While Cade has struggled of his own accord, I’d say that the FO has also done an egregiously poor job of putting him into position to succeed. Look at other rebuilding teams for context. When teams drafts their prospective franchise player, they typically do what they can to put him into position to succeed. This FO has categorically failed at that.
Consider that to date, the most functional lineup Cade (who was very much viewed as a franchise-altering prospect) has played in was CoJo, Bey, Grant, and Stew. Even that very unimpressive lineup had a glaring flaw; Cade lives in the high pick-and-roll, yet the FO saw fit to field him next to a pick-and-clog center who’s terrible on the pick-and-roll. They had a strong pick-and-roll big (Plumlee) on the roster on draft day, but they chose to trade down in the 2nd round to dump him and instead field Cade in a lineup which not only had no pick-and-roll big in the starting lineup but had no athletic big on the roster at all. (They did this despite even Stew shooting threes from center that season clearly not having been in the plan; he could do nothing but actively get in Cade’s way).
Last season’s starting lineup (possibly the slowest, least athletic starting frontcourt I’ve seen in the NBA, and still no pick-and-roll big therein) prior to his injury was even worse, and this season’s starting lineups have been a spacing catastrophe.
Like I said, Cade has had his issues. He also drew a tough hand with the injury. It’s on him to improve. But the FO has categorically failed to field even reasonably competent lineups around him.
While Cade has struggled of his own accord, I’d say that the FO has also done an egregiously poor job of putting him into position to succeed. Look at other rebuilding teams for context. When teams drafts their prospective franchise player, they typically do what they can to put him into position to succeed. This FO has categorically failed at that.
Consider that to date, the most functional lineup Cade (who was very much viewed as a franchise-altering prospect) has played in was CoJo, Bey, Grant, and Stew. Even that very unimpressive lineup had a glaring flaw; Cade lives in the high pick-and-roll, yet the FO saw fit to field him next to a pick-and-clog center who’s terrible on the pick-and-roll. They had a strong pick-and-roll big (Plumlee) on the roster on draft day, but they chose to trade down in the 2nd round to dump him and instead field Cade in a lineup which not only had no pick-and-roll big in the starting lineup but had no athletic big on the roster at all. (They did this despite even Stew shooting threes from center that season clearly not having been in the plan; he could do nothing but actively get in Cade’s way).
Last season’s starting lineup (possibly the slowest, least athletic starting frontcourt I’ve seen in the NBA, and still no pick-and-roll big therein) prior to his injury was even worse, and this season’s starting lineups have been a spacing catastrophe.
Like I said, Cade has had his issues. He also drew a tough hand with the injury. It’s on him to improve. But the FO has categorically failed to field even reasonably competent lineups around him.