Since Mann or PG is playing the 1, I hope Roco or Coffey play ahead of Jackson for hustle and energy since opposing teams are targeting Jackson’s D on pick and roll (with the switch everything in Clips) … and when that D mismatch switch happens, another player helping to cover Jackson would free up the guy of the Clips’ help defender resulting to much success. The added length may also result to fewer second or third shot chances by opponents.
Wingstop should have more success in addressing the problematic D, compared to playing both RJ and Norm at the same time. The team needs Powell’s lane attacks and offense more than RJ’s jumpers. RJ needs to be break glass in case of emergencies ala how Lue treats Roco and Coffey season to date.
I hope the team starts Nico in place of MM. The O of Morris cannot be constant to begin the game or throughout the game, but Nico’s hustle is always a given resulting to more scoring opportunities.
Nico, Mann, KL, PG are all dogged defenders and most ideal for their switch all D.
I like Roco as 6th man off the bench to maintain the defensive intensity. And Diabate (?) was rotated earlier than Roco this game .. Ty must dislike Roco’s talents lots.
Opposing teams thrive with ball movements and cuts. The Clips are largely content with jumpers instead of attacking and finishing or cutting hard to the basket. Mann (and at times Powell and KL) is usually the one moving without the ball with cutting plays. Can’t the team’s offensive coaches mix up the plays (with more drives and cutting plays) to make the O less predictable ?
If Pop had KL PG Mann Nico – the Spurs would have been blown out before halftime and not doing an uphill climb for the first 2.5 quarters. The sooner Ty addresses the D with the right players capable of delivering them more efficiently, the greater their chance of success.

Yesterday’s game vs SAS really underscores that their need is a younger, athletic #4. The core lineup is PG/Kawhi/Zu and then Lue needs 2 others to fill around them. The guard spot is Powell + either Mann or Reggie if Lue is going small-ish. The #4 is Morris. Batum/Roco fill in at the #4/#5. I think the team needs a rebounding minded, loose ball chasing and floor running younger power forward (think a Thomas Bryant for the Lakers, Myles Turner, Naz Reid, Jeremy Sochan type). Add that player and Kawhi/PG/Norm can get you 60-70+ points and that puts other teams in a world of hurt with Zu and this other hypothetical #4 cleaning up the glass and putting stuff away at the rim.

Morris can be effective when he has his legs under him (usually Q1), but he’s above 30, and someone under 30 to complement Morris and keep his minutes in the 20-24 range could be a difference maker, if not a game changer.

He’s bringing the scoring punch off the bench and definitely adding value for us, but 58M over the next 3 years for a guy who is turning 30 this spring and has been terrible defensively this year… I don’t think we’re going to be able to use him in an asset-positive trade.