(續上篇)
Jeremy Lin & Southwest Division: San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks,
Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets & New Orleans Pelicans as Potential
Landing Spots
http://tinyurl.com/jz7n5tu
Posted on 15 May, 2016, by Greg in NBA
After a pretty long weekend, we're back on our offseason series of trying
to figure out which teams might be good landing spots for Jeremy Lin next
season, if he leaves the Charlotte Hornets. Up next: The Southwest division,
with the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston
Rockets and the New Orleans Pelicans under the magnifying glass.
經過了個很長的周末,我們來看如果Lin離開夏洛特黃蜂,有哪些隊伍會是好的下一隊
接著檢視西南組的5個球隊: 馬刺/小牛/灰熊/火箭/鵜鶘.
Four of the teams on this list made the playoffs this season and usually
have in recent years. Most of them have a lot of questions regarding the
point guard position heading into the summer of 2016, but it doesn't mean
they all fit.
這個球季西南組裡有4隊打入季後賽,這些球隊近年也是季後賽常客.
雖然這幾隊的控球後衛都有些問題,但這不代表這些隊伍都適合Lin.
We'll begin with the simple one – Rockets. Lin played in Houston for two
years, and the Rockets have Patrick Beverley as the only point guard
signed for next season. A player Lin is better than on offense by miles,
and just because he doesn't try to injure players on purpose doesn't make
him inferior defensively. But all that doesn't matter. The Rockets are a
solar system that revolves around the beard of James Harden. Lin should
look for life and a future elsewhere.
我們先從單純的開始 - 火箭隊.
Lin在這個球隊打了兩季，而Beverley則是下季火箭隊唯一的控衛,
在進攻上,Beverley根本看不到Lin的車尾燈,
在防守上,Lin不走Beverley會弄傷敵隊球員般的侵略性路線,也絲毫不比其遜色.
不過這些其實不是重點,火箭就像是太陽系般,圍繞著Harden那叢鬍子建構的球隊,
林應該去其他隊伍尋求更好的未來.
On to the Pelicans, who had a "disappointment waiting to happen" kind of
season, coming off making the playoffs in 2015, which only happened
because Kevin Durant was injured. The Pelicans have Jrue Holiday, who
when healthy is their starting point guard. Tyreke Evans, when healthy
(picking up on a theme here?), also loves having the ball. The bench is
pretty empty behind them, and Alvin Gentry is an interesting offensive
mind to work with. However, if the Pelicans don't move Holiday and Evans,
Lin probably will feel a little bit left out in terms of minutes and
possessions. He can probably do some very nice things with Anthony Davis.
接著是鵜鶘,也是本季讓人最失望的球隊其中之一,
曾經在去年KD受傷後,打進了季後賽.
鵜鶘的後場有只要健康就會先發擔任控衛的Holiday,
以及只要健康(嗯...,這是鵜鶘的主題曲嗎?)就會一球在手的Tyreke Evans,
在他們背後的板凳區目前是一場空,總教練Gentry也是擁有有趣進攻哲學的教練;
然而,如果鵜鶘不動這兩名球員的話,Lin在鵜鶘的上場時間和地位可能會很尷尬,
縱使Lin和AD有可能產生出令人驚豔的化學效應.
Now to three teams that make a lot more sense. We begin with the Grizzlies,
who right now don't have a head coach, but will probably have one signed
by the time it's signing season. They have no point guard heading into
next season, and Mike Conley might be tempted to go elsewhere, hoping
someone offers him the max deal, which is a risk considering his injury
issues. Lin could find a very nice niche in Memphis, but there's a very
good chance the Grizzlies have stretched their window of contending to its
limit, and jumping onboard would mean playing for a team in a weird
transition phase. Lin's fit with whoever will be the coach is another issue
that needs some further review.
接下來的三隊可能比較適合Lin也說不定.
先從灰熊說起,現在的灰熊沒有總教練,有可能會在今夏另簽新的總教練,
若Conley今夏離開灰熊尋求頂薪合約的話,但該隊要承受其傷病史的情況下,
灰熊先發控衛的位置就會空出來了,這時候Lin去灰熊會佔有一定的地位,
但由於灰熊近年主打的鐵桶陣風格已經無法再更上一層樓,
Lin可能會在灰熊渡過一個詭異的轉換期,
新任總教練是否是Lin理想的教練,這又是另一個問題.
The Dallas Mavericks looked like the team most likely to sign Lin last
season, at least for a moment or two. Deron Williams has a player option
for next season which he'll probably pick up, Devin Harris is still on the
team and J.J. Barea is also there. However, Lin is better than all three of
them. Williams has very little left in the tank, Barea is fun but you can't
really count on him besides an energy role and Harris usually harms the Mavs
more than he helps them. The Mavericks could make a very interesting place
for Lin to play in, but Mark Cuban hasn't done a great job of rebuilding
the Mavericks after the 2011 championship, and unless the Mavericks can get
rid of at least two of those contracts, they have too much money needlessly
eating cap space. In short: Lin would be very good in Dallas under Rick
Carlisle, but they have too many point guards right now as is.
小牛是去年最有可能簽下Lin的球隊.
Deron可能會繼續執行他下季的球員選擇權,而Harris和JJB一樣會在隊上,
Lin現在比前述3人更好,Deron狀態下滑中,
JJB就只是一個充滿能量的球員,Harris則是常常背刺隊友.
小牛或許可以給Lin一個不錯的位置,
但老闆Cuban尚未完成其2011年奪冠後的重建大業,
在這幾年花了太多不必要的錢導致可用的薪資空間變得很少.
簡單來說,Lin可以在Carlisle底下發揮得不錯,但現在小牛控衛實在太多了.
We finish with the Spurs, who are probably scratching their head, trying to
figure out how they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference
semifinals. There are a number of reasons, but one of them is Manu Ginobili
looking and playing like someone who belongs in retirement, and mostly Tony
Parker finishing a rough season badly. Who knows, maybe the 2015-2016
campaign for Parker was just about trying to get over injuries, but there's
a clear sign of decline over the last two seasons, and hints that the Spurs
could need some new blood at point guard. Parker is signed on for two more
seasons at $30 million, while Patty Mills has one more year on his deal.
How does Lin fit in? He could be great, really great in San Antonio. On most
days he's better than Tony Parker is at the moment (we'll discuss his numbers
as a starter tomorrow), but the question is whether or not the Spurs are
willing to move on from Parker. He played 27.5 minutes per game when healthy
this season, while Mills got the rest, declining in points per minute. Lin
would be better for the Spurs than both of them, but only if room is made
for him. San Antonio might be one of the few places Lin would go to and
settle for less minutes than he could get somewhere else.
最後來看可能正搔著頭,想著為什麼我們會在第二輪系列賽輸給雷霆的馬刺隊.
Ginobili在場上的表現看起來像是即將退休的樣子,
Parker亦經歷了糟糕表現的一季,他在本季最大的敵人便是傷病,
兩老的狀況都顯示了馬刺需要在控衛上注入新血.
Parker合約還有2年30M,替補控衛Mills還有一年合約,Lin要怎麼融入馬刺?
Lin真的可以在馬刺表現得很棒,眼下來看若Lin表現的比Parker好,
問題是馬刺願不願意變動Parker的位置(我們明天會討論他可能先發的次數),
他健康時場均27.5分鐘,Mills則是打剩下的時間,Parker的PPM也在下降中.
Lin在馬刺應該可以表現的比他們兩個好,前提是馬刺願意讓Lin發揮,
另外馬刺或許會是Lin幾個願意去的球隊之一,就算上場時間可能更少.
【結論】
火箭: 哈登的鬍子才是本體
鵜鶘: 至少假日或Reke要有陣容上的變動
灰熊: 假設康利離隊,但灰熊未來不確定因素也很高
小牛: 後場已滿(?)
馬刺: 馬刺怎麼想才是重點