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1.) Brighter core for the future: Timberwolves or 76ers?
Bryan Toporek: If we’re solely considering the talent each team has amassed to date, the Timberwolves take home this honor. Whereas the Sixers don’t necessarily have many keepers beyond Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and perhaps Dario Saric, the T’Wolves have Gorgui Dieng, Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine to complement Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. When you factor in future draft considerations, though, it’s far closer, as the Sixers have their own first-rounder next year (which will likely land among the top five), a top-three-protected 2017 first-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers and a completely unprotected 2019 first-rounder from the Sacramento Kings. Add, say, Markelle Fultz and Jayson Tatum or Josh Jackson to the Simmons-Embiid core and Philly would likely sneak past Minnesota. For now, though, it’s too early to put the Sixers ahead of the T-Wolves.
James Holas: This one is pretty easy, as of now. Embiid has been phenomenal, and having two centers of his and Jahlil Okafor’s caliber is a dilemma most teams would love to have. Saric is awesome, showing a superb floor game and a nice scoring touch, and Ben Simmons may be the playmaker to tie it all together. The problem in Philly is the balance is all off; they have a stable of talented power forwards and centers while manning the backcourt with journeymen and backup level players. Sooner or later, some of those bigs will be on the move. In Minnesota, you’ve got the 2K build-a-team special, with a top flight power forward, a prototypical small forward, a high octane shooting guard and young talent at point in Kris Dunn. Throw in the fact that Okafor can’t play with Embiid and it’s an easy choice. Timberwolves win.
Vivek Jacob: I’ll take the Timberwolves. It’s just a clearer picture for them to this point. Wiggins has taken a significant step forward, and Karl-Anthony Towns is right there with Embiid. I think Kris Dunn will be a very good player in two to three years, and that gives them the edge in my opinion. Then there’s LaVine. I don’t know if he’s the best fit going forward, and if he needs to be part of a package to acquire a stellar point guard of power forward, I think the Wolves need to consider it.
The 76ers have Embiid, Simmons and Saric, but it remains to be seen what will come of Noel and Okafor. Ask me again once their situations are sorted and I might have a different answer.
Sharon Brown: The Timberwolves are a much better core for the future. Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns are going to be legit superstars in the league and have back-to-back Rookie of the Year honors. Zach LaVine is in the mix with those two as well. If it all goes well, one day they actually may be the Big Three. Wiggins, Towns and LaVine have a brighter outlook than anyone on the 76ers roster barring injury. It’s not a knock on the 76ers, but is reality at this standpoint.
Matthew Way: Timberwolves. Both teams have two great prospects, but the Timberwolves are far deeper in terms of complementary players. Ricky Rubio’s passing ability is speeding up the development of Towns and Wiggins and putting them in positions to succeed. Additionally, Zach LaVine and Gorgui Dieng are both emerging as guys who can play important roles for the Timberwolves. Kris Dunn has shown some promise early in his rookie season. The 76ers, outside of Robert Covington, have mostly unknowns surrounding Embiid and Simmons. Embiid and Simmons probably have a higher ceiling than Towns and Wiggins, but the 76ers stars are also much more of an unknown. That combined with the roster flexibility that the Timberwolves have gives them the edge here.
2.) Karl-Anthony Towns or Joel Embiid?
Bryan Toporek: Considering their respective injury histories, you have to take Towns here. While Embiid has put up historical numbers in limited minutes during the early portion of the 2016-2017 campaign, a 7-footer with a history of back issues and two navicular fractures is difficult to trust long-term, especially when the other option is a unanimous Rookie of the Year. After just one season, the BBALLBREAKDOWN staff ranked Towns as the NBA’s 19th-best player, ahead of the likes of established, multi-time All-Stars such as LaMarcus Aldridge, Al Horford and Carmelo Anthony. He’s a nightly 20-10 threat who’s firing three-pointers at a near-40 percent clip this season and is averaging 1.2 blocks and 0.9 steals, too. That said: If injuries didn’t factor in, there’s a legitimate case to make for Embiid, as his physical stature will make him all but unstoppable once he cuts down on his turnovers and has his minutes restriction lifted.
James Holas: Now THIS one is tough. You really can’t go wrong with either. Embiid is an immensely skilled big man who does it all, Towns is an immensely skilled big man who does it all. Both can step out, handle and score from the perimeter. Embiid appears a touch more physically dominant than Towns, who is a bit more mobile. I go Towns by a smidge, simply because of the injury fear that Embiid will be saddled with until he can proves that he can stay healthy.
Vivek Jacob: I love Towns, but I trust the process. They’re both freaks of nature, but I think Embiid can have a greater impact defensively. We know that’s what wins championships. Part of this may be because I’ve felt so let down by the Wolves start to the season that this is my way of punishing Towns. The only question about Embiid would be his health, but I’ve seen enough of him on the court to believe he can set that right as well.
Sharon Brown: Towns. Even though Embiid is fun to watch and has a ton of confidence. Towns is a proven commodity. He’s averaging 22 points per game, 8.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. Towns’ eFG percentage is .588.
This is Embiid’s first season on the court but he’s been impressive so far, he’s averaging 18 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Emdiid’s eFG percentage is .506.
Matthew Way: Towns. Joel Embiid has been flat out awesome this year. There’s no denying it. Embiid’s ceiling is a bit higher than Towns because he’s perhaps equally as skilled and has world-class athleticism. Embiid doing what he’s doing after two years without playing a game is incredibly impressive. But Towns is the closest thing to a lock superstar this league has seen in a long time. He protects the rim, he scores in tons of different ways, and he’s incredibly versatile on both ends of the floor. Embiid has the potential to do the same, but his injury risk is very real. The track record of 7-footers with foot injuries is not good (see: Greg Oden, Yao Ming). Hopefully, Embiid can go the same route that Zydrunas Ilgauskas went, but Embiid puts far more pressure on his lower body than Ilgauskas did because of Embiid’s incredible athleticism.
3.) Andrew Wiggins or Ben Simmons?
Bryan Toporek: This may be a copout answer, but deciding between the two comes down to roster context. If you’re starting from scratch, you may be inclined to take Simmons, as point forwards stretch defenses in a way few other players can. Simmons has yet to make his regular-season debut, but based on the flashes he showed during summer league, it’s easy to imagine him developing into a do-it-all dynamo in due time. Wiggins, meanwhile, would have a far easier time sliding into an already-constructed roster, as he’s a prototypical two-way wing. Under new Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau, Wiggins has been fully unleashed, smashing his previous career-bests in points per game (26.6), field-goal percentage (47.1), three-point shooting percentage (54.1) and triples per game (2.0). Since Wiggins is a bit further along in his development curve, he’s the default choice for now, but Simmons could tip the scales in his favor soon after he makes his debut.
James Holas: Can I toss out an incomplete here until we see Simmons on the court versus NBA level talent? No? Wiggins has been a statistical monster lately, he’s growing into the wing scorer many worried he’d never be. In his last five games, Wiggins is pumping in 32.6 points per game, shooting 52 percent from three, and drawing fouls like mad, getting to the line over 10 times a game. The rebounding (he’s averaging a shade less than four a night, puny considering his size and bounce) is weird, but that’s nitpicky. Simmons projects to be the Bizarro Wiggins—a forward who’s going to rack up assists and inhale rebounds, but who’s scoring will take time to catch up. It all depends in who you have to install around them. For the purposes of this question, give me Simmons. We’ve seen enough where we know he’s not a stiff, and his size and passing make him too unique a talent to pass up.
Vivek Jacob: This is a fascinating one because they both have the same question mark; their motor. Wiggins has already begun to quell those concerns by taking his scoring up to 26.6 points per game in just his third season, so I’ll give him the edge. His three-point shooting has been the biggest surprise thus far, shooting at a 52.6 percent clip from beyond the arc after a mark of just 30 percent over his first two seasons. Winning is the only thing separating him from All-Star status right now.
Sharon Brown: Wiggins. Simmons hasn’t seen any NBA action just yet. Can’t say what he will be since he hasn’t played a game in the league.
Wiggins is a proven talent. Wiggins is averaging 26.6 points per game with an eFG percentage of .524 and is leading the entire league in 3-Pt Field Goal Pct (.540). He will have the upper hand continually until Simmons plays in an NBA game.
Matthew Way: Simmons. Wiggins has had a great start to the season, but his three-point shooting is certain to regress. More concerning than that coming regression is Wiggins’ lack of passing. Wiggins has been a complete black hole this year, passing the ball only 25 times a game while receiving it 41 times per game, one of the worst ratios in the league among high-volume players. Wiggins has also been a big disappointment defensively. He was bad his first two years, and he hasn’t been any better this year. The Timberwolves have struggled to defend the perimeter, and Wiggins is a big part of that. Simmons being more of an unknown helps him here. He has the potential to be a fantastic facilitator from the forward position, where his lack of shooting won’t hurt nearly as much as it does with most facilitators. Simmons also showed a willingness to shoot in summer league, something he didn’t show at LSU. It’s not that we know he’s a bad shooter, we just don’t know because he was hesitant to pull the trigger. Simmons’ potential as a facilitator gives him the edge here.
Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz
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1.) Can two traditional bigs (Gobert and Favors) coexists versus elite defenses?
Bryan Toporek: I don’t see why not. Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams fared just fine against the Golden State Warriors last season, for instance. It’s still a small sample size, but in the 144 minutes Gobert and Favors have shared the court this season, Utah has averaged 1.114 points per possession while limiting opponents to just 0.992, per NBAwowy. Perhaps the biggest issue, at least for now, is that Utah isn’t asking much of Gobert offensively. He’s attempted just six shots further than five feet from the basket this seson, hitting one, and hasn’t attempted a single shot outside of 10 feet. Since Favors isn’t much of a passer or a three-point shooter, his particular long-term fit alongside Gobert may be the bigger issue at hand rather than the conceptual discussion of whether two traditional bigs can coexist.
James Holas: We can talk pace and space until we’re blue in the face (and believe me, some of us will), but every power forward isn’t Ryan Anderson, every center isn’t Kristaps Porzingis. While the league goes smaller and smaller, having two jumbo bigs like Gobert and Favors is a zig while everyone else zags behind the three-point line.
To answer the question, sure they can. Favors’ versatility makes it possible. He’s big enough to play center in small lineups, nimble enough to guard other forwards out to the three-point line, can step out and hit the face up 16-footer, and defensively, he and Gobert make life hell on the interior. According to basketball-reference.com, the two man duo is a healthy +15.3 in the 126 minutes they’ve been on the court together. Favors may be the most underrated player in the NBA, and with talent like him and Gobert, you can buck the trend and unleash the giants.
Vivek Jacob: Yes, but it’s because of the personnel around them. The Triple H combo of George Hill, Rodney Hood, and Gordon Hayward are arguably the perfect trio alongside Favors and Gobert with their ability to penetrate as well as shoot. Gobert’s defensive impact makes him a no brainer at center, but Favors does provide a bit of a question mark.
His knee issues have carried over from last season, and I can see why someone like Trey Lyles can be a better theoretical fit.
Sharon Brown: Gobert and Favors are not a big part of the Jazz offense anyways. Favors and Gobert combined for only 14.2 field goal attempts per game this season. They just don’t take that many shots for the Jazz to factor as offensive threats. Both are relied upon much more on the defensive end. Gobert has a defensive rating of 97.1 and Favors rating is 98.2.
Gobert only takes 5.3 field goals per game but he is efficient when he does score. His eFG percentage is .603. Gobert can be an offensive threat if the team would call on him more to shoot especially at the rim.
Matthew Way: The correct combinations can, and Gobert and Favors fall in that category. There are ways to space the floor without having four three-point shooters. Favors has a decent enough mid-range game to be at least keep defenses honest and not just ignore him. Both Favors and Gobert are very good in the pick and roll and legitimate threats on basket cuts, which opens up the defense in a less traditional way. The Jazz surround them with three starters who are serious three-point shooting threats, which mitigates the spacing concerns. It may be hard to have an elite offense with two traditional bigs, but if you do it the way the Jazz do it, you can be good enough offensively to make the defensive benefits worth it.
2.) How has the Bulls Butler-Wade-Rondo experiment looked so far?
Bryan Toporek: The returns have been mixed. That trio has a net rating of minus-2.7 in 175 minutes to date, per NBA.com, as the Bulls cough up a mediocre 107.2 points per 100 possessions with all three on the court. In the 69 minutes that Wade and Butler have played together sans Rondo, however, the Bulls are averaging 1.20 points per possession while allowing only 0.886, according to NBAwowy, although those results are undoubtedly skewed by Chicago’s thrashing of the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. The spacing concerns that everyone fretted about prior to the season are still present, particularly with Wade’s three-point shooting having regressed since a sizzling early-season start, but the Butler-Wade duo are coexisting well. Problems arise once incorporating Rondo into that mix.
James Holas: the Bulls ran roughshod over the upstart Blazers the other day. Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade were everywhere, the offense hummed and the Bulls point guard chipped in with 18 points and five steals. Oh, and Rondo watched from the bench.
The experiment is going like I thought it would. Butler has been amazing. Wade has looked rejuvenated. It’s Rondo, man. Rondo is the turd in Chicago’s punch bowl. It makes no sense having a setup man who can’t shoot alongside two dynamic ball handling creators like Butler and Wade. Rondo’s 36.5 percent from deep last season appears to have been a hiccup, and he’s back to his bricky ways, shooting 25 percent from three (and a ghastly 34 percent overall).
And it’s not really on offense where he’s the problem. Chicago is generating over 111 points per 100 possessions on offense, good for sixth in the league, and defensively they’re ninth, with a 104 defensive rating. That defense craters with Rajon; the Bulls allow 110 points per 100 possessions when Rondo is on the floor, compared to giving up only 98.5 when he sits, or right there with the second best defense in the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks.
It’s baffling that teams keep on trying to force the “true point guard” thing with Rondo, year after year. Have fun, Chicago fans!
Vivek Jacob: They’ve looked very good, although I do like the duo of Wade and Butler more than I do the trio. A 7-4 record and a net rating of +5.6 courtesy of a largely unexpected sixth best offensive rating, it’s hard to find something to gripe over.
Watching the game in Portland, they looked terrific with Jerian Grant at the point. His speed and athleticism worked with Wade and Butler to provide the perfect antagonist to Portland’s style of play, and it showed in the final score.
Sharon Brown: It is going better than some expected. The team is currently 7-4 and sits fifth in the east. Jimmy Butler is playing great basketball. He’s the team leader and it shows. Butler is averaging 24.5 points, six rebounds and four assists. He is third in the league with win shares per 48 minutes at .314 he’s only behind Chris Paul and James Harden. Achievement is measured by wins. As long as they keep winning, the experiment will be a success.
Matthew Way: Not great. Rondo-Butler-Wade lineups have produced an offensive rating of 106.2 according to nbawowy.com, a rating that is league-average. That’s better than many thought coming into the year, but it’s mostly due to a gaudy 35 percent offensive rebounding rate. The offensive rebounding is coming mostly from Taj Gibson and Robin Lopez, who have both been very strong on the boards to begin the season. None of this is the fault of Butler, who has been terrific, or Wade, who has been solid. The Rajon Rondo experiment has not gone well. The starters have been better with both Jerian Grant and Isaiah Canaan. Rondo’s poor shooting just really limits what the Bulls can do offensively.
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