It can work, and nobody is claiming TT doesn't have skills than can contribute. The argument is that you can't start a defensive C and defensive PF at the same time, so your starting lineup requires the the 4 or 5 to either 1) require a double team in the post, or 2) have a decent jumpshot. That means that TT isn't starter material unless we can get one of those highly elusive scoring big C's who can also defend the low post.
I wonder if there isn't another way to crack that nut, though?
The mid-range jumper as pointed out is not a very productive shots when even the best shooting bigs average below 50% eFG.
Combine that with typical hot & cold streaks that jump shooters go through and even with a decent mid-range shooter like Z, often the D would choose to stay back anyway as the expected damage of Z shooting a jumper was far less than the expected damage if James was permitted a lane to the hoop.
Interestingly, the dynamic changes when you don't have a James like player on your team. Most defenses tends to relax back in to a a balanced man to man defense where an offensive system designed to get shots at the hoop can actually work.
Now, I'm not trying to say we should avoid drafting or developing a rim rattling superstar, but another plan of attack would be nice.
I enjoyed watching Ben Wallace play during his time here because his intelligence and experience shined. He knew what to do when a defender ignored him, and knew his job wasn't to free himself up for a jumper, but to screen out someone else's defender to free them up for a jumper. Ben's defender was either oblivious or too far in to the paint and had no chance to switch out and defend the shot.
That's what I want out of our offense. I don't want to see us settling for the pick & pop because the defense is crowding the paint, I want to see us finding a way to get our best shooters and best finishers the best looks.
After all, how do you stop Ben from setting a crushing screen that frees up Gibson for a corner 3pt shot? You go out and defend him far enough so you can get to the 3pt line and contest Gibson ... hence, unlike the Z scenario ... the floor is actually stretched. Oh, and if they do switch on that play ... well ... then Ben (ok let's call him Tristan) is rolling to the hoop with only a small guard and whoever is left in the paint to try to stop him. If the big comes over to contest, then our other big is set free ... pass ... dunk.
What does it take to get there? To have bigs with good hands, good finishing, good vision, good passing, good screen setting, good anticipation, etc, etc?
That's where I'd rather be, and it would be a lot of fun to watch.
Icing on the cake would be to have some tough guys on the floor (let's call him Samardo) who could anticipate the way the best defenses send help flying across the floor to contest shots and flatten them with a secondary or intermediate screen.
/dream