Building the Greatest Bench Unit of All Time

Plus, a trio of NBA All-Stars invest in... pickleball?

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Lonzo out long-term: Lonzo goes under the knife, but what does it mean for the Bulls?     

In a Pickle: Some of the NBA's best players invest in a trendy new sport

Bench Mob Season: Making the best bench squad ever   

Daily Poll

Lonzo Ball to Miss Multiple Months After Knee Surgery

What happened: After having surgery to repair a torn meniscus earlier this year, Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball had another surgery on his knee on Wednesday. This came after Ball said he still cannot run or jump without pain during a video call with reporters earlier this week. 

Why it matters: Zo was a huge part of the Bulls success during the first half of last season, and that might even be a bit of an understatement. As a lengthy perimeter defender who can guard multiple positions, Ball was the perfect complement to Zach Lavine on the defensive end. And his reliable playmaking and deadeye from long range were a big part of what made the Bulls so successful on the offensive side as well. With him, Chicago was the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Without him, they went 19-23, and were stomped by the Bucks in the first round. 

The good news is that Ball is expected to be back for the latter half of the season. Plus, the addition of Goran Dragic this offseason along with the continued ascent of young guards Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White means the Bulls have plenty of options when it comes to replacing him in the starting lineup.

We wish Ball all the best in his journey to get back to full health. And while we wait, let's look back on the simpler times, when it seemed like anything was possible for the Chino Hills legend. 

NBA All-Stars Invest in Major League Pickleball Team

What happened: LeBron James, Draymond Green and Kevin Love are part of a group that is buying an expansion franchise in Major League Pickleball. The three are joined by James' longtime business partner Maverick Carter among others.

Why it matters: Yeah, this isn't some league-altering news. In fact, it probably will have zero implications on the upcoming NBA season. But it's still cool to see NBA stars investing in a new up-and-coming sport. Major League Pickleball founder Steve Kuhn called it a "watershed moment for pickleball", a sport which had over 4.8 million players in the US in 2021. 

For those of you that don't know, pickleball is basically an interesting mix of badminton, ping-pong and tennis played with a wiffleball. Check out the video below to get a better idea.

LeBron has hinted in the past about wanting to own an NBA team, so this will be a great trial run in that regard. Maybe we'll even catch the king courtside taking in the best of what pickleball has to offer. 

Building the Greatest Bench Unit of All Time

In such a star-centric league like the NBA, it’s sometimes easy to forget about the supporting cast. But many of professional basketball's greatest dynasties were bolstered by talented bench units. Today, follow along with us as we attempt to build the greatest bench mob of all-time. 

Manu Ginobili: 2006-07

While guys like Jamal Crawford and Lou Williams might have won more sixth man of the year awards, no bench player this century has offered more consistent all-around play than Ginobili.

And no season encapsulated that all-around play more than his 2006-07 sixth man of the year campaign. Ginobili set career highs in points, rebounds, three pointers made, and free throws made, all while being a key cog in the Spurs 4th of their 5 NBA titles during the Duncan Era. And let’s not forget when he went toe-to-toe with King James during the NBA Finals.

What made Ginobili such a special player was his multifaceted game. Few players in NBA history have had such a wide variety of skills as prime Manu, let alone off the bench.

As a scorer he could kill you inside and out. Always a renowned sniper, a particular reason we picked 07-08 Ginobli over either of his all star seasons was his especially adept 3 ball that year at over 40%. It was one of just two times in his career that he finished in the top 20 in 3 point makes.

But around the rim is where Ginobli truly shone. He always seemed to know when to physically impose himself and when to go for the crafty finish. It's very clear from watching a few minutes of his highlights why James Harden calls him one of the main inspirations for his game. The two are both left handed players with an unimaginably deep bag of tricks and an impeccable ability to draw fouls. If the bench offense is stalling, Ginobili is the perfect player to breathe life back into it with tough buckets. 

As the icing on the cake, Ginobili was an incredible team defender. Always knowing where to be and when, he was a menace in the passing lanes and works perfectly in a team such as ours surrounded by defensive legends, who give him the freedom to work as a sort of basketball free safety.

For our team, Ginobili will be the focal point of the bench mob offensively. He's a solid facilitator who's also an immediate spark plug in the scoring department should the team need the boost. 

Michael Cooper: 1986-87

Yeah, we talked about Michael Cooper last week. But what are you gonna do, stop us from talking about him again? He was the DPOY off the bench for crying out loud!

1986-87 was Cooper's magnum opus. On a Lakers team that won 65 games, he put together his best all-around season. 

On offense Cooper scoring average was in double figures for only the second time in his career and his 89 three pointers made, while only decent by today's standards, ranked second in the entire league. 

But two factors push Cooper's 86-87 season from good, to truly transcendent.

First, he had one of the best playoff runs by a bench player that we've ever witnessed. According to basketball references VORP stat, Cooper was more valuable to the Lakers title run in 1987 than NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. A lot of this had to do with his shooting, where he went on perhaps the hottest run from beyond the arc seen that decade. 

Over the course of the Lakers 1987 playoff run here are the records that Cooper set. Most three pointers made in a single playoffs with 34. The rest of his teammates combined to make just 9. Most three pointers made in a finals series with 14. And Most three pointers made in a finals game with 6.

Cooper shot 48.6% from deep throughout the playoffs and an otherworldly 60.9% during the NBA finals.

And Second, not only did he reach his zenith as a floor spacer this season, he also reached it as a defender. For the first and only time to date, a bench player walked home with the Defensive Player of the Year award when Cooper beat out Alvin Robertson, Mark Eaton, and Manute Bol to claim the trophy. 

To cap off his dominant defensive season, Cooper played a key role in slowing down Larry Bird during the 87 Finals. While Bird's numbers didn't take too dramatic of a drop, his efficiency took a serious hit. Bird's field goal percentage dropped by nearly ten percent from his regular season average and he did not finish as the top scorer in any of the six games.

The combination of Coopers defensive expertise and red hot shooting during the 86-87 season makes him an ideal player off the bench for us. He fits well next to Manu Ginobli as another guard who is comfortable handling the ball and will be able to provide elite defense, quality shooting, and a dash of playmaking to any lineup he's a part of.

John Havlicek: 1966-67

John Havlicek is one player who has seemingly been forgotten by the winds of time. With the Boston Celtics history filled to the brim with legendary figures, it's inevitable that a couple would slip through the cracks

There's a quote that we found from NESN.com while researching for this section that sums up Havlicek nicely.

And with 13 all star appearances, 11 all nba teams, 8 all defensive teams, and 8 rings, it's hard to argue with that fact. Luckily for us, even at the time Hondo didn't get all the respect he deserved. Prior to 1970, Havlicek came off the bench as the Celtics 6th man. 

What made Havlicek such a valuable player was his incomparable natural hustle. This is a guy who nearly made the Cleveland Browns roster as a wide receiver despite not playing football in college. He was a menace on the fast break, active on the offensive glass despite being just 6 foot 5, and most importantly of all was one of the best defenders of his era. It also doesn't hurt that he has one of the greatest defensive plays in NBA history on his resume. 

Now comes the tough decision. Which Havlicek season do we choose?

His first three seasons in the NBA were great, and included his most iconic play, a series clinching steal in the 1965 eastern conference finals. But all 3 suffer from inefficient shooting, and his free throw shooting wasn't there yet to make up for it.

His 65-66 and 68-69 seasons are gone next. Despite being an all star in both seasons, Havlicek was never less efficient than these two years so we'll scratch those.

That leaves 1966-67 and 1967-78. Both are solid choices. They sit as his two most efficient seasons as a bench player shooting wise. But for the purposes of the team we're building today, his 66-67 campaign just makes more sense. 

Havlicek was never more efficient coming off the bench than in 66-67. He shot 44.4% from the field and took a huge jump up at the foul line, shooting nearly 83% on a healthy 5.4 attempts per game. Advance stats back up the choice. 66-67 saw Havlicek put up his best results off the bench in true shooting, PER, win shares, and win shares per 48. 

Along with Ginobili, Havlicek will lead the bench unit's offense. His cutting ability opens up space for the guards to fire away from deep and his underrated playmaking provides yet another passing threat to an already dangerous second lineup. On defense, Havlicek's hustle and flexibility will be invaluable. From his age 33 season on he averaged nearly a steal and a half per game. And in his athletic prime at age 26, surrounded by other elite defenders, I can only see that number going way up. 

With that, let's move onto the frontcourt.

Robert Horry: 2004-05

Basketball, like any sport, can inevitably be broken down into a game of numbers. And the players who have the biggest numbers are usually the best. 

But that attitude towards the game only gets you so far when building a team. You can't measure a team's chemistry in numbers, you can't measure commitment and determination using advanced stats, and most important of all, you can't measure who will step up when the game is on the line. And perhaps no player in NBA history stepped up to such moments more than Robert Horry.

Big Shot Rob is a man who needs no introduction. If you watched basketball any time between 1995 and 2007 chances are he ripped your favorite team's heart out at least once. 

Horry had a Midas touch when it came to winning. He won multiple titles in three cities, the only player to ever do so, and was a key contributor for every single one of his seven NBA championships. 

He was the ultimate role player. While Horry was never going to average 20 points per game, or make the all star team, he always brought a consistent outside shot, a fearless approach to drawing charges, and a veteran defensive savvy. In his prime, he was one of the rare bench players who could contribute in almost every facet of the game. 

And like a fine wine, Horry just seemed to get better with age. He won five of his seven championships after the age of 30, with most of his greatest moments coming during that stretch as well.

And its Horrys age 34 season, on the 2004-05 San Antonio Spurs, that will make the cut for this roster. As the go-to power forward off the bench for the eventual NBA champions, Horry provided steady, all-around play on both sides of the ball. 

But as usual, his greatest contribution came in the playoffs, where, with the season potentially on the line, Horry showed up big time.

After two blowout losses in the NBA Finals to even the series, Horry's Spurs were up against the ropes in a pivotal game five matchup versus the defending champion Detroit Pistons. And in the fourth, Horry caught fire. As Ginobli, Duncan, and Parker shot a combined 5 for 14 in the quarter, he put the team on his back. Horry scored 10 of the Spurs final 13 points, and did just enough to get the game to overtime. 

OT was classic Horry. He hit an early bucket and then down by two with just under 10 seconds left, he did this.

The Spurs would go on to win their 4th NBA championship, with Horry pouring in another 15 points in the closeout game seven. The series perfectly encapsulated what made Horry such a dangerous player, always in the right place at the right time, and never scared to take the biggest shots. 

Bill Walton: 1985-86

By all accounts Bill Walton should never have been in this position. 

Debilitating chronic foot problems had derailed what looked like the start of a surefire all-time-great career in Portland, where he won a MVP and a championship before he turned 26. A trade to San Diego hadn’t helped things, he played only 14 games over his first four seasons there, and despite a rebound in his health over the next three, it was clear he just wasn’t the same guy who brought Rip City their only title in franchise history.

Knowing his body couldn’t last much longer and that his time was limited, Walton wanted one more chance to truly compete for an NBA title. In the summer of 1985, he requested a trade to the Boston Celtics who were coming off a tough finals loss to the Lakers and in need of a backup big man. 

The rest was history. 

And through all that winning, Walton played his role to perfection. He controlled the boards, averaging almost 13 rebounds per 36 minutes, and in the playoffs finished behind only a young Charles Barkley in rebound percentage. On the other end of the court he helped anchor the #1 defense in the NBA with his rim protection and stifling post presence. His 97 defensive rating was the best in the league. And his playmaking only helps add to his value, he put up nearly 4 assists per 36, tied with Kareem for third among centers that season.

Walton is the ideal backup center for this bench unit. He’ll have ample space to operate in the paint, he can provide valuable shot blocking and rim protection, and his playmaking out of the post will be crucial with four more than capable shooters surrounding him. 

Good Reads

Ranking the Top 10 NBA Breakout Candidates This Season - Zach Buckley (Bleacher Report)

Triple alley-oops, LeBron cameos and electric crowds: The magic of summer basketball - Hanif Abdurraqib (ESPN)

Cavaliers' Dean Wade one of NBA's undrafted success stories - Marla Ridenour (The Akron Beacon Journal)

Signing Off

 That's it for todays newsletter. Hope you enjoyed diving into the details of some of the games best bench players. Have a good weekend and, as usual, Enjoy Basketball.

Until next time,

-Spencer Poole

Trivia Answer: The four NBA players who have recorded a quadruple double are Nate Thurmond, Alvin Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson! Of those four, Hakeem the Dream is the only one to have done it twice. 

Trivia Question: In the era of load management, it's rare for a player to not miss a single game over the course of the season. But with 344 consecutive games played over the past four seasons including playoffs, this player has the NBA's longest active ironman streak. Who is he?