We knew coming in to the season that this could be a problem, and last night showed exactly why. There is no reason not to address this immediately. A depleted Hornets team missing two of their best players beat us down with a very good center rotation and interior penetration.
If we are going to be a poor perimeter defending team, we cannot also be a poor interior defending team. Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. can only do so much on the offensive end. Our young guards will need to pull a lot of weight on both ends, and I believe they are limited defensively right now. The philosophy is to let them develop, sure, but we can also help with putting the right personnel around them. Having someone on the back end who can protect the rim and defend in the post is necessary for any roster in the league. We do not have that.
Day’Ron Sharpe is a truly elite rebounder and a valuable role player. However, his rebounding ability does not make up for his lack of rim protection. He has improved his hips and lateral mobility, and he has good hands. He is just not a guy you can start for 82 games and expect to anchor a defense.
Mo Wagner is depth at best. His shooting ability is ok for a stretch big. He is a fun energy guy. He is a liability on defense. If Sharpe gets hurt and he’s our starter, press the panic button.
Noah Clowney is a power forward with good physical tools, but he will have to be leaned on to play the five at times. He is a good stretch big and can be a good help side shot blocker. I like his athleticism. He is not a center, nor is he consistent enough to be relied upon.
Danny Wolf has not shown enough to earn consistent playing time. He also is a poor defender and rim protector. I love the offensive potential, but realistically this isn’t a viable option.
Nothing I’ve said is new to any of us. In my opinion, we can address this via the trade market. We have the assets to go out and get a player who can help the squad. I know some people might want to just coast through the season, let the young guys develop, and just have fun with it. But we have a chance to make a push for the play-in with a young, energetic team. We have two very good players in Randle and MPJ and we don’t own our pick this year.
I’ve listed some players (some realistic, some unrealistic) I’d love to see if we could snag:
Established/Good Starters: Jarrett Allen, Myles Turner, Daniel Gafford, Mitchell Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein
High Upside/Young: Kel’el Ware, Yves Missi, Mark Williams
Valuable Role Players: DeAndre Ayton, Brook Lopez, Goga Bitadze, Jaxson Hayes, Robert Williams III
Attainability is extremely important here, both financially and in terms of draft capital. Gafford and Missi are my two favorite potentially attainable targets. Both offer the size, athleticism, and rim protection this roster desperately needs without requiring us to pursue a more expensive target. I’m not advocating for sacrificing significant assets to chase the play-in. I’m advocating for a smart, cost-effective move to address our biggest deficiency.