Valentin can't be given up on, but what is the actual upside of any of these players? Are they future starters? Right now, we don't know if any of these players can be dependable role players, much less anything more than that.
Valentin
Portis
Payne
Felicio
Zipser
Without adding 1-2 players who are legitimate starters and are all-star caliber, this team is not going to be more than average.