re: Delk the starting shooting guard, Rogers the backup power forward

[bird <birdwl@earthlink.net>]

> From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>
>
> That's the way Obie sees it, according to this morning's papers. Delk is 
> the
> starting shooting guard. Period. [...] As for Rodney Rogers, Obie says he'
> ll
> backup Antoine for 8-10 minutes a game at power forward. Sigh.

That's not all, though.  Obie said:

``But (Rogers) has got to learn the (small forward) spot and the (center) 
spot, so it's more of a challenge for Rodney. Certainly when he learns to 
play those spots at a high level, not only offensively but defensively, he'
ll be able to contribute more.''

So it sounds like Rogers may get some playing time at positions other than 
PF ... you know, if he "learns" the positions.  I'm not sure why Rodney 
Rogers needs to learn how to play the three when he has been  playing it 
throughout his career, though.  Playing him at center for longer than 3-4 
minutes a game is not good, but I have a feeling that will happen.

I can't see starting Delk, though.  Like I said earlier, it's not as if 
Delk doesn't have the *talent* to start on our team -- he probably does -- 
but he would be so much more effective against the opposition's subs. And 
there appears to be room for Rogers, Williams, Pierce, even Strick and 
Brown at the swingmen positions: Pierce gets his 38-40 a games, Rogers 
gets 15minutes out of the remaining 58 at the positions (with his 8-10 at 
pf giving him about 25 minutes), EWill gets his 15, Strick has his 15 or 
so in addition to time at point, and Brown starts and gets the remaining 
(about 10-15) minutes.  OK, it's a little tight if everyone plays, seeing 
as how Delk would have to get all his minutes at point, and apparently 
that's not going to happen.  I realize that Delk isn't a "pure point guard"
  in the mold of such luminaries as Jacques Vaughn and the NBA-level 
(dammit!) Khalid El-Amin, but I'd sure like to see him as Anderson's 
backup.  (Didn't Sacto use him as a backup point?)

> Has there ever been a less versatile "versatile" player than Antoine 
> Walker? He
> plays 40 minutes per game at power forward. Period. No minutes at small
> forward. No minutes at center. Power forward. Garnett, Nowitzki, Wallace.
> ..
> these guys play all across the front line. Not Antoine.

Garnett does not play center, and Rasheed Wallace plays no other position 
other than power forward.  In fact he sulks when asked to play center, so 
coaches don't make him.  And he's not nearly quick enough to guard most 
small forwards.  Granted, Nowitski and Garnett *are* more versatile than 
Antoine Walker, but there's "versatility" in regards to skill sets 
(passing, dribbling, scoring, etc.) and "versatility" according to 
position.  I think we all know that Walker would make a serviceable (at 
least) small forward -- everybody other than C's management anyway.  I don'
t see a real advantage to playing more than one position, though -- it has 
no real meaning.  I'm not saying I wouldn't mind seeing an Anderson/Pierce/
Walker/Rogers/Battie lineup, but what does it matter if Walker plays 4 and 
Rogers 3?  It's just hidebound, like "power forwards shouldn't take threes"
).

In the end, I'm finding it hard to go with the new personnel roles.  It's 
not how I would have done it.  I'm not so arrogant to think that I must be 
sooooooo much smarter than Chris Wallace and Jim O'Brien and the like, 
though.  Yes, sitting in front of a computer spouting off on various 
topics *does* make me an unqualified genius the like of which the world 
has never seen before ... but, you know, only in my head, just like all of 
you.  Anyway, back to the players: who knows, JJ was our starting SG for 
much of the early season before being benched entirely.  Maybe Obie will 
get it through that "El Retahdo" noggin of his and do it the way I want 
him to.

Btw, I don't think Strick and Delk are the same: the former is much better 
defensively, and Delk is better offensively.  Delk probably is also a bit 
more familiar with how to play the point.  They're not interchangeable.  I'
m willing to see how the rotation ends up appropriating minutes and 
positions for a while, perhaps even the rest of the season, but, for now, 
I can't say I think this is a good idea.  We'll see, though.  We need to 
use these guys in whatever ways work best (and I also think it's important 
to re-sign Rogers, as well), and I'm not sure Obie's plan is it.  Sigh.

Bird

P.S. You would have though Obie would be straining to get a three-point 
shooter the caliber of Rogers (not great, but good -- better than EWill) 
on the court for as many minutes as possible.  Go figure.