Sam Smith's Crazy Article

[Shakes]

I agree that replacing Ben Gordon with a better defender isn't going to help much. People who think it is are under rating him defensively. Likewise though, replacing Gordon's shots with the other perimeter players we have on the team (Salmons, Hinrich, Deng & Rose) isn't going to hurt the team much either.

Basically I look at it like this: last year we had, for an extended point in time, a three guard rotation of Gordon, Rose and Larry frikin' Hughes. Next year we'll have Rose, Hinrich and Salmons. Given Rose last year, despite the promise he showed was basically about as effective as Hinrich (I'd argue worse due to his defense), and even if Salmons regresses he'll still be better than Hughes, we basically need Rose to be about as good a player as Gordon was to get the same production from our back court.

I think Rose can do that: in fact I think he has to do that, or else we're screwed whether we kept Gordon or not. If Rose isn't as good as Gordon next year then I have very grave doubts on him ever becoming a super star, and so the whole argument about whether to keep Gordon or not is moot because we still wouldn't have a star to build around.

Now that's not to say we wouldn't be even better next year with Gordon, but my point is the only way we actually take a step backwards is if Rose turns out to not be as good as we hope, in which case we may as well go back into tank and hope for a star mode.

 

[clonetrooper264]

For Rose to equal Gordon he would either need to develop a super good 3 pt shot or make up for his lack of proficiency in that by getting lots of FT attempts and driving to score. I don't think that 3pt shot will be anywhere close to BG's but the second option is probably the one that's going to happen.

 

[houheffna]

For Rose to equal Gordon he would either need to develop a super good 3 pt shot or make up for his lack of proficiency in that by getting lots of FT attempts and driving to score. I don't think that 3pt shot will be anywhere close to BG's but the second option is probably the one that's going to happen.

He is already better than Gordon at driving to the basket, he is quicker with better handles. No one can really contain him one on one off the dribble. Consistently hitting his jumpshot is what is important.

 

[Shakes]

clonetrooper264 wrote:

For Rose to equal Gordon he would either need to develop a super good 3 pt shot or make up for his lack of proficiency in that by getting lots of FT attempts and driving to score. I don't think that 3pt shot will be anywhere close to BG's but the second option is probably the one that's going to happen.

I didn't say he'd have to be as good a scorer, because it's silly to expect Rose to be the same sort of player as Gordon. He's obviously going to be a better passer/playmaker, and never going to be the 3 point shooter Ben is.

But putting aside that his strengths and weaknesses will be different, we really have to think he'll be at least as good as Ben. I don't think that bar is too high, Ben is a good player who has never been (and probably never will be) an all-star. I mean how many superstars weren't at least above average starter quality by their second year?

 

[clonetrooper264]

In retrospect, that may not have been the smartest statement. However, what BG brought to the table was the ability to score in bunches, amazing 3pt shooting, and the ability to deliver in the clutch. Not to mention he was pretty efficient too. Obviously Rose won't be anywhere near the shooter that Ben is. Rose can counteract that with his playmaking ability. The one thing Rose has to improve on is delivering in the clutch, something he could not do last year and Ben could do consistently.

 

[brett05]

Fred wrote:

You can't win a title by yourself.

Unless you're a Dream....Hakeem Olajuwon