Player Best Guard rotation in the NBA for the next decade

[KobesAchilles]

Just for shits and giggles, would you guys do the following:

Steph and Harper for Ant? For Luka?

Luka plays too slow nowadays. It would be a lot of Wemby standing in the corner and watching type of offense. So no thanks.

Ant would atleast make me think about it. He would fit in seemlessly on our team and plays really well during the playoffs (when he isn’t too tired). It’s just how long does Wemby have healthy? 10 years then the answer is no. 5 years and my answer is yes

 

[LeBowen]

Well, so much for top tier point guard play.

 

[DTW]

Their lack of 3-point shooting is obvious and receives the most attention, but neither having so much as a mid range pullup or float game is a major issue as well.

 

[Corso]

Their lack of 3-point shooting is obvious and receives the most attention, but neither having so much as a mid range pullup or float game is a major issue as well.

They're young (except for Fox). They got time to develop game.

 

[Exstatic]

Just for shits and giggles, would you guys do the following:

Steph and Harper for Ant? For Luka?

F no.

 

[makow]

On the season, Castle is shooting 26% from three and Harper 25%. If neither can develop a shot, can they really be our long term backcourt? Which one would you trade if not?

 

[KobesAchilles]

On the season, Castle is shooting 26% from three and Harper 25%. If neither can develop a shot, can they really be our long term backcourt? Which one would you trade if not?

To me Castle is like TP. His form looks much improved and it’s just going to take a few years to become a 3 point threat. He might never really become much of a 3 point shooter ever in his career but as long as he solidifies his midrange and takes/makes open threes then I’m fine with his game.

Harper doesn’t have to be gotten rid of at all. His jumper is absolutely broken and won’t be fixed until the offseason. But we need a solid back up PG who pushes the tempo and finds the open man. And he is definitely that. I hope he becomes more than that but as of now I’m not worried about it.

But if push comes to shove (and I don’t expect it to) then you trade Castle.

 

[DTW]

On the season, Castle is shooting 26% from three and Harper 25%. If neither can develop a shot, can they really be our long term backcourt? Which one would you trade if not?

No, they can't. Now, I expect at least one to develop a shot, with Harper being the more likely of the two and for them both to be entrenched long term.

In the event neither can though, I'd probably trade Castle because Harper projects as a more natural offensive engine.

 

[frenchfred]

Just for shits and giggles, would you guys do the following:

Steph and Harper for Ant? For Luka?

no but I would do Fox+one of Castle or Harper for Luka

 

[O_V]

Ultimately to compete with OKC we would need Fox to trade in some of his personal dignity to go chase down guards in a full court press over and over. I wonder how amenable he is to the amount of effort it will take to beat the best. But that would be the potential Achilles to this whole deal. Fox being too cool for school and dipping in and out of engagement. Kings fans will tell you the same. The counter argument is that being engaged on a bad team isn’t lots of fun and it’s a different thing here.

Fox has shown what he can do when he efforts on defense. He's made some pretty damn good plays. He's in an environment where everyone recognizes efforts on that end of the floor so hopefully he keeps it up.

 

[Exstatic]

On the season, Castle is shooting 26% from three and Harper 25%. If neither can develop a shot, can they really be our long term backcourt? Which one would you trade if not?

Dude, fucking chill. Unless you come into the league as an elite shooter, it often takes 3-4 seasons. They are 0.5 and 1.5 seasons in, and you’re ready to pull the ripcord.

 

[Exstatic]

no but I would do Fox+one of Castle or Harper for Luka

That would wreck the Spurs. Luka is heliocentric, and OKC feasts on teams with one point of attack. It’s why we are their kryptonite. We have THREE players who can run the offense, fucking up their defensive plan, and you’re ready to trade two of those for a giant EuroSoccer man-baby.

 

[Ice009]

No, they can't. Now, I expect at least one to develop a shot, with Harper being the more likely of the two and for them both to be entrenched long term.

In the event neither can though, I'd probably trade Castle because Harper projects as a more natural offensive engine.

I don't know. I think Steph's shot looks better. Harper's shot doesn't look good to me at all. Too low of a release point which doesn't make for a consistently accurate shot IMO. Then conversely, I think Harper has more of a feel for shooting than Steph, so really, I have no idea who will be the better shooter between them. I usually got with feel for shooting regardless of the form (I don't mind an unorthodox shot if it consistently goes in and the player can get it off with accuracy), but in this case, I just don't know.

It really sucks that both of them could be superstars if they were decent/good shooters. I guess with Steph, we gotta hope he can become one and be a little glad that wasn't one already, otherwise, the Spurs never would have had the chance to draft him if he was already a good shooter.

 

[Ni-G]

I'd rather had Ant then Luka. But, no thanks.

 

[spursfanfromafar]

First up, no Laker GM will be willing to trade Luka Doncic. He is going to be a Laker around which they will build their basketball squad over the next decade and a half, if need be.

Second, it is inherently stupid to give up on Castle and/or Harper so soon. The Spurs are incredibly lucky to have such talent who are playing far more mature than their ages and are far ahead of the curve for sophomores/rookies in many aspects of basketball and especially the more difficult ones such as playmaking, defense, positioning, finishing at the rim, assisting etc. Shooting is their only weakness and that is something that can be worked upon over time. It is a tribute to their other abilities that they are net positives on the floor despite poor outside shooting.

Thankfully unlike immature Cassandras in the fanbase, franchises employ mature talent evaluators who understand basketball well. Every other team in the league would be jealous of the Spurs' situation with Wemby, Castle and Harper. No analyst worth his/her salt would suggest an outright trade of one of them even for a MVP candidate like Giannis because of the downsides of such moves (different timelines, fit, health of the superstar etc) as opposed to the positives of having outstanding young players on a rookie-scale contract growing alongside a generational player like Wemby.

It is a testament to Castle that he is already spoken of as a possible All Star (and he is also listed among the Top 15 choices in the WC by fan vote) despite his 3P Shooting woes. And while Harper has recently hit a rookie wall, his performance as a slasher and finisher has brought comparisons with elite NBA players like Kyrie Irving/ Cade Cunningham etc. Plus Harper and Castle aren't just theoretically good players. They have been part of a devastating guard trio along with All Star De'aron Fox that has helped the Spurs maintain a hegemony over the reigning NBA champion OKC Thunder who threatened the all time NBA regular season win record this year.

Clearly those of you who are asking to trade one of them are idiots.

 

[frenchfred]

That would wreck the Spurs. Luka is heliocentric, and OKC feasts on teams with one point of attack. It’s why we are their kryptonite. We have THREE players who can run the offense, fucking up their defensive plan, and you’re ready to trade two of those for a giant EuroSoccer man-baby.

Obviously this is all hypothetical and will never happen. Luka and Wemby would not be heliocentric, that would be a two headed monster. Luka would find Wemby more easily than any of our guards.

That being said, I'm happy with what we have. Castle and Harper are young so continue to develop. Next year Fox will cost the same as Luka so hopefully he'll justify this salary.

 

[Exstatic]

Obviously this is all hypothetical and will never happen. Luka and Wemby would not be heliocentric, that would be a two headed monster. Luka would find Wemby more easily than any of our guards.

That being said, I'm happy with what we have. Castle and Harper are young so continue to develop. Next year Fox will cost the same as Luka so hopefully he'll justify this salary.

Heliocentric just means he has to be the only distributor. Like Trae, he’s a below average off ball player, so he can legit be considered a ball stopper. His attitude and body language are also for shit.

 

[LeBowen]

Heliocentric just means he has to be the only distributor. Like Trae, he’s a below average off ball player, so he can legit be considered a ball stopper. His attitude and body language are also for shit.

Luka is one of those players good players don't want to play with.
If you're a stiff big or a 3-D role player it's great, but anyone who needs to get involved is in for a bad time.
Then you see him chuck a dozen low quality shots without getting bad on defense...I know I wouldn't want to play with someone who's got that attitude.

 

[ambchang]

Ironically I think Luka on the hawks will work well. He can run the entire offence, multiple athletic finishers to finish his plays and wing defenders to cover for him.

 

[elpimpo4cc]

First up, no Laker GM will be willing to trade Luka Doncic. He is going to be a Laker around which they will build their basketball squad over the next decade and a half, if need be.

Second, it is inherently stupid to give up on Castle and/or Harper so soon. The Spurs are incredibly lucky to have such talent who are playing far more mature than their ages and are far ahead of the curve for sophomores/rookies in many aspects of basketball and especially the more difficult ones such as playmaking, defense, positioning, finishing at the rim, assisting etc. Shooting is their only weakness and that is something that can be worked upon over time. It is a tribute to their other abilities that they are net positives on the floor despite poor outside shooting.

Thankfully unlike immature Cassandras in the fanbase, franchises employ mature talent evaluators who understand basketball well. Every other team in the league would be jealous of the Spurs' situation with Wemby, Castle and Harper. No analyst worth his/her salt would suggest an outright trade of one of them even for a MVP candidate like Giannis because of the downsides of such moves (different timelines, fit, health of the superstar etc) as opposed to the positives of having outstanding young players on a rookie-scale contract growing alongside a generational player like Wemby.

It is a testament to Castle that he is already spoken of as a possible All Star (and he is also listed among the Top 15 choices in the WC by fan vote) despite his 3P Shooting woes. And while Harper has recently hit a rookie wall, his performance as a slasher and finisher has brought comparisons with elite NBA players like Kyrie Irving/ Cade Cunningham etc. Plus Harper and Castle aren't just theoretically good players. They have been part of a devastating guard trio along with All Star De'aron Fox that has helped the Spurs maintain a hegemony over the reigning NBA champion OKC Thunder who threatened the all time NBA regular season win record this year.

Clearly those of you who are asking to trade one of them are idiots.

Cassandra was always right but noone believed her

 

[k....]

luka for castle and whatever fox would return on a third team might be tempting to lakers team otherwise staring down the barrel of long post lebron purgatory.

 

[LeBowen]

Since OKC Christmas game.

Castle: 14/5/6 on 34/15/74 with 3.7 turnovers.
Harper: 6.5/3/3 on 31/20/67 with 1.3 turnovers.
Fox: 17.5/5/5 on 42/15/82 with 1.8 turnovers.

Fox is in a shoothing slump, but at least he's been solid defensively and takes care of the ball.
Playing on more or less the same level he was all season long except his 3pt not falling and the driving lanes being closed because of it.

Castle and Harper are ruining us because they can't shoot, finish their layups, take care of the ball or playmake. The only solid thing is their defense.
And it's a major concern for me. Not something that can just be attributed to young player struggles.
You don't go from looking like a high IQ veteran in Harper's case to looking like Blake Wesley within a few months. Something is wrong in the coaching process.

 

[Ice009]

I don't have any answers of why they've ended up like this, but their lack of shooting is doing them and the team in. That superstar potential doesn't look like it's there anymore.

 

[Guru of Nothing]

There's a problem and the coaching staff owns it, 100%.

Slowing down and exhibiting a little bit of patience has to happen first, imo. It's insanity that they just keep running the same ineffective shit up the court and handing the ball to defenders.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Just for shits and giggles, would you guys do the following:

Steph and Harper for Ant? For Luka?

Harper is so young but looks lost out there in recent weeks. Getting worried about him. I never been a big Luka fan TBH.. For all his offensive skill he plays ZERO D and whenever he misses a shot his arms go up in there and screams at the ref.. I think in 3 or 4 years the Lakers will give up trying to build around him..