Theoretically Ante Zizic

[Adam]

I think he wont play every game. but the games he plays in he will get a decent run. mostly because he produces offensively so well. He will play the games that love/TT/Nance sit due to injury so a think about 45 games given love and nance history

 

[RichieRichPaul]

The guy has to become a really good defender / rim protector to get minutes

 

[CBBI]

The good news for Zizic is that he’s only 21 years old and is under Cavs control for at least three years AFTER this season.

If he ends up not playing as much as some people would like this year, he’s still locked in on a cheap contract for several more years.

His time will come.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

The guy has to become a really good defender / rim protector to get minutes

He's a plus offensive player. So now he's got to be a plus defensive player as well even to make the rotation? He's a better offensive player and a better rim protector than the two guys ahead of him, and he's only 21.

At his age and offensive talent level, minutes should be based more on defensive effort rather than how good he is defensively right now. If he busts his butt on the defensive end, then you give him minutes so he gets better at it.

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

He's a plus offensive player. So now he's got to be a plus defensive player as well even to make the rotation? He's a better offensive player and a better rim protector than the two guys ahead of him, and he's only 21.

At his age and offensive talent level, minutes should be based more on defensive effort rather than how good he is defensively right now. If he busts his butt on the defensive end, then you give him minutes so he gets better at it.

I thought that he looked like our best defender in the game last night.

Despite the idiotic automatic 1-5 switching that we fucking do, he held his own on switches, he was in the right position as a PnR big defender in the drop coverage and he protected the rim fairly well despite the fact that he didn't record a block-- he is being reffed differently than some other players...on all of his contests he goes straight up and he is being called for very unusual fouls...that ninja leg kick to the ribs was some stupid shit.

The guy has to become a really good defender / rim protector to get minutes

TT was not a good defender last season nor was he a good rim protector.

Nance had good defensive moments and some bad defensive moments last season. He is not a good rim protector, but he is a pretty good all-around defender. Though, it doesn't come without some struggles.

Expecting a player to have his timing right on defense on every facet of defense and communicate right with players that he hasn't played/barely played with is a tall task and unfair. He isn't an athletic phenom that can look good on defense regardless of how raw he is. However, he can look above average for sure in the right scheme and role, and once he gets his timing, reps and his communication up to par with the normal rotation.

Last night Zizic was our best player on both ends. He was energetic, he looked athletic and farily mobile compared to the preseason debut and he set very effective and mean screens..and above all, he got some touches. I don't doubt that he could have scored easily every time down the floor had he gotten even more touches.

 

[CavsFan07]

Love this kid. Love, love, love this kid. The Kyrie trade will always hurt us Cavs fans in the gut a bit, but Sexton and Zizic are two fun, competitive, young exciting pieces moving forward.

 

[Stark]

If Zizic isn't playing 20+ MPG this season, then Lue is doing the team, the fanbase, and most importantly Zizic a huge disservice.

Altman needs to do everybody a favor and move TT to force Lue's hand. Not sure I can take too many games of Tristan running 28+ minutes while Zizic is glued to the bench.

 

[avs2000]

I thought that he looked like our best defender in the game last night.

Despite the idiotic automatic 1-5 switching that we fucking do, he held his own on switches, he was in the right position as a PnR big defender in the drop coverage and he protected the rim fairly well despite the fact that he didn't record a block-- he is being reffed differently than some other players...on all of his contests he goes straight up and he is being called for very unusual fouls...that ninja leg kick to the ribs was some stupid shit.



TT was not a good defender last season nor was he a good rim protector.

Nance had good defensive moments and some bad defensive moments last season. He is not a good rim protector, but he is a pretty good all-around defender. Though, it doesn't come without some struggles.

Expecting a player to have his timing right on defense on every facet of defense and communicate right with players that he hasn't played/barely played with is a tall task and unfair. He isn't an athletic phenom that can look good on defense regardless of how raw he is. However, he can look above average for sure in the right scheme and role, and once he gets his timing, reps and his communication up to par with the normal rotation.

Last night Zizic was our best player on both ends. He was energetic, he looked athletic and farily mobile compared to the preseason debut and he set very effective and mean screens..and above all, he got some touches. I don't doubt that he could have scored easily every time down the floor had he gotten even more touches.

If Zizic isn't playing 20+ MPG this season, then Lue is doing the team, the fanbase, and most importantly Zizic a huge disservice.

Altman needs to do everybody a favor and move TT to force Lue's hand. Not sure I can take too many games of Tristan running 28+ minutes while Zizic is glued to the bench.

The league has gone to smaller interchangeable positionless players. Which is what makes Zizic a valuable weapon. He can have his way inside vs many teams. Jesus H looking at his shooting % since he joined the team. He better play a lot

 

[Nathan S]

It's a myth that the league as a whole is trending away from 7 footers...it only feels that way because the Warriors, Cavs, and Rockets have had success playing small ball, and that success is much more due to overwhelming talent than to any kind of tactical advantage gained by going small.

 

[Douglar]

Not sure I can take too many games of Tristan running 28+ minutes while Zizic is glued to the bench.

Step back and take a look at things for a second.

Cavs are going to play Nance. Cavs can't play Nance next to Tristan or Zizic. Messes up the floor spacing. So Zizic won't see the floor during Nance's minutes.

Cavs are not going to waive Tristan. Altman is going to try to get value from the contract. Hard to trade a guy that you sit on the bench. That means the Cavs are going to play Tristan. Tristan also has to play with shooters or Love. So Zizic won't play during Tristan's minutes either.

There's not much left for Zizic, but he's on a long contract so the Cavs can be patient.

That means for now they play Tristan to maximize the value of his contract, which is probably the best thing to do good for the long term outcome of the team.

So the only advice I can give to you is you better get used to seeing Tristan playing over Zizic for the rest of 2018. Maybe things change in January.

He'll get a chance to show his worth before the All star break. If Zizic is as good as the fans think, he's hold his spot in the rotation after that.

 

[czvo]

It's a myth that the league as a whole is trending away from 7 footers...it only feels that way because the Warriors, Cavs, and Rockets have had success playing small ball, and that success is much more due to overwhelming talent than to any kind of tactical advantage gained by going small.

It's not necessarily that the league is trending away from 7-footers. It's that the league is trending away from slow-footed 7-footers that can't stretch the floor. You can go through every team's lineup and see the trend.

Brooklyn - athletic shot blocker
Boston - they've got Baynes out there taking 3s
Philly - Embiid takes threes + he's a freak
Toronto - Valanciunas now takes 3s, but pushed to bench
New York - KP

Milwaukee - Brook takes threes now
Indy - Turner takes 3s
Detroit - athletic shot blocker
Chicago - I don't know what they're doing here

Charlotte - one year of Dwight was enough
Orlando - Bamba and Vuc both stretch the floor
Atlanta- I guess Len?
Miami - Whiteside holding it down... for now
Washington - another Dwight experiment

Utah - athletic shot blocker
Denver - Jokic is a freak + a shooter
OKC - athletic shot blocker
Portland - they've got Nurkic shooting 3s
Minnesota- KAT

LAC - looks like Gortat
GS - Boogie, if healthy, is a freak + shooter
Sacramento - no clue
Phoenix - Ayton will probably stretch before too long
LAL - JaVale (lol) but experimenting with super small ball

Houston - athletic shot blocker
Dallas - athletic shot blocker
San Antonio - no clue
Memphis - Marc shoots
NOP - AD


Basically, if you're a plodder, you have to shoot threes to survive.

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

Step back and take a look at things for a second.

Cavs are going to play Nance. Cavs can't play Nance next to Tristan or Zizic. Messes up the floor spacing. So Zizic won't see the floor during Nance's minutes.

Cavs are not going to waive Tristan. Altman is going to try to get value from the contract. Hard to trade a guy that you sit on the bench. That means the Cavs are going to play Tristan. Tristan also has to play with shooters or Love. So Zizic won't play during Tristan's minutes either.

There's not much left for Zizic, but he's on a long contract so the Cavs can be patient.

That means for now they play Tristan to maximize the value of his contract, which is probably the best thing to do good for the long term outcome of the team.

So the only advice I can give to you is you better get used to seeing Tristan playing over Zizic for the rest of 2018. Maybe things change in January.

He'll get a chance to show his worth before the All star break. If Zizic is as good as the fans think, he's hold his spot in the rotation after that.

Zizic can share the floor with Nance. I guarantee you that. Actually, it would be a good lineup provided that you surround them with adequate shooting. Nance is so mobile(constantly moving in the half court) and is such a willing screener that the spacing will be fine. Their rebounding, their size and abiility to finish effectively inside will be too much for opposing second units.

 

[Cavatt]

If Zizic isn't playing 20+ MPG this season, then Lue is doing the team, the fanbase, and most importantly Zizic a huge disservice.

Altman needs to do everybody a favor and move TT to force Lue's hand. Not sure I can take too many games of Tristan running 28+ minutes while Zizic is glued to the bench.

My feeling is that both TT and Nance can both have a lot of impact in short hrst going 100%.

This pace means guys have to be in shape, but it also means the coach needs to letnghen the rotation and get guys in a and out quickly . Ante can get at least a few minutes a half while getting guys their rest . He has the most offensive ability of any big not named Love. He has to get some minutes and learn the league

 

[TitleTown]

Zizic can share the floor with Nance. I guarantee you that. Actually, it would be a good lineup provided that you surround them with adequate shooting. Nance is so mobile(constantly moving in the half court) and is such a willing screener that the spacing will be fine. Their rebounding, their size and abiility to finish effectively inside will be too much for opposing second units.

I'm not sure this will play out like this, but I like it in theory. We definitely should be testing it out to see if you are right.

We should be testing out lots of things this season.

 

[Stark]

Step back and take a look at things for a second.

Cavs are going to play Nance. Cavs can't play Nance next to Tristan or Zizic. Messes up the floor spacing. So Zizic won't see the floor during Nance's minutes.

Cavs are not going to waive Tristan. Altman is going to try to get value from the contract. Hard to trade a guy that you sit on the bench. That means the Cavs are going to play Tristan. Tristan also has to play with shooters or Love. So Zizic won't play during Tristan's minutes either.

There's not much left for Zizic, but he's on a long contract so the Cavs can be patient.

That means for now they play Tristan to maximize the value of his contract, which is probably the best thing to do good for the long term outcome of the team.

So the only advice I can give to you is you better get used to seeing Tristan playing over Zizic for the rest of 2018. Maybe things change in January.

He'll get a chance to show his worth before the All star break. If Zizic is as good as the fans think, he's hold his spot in the rotation after that.

Agree with everything except I do think that Nance and Zizic can share time on the floor together. Nance is athletic enough and good enough of a slasher that he can be effective in bursts as a four. The key to making that work would be if both have improved their mid-range jumpshots to the point where they have to be covered, but if they have, I could see some effective lineups featuring the two, maybe in either a horns or elbows set with plenty of off-ball screening.

Sexton - Clarkson/Hood - Osman/Korver - Nance - Zizic actually intrigues me as a potential lineup. Just enough slashing and shooting from the perimeter combined with two guys who set good screens. Keep everybody moving and it could work out well.