And the Man in the Middle, Aaaaaaaaron...Gray?
I don't know if Skiles is just whistling Dixie, but according to K.C., Skiles is floating the notion of possibly starting Aaron Gray.
Intuitively, I am against this, but I didn't catch much of the last two preseason games. (And what little I did catch convinced me that no, Sam Smith is wrong: Noah should not be a starter. He looked absolutely horrendous.) Now, obviously, it's ridiculously early in the season--indeed it hasn't even started yet--and the only way to really know if something will work or not is to try it and see what happens. (It's the definition of illiberal to foreclose possibility.) That said, this kind of talk worries me. I knew going in to this season that there would be a question surrounding our starting PF: Would Ty show enough improvement to take the job? Or would Skiles lean on the veteran Joe Smith to essentially fill the PJ role of last year? Or would the energetic and hard-working Noah perhaps play the role of darkhorse? The one question I wasn't considering was whether the (by all appearances) lumbering and slow-footed Gray would best all of those candidates. It's quite possible I'm just not giving Gray enough credit for what he's been able to accomplish in practice and the preseason (or for how well his game meshes with Wallace's), but I find it pretty disheartening that, thus far, it appears Smith, Ty and Noah have all failed to decisively outperform Gray. I'm curious to hear what others think.
UPDATE: Hopefully, this website will be as short-lived as this notion.
Intuitively, I am against this, but I didn't catch much of the last two preseason games. (And what little I did catch convinced me that no, Sam Smith is wrong: Noah should not be a starter. He looked absolutely horrendous.) Now, obviously, it's ridiculously early in the season--indeed it hasn't even started yet--and the only way to really know if something will work or not is to try it and see what happens. (It's the definition of illiberal to foreclose possibility.) That said, this kind of talk worries me. I knew going in to this season that there would be a question surrounding our starting PF: Would Ty show enough improvement to take the job? Or would Skiles lean on the veteran Joe Smith to essentially fill the PJ role of last year? Or would the energetic and hard-working Noah perhaps play the role of darkhorse? The one question I wasn't considering was whether the (by all appearances) lumbering and slow-footed Gray would best all of those candidates. It's quite possible I'm just not giving Gray enough credit for what he's been able to accomplish in practice and the preseason (or for how well his game meshes with Wallace's), but I find it pretty disheartening that, thus far, it appears Smith, Ty and Noah have all failed to decisively outperform Gray. I'm curious to hear what others think.
UPDATE: Hopefully, this website will be as short-lived as this notion.
posted by BenGo07 at 11:51 PM
7 Comments:
I only saw 1 preseason game, but if I had to judge from that game, Tyrus would be the starting PF. He was being his usual bouncy self on the defensive end, but also hit a good number of jumpers on offense.
Noah looked awful (but maybe he'll turn into the next Shawn Marion with that shot). I can see him developing into a decent NBA player eventually, but it won't be any time at the front end of this season.
Aaron Gray looked like a slow big guy. He should be good, though, to come off the bench to guard other slow big guys.
skiles is an idiot.
I went to the first home pre-season game only becasue I was back home in chicago for the weekend. And I watched maybe 1 & 1/2 other preseason games and from what I have seen. A.Gray or lets call him A.G.(not) has been productive because he is a big that provides a bit target and can hit FREE THROWS...which would provide the bulls with some consistant production. On D, most nights he will be a liability thats why this notion will not last but he should get some time because Big Ben and Ty Thomas are known to get in foul trouble. Plus add to it the fact that Skiles may not think Ty T. is ready yet and since Joe Smith is new and hasnt' played much he is hesitant there so I see it as classic skiles to throw a gray out as a starter in the mix. Mix it up a bit light a fire out of TY,Noah and Smith.
I think this is a motivational thing directed at Ty and Noah. Get your ass in gear kind of thing. Clearly he likes to speak to players through the press.
That said, Gray can hit the ten to twelve footer, but I think we're in trouble if he's getting a lot of burn during the regular season.
anon -
Wallace had the second lowest foul rate on the team last season (2.3 PF/40). Deng (2.2) and Wallace also lead the team by an embarrassingly wide margin; Duhon was 3rd with 3.1 PF/40, Gordon was 4th with 3.7 PF/40.
These reactionary web 2.0 types are quick.
Phenomenal, Hot Shit. Just phenomenal.
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