Originally Posted by KillerLeft
Ok, I like both players. I think there's a 99% chance Ibaka is back in Toronto, but let's assume he isn't.
I assume you're talking about these options as starters, and I'm not sure either would start here.
Ibaka could work as a starter on offense, but not on defense. He's way slower than he used to be, and even young Ibaka probably wasn't the kind of player you're going to start with KP and DFS in your 2021 front court against 2021 teams. He's just not the "swiss army knife" you need on the floor WITH Porzingis. He's a GREAT backup center, basically. The biggest benefit there would probably be that you have a good option at STARTING center in the event of KP injury. I think that makes you better, and I'd love him on the team, but I think they have bigger fish to fry when it comes to resource allocation in the short term. I think I'm fine dealing with whoever is left of the Powell, Kleber, WCS set, with Boban getting spot opportunities again.
I don't know Wood as well, but I like what you're saying about him being an athletic, switchable defender. Let's assume that's correct, and that he IS a fit defensively. Can he shoot well enough to play? Like, can he be on the court during important stretches for that defense to matter? Wright couldn't. Hell, they've got WCS shooting threes every day right now.
My point is this: it's easy to say "offense isn't the problem. They need defense." But, all of the good teams in the league have players on the court at all times who are at least some type of threat on offense.
Defensive "specialists" don't help you, because the sport is at a place where all five offensive players are required to create space. In other words, if they can't play with the ball in their hands or somehow create space for the guy who does, their defensive ability will be on the bench most of the time, and certainly during the stretches of the game that matter.
Again, I don't know Wood enough to apply the above criteria to him, so I'll defer to your judgment, but a glimpse at his numbers raised some red flags.
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