2016-17 NBA Season

[Revering4Blue]

I'm still shocked that Pritchard would have anything to do with Nate as a HC. I find it extremely difficult that Nate can change his philosophy. He's really good at the talk, "We're going to run this year", but give him all gazelle's and he'd find a way to isolate his best shot-creator. Paul George is going to once again be asked to do everything while everyone else gets to stand around and watch.

Someone please post the team's iso percentage after each month (Portland, for example, is far and away the least iso team in the league at less than 5%).

Nate's favorite style of PG is Steve Blake.

Did Pat Riley create Showtime East in New York and Miami? No, he built the offense around the players at his disposal at the time, which is exactly what Nate M, who coached during a different NBA landscape setting - the league, as whole, was still transitioning away from the dull, grinding, 84-81 brickfests circa '97, era/rules - and just how many "gazelles" were at Nate's disposal in Seattle or Portland?

If Nate's smart enough not to sit his top three scorers, as Vogel did, at the start of the fourth quarter of a playoff game, and/or smart enough not to remove his best rim protector for the final two seconds of an ECF road game in which the Pacers were ahead, while attempting to defend LeBron James and company, he's more than qualified as Pacers head coach.

As for Jefferson, pace, shmace, the idea is to score more points, and Jefferson improves bench production exponentially. Still, speaking of bench scoring, the Pacers need another 2G or combo guard, so that Ellis can assume the role of sixth man.

[Revering4Blue]

Finally, one correct prediction for me, albeit, a lower-profile signing, but a solid one.


The Pelicans have a verbal agreement on a four-year, $52 million deal with unrestricted free agent Solomon Hill.
Source: Adrian Wojnarowski on Twitter

[Bourgeois Zee]

Parsons in Memphis is about two years too late.

That said, as a marksman, they could do far worse.

Memphis still needs another shooter.

- - - Updated - - -

Finally, one correct prediction for me, albeit, a lower-profile signing, but a solid one.


The Pelicans have a verbal agreement on a four-year, $52 million deal with unrestricted free agent Solomon Hill.
Source: Adrian Wojnarowski on Twitter

Hill did very well in the playoffs and offers a solid combination of offense and defense.

Sneaky good move by NOLA.

[texasdave]

Bayless just got $27M for 3 years from the Bucks.

There is crazy money in the NBA now. Skip Bayless gets 27 million? He must be pushing 50.

[texasdave]

Chandler Parsons got a max deal? Seriously?

[Kingspoint]

Did Pat Riley create Showtime East in New York and Miami? No, he built the offense around the players at his disposal at the time, which is exactly what Nate M, who coached during a different NBA landscape setting - the league, as whole, was still transitioning away from the dull, grinding, 84-81 brickfests circa '97, era/rules - and just how many "gazelles" were at Nate's disposal in Seattle or Portland?

As for Jefferson, pace, shmace, the idea is to score more points, and Jefferson improves bench production exponentially. Still, speaking of bench scoring, the Pacers need another 2G or combo guard, so that Ellis can assume the role of sixth man.

Are you seriously trying to compare McMillan to possibly one of the three greatest NBA HC's who ever lived? We'll skip that conversation as I know you are trying to make a point that a "smart" NBA HC will work with what's given him. There's a lot of assuming going on here that Nate is a "smart" NBA HC. Watching him daily in person for five years my opinion is that he never showed the basic fundamentals of understanding what it takes to win an NBA title under any style of play that could possibly work.

His basic premise was always to limit the number of mistakes on every posession by giving the best shot creator the basketball as often as possible while everyone else stood around the outside creating room and watching that person dribble the shot clock away. That was Offense. His Defense was designed around getting back on Defense (no Offensive Rebounds) while not covering the 3-pt shooter.
Running on Offense was never an option.

Nate ruined Batum's career by messing with his head putting him in and outof the lineup for two years, when he should have been getting starters minutes from Day 1. He played Blake over Wesley Matthews for two years, when Roy and Wes should have been the starting backcourt halfway through Matthews' first year here. Bayless should have been starting over Blake and Blake should have bee shipped out, not Bayless, a player who could break down any Defense from his first day as a rookie. Bayless was unafreaid and able to get to the free throw line at will. He was 22-24 against the Lopez Twins in one game vs Stanford from the line. Aldridge, Bayless, Batum, Roy, Matthews and others should have been running from Day 1. It was Pritchard's style and it's why he got those kind of players on the team.

Nate forced his style because Roy was also comfortable with that style (why not as the ball was always in his hands). But, that style makes everyone on Defense lazy, and rightfully so. It gets old to run up and down the floor only to get just a few touches now and then. Guys don't need to shoot, but they need to touch the ball once on Offense before running back down again on Defense (so that they can get it for the prima donna to hog the ball again?...I don't think so).

Pritchard fought with Nate constantly over these counter philosophies. Couldn't get out of the first round with Nate. Couldn't even compete when we had home-court advantage. Paul Allen was in love with "Mr. Seattle", so when Pritchard received too much credit for his drafts, Paul Allen's Vulcan Harvard suits that advise him on things convinced Allen that Pritchard was no good for the organization. Pritchard wanted Nate gone. Kevin didn't hire him. Vulcan tbought Pritchard was getting too much influence and wanted him gone. So, they first fired Pritchard's Assistant at the All-Star break for no reason. Pritchard had just finished a great deal getting us a Starting Center. They thought they could get Pritchard to resign. He made them fire him, which they simply didn't renew his contract after July 1st. Pritchard helped with the draft, but couldn't really do any moves as he was gone. We went into Free Agency without a GM. Crazy.

So, time goes by and Bird eventually brings him on as basically his assistant a year later or so. Bird and he agree on styles and it's a perfect match, but Larry is still the boss. Pritchard is wary this time of politics and is careful about insisting or implying that his way or knowledge of something or someone is better than someone else's. Somehow Nate gets added as an Assistant, an excellent job for him. Nate is as nice of a human being, knowledgable about all things teaching when it comes to basketball, and is very personable. Larry loves him. Bird made him HC, I guarantee it. Pritchard doesn't want to be out of work for a whole year (or more) again. He goes along and adjusts.

The problem hasn't gone away. Nate won't run. Pritchard, who knows this, convinces Larry that Al Jefferson is insurance against Ianmihini leaving, when in reality, he fits Nate's style better. Pritchard is going to have to keep his job by giving Nate help that he knows how to use (Horford would be great), while letting Larry think that it's his decision. I don't envy Pritchard right now. Pritchard can't play his style of running and creating high percentage shots with good passers because Nate won't move the ball. The Pacers will be below their ranking in assists (If they are the 12th best team, they will be 22nd in Assists, for example). He needs to get McMillan a PG who can pass and score, as that's what Nate needs. Nate has his Superstar in George that everything will go through, but Pritchard will need to find hungry guys willing to do a lot of dirty work with no reward.

[Kingspoint]

Chandler Parsons got a max deal? Seriously?

No. He took $18M less to play for the Grizzlies with Conley instead of the Max that the Blazers offered him. Rich White guys don't want to live here either.

[Kingspoint]

By the way. Neil Olshey screwed the pooch once again in an effort to try to get a decent Free Agent.

Swing-and-misses are all he can ever do when trying to get a quality FA (one who has already reached his upside).

He panicked and added Turner who shoots bricks, has the size of a Guard, and promises he can start at SF alongside the smallest and worst defensive Starting Guard tandem in the NBA. Meanwhile, Pkrtland still has no rim protector and we lose our most effective player with tremendous upside from last year's playoffs in Moe Harkless.

[Tom Servo]

Chandler Parsons got a max deal? Seriously?

I had to do a double take when I saw the money he was getting.

[Kingspoint]

Portland, with tons of cap-money ($24.9M if they only let go of Kaman, Henderson and Roberts) are now a much worse team than last season.

[KoryMac5]

Not shocked that Parsons got a max deal when you look at the realities of the new cap. What concerns me about Parsons is his knees, and will Memphis get value out of that contract. The Mavs look to be in full tank mode, no use overpaying for players that are not going to get you past Golden State or San Antonio. I would imagine they sit down with Dirk in the next few days.

[Revering4Blue]

Are you seriously trying to compare McMillan to possibly one of the three greatest NBA HC's who ever lived?

Of course not.

We'll skip that conversation as I know you are trying to make a point that a "smart" NBA HC will work with what's given him.

No conversation to skip, as that's exactly what I meant.

The problem hasn't gone away. Nate won't run. Pritchard, who knows this, convinces Larry that Al Jefferson is insurance against Ianmihini leaving, when in reality, he fits Nate's style better. Pritchard is going to have to keep his job by giving Nate help that he knows how to use (Horford would be great), while letting Larry think that it's his decision. I don't envy Pritchard right now. Pritchard can't play his style of running and creating high percentage shots with good passers because Nate won't move the ball. The Pacers will be below their ranking in assists (If they are the 12th best team, they will be 22nd in Assists, for example). He needs to get McMillan a PG who can pass and score, as that's what Nate needs. Nate has his Superstar in George that everything will go through, but Pritchard will need to find hungry guys willing to do a lot of dirty work with no reward.

Good grief.

The Pacers are bringing Jefferson aboard because they desperately need inside scoring - and more scoring in general - from the bench. And as BZ, pointed out several posts ago, Jefferson can serve as a mentor to the young bigs on the roster. For example, Myles Turner, even as a stretch-five, can learn quite a bit about low post scoring from Jefferson, one of the best in the business. Also, the Pacers will be running four out sets with Jefferson. Signing Jefferson is in no way a departure in planned philosophy. With all due respect, many are reading too much into the "radical departure" narrative.

Teague > Hill.

There's your PG who can pass and shoot.

As to whether or not Nate M. is the answer, I'm certainly not going to base it upon events of '09 or so, as it's largely irrelevant, as I stated before, "small-ball" or whatever you wish to call it, hadn't taken shape yet. In any case, IMO, the most important holdover from Vogel's staff, which Nate is retaining, is Dan Burke, the architect of the defense.

Still anticipate roster tweaks here and there, but two youngsters - Joe Young(Potential for a breakout year) and Georges Niang ( a poor man's Draymond Green) figure greatly into plans. More so than coaching, the onus is on the front office. IMO, they're off to a solid start.

[Revering4Blue]

Here's a free agent tracker. Lots of action so far today, too.

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nb...-agent-tracker

[Revering4Blue]

Waiters is "locked in" for Sacatomato.

Sacto wisely, IMO, went for Afflalo instead.

E'Twaun Moore to New Orleans is another under the radar, solid signing.

[Revering4Blue]

Following Howard to Atlanta, Al Horford is reportedly heading to Boston.

Also, Pacers and Kings are discussing a deal involving Rudy Gay.

Monta Ellis and Rodney Stuckey for Rudy Gay and Ben McLemore?