1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

***The Official 2018-19 NBA Thread***

Discussion in 'Other Sports Forum' started by Boik14, Sep 17, 2018.

  1. GARDENHEAD

    GARDENHEAD Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    11,681
    10,413
    113
    May 7, 2008
    New Orleans
    As long as he doesn't bookend his career in New Orleans!
     
  2. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

    3,807
    1,282
    113
    Oct 31, 2013
    Houston
    Lmao...don't worry everyone. If we dump Chris Paul (do it, Morey!), it will be to either the Lakers or Suns.

    Book it.
     
    Boik14 likes this.
  3. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    Oh thank god. Yeah let's just shove all bad contracts and players to the Lakers for now.
     
  4. GARDENHEAD

    GARDENHEAD Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    11,681
    10,413
    113
    May 7, 2008
    New Orleans
    I'm down.
     
  5. vmarcilfan75

    vmarcilfan75 blah...blah...blah... Club Member

    6,826
    2,350
    113
    Dec 13, 2007
    City Of Angels
    I’m not
     
  6. Boik14

    Boik14 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    75,121
    37,641
    113
    Nov 28, 2007
    New York
    Normally i dont dislike the Lakers but since Lebron is there, by all means send Paul there. :lol:
     
  7. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    32,925
    41,463
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    I'm terrified of this, but could totally see Riley doing it.
     
  8. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

    3,807
    1,282
    113
    Oct 31, 2013
    Houston
    :up:

    If the Pelicans won't give you guys AD, I can definitely see you guys going for the combo of Chris Paul & Bradley Beal.

    You can afford both if...
    Wizards take:
    Lonzo Ball
    #4 pick

    Rockets take:
    Kyle Kuzma
    *Free up $37 mil in cap space to get Jimmy Butler in free agency or something like that. *

    Gives you....
    Paul
    Beal
    Ingram
    LeBron
    Maybe Deandre Jordan for the MLE
     
  9. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    32,925
    41,463
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    You know what? That's not a bad situation for the Lakers. I don't see them giving up Kuzma for Paul, but if they can land a guy like Beal, trading for CP3 actually makes some sense there. They need to go for it right now, and they badly need some star power around LeBron to get people to forget about the circus going on in the front office. That might be the one situation where you can stomach that contract. And while that probably won't be enough for them to win, it would be the second best team LeBron's had around him after the Heatles.
     
  10. Boik14

    Boik14 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    75,121
    37,641
    113
    Nov 28, 2007
    New York
    Don’t be surprised if Deandre stays with the Knicks. He’s tight with KD supposedly and works well with Mitchell Robinson. The Knicks are keen on keeping him
     
  11. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    32,925
    41,463
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    I doubt this pushes him down far enough, but one can hope:

     
    ckparrothead likes this.
  12. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    What will push him down is the fact he had a terrible season. He took as many shots a Zion. I don’t buy the “third banana” argument. Teams were guarding Barrett and Zion, not Reddish. And yet he shot 33.3% on threes, even tho 80% of them were assisted. He shot 28% on 2-pointers away from the rim. He finished on only 51% at the rim. No real rebounding or assist game to hang your hat on. He did a nice job with steals and defense in general, but still.
     
  13. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    32,925
    41,463
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    I wouldn't call it a terrible season, because he had his moments. It was certainly a disappointing season, though, for a player who came in with so much hype. I think the 3rd banana thing has some merit. You're right that at times he had more room to shoot, so that should equate to better numbers, but when you've been by far the best player on your team for so long, being a third option is a tough adjustment to make. Chris Bosh, who did a fantastic job handling it, has talked about how hard that is to do from a mental standpoint.

    Now, all of that isn't evidence that he's going to be a good player. It's still projection. But he is incredibly talented. And while there's no doubt his stock took a big hit this season, as teams look at the skillset, and as he supposedly impressed in workouts, I think his stock was really starting to creep back up. This surgery seems pretty minor, so I'd still bet he goes relatively high.
     
  14. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    There are two reasons I don’t buy the Bosh thing.

    Bosh had to deal with with a major dip in usage. That was one of the big problems and it’s also an area where the Reddish argument breaks apart because Cam had nearly as much usage as Zion did.

    The other thing is Bosh often had to deal with a new position. He was often a five in Miami. He wasn’t really used to that. It was definitely new. I don’t believe Reddish was playing a new position.
     
  15. BevoPhin

    BevoPhin Well-Known Member

    1,523
    795
    113
    Mar 15, 2013
    I think we all would like to see your top 30 or so players for the draft if you get time.

    Sounds like you’d take Brandon Clarke over Reddish.
     
    ckparrothead likes this.
  16. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    32,925
    41,463
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    We've talked about the possibility for two offseasons now, but it feels like the Heat are going to make some big moves this offseason. Some of the better Heat sources around social media (like Lefty Leif) seem to feel pretty confident that Riley makes something happen this year. There's also some national buzz about them being in on some things. Today there's some buzz that they are looking into trading for JR Smith's contract, which would only make sense if there's something else coming.

    My hope is that Riley doesn't strike out on the best targets and get desperate ending up in CP3 or overpaying for Mike Conley, but I would bet some money that they don't go into next season with the status quo, and just wait for their contracts to expire.
     
    ckparrothead likes this.
  17. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    I would indeed take Brandon Clarke over Cam Reddish.
     
  18. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    My personal opinion from speaking with some of these guys privately is that, not unlike several other years, Pat Riley has the DESIRE to do something...but not really the ability to pull it off.

    I think this is going to be another off season of collecting assets that might look attractive for next year's off season when they may be able to actually land a good player or two.

    My guess is that when all is said and done, they're going to have young up-and-comers like Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson, Bam Adebayo, and (Insert Draft Pick), plus Kelly Olynyk and Derrick Jones, and they'll try to sell that to a top player and say hey man, this is pretty nice car just waiting for you to get in and drive it.
     
  19. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007


    Interesting Mock Draft.

    They have Goga Bitadze going to the Wizards at #9 overall. They have Brandon Clarke off to the Timberwolves at #11 and the Hawks taking Sekou Doumbouya then Nassir Little. Everyone else taken before #13 are the usual suspects (Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, R.J. Barrett, Jarrett Culver, DeAndre Hunter, Cam Reddish, Coby White, Darius Garland).

    So at #13 overall they have guys like P.J. Washington, Rui Hachimura, and Jaxson Hayes available.

    They have the Heat taking Grant Williams of Tennessee. I think Grant is definitely their type of player. He's strong, physically developed, can punch above his weight class, versatile defender, good wing span, can block shots. The thing I appreciate about him is he's a good shooter that hasn't quite translated it to 3-point shooting yet. He's an 82% free throw shooter, and he had one of the best 2-pointer/away-from-rim percentages in the class. I think analytics people are onto Grant.

    But that's where I think the positives of that pick stop. He's older, and it's not because of having a transfer year like Brandon Clarke. Grant is only 6'6" without shoes on, with a poor vertical. Not a great athlete. For his size you'd want a guy that could maybe show ball handling promise, but he's got a high handle so I don't see anything developing there.

    Honestly that would be the exact pick that guys like Ethan Skolnick would hate and say is typical of Pat Riley when he's at his worst...a low-potential, big school player that Riley saw play in the tournament, who could come in and contribute immediately because he's a good defender and a decent mid-range shooter, but ultimately won't develop into anything.

    My honest opinion is, if the draft fell exactly the way The Ringer has it falling, the Heat would take Rui Hachimura.

    The more I look at Rui, the more I think he fits for the Heat. First off, he played in the tournament and Pat would have seen him there, so he has that going for him. He's a little bit older (21), not one of those 19 year olds out there, but he's kind of older for the right reason, right? He came from and played in Japan, didn't really go through the American basketball system as a prep. There's a reason he's still blossoming.

    And that's kind of the point with him, talking about the upside, because Hachimura has an overall great combination dripping with potential. He's got a massive 7'2" wing span at his 6'8" height. He moves and handles the ball like a shooting guard at that size, explosive and fast with great jumping ability, yet he can bang around on the inside like a power forward. He's got valid shooting skills. He's been a 76% free throw shooter for two years now. He was 48% on 2-pointers away from the rim in 2017-18, and 45% in 2018-19, both of which are very good numbers. This makes you think his 3-point shot could develop. And every now and then he gives you these glimpses of high speed, high quality passing, that makes you think that could be an area for development as well.

    I've listened to interviews with Brandon Clarke, and he gushes about Hachimura's work ethic, and how happy he is to see all that work pay off with development on the court. So that's a plus.

    The thing Nekias criticized on him, understandably, is his off ball defense, and his overall feel for the game. And yeah, I get it, but his on-ball defense is pretty good. He's a passionate, high-energy player, fast, quick, lengthy player, and he's just a little bit behind because he came from Japan. The Heat have seen MONSTROUS results teaching guys how to play defense. I mean, seriously, Alfredo and I talk about it sometimes, it's amazing these guys come to the Heat with reputations for being terrible defenders and then suddenly on the Heat they're great defenders.

    When I look at the group of players coming out and I try and think about it through the lens of, OK you see these players that are taken mid- or late-1st round and then they end up being Kawhi Leonard, someone like that...who explicitly fits that bill? I think Rui Hachimura is probably as close as you get, though some see the same thing in Sekou Doumbouya.

    All that said, I think you'd be nuts to take Rui Hachimura with Brandon Clarke still on the board.
     
  20. Vertical Limit

    Vertical Limit Senior Member

    12,162
    5,057
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    Theres only 6 current players in the NBA I would take the 40 million per year hit for...

    Kawhi
    Steph
    KD
    Damian
    AD
    Lebron


    Maybe Paul George... and Joel Embiid needs to prove he can stay healthy.. just have a feeling Embiids career will be cut short..

    Anyone else making near that money is overpaid by at least 10-15 million.. seriously there shouldnt be anyone else making that kind of coin...

    I remember saying Boston overpaid for Gordon Hayward and people actually argued me saying its fair market value... are you kidding me.. no thanks..
     
    ckparrothead likes this.
  21. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    32,925
    41,463
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    On the last Heat Beat podcast Greg Sylvander (Lefty Leif) seemed pretty bullish on something happening, and I think he has the best sources outside of Ethan. I'm fine if it's another offseason of collecting assets, but I hope if they have the chance to dump vets they will, even at the expense of winning. I'd much prefer that option to overpaying for a vet and keeping the cap situation poor for a couple more years.
     
  22. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    32,925
    41,463
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    I saw that, and it reeks of guys that don't know the Heat very well. The first thing they talk about is needing a replacement for Whiteside, which prompted me to stop the video, because Bam is the center of the future for this team unless they get a dynamite center that can stretch the floor, and they move Bam to the 4. Word is they want a wing/guard unless the value is too good on a big. Grant Williams isn't that guy.

    Hachimura is an interesting name. His offensive upside is really tantalizing. His defense is worrisome, though.
     
  23. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    I think the wing/guard stuff is misdirection.

    I think they will be looking at Brandon Clarke, PJ Washington, Rui Hachimura, and Sekou Doumbouya. All of them have forward size but wing versatility.
     
  24. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    32,925
    41,463
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    I don't know. They need a shot creator more than anything. Sekou might be that (I think he's more of a wing, though), but the thinking of wanting a guard/wing makes a lot of sense.

    PJ Washington has always been the wildcard for me, though. He just fits seamlessly into the rotation.
     
  25. Boik14

    Boik14 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    75,121
    37,641
    113
    Nov 28, 2007
    New York
    Sekou is the youngest player in this draft. From what I’ve read, he’s defensive wing who should se offense come on later. He could become a steal and fits your youth movement. Might be a good fit for y’all.
     
    sports24/7 likes this.
  26. Boik14

    Boik14 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    75,121
    37,641
    113
    Nov 28, 2007
    New York
    One thing I have to say....I’m surprised the NBA has not moved the draft back and put free agency first like the NFL. Free agency has become a game changer and keeps fans engaged. The draft does as well if your team is picking high up but it could create a lot of interest to see what moves teams may make right after the year for chances at stars. For instance if you’re the Knicks would you still draft RJ Barrett if you knew for sure KD and Kyrie were coming or would you go for a defensive minded wing like Hunter because of the fit?
     
  27. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    The idea is weird to me of going for "need" in the NBA draft.

    The NBA draft is like the NFL draft on crack. The talent drop-offs as you go pick to pick just get steeper. If you draft for need then you end up with nothing but a rotational bench player, if that.

    The talent is in the forwards. Sekou Doumbouya and Rui Hachimura have guard-like ball handling and movement skills on forward-like frames. PJ Washington can do almost anything on a basketball court pretty well, and Brandon Clarke can do almost anything on a basketball court even better.

    If the Heat get stuck on a problematic guard/wing class because of Need, they probably deserve to continue sucking.
     
  28. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    32,925
    41,463
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    I would love Sekou. The problem is, I don't think he makes it to 13, and I don't think Riley would pull the trigger anyway.
     
  29. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    32,925
    41,463
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    I agree with this overall, but I think that in a draft where you have a bunch of guys all kind of muddled after the first few picks, I don't have a problem going with an organizational need moving forward. This team badly needs a shot creator, so if you feel that a Kevin Porter, for example, has the chance to be an all-star level shot creator, I can see the rationale for taking him over a similarly ranked power player. Especially if they feel the power player's upside isn't necessarily as high.
     
  30. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    I mean that's a pretty big IF.

    I get asked about Donovan Mitchell because I was big on him. I saw a guy who was physically well developed. I saw a guy who was very well rounded offensively and defensively. I saw a guy who had that one thing about him you could hang your hat on and say, that's pretty special, talking about his combination wing span (he was 6'1" without shoes but had a massive 6'10" wing span) and speed (fastest sprinter at the Combine that year).

    I saw good handle, euro step, spin, finishing at the rim in multiple ways, speed obviously, quickness, acceleration, balance, body control, NBA jumping ability. He got dragged as a shooter but A) he was an 81% free throw shooter and you could tell he's a great natural shooter with a well structured shot, B) he'd shot better the previous year when his usage was a bit different (didn't have to take 7 threes a game), and C) Draft Xpress had shown that his Catch-and-Shoot percentage was actually quite high. I also saw BASKETBALL IQ which was a big part of why I fell in love. Always made the right basketball play.

    Do I see that in this year's guard class, with the likes of Nassir Little, Kevin Porter, Romeo Langford, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tyler Herro, or Keldon Johnson? Well I haven't really looked at Keldon Johnson to be honest with you. But the answer is no, not in any of the others.

    I've said it before, the closest I've seen that way would be Nassir Little. I won't cry if he's the pick. He's got the big wing span. He's got the speed and agility, the ball handling skills, good natural shooter (77% free throw shooter). He's your prototypical potential guy, the moldable lump of clay. It WILL take time. But he's not nearly as well-rounded as Donovan Mitchell was. No assist game whatsoever. No steals, blocks, etc. Almost totally untested 3-point shot, the percentage of which wasn't very good. And his 35% on mid-range 2-pointers doesn't necessarily suggest his 29% on 3-point shots was non-reflective in 2018-19, even if his 77% free throw percentage suggests it could come up over time.

    Not sure what people see in Kevin Porter's game. I see a low release point and bad balance on his shot. His shot selection gets all jacked up. He doesn't attack the rim (only 35 times this year). He's like 52% on free throws. Gets the ball stolen. Terrible at mid-range shots (which makes sense if you look at the FT%).

    At least with Coby White, who is a 6'4" point guard with a legit assist game, you're looking at a guy who shot 80% on free throws, and so when you see those mid-range 2-pointers only about 35% you think, maybe that's got room for improvement as you work with him on shot selection. His balance and shot are better than Porter's, and I think you can work with him to raise his FG% off the dribble. I see a lot of his weaknesses as stuff that could improve with maturity. But even with Coby, I see issues that would give me pause.
     
  31. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    Speaking of Keldon Johnson, I'm starting to get a look at him, and him at least I can understand and rationalize.

    As a 3-point shooter he's almost completely catch-and-shoot. But he's a really good shooter. He shoots well at all levels, including good touch on runners.

    You could do worse than an athletic, explosive guy with 6'9" wing span that shoots really well and has a lot of good tape of him driving to the basket and finishing with that trademark length and touch. The fact he's so young (19 years old) and will only get better has to be intriguing. Good defensive player, too.

    I think maybe if you take him above P.J. Washington, you might have it wrong...but I could understand this pick. Maybe even more so than Nassir Little.
     
  32. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    32,925
    41,463
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    I was also very high on Mitchell from the start. He was one of my favorite players in that draft. To me, I looked at what he could become. I saw tools that reminded me a little bit of Dwyane Wade. While some of the tools are different for these guys, I would put guys like Porter, Little, and Langford (maybe even Keldon Johnson) in a similar category. You look at those guys and think about what they can become. There are obviously things to work on with all three. They're all very young, though, so there's reason to believe growth could come.

    As for Porter specifically, the shot isn't perfect, but it's not awful. He may not attack the rim as much as you'd like, but it's something he looks good doing. Also, while 35 times isn't a lot, let's not forget he only played 21 games. He's got good size, though, nice athleticism, and the ability to score at all three levels. If you feel like the character isn't an issue, that would put him near the top of my list.
     
  33. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    We just disagree on what looks like a good shot. Kevin Porter's shot looks pretty awful to me.
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2019
    sports24/7 likes this.
  34. BevoPhin

    BevoPhin Well-Known Member

    1,523
    795
    113
    Mar 15, 2013
    I wouldn’t be surprised if Riley goes after Demarcus Cousins. I doubt he demands a max contract at this point.
     
  35. GARDENHEAD

    GARDENHEAD Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    11,681
    10,413
    113
    May 7, 2008
    New Orleans
    You trolling Heat fans?
     
  36. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    Leif is chattering about Jimmy Butler wanting to play on the Heat and basically all but promising that he'll come there if they can (somehow) free up a max contract slot for him.

    But again, this is about what is possible, not what is desirable. I just don't think they're going to be able to swing that idea.
     
  37. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    Here's the 1st round draft order:

    #1 New Orleans
    #2 Memphis
    #3 New York
    #4 Los Angeles
    #5 Cleveland
    #6 Phoenix
    #7 Chicago
    #8 Atlanta

    #9 Washington
    #10 Atlanta
    #11 Minnesota
    #12 Charlotte
    #13 Miami
    #14 Boston
    #15 Detroit
    #16 Orlando
    #17 Brooklyn

    #18 Indiana
    #19 San Antonio
    #20 Boston
    #21 Oklahoma City
    #22 Boston
    #23 Utah
    #24 Philadelphia
    #25 Portland
    #26 Cleveland
    #27 Brooklyn
    #28 Golden State
    #29 San Antonio
    #30 Milwaukee

    The bolded teams are the ones that have had or are having Brandon Clarke in for a private workout. I think his range is being established and Miami is somewhat in the middle of it.
     
  38. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007


    Good interview with Mark Few (Gonzaga head coach) talking about the difficulty of even getting over the language barrier with Rui Hachimura when he came to Gonzaga as a freshman.

    He brings up a great point that Rui should be looked at like an 18-19 year old prospect. He didn't play hundreds of games on the AAU basketball circuit from the time he was 12 years old, like all these other guys did before they got into college.

    I bring this up because obviously his off-ball defense and IQ are to be questioned based on the tape. But Miami has great success teaching guys to play Heat team defense, even some guys that were considered to be hopeless defensively.

    It's not as if Hachimura is physically deficient as a defender. He's got a 7'2" wing span, tons of strength, agility, speed, and he's very, very high energy. Just needs time and teaching.

    The question, like with Brandon Clarke, is if you can teach him to shoot from three consistently.
     
  39. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

    79,599
    159,162
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    This is a nice sequence. Man, Gonzaga went down swinging in that Elite 8 game against Texas Tech.



    I had a little bit of this back and forth with Nekias on twitter. I think you win in basketball with guys who go beyond the instruction manual, just always doing little things to help you win.

    Here Texas Tech takes a 6 point lead with 1:40 to go, largest deficit Gonzaga had faced all tournament.

    Right away Brandon Clarke opens himself up for the pass and without looking or hesitation he knows that he's got the space to drive for the runner, because he senses where his man is, can see where Josh Perkins's man is, and most importantly he already knows (without looking) that Rui Hachimura is boxing his man out looking for the entry pass into the paint. Clarke drew up that runner before even calling for the pass, and of course he's got great touch on those runners because he's excellent in mid-range.

    Then at about 0:25 seconds Zach Norvell kicks the ball for a steal, Brandon Clarke is the nearest man, reacts to it immediately, and I love that he doesn't put the ball on the court even once. He knows he's got men out front and he scoops and passes it all in one motion.

    Then at 0:15 seconds watch the battle between Brandon Clarke and Jarrett Culver under the basket for position for the rebound. He boxes Culver out, and then when Culver slips him, he subtly uses his hands to yank Culver down with him. Watch it in slow motion. The entire reason Norvell was able to grab this offensive rebound and had the air space to put it back in, was because Clark had pulled Culver away.

    Now you're at 2.2 seconds left and Texas Tech has the ball for an in-bound pass. This is as bleak as it gets, down 2 points and needing to steal the in-bound pass and get a shot off in 2 seconds. Who else steals the in-bound pass but Brandon Clarke? And he baited it. Watch it a few times. Slow it down if you have to. He baited this in-bound pass to Tariq Owens and then deflected it.

    This is how you win in the NBA.

    It's one thing if your "little things" guy is Grant Williams, and is really kind of a poor athlete that doesn't do anything extremely well. It's another thing altogether if the "little things" guy is a 6'7" pogo stick jumper that leads in blocks, finishing at the rim, and tests out with point guard speed/agility.

    I see the reluctance. I see the bear case. They'll say he's not big enough to post up on the inside and be fed the way he did in college, to finish the way he did, block the shots he did, etc. He's unproven at creating off the pick and roll. He's got no 3-point shot (to date), so he's not a 3-and-D player, either.

    I just think that's a bit short-sighted. He's got such great core skills, and he's NOT one of those guys that you need to keep putting the ball in his hands and having him run his own plays in order to get good things out of him, so you know that you can plug him in and be effective within your structure immediately.

    From there, that's what gives you the ability to work on the unproven aspects of his game, which the Heat have been so good at over the years with guys like Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow, and Bam Adebayo. They can work on his ball handling and creating off the pick and roll. They can work on his 3-point shot.

    It would be funny if things came full circle for him. When he was on the AAU circuit as a young teenager, he was a gangly point guard that would get double-doubles for Assists & Blocks, which his AAU coach said he's, "literally never seen anyone else do".
     
  40. Boik14

    Boik14 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    75,121
    37,641
    113
    Nov 28, 2007
    New York
    Nets must be planning something @adamprez2003
    Per espn...
    The Nets are sending Crabbe, the No. 17 pick in the 2019 NBA draft and a 2020 lottery-protected first-round pick to the Hawks for forward Taurean Prince and a 2021 second-round pick, league sources said. The deal can't be finalized until July 6.
     

Share This Page