We were 25-34, on our way to a 34 win season. Then we benched Walker. Despite losing the first four games without him, we wound up 12-11 the rest of the way, putting us on pace for 43 wins even as we were scrambling lineups and Randle was losing his mind.
We got off on the wrong foot due to what I believe was front office pressure to give the keys to Kemba based on his rep rather than the facts of the player he had become.
Deuce hitting basically none of his shots and even fewer of his threes had a more positive impact on the floor than Kemba did banging in more than 40 percent of his threes while finishing at a non horrific clip at the rim.
Kemba is a great player with a great story and he is done as a regular player at the NBA level. That is why he was available in the first place. I did not mind the signing because I did not believe that Thibs would have to or want to use him.
A steady, year long diet of IQ and Burks would have gotten us into the postseason.
IQ, McBride, and a bit of Rose is better than IQ and Burks. Point guard is not our problem. With Grimes and Barrett neither is shooting guard.
Small forward is really thin with nobody behind Reddish and rumors swirling constantly that everyone wants to see him go for one reason or another.
PF is fine especially if we hang on to Taj.
Neither Randle and Fournier have the work ethic, leadership, or professional pride to be top dogs which is how we are paying and playing them. That puts a cap on the potential of the team.
I do not believe Jalen Brunson can bring out the killer in either of them no matter how much we pay him.
Fournier is a shorter tubbier version of Davis Bertrans.