Around the League: Week 25 4/13-4/15

[Mori Chu]

Indy: I don't disagree with any of that. But I think our statements are not contradictory. He's good, very good, and he is also a black hole who messes up your whole offense and pacing and demotivates the teammates who get starved for the ball and shots. He puts up great numbers and alienates the others. He's a hero baller who can carry a bad team to mediocre status, around .500 as a ceiling I'd say. That's not the worst thing in the world to be. But I just can't picture any good playoff team being better with him on it.

Which team from this year's playoffs would have been better with IT? Even a team like Hawks, who don't have many reliable go-to guys, I think would be worse with Thomas. He'd be taking the ball out of the hands of guys like Teague and Korver, more efficient and more skillful players who are better at sharing the ball and leading a coherent offense.

[ShelC]

He's a ball dominant scoring guard. You have to build a team specifically around him with top notch role players to maximize his talent. Not ideal, but it can be done. Like if you put him with Michael Carter Williams (a big PG that can crossmatch defensively), a 3 and D at the SF spot, a dirt working PF and a center that can pop out and shoot. Similar to those Iverson teams or how I think you should build around Melo...hero ball, let him take 25 shots a game and put guys around him that are OK and thrive shooting 3s and playing D/being garbagemen.

You just can't have a free flowing offense with that type of guard or expect him to be your main distributor.

[Indy]

But I think our statements are not contradictory.

Agreed. Didn't mean to say they were. But "very low ceiling" because of IT is unfair. I think a very low ceiling means a bottom 5-10 team in the league. And although we were bad, we weren't that bad. And as bad as we were, it had way more to do with the rest of the parts than him.

He puts up great numbers and alienates the others.

Besides Goran (who seemed to not be OK with anyone else playing guard on this team), did you hear anyone else complain about him?

And just to be clear, I was not in favor of signing him. I think it was a great value for what we got, but I didn't think we needed him. So I am not defending my guy. I just think he got a lot of shit around here that was not deserved, especially considering how well he played for us.

As for your question about which team would be better off with him, I will echo what Shel said. You have to consciously build a team with him in mind. He can't just be added to a roster and expect it to be better. He has specific holes in his game that you have to plan for. Does that mean his potential is limited? Absolutely. Just like 300 other guys in the league.

[Cap]

He's a really impressive player who locks your team in at a very low ceiling. I don't miss him.

He was probably our most efficient offensive player last year. And our ceiling last year was higher with him than without him. I do agree that he is a limited potential player, but he is probably better than anyone we currently have on our team. (I am holding out hope that Len, TJ, and maybe Archie will become better in the future)

He also beats most of our current rotation in likability and watchability. That's reason enough to miss him.

[Indy]

He's a really impressive player who locks your team in at a very low ceiling. I don't miss him.

He was probably our most efficient offensive player last year. And our ceiling last year was higher with him than without him. I do agree that he is a limited potential player, but he is probably better than anyone we currently have on our team. (I am holding out hope that Len, TJ, and maybe Archie will become better in the future)

He also beats most of our current rotation in likability and watchability. That's reason enough to miss him.

That too.

[SDC]

He was probably our most efficient offensive player last year.

define efficiency.