Summer Quandaries: No Answers, Just Questions

http://celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2014/09/sq14-60-no-answers-just-questions.html









My Summer Quandaries series always starts with a list of ideas for articles.  Toward the end of the sixty-something day push, I end up with a number of ideas that end up being great, or at least good, questions, for which I have not only no answers but not too many notions of how to discuss the problems raised.  So here I offer you some pre-season quandaries to tickle your little grey cells.

Which helps more--
Sullinger weight loss or Olynyk increasing strength?
Thornton discovering defense and team play or Turner?
Zeller stepping up to serviceable center or Faverani?
Moving Bass or Anthony?

Who is more likely to create issues if benched--
Wallace, Bass, Anthony, or Thornton?

If they want to lighten the adjustment load for Marcus Smart, should he get his minutes at PG or SF?

Will the loss of assistant coach Ron Adams make a significant difference?

With a November schedule slate full of playoff contenders, what would constitute a “hot” start?

Will ex-Nets coach Jason Kidd last as long in Milwaukee as new Nets coach Lionel Hollins does in Brooklyn?
In the history of the NBA, has there been a player easier to root against than LeBron James?

Which high-priced signing this summer will look horrid first--
Bosh, Miami
Anthony, NY
LeBron, Clev
Hayward, Utah
Parsons, Dal
Stephenson, Char
Gason Chi
Gortat, Wash
Lowry, Tor
Parker, SA

Is it just me, or does the number of Top-Ten-pick busts seem to be increasing in spite of the plethora of recordings, scouts at every level and abroad, and statistical analysis of everything but scat droppings?

Only 4 days until training camp.




bob
MY NOTE:  A blogger who plans out his summer's worth of topics in advance.  What a concept!  Maybe that's why Lee Lauderdale has been a life preserver in a vast sea of journalistic drift.  Some good questions here, I think.  Let's discuss.



.

Which helps more--
Sullinger weight loss or Olynyk increasing strength? Tie. Both need to happen.
Thornton discovering defense and team play or Turner? Another tie, both need to happen.
Zeller stepping up to serviceable center or Faverani? Zeller, hands down. He's the guy who will get minutes.
Moving Bass or Anthony? Given the choice, I'd rather see Anthony go because he's of marginal use. I like Bass and think he can be the stabilizing veteran presence that Humphries was last season. I don't understand why so many pundits seem so eager to get rid of him. Yeah, I understand that there's a logjam with Sullinger and Olynyk, but I still think there's minutes for Bass, and I like what he does.

Who is more likely to create issues if benched--Wallace, Bass, Anthony, or Thornton?
Thornton first, then Wallace. Bass and Anthony won't create issues.

If they want to lighten the adjustment load for Marcus Smart, should he get his minutes at PG or SF?
This is a tough one, but I'll go with SF. Did he not include SG in the options because he expects most of his minutes to be there? I think he could play any of the three, and the priority should be SG - PG - SF.

Will the loss of assistant coach Ron Adams make a significant difference?
Of course. That's a chink in the foundation of stability and an invaluable asset to newbie NBA coach Stevens. Good assistants rarely get the credit they deserve.

With a November schedule slate full of playoff contenders, what would constitute a “hot” start?
Here's the schedule through the end of November:

Nets
at Houston
at Dallas
Toronto
Indiana
at Chicago (back-to-back)
OKC
Cleveland
Phoenix
at Philly
at Memphis
Portland
Chicago
San Antonio

On the bright side, nine of the 14 are at home. On the flip side, 11 of the 14 were in the playoffs last year and one who wasn't (Phoenix) was 48-34. Obviously things are different this year, but Indiana being worse is countered by Cleveland being better.

To me, a good start would be 5-9. A truly hot start would be 6-8 or better.

Will ex-Nets coach Jason Kidd last as long in Milwaukee as new Nets coach Lionel Hollins does in Brooklyn?
I like Lionel Hollins. He's the coach they should've hired last year. He can handle the veterans on the Nets. Memphis were idiots for letting him go, but he's not an analytics guy, and that's what VP of Bball Operations John Hollinger wants.

Kidd turned things around with the Nets the second half of the season, but he's working with one of the worst rosters in the league at Milwaukee. His chances for a long stint there are not good.

In the history of the NBA, has there been a player easier to root against than LeBron James?
Sure, lots of them. Wilt Chamberlain is the first name that comes to mind. Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn. Ron Artest. Shoot, with current players, it's easier to root against Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, and Lance Stephenson than LeBron. Rasheed Wallace. Latrell Sprewell. A lot of people didn't like Shaq, Kareem, Reggie Miller, or Bruce Bowen. In the really old days, Clyde Lovellette and Jungle Jim Luscotoff. I think Kobe would get more votes in some places than LeBron.

Which high-priced signing this summer will look horrid first--
Bosh, Miami
Anthony, NY
LeBron, Clev
Hayward, Utah
Parsons, Dal
Stephenson, Char
Gason Chi
Gortat, Wash
Lowry, Tor
Parker, SA

Horrid? I don't think any of them will, but if I have to pick one, it would be Lance Stephenson. He'll miss the good thing he had going with the Pacers. He and Big Al are going to butt heads.

Is it just me, or does the number of Top-Ten-pick busts seem to be increasing in spite of the plethora of recordings, scouts at every level and abroad, and statistical analysis of everything but scat droppings?
I don't think it's any worse than it's ever been. What's changed is that there's so much hype around the draft now that when the inevitable bust occurs, it seems like more of a bust, but it really isn't.

As I've recently posted elsewhere, as long as Bass is with the team, I might rather see him paired with either Sully or Kelly than seeing them paired with one another despite their inside-outside punch.  The reason is that I believe Bass will do a better job than either of them in adding strength to the defense.

Sam

http://celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2014/09/sq14-60-no-answers-just-questions.html



I saw that Outside answered, so I quickly scrolled up so I wouldn't see his answers (except the first one) so I could answer them without anyone's influence.

My answers in BOLD.

My Summer Quandaries series always starts with a list of ideas for articles.  Toward the end of the sixty-something day push, I end up with a number of ideas that end up being great, or at least good, questions, for which I have not only no answers but not too many notions of how to discuss the problems raised.  So here I offer you some pre-season quandaries to tickle your little grey cells.

Which helps more--
Sullinger weight loss or Olynyk increasing strength?

That's a tuffy.  I'll go with Sully.  Imagine Sully with the same (or more) strength, but without the weight.  He will be able to play longer and may not get tired as quickly and resort to reach-in fouls.

Thornton discovering defense and team play or Turner?

I don't know either player, so I cannot give an answer here.

Zeller stepping up to serviceable center or Faverani?

Zeller.  Serviceable center and Faverani don't ever go together in the same sentence.

Moving Bass or Anthony?

Bass.  It seems like we've been trying to trade him for over a year.  That may not be the truth of it, but it seems like it has been.

Who is more likely to create issues if benched--
Wallace, Bass, Anthony, or Thornton?

Wallace won't get benched, Bass is a trooper, Anthony already was benched, so it comes down to one: Thornton.

If they want to lighten the adjustment load for Marcus Smart, should he get his minutes at PG or SF?

Ouch, SG isn't a choice?  What would NYCelt say, that would be my answer.

Will the loss of assistant coach Ron Adams make a significant difference?

Not significant, but a difference, yes.

With a November schedule slate full of playoff contenders, what would constitute a “hot” start?

More than a handful, less than a strike?

Will ex-Nets coach Jason Kidd last as long in Milwaukee as new Nets coach Lionel Hollins does in Brooklyn?

Probably.  The expectations in Milwaukee are low and the Nets will be worse than last year.  

In the history of the NBA, has there been a player easier to root against than LeBron James?

Probably not, but the going home Lebron should be less hated by the masses than the post-decision Lebron.

Which high-priced signing this summer will look horrid first--

Multiple choice makes for multiple answers:

Bosh, Miami
Anthony, NY: Much pressure to turn the team around, ain't gonna happen
LeBron, Clev
Hayward, Utah
Parsons, Dal
Stephenson, Char: I hope not, they are my 2nd best team now
Gason Chi
Gortat, Wash
Lowry, Tor
Parker, SA

Is it just me, or does the number of Top-Ten-pick busts seem to be increasing in spite of the plethora of recordings, scouts at every level and abroad, and statistical analysis of everything but scat droppings?

The lottery is more of a crapshoot nightmare with college one-and-dones and with an increase in unproven foreign players.  I'm not putting foreign players down or anything, I just want to use for an example the guy from Australia and the other guy from Greece.  They both may prove to have successful NBA careers, but the unknowns in both of their cases were certainly daunting. (sorry for not remembering their names, but you know who I mean, I hope)

Only 4 days until training camp.

gyso

Lee keeps coming up with conversation-stimulators.  He's the main reason some of us aren't babbling nonsense after this long, tedious offseason.

Thanks, Lee...and to Bob Heckler for finding him.

Sam