I’ve been seeing a lot of takes lately saying that we need to move D’Lo in order to maximize our potential, that he can’t start for a championship team, and that his stats don’t necessarily contribute to winning
Hard disagree. I think D’Lo could actually be the ideal starting PG for this roster. But it requires that the lineup around him maximize his skill set.
Watching the D’Lo, Reaves, Prince, LeBron, and AD lineup was painful. It’s reminded me a lot of the Clippers joke of an offense: give the ball to X star, let them do something, at most a P&R, while everyone else stands around. In our case, LeBron, D’Lo, and Austin would take turns running P&R with AD while the others stand around. That’s just suboptimal.
In this sense, letting AR run the second unit makes so much more sense. D’Lo has looked like an all world facilitator in a D’Lo, LeBron/Rui, AD, and two off ball floor spacers/cutters. Facilitating is often about being in rhythm and in sync with your teammates, it’s harder to do that when you’re constantly being put in positions that don’t let you do that. D’Lo as a spot up shooter is just suboptimal offense.
Moving onto his defense, his effort has been incredible this year, leaps and bounds better than it has been in prior seasons. He’s constantly in the passing lanes, he’s even getting some weak side block action too. The problem is he just isn’t as fundamentally sound as other guards are. His positioning off ball isn’t always the best and he really struggles with screen navigation.
That’s why surrounding him with a few long, off-ball perimeter defenders like Cam and Vando and Prince make more sense. Austin has similar defensive deficiencies as D’Lo, so starting them both just hasn’t worked. Longer, faster wings that can help and close out are a much better fit.
Finally, I can’t speak enough about the intangibles he has brought to this team. Remember the state we were in during the Vampire era: it’s like they hated basketball. Things almost instantly became fun when D’Lo got here. Now the entire team does the “ice in my veins” celebration. He’s constantly hyping and coaching up his teammates. The vibes and camaraderie he’s bringing are so understated. I love having him around for that reason alone
I like D’Lo’s game and the way he has matured as a player. I think this team can win a championship and I don’t think we have to trade D’Lo to do it
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The only problem is the fact we can’t judge him for his regular season games because in 3 playoff runs he was never able to keep his regular season production in regular basis. Once he is scouted and the other team take away from him his sweet spots, players guard him closer and with more physicality he fades and you don’t have your 17 pts 8 ast player anymore.
I loved the way he played yesterday and I gave him big kudos, but he has to prove he isn’t a playoff liability that is going to be hunted on defense and nullified on offense.
I believe he could be a high level 6th man for a champion though.
I think everyone was in agreement that DLO is like the perfect NBA regular season player? like him winning games is gonna happen a lot. It’s his constant playoff woes that hinder him, that’s the gamble but it all depends on what’s on the trading block come January.
They just beat the trash Blazers don’t get ahead of yourself.
He can be a starting point guard for a championship team so long as you surround him with the right pieces. Giving him guys like Vando and Cam is important cause they can take those tougher perimeter matchups and let him play to his strengths (positioning and reading the offence).
Problem is that his regular season performance means nothing for how he’ll perform in the playoffs. It doesn’t matter how well he’s played in the reg season, he’s always been putrid when it comes to the playoffs