Game Day (Summer League): Mavs (0-0) @ Suns (0-0), Fri 7/6/18

[Superbone]

Well, you better get over it Marty. He's not going anywhere at least for a year. Get used to it. He's our starting PF.

To each his own. Some can accept bad moves, some can't. Let him be.

So I should just accept that posters are going to complain about it all season long? What else is new. And just because you think it's a bad move, doesn't mean it is.

I don't think it is outlandish to talk about the Ariza trade after literally 1-2 games of summer league where we see the other players vying for the same roster position as Ariza. I watch all of these promising young SFs and swingmen and it makes me think that Ariza isn't super necessary in the rotation. It seems completely relevant and topical to me. And the move just happened; it's not like we are rehashing Dan Majerle for Hot Rod Williams here.

Gotcha. I don't think Ariza will slow their development. I think he'll speed it up if anything and make them consummate pros.

[Split T]

I think the issue some people(me included) have is the constant calling of ariza a SF. I get that some people think he can't play the pf position and I think that's a fair argument to have, but our team plans to play him at pf, so the argument that we have a SF logjam because of him doesn't really make sense. He's not playing SF for us.

[Mori Chu]

I think the issue some people(me included) have is the constant calling of ariza a SF. I get that some people think he can't play the pf position and I think that's a fair argument to have, but our team plans to play him at pf, so the argument that we have a SF logjam because of him doesn't really make sense. He's not playing SF for us.

Do you think he will be a good power forward? I don't. He doesn't rebound or defend the paint / bigs well enough. Is he going to guard guys like Giannis, Anthony Davis, Derrick Favors, KAT, Draymond Green, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Paul Millsap, etc.? Ariza averages 4.4 rebounds a game, 0.2 blocks a game.

I do agree that the NBA is moving toward a smallball style and that Ariza won't be the worst PF in the league. I just don't see why he's needed or why we wouldn't want to give those minutes to guys like Bender, Chriss, TJ Warren, or Bridges. Don't you want our young guys to get minutes?

[Split T]

I think the issue some people(me included) have is the constant calling of ariza a SF. I get that some people think he can't play the pf position and I think that's a fair argument to have, but our team plans to play him at pf, so the argument that we have a SF logjam because of him doesn't really make sense. He's not playing SF for us.

Do you think he will be a good power forward? I don't. He doesn't rebound or defend the paint / bigs well enough. Is he going to guard guys like Giannis, Anthony Davis, Derrick Favors, KAT, Draymond Green, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Paul Millsap, etc.? Ariza averages 4.4 rebounds a game, 0.2 blocks a game.

I do agree that the NBA is moving toward a smallball style and that Ariza won't be the worst PF in the league. I just don't see why he's needed or why we wouldn't want to give those minutes to guys like Bender, Chriss, TJ Warren, or Bridges. Don't you want our young guys to get minutes?

He'll guard Giannis. That's exactly who Houston used him to defend. He'll defend Durant. And KAT is a center, Davis is a center, Favors is a center. Davis and favors will play pf from time to time and that would be a rough matchup for Ariza. I just think 75% of the time, teams play a pf Ariza can handle without problem. Bender is just as poor a rebounder and would struggle similarly against the bigger pf's.

I don't love the signing, but it makes a lot of sense. We need to be able to have reliable players on the floor. Bender/Chriss need to earn their minutes and stop being handed minutes they don't deserve. Ariza gives us a steady presence who will defend and hit shots.

[INFORMER]

Ariza's defensive value goes down at the 4 spot. He is not an interior defender. He'll help with switching and defending the perimeter, but teams will be able to rack up points in the paint. Ayton will help with that somewhat, but he is obviously still a work in progress.

[specialsauce]

Who posts up any more? Ayton is our interior defender. What power forward posts up?

Not worried about it.

[INFORMER]

I'm not talking about posts ups. Frontcourt players use a combination of strength, speed, and elevation to attack the paint. They catch the ball in the anywhere from high to low post and attack the paint. That is where you need interior defense.

[specialsauce]

Can you give me an example of someone impactful who plays the 4 that he couldn't handle? Not worried about D Favors

[INFORMER]

I'm less worried about the one on one matchups, and more worried about the overall team defense on the interior.

[INFORMER]

Just looking at it head to head, here are the matchups that probably will present the most issues:

Atlanta: John Collins
Chicago: he'll have to guard either Markkanen or Carter Jr.
Cleveland: Kevin Love, though a number of teams have put a wing on him, but that was with LeBron there and Love's role was to stand behind the 3-point line all day
Denver: Paul Millsap
Detroit: Blake Griffin
Golden State: Draymond Green (I think the big challenge here is going to be second chance points. I think we'll see less Durant at the 4, and more Looney/James/eventually Cousins at the 5)
Milwaukee: Giannis (it seems pointless to put this because no one is stopping him. but you do want to try to contain the damage, and I don't think Ariza is going to help with that)
New Orleans: Julius Randle
New York: Kanter and Porzingis are going to have a field day.
Philadelphia: Ben Simmons
Sacramento: Marvin Bagley
Utah: Derrick Favors isn't a scrub. Most nights he won't put up big numbers, but most nights teams don't put a skinny wing on him. If you let, he can give you a lot of trouble.
Washington: Keef. I can't stand him, but if you give him a favorable matchup, he can still have a big night.

[Mori Chu]

I seriously already listed like 10 PFs he wouldn't be able to guard. Many of them are repeated in INF's message.

[specialsauce]

Just looking at it head to head, here are the matchups that probably will present the most issues:

Atlanta: John Collins
Chicago: he'll have to guard either Markkanen or Carter Jr.
Cleveland: Kevin Love, though a number of teams have put a wing on him, but that was with LeBron there and Love's role was to stand behind the 3-point line all day
Denver: Paul Millsap
Detroit: Blake Griffin
Golden State: Draymond Green (I think the big challenge here is going to be second chance points. I think we'll see less Durant at the 4, and more Looney/James/eventually Cousins at the 5)
Milwaukee: Giannis (it seems pointless to put this because no one is stopping him. but you do want to try to contain the damage, and I don't think Ariza is going to help with that)
New Orleans: Julius Randle
New York: Kanter and Porzingis are going to have a field day.
Philadelphia: Ben Simmons
Sacramento: Marvin Bagley
Utah: Derrick Favors isn't a scrub. Most nights he won't put up big numbers, but most nights teams don't put a skinny wing on him. If you let, he can give you a lot of trouble.
Washington: Keef. I can't stand him, but if you give him a favorable matchup, he can still have a big night.

Honestly aside from Blake Griffin, none of those matchups worry me. Most of those players are not the focal points (Kanter, Keef, Favors, Randle) or they don’t play a big man game (Simmons, Giannis, Markkanen, etc)

I liken it to Marion guarding Dirk - he gave up some height but it didn’t matter much because Dirk played a perimeter game. I thought Shawn played Dirk well.

I would rather have him guarding Giannis or Simmons or Bagley than say Derrick Favors on our team. Rebounding won’t be an issue with Ayton down low IMO

[UglyTruth]

Reed looked good today but did you guys notice his shot selection? He took and made so many contested jumpers.

He seems like the kind of guy (like an Archie Goodwin or Josh Selby) who is an SL breakout star and that’s about it.

Wow, I didn't see that at all. He looked like a fully competent catch and shoot, potential 3&D role player. I liked what I saw.

According to Gambo, his chances of staying here are thin
https://twitter.com/Gambo987/status/1016051455088660480

[ShelC]

It's a numbers game for him which is unfortunate. I knew last year would be lost with the knee injury but maybe they see something (or don't) that made them want Bridges to develop instead. I think Reed's a real player though.

[Indy]

I think I saw Ariza played 5% of his time last year at the PF spot. But, sure, Houston couldn't do it, but we can. Hooray!

[Ring_Wanted]

I don't trust Ariza at PF and think we'd be smart to do something with Jackson-Warren and the PG situation. At small doses, I could try Ariza-Bridges camping at the 3pt corner, Booker and Ayton making plays, plus another piece.

[Superbone]

I think I saw Ariza played 5% of his time last year at the PF spot. But, sure, Houston couldn't do it, but we can. Hooray!

I read that it was a much higher percentage in the playoffs.

[ShelC]

Ariza played 30% at PF this year, 57% last year in the playoffs. PJ Tucker saw the most time at PF in the playoffs at 77% with Mbah a Moute right behind at 73%.

[Ring_Wanted]

Tucker was inmense for the Rockets at times. Funny it was under Mike D.

[Superbone]

https://twitter.com/LukaBassin/status/1016430423289876482