Minute distributions

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

I listened to Locke for once and got a little worried- I'm not sure Whiteside is effective at 15 minutes a game. He's been most effective at 30 minutes. He obviously wont be playing 30 minutes a game for the jazz, but hopefully he can be effective at around 20. I don't think Rudy plays over 30, he's settled in pretty good.

The issue is his effort level. He got paid a big contract in Miami and has been coasting for a few years. However, with the Jazz being a legit contender, the hope is that he'll play hard. Playing backup for the Kings wasn't going to motivate him.

Jazz can play Gay or Dok at the 5 if Whiteside doesn't pan out.

 

[NAOS]

Bro he played 29 minutes a game the last 2 years and could manage to play in 2/3 of the games. It seems like sarcasm, but he's probably not far off. Conley will probably need to play significantly less minutes unless his hammy undergoes some healing miracle. Especially if you want him for 3 more ****ing years. Conley has never been anything near an ironman and he's obviously aging.

Have you seen me advocate for anything other than an effective load management scenario? If so, pls provide link.

I’ve stated many times that I’m not fond of the corner we’ve painted ourselves into with Mike; but, as of this offseason, there was no question that we needed to re-sign him. This is our corner to inhabit. If it needs to be 20-25 minutes, then fine. I think the staff can find something that has him ready for the playoffs.

We clearly pushed for the 1 seed last year. That was bad for Joe, too. Hopefully we have a different perspective this year. I think there are reasons to be hopeful about that. There are enough reasons that I’m pushing back against those people who still have their dick in the dirt about Conley, etc. The moping about this issue is obsolete.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

The issue is his effort level. He got paid a big contract in Miami and has been coasting for a few years. However, with the Jazz being a legit contender, the hope is that he'll play hard. Playing backup for the Kings wasn't going to motivate him.

Jazz can play Gay or Dok at the 5 if Whiteside doesn't pan out.

Based on him getting a minimum contract, hopefully he recognizes his role in the NBA is as a backup center. I could see him trying to outplay his role in an attempt to secure his next contract, which could be bad.

 

[NAOS]

I’d place a big priority on Butler’s development early in the season. He could be the piece that helps load manage Joe and Mike. ****ing crucial. Let’s hope they pursue these kinds of ends over winning a maximum number of games.

I’d also add that Paschall could help manage JC. He can definitely be a microwave off the bench.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

1. There's no way the Jazz are experimenting with the idea that Rudy is expendable. If they were, Whiteside wouldn't have been the afterthought. And he wouldn't have been the second guy they were looking at. Of course, they could do this indirectly. The reality is, is that if we feel we can get more traction without Rudy, then there's no other team who will value him more than us and we're not going to get any kind of equal value for his contract and would be getting a lot of garbage salary attached.

2. Regarding Whiteside not playing well in 15 minutes per game, we only really have one season to look at there with an absolutely terrible franchise. It's too hard to determine what the variable is there. And on any team he's been on, they're not prioritizing the type of game he has that puts him into a defense where he can succeed. In any case, I believe he probably plays 18-20 minutes per game. When Gobert is healthy it's 18. If we're really blowing people out his minutes only go up a little bit because maybe they give Udoka some burn. If Rudy's out then he moves into 25-28-ish minutes,

Number 2 100%. Locke looks at numbers a bit too much... Can this guy be effective in 15 minutes a night???? He's never done it?!?!?!?! FREAK OUT!!!!

Yeah Sacramento is a ****** basketball environment... that has everything to do with it. Basketball is basketball... 15 minutes... 30 minutes... 48 minutes... its all basketball. He will be fine.... just because A and B happened it does not mean A caused B.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Number 2 100%. Locke looks at numbers a bit too much... Can this guy be effective in 15 minutes a night???? He's never done it?!?!?!?! FREAK OUT!!!!

Yeah Sacramento is a ****** basketball environment... that has everything to do with it. Basketball is basketball... 15 minutes... 30 minutes... 48 minutes... its all basketball. He will be fine.... just because A and B happened it does not mean A caused B.

I listened to the podcast as well. It was actually Boone who pointed it out, not really based off of a deep numbers dive. I do think there is something to the ability of a player to be effective in limited minutes. Some players struggle adjusting to a new role and take a little longer to get in to the flow of a game.

I would also agree with you and am not worried about it. It's more likely he played bad on a bad team in a bad system. His job for us will be very simple. I'm more worried about him not being happy with his role and locker room issues, but I'm not sure if that is real or not.

 

[infection]

I listened to the podcast as well. It was actually Boone who pointed it out, not really based off of a deep numbers dive. I do think there is something to the ability of a player to be effective in limited minutes. Some players struggle adjusting to a new role and take a little longer to get in to the flow of a game.

I would also agree with you and am not worried about it. It's more likely he played bad on a bad team in a bad system. His job for us will be very simple. I'm more worried about him not being happy with his role and locker room issues, but I'm not sure if that is real or not.

If it's true that he had an offer to go back to Portland, as he said, then he turned down a place where he probably would have gotten more minutes playing behind Nurkic than he would behind Rudy. So either he wants to be on a winning team, or he sees a defined role that utilizes his abilities, or both.

 

[cowhide]

With the upgrade to our roster. I am hoping that Quin can manage the minutes of our starters better so they are not worn out at the end of the year. No way do I want Rudy play over 30 minutes. He is coming off a condensed season and then to the Olympics. He should play between 28-30 minutes. Quin needs to pull our starters when they are blowing teams out. I like to see some of our other vets rest a little too. Joe is in the same situation as Rudy and he is older. Conley and his injuries. DM is coming off a severe ankle injury. So with the increase in talent the Jazz should not have to play our starters huge minutes.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

If it's true that he had an offer to go back to Portland, as he said, then he turned down a place where he probably would have gotten more minutes playing behind Nurkic than he would behind Rudy. So either he wants to be on a winning team, or he sees a defined role that utilizes his abilities, or both.

Whiteside has a better chance at being a reasonable facsimile of some of the things Rudy does than Favs did. He's so much more anchored to the paint but he has a chance to put up great per minute numbers on a winner... which will change some of the narrative around him. He might not fully buy in or end up sucking and then its on to Udoka. If he's smart he looking to prove to be a viable backup on a contender and get into the 4-5M salary per year conversation... or at least be able to choose his destinations going forward.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I’d place a big priority on Butler’s development early in the season. He could be the piece that helps load manage Joe and Mike. ****ing crucial. Let’s hope they pursue these kinds of ends over winning a maximum number of games.

I’d also add that Paschall could help manage JC. He can definitely be a microwave off the bench.

The Butler part is key to me. If we can't get him much run until 1/3 or 1/2 way through the season then this year quickly becomes a redshirt year. Conley should not play on back to backs at all. Joe sparingly...

Butler needs extended burn in pre-season and a good camp too.

 

[KqWIN]

Sacramento is basketball purgatory. Not giving an excuse to Whiteside for slacking, but I'm not taking too much from last year with Whiteside. I think the real question is if he's better in two shorter stints or one longer one...which may not even be an important question because it's all about Rudy anyways. Do we want to sub out Gobert early and run him back with Conley? It worked extremely well and was dominant during the RS. My only qualm with it is that it makes rotations a little awkward when we want to raise Gobert's minutes in the playoffs.

I think Conley works so much better with Gobert than Mitchell which is why it makes sense to tether those two....butt might be worth it to try and force some better chemistry with Gobert and Mitchell. I don't think their two man game is bad, but it could definitely be better. Mitchell is great at kicking out to shooters but not so great at dump offs and lobs to the big. If he can get that down it would be huge.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I also think in addition to holding Mike and Joe out for back to backs, that you also have to look for opportunities where you can give them 1 or 2 games off in a row and then they get a full week or so of recovery. I am not a doctor but its not just 24 hour turn around that matters from what I understand. A load management strategy that gives a total recovery (however long that is) could be key for Mike's hamstrings.

 

[NAOS]

Sacramento is basketball purgatory. Not giving an excuse to Whiteside for slacking, but I'm not taking too much from last year with Whiteside. I think the real question is if he's better in two shorter stints or one longer one...which may not even be an important question because it's all about Rudy anyways. Do we want to sub out Gobert early and run him back with Conley? It worked extremely well and was dominant during the RS. My only qualm with it is that it makes rotations a little awkward when we want to raise Gobert's minutes in the playoffs.

I think Conley works so much better with Gobert than Mitchell which is why it makes sense to tether those two....butt might be worth it to try and force some better chemistry with Gobert and Mitchell. I don't think their two man game is bad, but it could definitely be better. Mitchell is great at kicking out to shooters but not so great at dump offs and lobs to the big. If he can get that down it would be huge.

I don’t expect them to shift away from that early-sub pattern. Worked too well.

You can keep doing that AND have plenty of time to tinker with playoff combos/rotations.... But Q needs to figure out how to do this.

 

[NAOS]

I also think in addition to holding Mike and Joe out for back to backs, that you also have to look for opportunities where you can give them 1 or 2 games off in a row and then they get a full week or so of recovery. I am not a doctor but its not just 24 hour turn around that matters from what I understand. A load management strategy that gives a total recovery (however long that is) could be key for Mike's hamstrings.

You can also target these periods of rest to occur during shorter road trips. They stay home and maintain involvement with consistent treatment protocols.

This **** should already be circled on their calendars.

 

[KqWIN]

I don’t expect them to shift away from that early-sub pattern. Worked too well.

You can keep doing that AND have plenty of time to tinker with playoff combos/rotations.... But Q needs to figure out how to do this.

Yeah…I don’t have a lot of faith in Quin to experiment, especially because we’re going to dominate by sticking to the formula.

I think some experimentation is necessary to be better prepared for the playoffs. Come playoff time, I think Gay will eventually take over all of the backup C minutes. We’re only talking 6-10 minutes a night in a close series…but I don’t want the playoffs to be the first time we roll it out.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

You can also target these periods of rest to occur during shorter road trips. They stay home and maintain involvement with consistent treatment protocols.

This **** should already be circled on their calendars.

I'm worried Quin can't stomach it when you get in the day-to-day. You start looking at the schedule and saying "we should sit him on the back to back but then we play Milwaukee and thats a loss if he sits.... well play him on that one then..." Its a trap and everyone needs to get in a room now and make the decision that no matter what we are load managing the key guys. Coach, GM, training staff, player, team owner... everyone in the ****ing room... even bring some media (swear them to secrecy) in to be company men and talk about how ****ing smart it is and calm fans worries.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

You can also target these periods of rest to occur during shorter road trips. They stay home and maintain involvement with consistent treatment protocols.

This **** should already be circled on their calendars.

I think I read that Mike is doing Yoga now, so he should be good to go. Remember how Yoga extended Joe Johnson's career?

Imagine how much load managing the Laker's will be (should be) doing with their geriatric roster?

 

[NAOS]

I'm worried Quin can't stomach it when you get in the day-to-day. You start looking at the schedule and saying "we should sit him on the back to back but then we play Milwaukee and thats a loss if he sits.... well play him on that one then..." Its a trap and everyone needs to get in a room now and make the decision that no matter what we are load managing the key guys. Coach, GM, training staff, player, team owner... everyone in the ****ing room... even bring some media (swear them to secrecy) in to be company men and talk about how ****ing smart it is and calm fans worries.

There are teams that love to load manage players against potential playoff matchups. Don’t show them the full bag of tricks or let them getting timing on your pitches.

Jazz don’t think this way. Alas.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

I'm worried Quin can't stomach it when you get in the day-to-day. You start looking at the schedule and saying "we should sit him on the back to back but then we play Milwaukee and thats a loss if he sits.... well play him on that one then..." Its a trap and everyone needs to get in a room now and make the decision that no matter what we are load managing the key guys. Coach, GM, training staff, player, team owner... everyone in the ****ing room... even bring some media (swear them to secrecy) in to be company men and talk about how ****ing smart it is and calm fans worries.

A coaches job security is tied to their win/loss record, so I don't blame them for playing their best players. Hopefully Quin recognizes his job moving forward is tied to playoff success, and will adjust accordingly.

 

[NAOS]

I think I read that Mike is doing Yoga now, so he should be good to go. Remember how Yoga extended Joe Johnson's career?

Imagine how much load managing the Laker's will be (should be) doing with their geriatric roster?

Hopefully Hearsky’s mom is helping him with Tantra, etc.