CHISHOLM: WRIGHT ACQUISITION LIKELY SETTING UP OTHER MOVES
TIM CHISHOLM
8/12/2010 1:19:35 PM
If they were willing to use guys like Amir Johnson and Ed Davis as the 'centres' for the club, then they could open up playing time for Linas Kleiza and Julian Wright at both forward spots (both players project better as power forwards, anyway). Doing so allows Kleiza to use the post game he spent so much time working on in Europe last season and it would help negate Wright's poor shooting and handles while allowing him use his quickness against bigger matchups. Some of his best play, actually, came as a power forward in replacement of an injured David West. He had a PER of 18.9 last season when he played power forward for the Hornets, compared to just 9.8 as a small forward. His defense may allow him to lineup at the 'three', but his whole game is better suited to the 'four'.
Wright would also be an interesting defensive matchup against power forwards like Josh Smith, Andray Blatche, Jeff Green and Rashard Lewis since he can match their speed and mobility better than Johnson and Andrea Bargnani can. On a roster with so many young, athletic pieces to play with it would behoove the Raptors to find as many combinations as possible to allow that athleticism to overwhelm opponents since it appears to be one of the only advantages this team appears to have on paper over their foes.
TIM CHISHOLM
8/12/2010 1:19:35 PM
If they were willing to use guys like Amir Johnson and Ed Davis as the 'centres' for the club, then they could open up playing time for Linas Kleiza and Julian Wright at both forward spots (both players project better as power forwards, anyway). Doing so allows Kleiza to use the post game he spent so much time working on in Europe last season and it would help negate Wright's poor shooting and handles while allowing him use his quickness against bigger matchups. Some of his best play, actually, came as a power forward in replacement of an injured David West. He had a PER of 18.9 last season when he played power forward for the Hornets, compared to just 9.8 as a small forward. His defense may allow him to lineup at the 'three', but his whole game is better suited to the 'four'.
Wright would also be an interesting defensive matchup against power forwards like Josh Smith, Andray Blatche, Jeff Green and Rashard Lewis since he can match their speed and mobility better than Johnson and Andrea Bargnani can. On a roster with so many young, athletic pieces to play with it would behoove the Raptors to find as many combinations as possible to allow that athleticism to overwhelm opponents since it appears to be one of the only advantages this team appears to have on paper over their foes.
If Wright is better at defending quicker players than Johnson then Johnson needs to continue to work big time on his footwork and positioning on defense, which he probably needs to anyway. However, I doubt that Wright is faster than Johnson though Wright is pretty fast. It would be interesting to see them run a 100 meter dash against one another.
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