We are a noticeably better basketball team with Tre Jones on the floor. Victor is going to need to eventually move to the 5 for us to be at our best I think. Probably not this year though.
Pop's going to completely destroy Sochan before he gives up on that point guard experiment.
To put a positive spin on all the experiments, by far my favorite thing I've seen is when we go to the 3-2 zone with Wemby at the top. It's such a good change up and Wemby patrolling the top while also protecting the rim has really given teams problems. On the flip side, that same defense with anyone else at the top just doesn't work.
When you've got an 8 foot wingspan that's 2 strides from the basket (I think that's conceptually behind what Barkley said about him being too far too long from the basket?) it's so disruptive and I've caught myself literally pulling up off the couch like "oh!" And I'm an old man, been watching games all my life and this dude is like nothing ever. It's gonna take more than 3 games to find out how to build around your franchise guy when nobody even knows what he is yet.
We are a noticeably better basketball team with Tre Jones on the floor. Victor is going to need to eventually move to the 5 for us to be at our best I think. Probably not this year though.
Pop's going to completely destroy Sochan before he gives up on that point guard experiment.
He's gonna gain skills, not lose them.
Hope you're right. I just don't think he's got it in him to adjust.
I'd rather he be at practice shooting 200 threes from the corner every day than trying to figure out how to be a PG.
I think part of the thought process is that if a player who shows potential as a multi-positional defender gets reps as a playmaker, then you can fit him into an offense even if his 3 point shot doesn't come along (AKA Draymond Green). That way he can make plays as a screener, from the elbow, on the short roll, etc. So if there is playmaker potential, you nurture that and you have a built in archetype that should be a good pairing next to a player like Wemby.
If the 3 comes along, that is great. But I think in most cases you see that players with playmaking potential seem to be able to expand that more easily than guys who struggle with the 3 suddenly adding that into their game.
I'm seeing a lot of criticism of the way Wemby is being used. AFTER 4 GAMES.
Get ready for years of this. The national media is going to try to convince everyone that Wemby is wasting away in little old San Antonio and that he needs to move to LA/NY/etc. to realize his potential.
I'm seeing a lot of criticism of the way Wemby is being used. AFTER 4 GAMES.
Get ready for years of this. The national media is going to try to convince everyone that Wemby is wasting away in little old San Antonio and that he needs to move to LA/NY/etc. to realize his potential.
It's also obvious that the national media is ill-informed. I've seen so many clips of pundits saying that Wemby needs to stop drifting on the perimeter and to get in the paint. Yet, Wemby himself said that if a coach tries to turn him into a low post guy then he is not going to be happy.
We are a noticeably better basketball team with Tre Jones on the floor. Victor is going to need to eventually move to the 5 for us to be at our best I think. Probably not this year though.
Pop's going to completely destroy Sochan before he gives up on that point guard experiment.
He's gonna gain skills, not lose them.
Hope you're right. I just don't think he's got it in him to adjust.
I'd rather he be at practice shooting 200 threes from the corner every day than trying to figure out how to be a PG.
I don't think the end goal is for Sochan to be the starting point guard. I think the end goal is to develop a swiss army knife player that plays tough defense, rebounds, hits outside shots, and is a great passer.
Think of him as an extremely athletically gifted Boris Diaw. And I agree, I want him to continue to develop his shot. I think that he is someone that is constantly working on being better. Remember he is still just 20yo. This should be his junior year at Baylor. If he and Wemby want to celebrate with some French wine, they have to slip Doug McBuckets some cash to buy it for them.
I don't think that this is like David Carr with the Texans. Let Carr take all those hits behind an awful OL and he regresses as a QB because he is afraid.
I don't see any way that more experience ball handling and initiating offense makes him a worse player.
I think part of the thought process is that if a player who shows potential as a multi-positional defender gets reps as a playmaker, then you can fit him into an offense even if his 3 point shot doesn't come along (AKA Draymond Green). That way he can make plays as a screener, from the elbow, on the short roll, etc. So if there is playmaker potential, you nurture that and you have a built in archetype that should be a good pairing next to a player like Wemby.
If the 3 comes along, that is great. But I think in most cases you see that players with playmaking potential seem to be able to expand that more easily than guys who struggle with the 3 suddenly adding that into their game.
I get it.
Pop thinks he's got the next Diaw in Sochan. He's been searching for that since Boris hung it up.
I'm just skeptical Sochan can get there, that's all. I don't think court vision can be taught, it's an innate skill you either have or you don't. I don't think he has it.
I wish Pop would play Sochan like Diaw. Sochan is playing a much different position. The Spurs are experimenting and I'm not exactly sure they care if they win or lose games this season. I think they are looking forward to having another high draft pick next year so they can draft a true PG to be Wemby's running mate.
Some really decent PG options in next years draft with Castle, Proctor, and Collier.
I think part of the thought process is that if a player who shows potential as a multi-positional defender gets reps as a playmaker, then you can fit him into an offense even if his 3 point shot doesn't come along (AKA Draymond Green). That way he can make plays as a screener, from the elbow, on the short roll, etc. So if there is playmaker potential, you nurture that and you have a built in archetype that should be a good pairing next to a player like Wemby.
If the 3 comes along, that is great. But I think in most cases you see that players with playmaking potential seem to be able to expand that more easily than guys who struggle with the 3 suddenly adding that into their game.
I get it.
Pop thinks he's got the next Diaw in Sochan. He's been searching for that since Boris hung it up.
I'm just skeptical Sochan can get there, that's all. I don't think court vision can be taught, it's an innate skill you either have or you don't. I don't think he has it.
Sochan has great court vision in the open court/in transition. He doesn't know how to run the half-court sets.
This year so far, his shooting is ****, but he is putting up 12/8/6 per 36 minutes and his perimeter defense has been good.
Peak Boris was 14/7/6 per 36 minutes and that was on the Phoenix SSOL team. With the Spurs, Boris was a 13/6/4 player per 36.
And again, we are talking about a guy that is almost a year away from turning 21.
I wish Pop would play Sochan like Diaw. Sochan is playing a much different position. The Spurs are experimenting and I'm not exactly sure they care if they win or lose games this season. I think they are looking forward to having another high draft pick next year so they can draft a true PG to be Wemby's running mate.
Some really decent PG options in next years draft with Castle, Proctor, and Collier.
That's it. He is just trying to get reps for all the guys this year.
Future draft picks:
2024: 1st Spurs 1st Raptors (top 6 protected, Raptors are 2-3) 1st Charlotte (Charlotte brought back Bridges, who was then arrested for more domestic violence stuff, and they let Kelly Oubre walk. They are a cluster **** and I hope Alabama Josh Jackson is a bust. This pick moves to 2025 if they miss the playoffs.) 2nd: Pelicans or Bulls 2nd: Lakers 2nd: Suns
2025: 1st Spurs 1st Charlotte (if they make the playoffs in 2025, but not 2024) 1st Atlanta (unprotected) 1st Bulls (top 10 protected, then top 8 protected two following seasons) 2nd Spurs 2nd Raptors 2nd Bulls
2026: 1st Spurs or Hawks - better pick of the two, no protections 2nd We have like 8 second round picks with various protections and swaps attached.
2027: 1st Spurs 1st Hawks (unprotected) 2nd: we have like 5 second round picks all with various weird protections and swaps attached.
2028: 1st Spurs or Celtics - Spurs get the better pick, only #1 pick protected. 2nd: Five different picks
2029: 1st Spurs 2nd Pelicans 2nd Spurs
2030: 1st Spurs 1st Mavs - right to swap, unprotected 2nd Cavs 2nd Spurs
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We likely have 2 first rounders this year and 3-4 firsts next year. The 2025 draft is supposed to be really great, with Cooper Flagg leading the way.
For the 2024 draft, I like Matas Buzelis a lot. His game is kind of similar to Wemby, but as more of a SF/point forward. GLeague this year. He isn't a big need, but may be the best in the class. Having Wemby and this guy would be really difficult to defend. He's 6'11.
Combo?PG? Nikola Topic. Pop loves his Serbs, right? 6'6 200lbs. First five games this year, has put up 19/8 on 57% shooting. Will be 18 on draft night. PG Isaiah Collier - best player at biggest need and he is 6'3. PG Tyrese Proctor - 6'5 but may be more of a SG/Combo than a PG C Donovan Clingan - Big center that won't get pushed around, but is he too old school/plodding for what Pop wants? C Alexandre Sarr - French center a year younger than Wemby. He's not as big or strong as Clingan, but he runs the floor better and is younger. He's WAY more switchable and spent time guarding wings. But can he control the paint for us? C Aday Mara - Great passing big, but not sure he will be switchable or be able to control the paint.
Both of those last two plays to him down low are unfair.
For the other team.
They've finally figured out they can just throw it over everyone to Wemby in the paint. It's unstoppable.
I thought of that on the last one. It's basically a one-timer in hockey terms. Except there's no goalie. I mean you can't do it every time down the floor (...or...can we?) because someone will scheme to it but you can bust it out every 3rd or 4th time down the court, or at least show the look.