Also, I will never again panic too much through a sluggish season after 2001, when they struggled through the season, got hot at the very end, then rolled through the playoffs. I’m not saying that it will happen this season, just that a PJ-Kobe-Fish team can certainly get itself right for the playoffs.

The only bone of contention I’d have with the post, though, is that I thought Dunleavy was a pretty good GM, but a terrible coach while with the Clippers. To give an idea, Hollinger gave the Blazers a grade of B for that trade, but gave the Clips a B+. I don’t remember the reasoning, exactly, but it was the non-sexy savvy kind of move that got them into the position they are now – lots of talent and lots of cap space.

no, but it does require that the gears all mesh – something that they haven’t done too well lately.

Of course, they still give minutes to Barea, Stevenson, and Najera.

If Fisher stays healthy, you need to find a reliable supplier for the crow you must eat every time Fish adds to his own “behind the scenes” legend with a shot, a steal, a flop against a 3 on 1, a strategic foul, or a pair of clutch free throws.

Then, as you correctly suggest, there’s his ability to say “no” to Kobe sometimes, and his motivational confidence building for teammates and fans that love him.

One thing I wonder – is it possible for a metric to take off-ball movement into account? For example, under this system, Williams passing the ball to Carter decreases the scoring potential because he’s taken 8 seconds off the clock. What if Carter has moved beautifully without the ball so that when he catches the ball he’s in scoring position? Williams might make the same ‘lazy’ pass but get the increase in potential because of Carter’s work off the ball. So wouldn’t even a metric like this be heavily influenced by a player’s teammates and system? I’m probably not thinking it through carefully enough.

You know who I’m talking about …

Yes, Derek Fisher.