RebKell's Junkie Boards

[sigur3]

[Richyyy]

[Bob Lamm]

[Shades]

Burdick & Barbee signings officially announced, both training camp contracts.

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Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned

[J-Spoon]

You know what, maybe this will be enough? We've been close the two years until the playoffs, and we've been hit with injuries entering the playoffs the last two seasons. Internal development and good luck with health might be enough.

Prince/Boyd/Hartley
Rodgers/Wright
Allen/Zellous
Charles/Zahui B./Burdick
Stokes/Vaughn

And we still have Schimmel, Barbee and the #14 pick so I wouldn't relax in camp if I was Burdick or Hartley.

The only question mark I have now is why did we have to core Wright? Is there something brewing there?

[Richyyy]

[Shades]

With Barbee, technically she was drafted, so don't they sign a rookie contract and not a training camp contract? I know it's not likely she'll make the cut, but it'd still be nice to know the proper syntax.

[cappa23MVP]

[Bob Lamm]

[Happycappie25]

[toad455]

At this point it's Allen & Zellous at SF. Prince likely starting at PG.

_________________
LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[Shades]

[J-Spoon]

I want Wright to stay I/m still suspicious that she might want to go or get traded to LA. (The fact that she is playing with Gray right now, the player she would back up in LA, LA needs a back up PG, and she would be reunited with an old coach isn't making me any less suspicious.)

Wright and #14 to LA for #4?

If LA is in win now mode I could see them consider it. NY could have some interesting choices at #4.

[Shades]

Oh, you're liking that #4 spot after my discussion of that pick

_________________
Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned

[J-Spoon]

[Shades]

Overseas Liberty player of the week: Amanda Zahui
http://liberty.wnba.com/news/liberty-international-update-2-7/

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Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]

Tell you this, the change in the WNBA landscape may help the Libs in some ways. LA is going to have a very different look without Toliver. I like Gray, but losing a player who was a "big 3" offensive player who spaced the floor and had a terrific A/TO is still going to weaken them. On paper, DC looks like they have some pieces to potentially be there at the end, if they can figure the defensive part out and supplement their depth.

But where I hated NY's matchups with LA, I don't hate them as much against DC. I mean, I don't love them either, lol. But I feel there may be some parts of DC that we can exploit defensively. And where you're looking at some tremendous 3 point shooting on the Mystics, if the Libs are intent on a Piph/Rodgers backcourt, the Libs will have two of the better 3 ball shooters in Sugar and Allen along with Piph, Charles and Hartley supplementing that.

I also like the fact that adding Vaughn gives another post player with solid 15-17 foot range. Not a high-profile trade, but I think it makes the Libs significantly more balanced offensively. I never could understand why Kia requested a trade from NY the first time around, as I felt that Laimbeer could do a lot with a big-bodied post who can run. Kia has never really been coached by someone whose philosophy matched her skills. I wouldn't be shocked if Hartley's percentages exceed her career numbers either, as I think the Libs' system fits her game and Charles' presence will likely lead to more open shots.

I thought when Wright was cored that it was a given that Wright would be the point guard. But if Sugar is staying, then I'd have to think Piph and Rodgers will play together, as nothing else makes any sense. The moves they are making...and Katie Smith's commentary about them...clearly indicate they are looking to spread the floor more in order to get Charles space to do work. The only way you can do that is to have multiple scorers on the floor together. It does, however, make me wonder what their plans are for Wright.

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The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.

[root_thing]

Prince is looking better over in Russia. I watched a couple of recent games, and you're seeing those dipsy-do, one-on-one moves that make her special. She's not shooting the ball well from deep, but that comes and goes. The important thing is that Prince is moving confidently. Her minutes are up too, so the coaching staff must be happier with her performance.

Right now, Wright projects as the backup small forward. I keep seeing people list Zellous as the backup 3, but they must be living in the past and think we're Indiana. Wright started at SF for the first five games of 2016. Based on the current roster, it's her and Allen at SF and then we debate who is the starter. Of course, if the right deal comes along...

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You can always do something else.

[toad455]

I'm fine with Wright at SF. I believe she played SF with Seattle, too. Unless another trade happens, I guess our starters will be Prince, Rodgers, Wright, Charles & Vaughn. Wright wouldn't need to score much with that lineup and would mostly be there for defensive purposes.

_________________
LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]

Main concern about Wright at SF is that Bill mentioned more than once earlier last season that she couldn't play a lot of consecutive minutes due to physical limitations. I could be wrong, but if they've never shown an inclination to use Piph, Sugar and Wright together...even when it would have benefited them offensively...then why are they going to do it now? Even in the playoff game against Phoenix, Piph played 25 minutes, and I still don't think this group of 3 was used together at all. 2015 game 3 vs. Indy was also an opportunity screaming for us to use that group. Even if Wright played point on offense and forward on defense. And they either didn't play together at all, or for a very limited time.

I'm not even saying I agree, disagree or whatever, personally. I just don't see them going to a lineup they've had no inclination of using even when they've needed it during the last two seasons. Obviously last year, the opportunity wasn't there until the playoff game. But in a one-and-done game they STILL didn't use it much, if at all.

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The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.

[toad455]

as of right now, we might see some interesting combos for spots 1-2-3. Wright-Prince-Rodgers, Boyd-Prince-Allen, Boyd-Rodgers-Zellous, Hartley-Rodgers-Allen. Who knows at this point what's going to work.

_________________
LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[Shades]

I'm a little skeptical that Hartley is the "upgrade" at PG Laimbeer was looking for.

_________________
Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned

[root_thing]

If Wright is the backup SF, then the minutes limit becomes irrelevant. I think Allen is the starter unless they make a deal. It's time to move on. We said two years ago that the Liberty were bringing in some veterans to be respectable now and some young players to compete later. Two years have passed -- later is now. Allen has the length and athletic ability to be a prototypical SF. It now looks as if she's developed enough offensive skill to take the next step. Remember, in Australia Allen functioned as a defensive specialist. Maybe she struggled a bit with the Liberty defensive system, but she can defend individually. If Bec gets to training camp this year, that should be a big help. My only concern is that her Slovakian team plays in 3 leagues and there may be a separate tournament for each.

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You can always do something else.

[toad455]

[Bob Lamm]