Ok, so I really like Fultz. I have been critical of his shooting and his overall fit. I am now convinced of this.
Fultz is a great facilitator and a decent scorer. He is creative, changes speed well and finishes at the rim really well. However, with him, the offense tends to be:
- Option 1: He makes a play for Paolo or Franz either by a drive and dish or a screen and an awesome pass.
- Option 2: He takes it and drives to the rim.
There is a lot of effectiveness in Option 1. However, it’s not necessarily flexible and can lead to thing bogging down and just becoming a bit awkward.
The key to all of this awkwardness is Black. I for one would never have dreamed that placing a guy who doesn’t really shoot for a guy that absolutely can’t shoot would be a good thing. The cool thing about Black is he just has that facilitator mindset. Scoring is never a consideration for him like it is for Fultz.
Necessity is the mother of invention. When Fultz is on the floor, he is the PG and general. Without him, it opens up a lot of things. You have plays where almost every guy in the starting lineup (save Goga) brings the ball up. Suggs plays exceptionally well off-ball and since Black isn’t looking for a shot, ball movement is almost a necessity. Suggs is cutting and screening with wreckless abandon to make sure the defense is always guessing. He has also taken over both as a safety valve scorer and team leader. Our overall team assist numbers are actually better this year!
Now, I’m not really saying that this can’t continue with Fultz on the floor. What I am saying is that with Black playing it seems to have unlocked Suggs.
I would not be surprised if Fultz is the center of trade talks even more than WCJ.
I think it’s a change of mindset followed by confidence and lots of training.This Suggs is so much more different and charismatic than the one we knew. Im a believer of our potential big 3
I not giving up on Fultz quite yet. I don’t think he’s a long term starter anymore but he was an incredible player for us last season with a bigger sample size that contributed to winning basketball. His injury history is the only real thing to be concerned about but if were able to retain him on a team friendly contract I see no reason to let him go.
Black is basically playing like a role player, which is what we need with Paolo, Franz, and Suggs all on the floor.
His team and individual defence is really on point for a rookie. He isn’t very good at dribbling or shooting, but his job on offence is basically to connect play where possible, and otherwise just get out of the way. It’s stupidly simple, but effective.
Truthfully the answer to the the Fultz vs AB debate this season is: neither. Until Black develops further, our closing backcourt will be Cole and Jalen.
Fultz might be better overall than AB, but that means little given he’s always injured. Moreover he’s in a contract year, and with all the young guys we have to pay in the next few years, he ain’t getting $17m/year again. If it doesn’t sign on cheap, then he’ll be traded or walk in the summer.
That is indeed a pretty hot take. I’ve been thinking about ways to juggle these lineups when Fultz and WCJ come back. For the sake of keeping the ball in Paolo and Franz’s hands in the starting unit, maybe this would be an option:
PG - Ingles SG - Suggs SF - Franz PF - Paolo C - Isaac
Gets a little more shooting in the lineup, we lose nothing defensively at the 5, and the ball won’t stick.
Second unit then could be pretty filthy too. This is an outrageous bench.
Fultz Cole Harris Mo WCJ
Unfortunately that sends Goga and AB back to the end of the bench and out of the rotation, but I’m not sure in which of these two units I could slot them in and honestly say they’re an upgrade.