Just as the PER statistic was screaming "play Jeremy Lin" well before Linsanity became a household word, the Knicks PER statistics are still pointing out the lack of a level playing field in the evaluation of players by management:
http://espn.go.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/ny/cat/PER/new-york-knicks
Jerome Jordan and Renaldo Balkman (no longer even on the roster) are two major cases in point. Their limitations as players are obvious. However, their performance, as measured by the PER statistic, against more flashy more (perceived) upside players is telling.
I have no problem developing players like Shumpert and Harellson. I have no problems thinking that you can get players like Smith and Davis to become more efficient on the floor.
However, I do have a problem with pretending that your only goal is winning games now when the player rotation minutes do not correlate to the PER statistics. Yes, you have to take position, roles, skills, and chemistry into account.
However, when there is a clear hole at backup center and your #5 player is a center (the only true center on the team other than Chandler) and a regular DNP, there is something else going on.
http://espn.go.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/ny/cat/PER/new-york-knicks
Jerome Jordan and Renaldo Balkman (no longer even on the roster) are two major cases in point. Their limitations as players are obvious. However, their performance, as measured by the PER statistic, against more flashy more (perceived) upside players is telling.
I have no problem developing players like Shumpert and Harellson. I have no problems thinking that you can get players like Smith and Davis to become more efficient on the floor.
However, I do have a problem with pretending that your only goal is winning games now when the player rotation minutes do not correlate to the PER statistics. Yes, you have to take position, roles, skills, and chemistry into account.
However, when there is a clear hole at backup center and your #5 player is a center (the only true center on the team other than Chandler) and a regular DNP, there is something else going on.