August 31, 2018

[...] It does not help that the team's best shooting options outside of George are Abrines and Patterson, the two movable expiring mid-range salaries per the above who could otherwise theoretically be moved to provide short term financial relief. It further does not help that Grant is a limited shooter from the outside, and Schroeder is a sub-par one for a lead guard as well. It only makes it worse that both Noel and third string point guard Raymond Felton are also not plus shooters, and that while Terrence Ferguson projects to be a decent shooter in his future, he is not one yet. Luwawu-Cabarrot has a similar projection yet has not done enough in two years to show himself as being worthy of a spot in the rotation; the rotation, then, features one good shooter (George), two decent ones who do little else, don't do anything significant to get open and who would ideally be salary dumped (Abrines and Patterson), and a bunch of mediocre to bad shooters. [...]

[...] That said, the struggles without him were only partly due to Roberson's own impact. In large part, they were also due to the lacklustre options that replaced him. Abrines was a timid shooter who had too many nothing games, Terrence Ferguson took even fewer dribbles than he, and although he was the best defender of the bench, Josh Huestis was somehow even less of an offensive threat that Roberson, while not being the tour de force on defence. Singler wasn't trusted at all, and ultimately, two point guard line-ups featuring Felton became a turned-to option, such was the plight at the position sans Roberson. Brewer shined in relative terms by virtue of being able to play both ends of the court capably, not because he was especially good. [...]

[...] Internal growth projections for the Thunder's shooting disparity are not favourable. Westbrook would have to make a significant post-30 improvement, and in five years, Schroeder has somehow gone back under the 30% mark again. Felton has managed only a 32.9% career mark in 13 seasons. Abrines has the best looking stroke, but his physical profile makes a high volume of shots hard to foresee, while Patterson's knee problems have seen him really regress as a player. Ferguson could be a good one, but needs to prove himself capable of a sizeable role for that to be of true value. The same is true of rookie Hamadou Diallo, whose form thus far has been better than his results. Adams and Noel have shown no signs and should be on the offensive glass anyway. And although Grant is now likely getting the starting stretch four role, he has never been a good one anyway. [...]

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June 29, 2017

Raymond Felton
PG, 6’1, 205lbs, 33 years old, 12 years of experience

Continuing his evolution into reasonably reliable, defensively committed third stringer continues, and he was fairly reliable in a season that lacked for it. But as he ages, his effectiveness is tailing off, and he was never consistent offensively anyway. Therefore, while he is a good candidate for the very role he just fulfilled, he is not suitable for a bigger one than that. Could be worth bringing back for the minimum depending on how the rest of the roster plays out.

Player Plan: Expiring minimum salary and would be worthy of another one. No Bird rights will make it difficult to re-sign him for more than that, but nor should it be necessary.

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January 10, 2014

Further to this, the new and considerably not improved version of Amar'e Stoudemire is nevertheless having some effect in his offensive bench role. Over the five games, Stoudemire has totalled 51 points and 33 rebounds - more Carl Landry than Karl Malone at this point, Amar'e is nevertheless providing size, offense and bench firepower from a team starved of all three. And further to that, the man who started the season as the team's fourth point guard (out of five), Toure Murry, has provided a welcome defensive influence. Barely playing to begin the season, Murry has seen more time recently in the absence of Pablo Prigioni, and used his combination of size, speed and good hands to become a significant defensive presence at the point guard position. Whilst he himself is limited offensively, Murry nevertheless brings energy, speed, a full-court game and intensity to a point guard spot normally manned by the antithesis of that, Raymond Felton. Prigioni brought the defense, but not the dynamicism, and with an extended run, Murry could potentially oust both him and Beno Udrih in the point guard rotation.

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