2014 Draft Prospects:
- Thread starter bajaden
- Start date
I've been thinking recently that a decent comparison for Gordon is Marion. Bizarre ugly jumper, defensive intensity, athleticism. I don't really picture Gordon as a smallish PF, though, but rather as a SF who can slot down if needed - a lot like Williams in that respect. He's probably more effective defensively on the perimeter than in the post, especially against bigger competition, and probably more effective offensively slashing than posting. His jumper is the worrisome bit - can he get it working enough to spread the floor?
I do think that your "Josh Smith without the Josh Smith mentality" is another good comparison.
I do think that your "Josh Smith without the Josh Smith mentality" is another good comparison.
Gordon moves like Marion, who bulked up a bit to play PF at Phoenix. Early Marion before D'Antoni moved better and was even more explosive.
Gordon takes 42% of his shots as 2pt jumpers and makes 27.5% on them. Only 23% of them assisted, so he dribbles, then pull up...for 27.5%. I think, he's exactly Josh Smith, who just happens to be #3 in the pecking order being on a team with upperclassmen.
Gordon takes 42% of his shots as 2pt jumpers and makes 27.5% on them. Only 23% of them assisted, so he dribbles, then pull up...for 27.5%. I think, he's exactly Josh Smith, who just happens to be #3 in the pecking order being on a team with upperclassmen.
Nice write-up. As I said, I knew nothing about Gordon and my impression was the national one of him just being a highly athletic tweener, like D-Will. After checking out some scouting reports and videos on him... man. Really couldn't be further from the truth.
What I garnered from the very limited materials I watched is he works hard on both ends of the floor, has a great motor, is a willing teammate, has good team and individual instincts, along with the crazy athleticism. His offense will likely be limited but we're not looking for offense. We're looking for the glue guys, which Gordon looks like he'll end up being.
Probably the only thing I'd disagree with in your write-up is that long-term, I think you want him at SF and transition him to PF in certain lineups, like LeBron and Melo do. So if you resign Gay and draft Gordon, you're probably looking at making him a 6th man for awhile. He's an interesting case of a PF in college who will probably be a much, much better SF in the pros. Most College PF tweener types don't make it because they can never transition to SF. Gordon, especially defensively, looks to have all the makings of an excellent perimeter defender at the next level. Seems like putting him at the PF position would be wasting some of his talents
What I garnered from the very limited materials I watched is he works hard on both ends of the floor, has a great motor, is a willing teammate, has good team and individual instincts, along with the crazy athleticism. His offense will likely be limited but we're not looking for offense. We're looking for the glue guys, which Gordon looks like he'll end up being.
Probably the only thing I'd disagree with in your write-up is that long-term, I think you want him at SF and transition him to PF in certain lineups, like LeBron and Melo do. So if you resign Gay and draft Gordon, you're probably looking at making him a 6th man for awhile. He's an interesting case of a PF in college who will probably be a much, much better SF in the pros. Most College PF tweener types don't make it because they can never transition to SF. Gordon, especially defensively, looks to have all the makings of an excellent perimeter defender at the next level. Seems like putting him at the PF position would be wasting some of his talents
There's an international guy who many may not know but who has really intrigued me. I haven't read the last few pages of the thread so forgive me if he has been mentioned already. His name is Clint Capela and he's Swiss, but playing in the French league. The guy is very athletic, has great size for a PF at about 6'11'', and rebounds and block shots at a high rate. He's doing really well for a 19 year old in a good league. He's averaging about 18/13/3 per-40 minutes (he plays about 20 mins per). The guy could be a diamond in the rough and an ideal fit next to Cuz. I've noticed that DX has him going 13th, so they're aware of him. If we don't get a top 5 pick he's someone we should be taking a close look at, at the very least.
Here's the obligatory youtube video:
Here's the obligatory youtube video:
Capela is going to play in Hoops Summit very soon, and will have serious challenge on his hands as so far DX has him listed at 211 (in November he was weighed at 218 by the team - kinda small to play against grown man, but Anthony Davis measured at 221 at the Combine, and even though he doesn't have Anthony's frame, Capela should have no problem bulking up by his sophomore season): USA team will have bulky aggressive guys like Okafor and Alexander. This will be very important test to gauge his ability to handle NBA-level bodies. I imagine Towns Jr. will be back, and at least Capela won't have to deal with Emeka's cousin full-time.
Reading 2012-13 reports on him, it feels like Capela wanted to play as SF, which resulted in .424FG% last year among other things. But this season the bulb went on, he moved inside, dunking on everyone, though for now that's all he's doing offensively. Jumper is pretty far away, if it even appears down the road, so right now his offense will consist strictly of being the rolling man in screen action, dump-offs at the rim and offensive rebounds. Still getting above 65% from the field against grown men is quite an accomplishment. Interestingly, he averages 2.5 assists per 40 minutes, which for a finisher is impressive, though corresponding TO rate is equally worrisome. He's a very good rebounder, and his team routinely wins rebounding battles, so he's certainly not in a situation, where "someone has to get a rebound".
You can't argue, that main measuring stick for him is OKC player, and Capela comes out very good in comparison, though one can't deny level of ACB is higher than PRO1.
Information is still very scarce on him, all video available are mixtapes, so hard to get a reliable read on him, other than his tools and the fact, that he clearly progresses, getting 20 mpg after 8 mpg last season, plus he improves during the season, getting 23-26 minutes instead of 13-15 early in the season.
Here's an article with some background and probably most informative piece on Capela, written in English: http://www.eurohopes.com/player/1146/clint-capela/.
P.S. My current grasp of the draft is that outside of jumping into the top-3, Kings shouldn't keep their pick. Dangle it in front of Chicago and Atlanta to see, if they let former Gators go, explore some other options around the League. If hunt for inside defender fails, trade down for Capela (or maybe WCS - I'm really unsure about him) and maybe pick up perimeter guy like RHJ (if he declares) or Adams.
EDIT: Another solid game for him today - 17 points (7-8 from the field), 11 rebounds, assist and 2 blocked shots in 25 minutes in home game vs top-5 team. Capela's team Chalon is now 7-3 over last 10 games. Interestingly his importance to the team should've prevented him from participating in Hoops Summit, but apparently after the game on April, 5th their next game is on 15th, so he should be able to come over to USA.
Reading 2012-13 reports on him, it feels like Capela wanted to play as SF, which resulted in .424FG% last year among other things. But this season the bulb went on, he moved inside, dunking on everyone, though for now that's all he's doing offensively. Jumper is pretty far away, if it even appears down the road, so right now his offense will consist strictly of being the rolling man in screen action, dump-offs at the rim and offensive rebounds. Still getting above 65% from the field against grown men is quite an accomplishment. Interestingly, he averages 2.5 assists per 40 minutes, which for a finisher is impressive, though corresponding TO rate is equally worrisome. He's a very good rebounder, and his team routinely wins rebounding battles, so he's certainly not in a situation, where "someone has to get a rebound".
You can't argue, that main measuring stick for him is OKC player, and Capela comes out very good in comparison, though one can't deny level of ACB is higher than PRO1.
Information is still very scarce on him, all video available are mixtapes, so hard to get a reliable read on him, other than his tools and the fact, that he clearly progresses, getting 20 mpg after 8 mpg last season, plus he improves during the season, getting 23-26 minutes instead of 13-15 early in the season.
Here's an article with some background and probably most informative piece on Capela, written in English: http://www.eurohopes.com/player/1146/clint-capela/.
P.S. My current grasp of the draft is that outside of jumping into the top-3, Kings shouldn't keep their pick. Dangle it in front of Chicago and Atlanta to see, if they let former Gators go, explore some other options around the League. If hunt for inside defender fails, trade down for Capela (or maybe WCS - I'm really unsure about him) and maybe pick up perimeter guy like RHJ (if he declares) or Adams.
EDIT: Another solid game for him today - 17 points (7-8 from the field), 11 rebounds, assist and 2 blocked shots in 25 minutes in home game vs top-5 team. Capela's team Chalon is now 7-3 over last 10 games. Interestingly his importance to the team should've prevented him from participating in Hoops Summit, but apparently after the game on April, 5th their next game is on 15th, so he should be able to come over to USA.
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haven't heard of the kid till right now from these posts. really really like what I'm seeing and hearing. We don' really need a highly polished offensive player next to cousins we can all agree. He has the height that T-rob didn't have. He can excel in the p&r game, block shots, rebound, and and seems to be quick off his feet for drop off passes when they double cuz. I want him.
I currently have Capela 10th on my wish list, based on what I've read on him, and on your recommendation. All I can find in the way of film on him is as you said, mixed tape. I'm looking forward to the the summit game. I'm still pretty high on Cauley-Stein. You'll never get much offense out of him, but I have no doubts about his ability to defend. Damm shame he had to get injured. However I doubt Marcus Lee has any complaints. Great game by him.
I'm now totally sold on Nik Stauskas. He almost willed his team to a victory against Kentucky. Only thing I'm not sure of is his defense at the next level, however I don't think he'll be a liability. He had no problem staying in front of either of the Harrison twins, and also guarded Young, who beat him off the dribble just one time. He's a lights out shooter with a lightning quick release. He has good handles, and is capable of getting to the basket. He also has a little PG in him, and I wonder if he's capable of playing the point. He's an excellent passer. Anyway here's my wish list, and I'm sure you'll disagree with some of it.
1. Jabari Parker: In my opinion, the most NBA ready.
2. Joel Embiid: Would be number one if not for his back
3. Dante Exum: Terrific athlete. Can he play the point?
4. Andrew Wiggins: Struggled in the tournament, but has highest upside.
5. Noah Vonleh: Great length for the PF position and with good upside.
6. Julius Randle: Combine measurements could drop him down, but I think he'll be a better NBA player than a college player.
7. Willie Cauley-Stein: Great shotblocker and pick and roll defender at the college level. Still has some upside left.
8. Nik Stauskas: It's reported that PDA loves Klay Thompson. Well, Stauskas is Thompson in waiting with better ballhandling and passing.
9. Aaron Gordon: Terrific athlete whose immediate impact will be on the defensive side. Horrible outside shooter, and horrible freethrow shooter.
10. Clint Capela: Hopefully he's the second coming of Ibaka.
You'll notice that I don't have Smart on my list. I just don't like him. I tried, I really did. I'm probably wrong, and for his sake I hope so.
Edit: By the way, I watched so many games in the last two weeks that my eye's won't focus. I still have two teams left from my original final four. The biggest surprise is UCONN. That's what makes it fun.
I'm now totally sold on Nik Stauskas. He almost willed his team to a victory against Kentucky. Only thing I'm not sure of is his defense at the next level, however I don't think he'll be a liability. He had no problem staying in front of either of the Harrison twins, and also guarded Young, who beat him off the dribble just one time. He's a lights out shooter with a lightning quick release. He has good handles, and is capable of getting to the basket. He also has a little PG in him, and I wonder if he's capable of playing the point. He's an excellent passer. Anyway here's my wish list, and I'm sure you'll disagree with some of it.
1. Jabari Parker: In my opinion, the most NBA ready.
2. Joel Embiid: Would be number one if not for his back
3. Dante Exum: Terrific athlete. Can he play the point?
4. Andrew Wiggins: Struggled in the tournament, but has highest upside.
5. Noah Vonleh: Great length for the PF position and with good upside.
6. Julius Randle: Combine measurements could drop him down, but I think he'll be a better NBA player than a college player.
7. Willie Cauley-Stein: Great shotblocker and pick and roll defender at the college level. Still has some upside left.
8. Nik Stauskas: It's reported that PDA loves Klay Thompson. Well, Stauskas is Thompson in waiting with better ballhandling and passing.
9. Aaron Gordon: Terrific athlete whose immediate impact will be on the defensive side. Horrible outside shooter, and horrible freethrow shooter.
10. Clint Capela: Hopefully he's the second coming of Ibaka.
You'll notice that I don't have Smart on my list. I just don't like him. I tried, I really did. I'm probably wrong, and for his sake I hope so.
Edit: By the way, I watched so many games in the last two weeks that my eye's won't focus. I still have two teams left from my original final four. The biggest surprise is UCONN. That's what makes it fun.
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It's easy to assume that we don't need an offensive player next to Cousins, but it wouldn't hurt to have someone that can excel on defense, and still viable on offense. If you have someone that's totally inept on offense, then the other team won't guard him, and that makes it easier to double Cousins without giving up much defensively anywhere else. If the only thing a player can do, is lurk around the basket, then he helps crowd the middle, and his man can guard him, and Cousins if he's in the post. By no means am I saying we shouldn't draft Capela. I don't enough about him to comment on his offensive abilities, or his upside in that area. Ibaka wasn't much of a threat away from the basket when he first came into the league, and now he has that nice little jumper from 14/15 feet.
Ibaka always shot FTs around 70%, which for a raw big is extremely well. Capela doesn't seem to have the touch. Certainly can be worked on, and given Capela's serious improvement, he seems to have good work ethic, but jumper is not a sure thing for him in the future - that much is clear. Same for WCS.
EDIT: checked his FT shooting and sample size is really small, so it can just be statistical noise or hot/cold streaks, but he started the season 6-19, and in the last 10 games it's 22-31 for 71%. Maybe there is a distinct possibility of a reliable jumpshot.
EDIT: checked his FT shooting and sample size is really small, so it can just be statistical noise or hot/cold streaks, but he started the season 6-19, and in the last 10 games it's 22-31 for 71%. Maybe there is a distinct possibility of a reliable jumpshot.
Gordon is everything we need from the PF position and would be a great back wallet pick if we miss out on the top 3. He's 6'9 but highly athletic and looks to have the frame to add some bulk easily, most importantly he's a high IQ player, he's not just some chicken with his head cut off full of energy, he knows what he's doing out there and does it with purpose. In that sense I like the Noah in a PF's body comparison.
Well, high IQ guys play within themselves, and know what they can or cannot do. Gordon got lucky, that Ashley was injured, and he had to move inside offensively, but early in the season he was talking about him being "Blake Griffin, who can play PG" or his ability to play SF. He is still borderline PF sizewise, though he obviously could've grown since those measurements were taken (could get bigger during 2 months before Combine). Combine will be very important to determine his fate: if his weight is under 220 come June, that doesn't bode well for him, but if he gets to 225 by then, Gordon will be fine eventually. Still the point remains regardless: he's no rim protector or brings any power to PF position.
Exum at 3 is a bit surprising, but I'm sure that's because you have a better insight than all of us by getting to see him play. What's your reasoning for having him so high? You mention you're not sure if he can play point, but do you see his potential at that position as why he should be so highly regarded?
He moves better, than any guy above 6'4" in the NBA, and has handles to keep the ball at that speed. I would put him at #3, but only if he gets up to 210-215 by June. Exum moved to USA in January to concentrate on working out and preparing for the draft, so if he's around 200 pounds by then, Exum's either lazy/got distracted in LA or struggles to put on more weight.
He's listed at 188lbs right? There's no way he'd be at 210 by June without putting on a lot of fat. Building muscle doesn't work like that, no matter how much expertise you have by your side. Even if he went on a bulk to gain as much muscle as possible and planned to cut his bodyfat down again before the combine, he'd still only be about 195lbs, maximum by the combine (unless he decides to keep some of the extra fat, which he may be able to do without losing athleticism)! And 7lbs of lean muscle within that time frame is probably being ambitious, to be honest, considering that he doesn't seem to be a genetic freak when it comes to muscle mass.
Just saying, expecting him to have put on 22lbs+ of muscle in 6 months is physically not possible for anyone. A genetic freak who does absolutely everything correctly over the course of the year, in their first year of lifting (where most gains should occur), might be lucky to put on 12, 15lbs maximum, of lean muscle. You often hear of people saying such-and-such a player needs to put on 15-20lbs of muscle over an off-season. It's ignorance - it's just not possible to do that. Not even possible to do it over the course of a year unless you're going to bring some unnatural substances into play.
188 lbs measurement is from Hoops Summit 2013, so a year ago. During HS season in Australia he was weighed at 198 reportedly, so if that's true he has ability to put 10lbs in half a year even without elite training program, that he should have access to now.
Tourney games are not appearing on youtube, probably due to copyright concerns, so we left with Conference tourneys and Pac-12 one was very interesting:
Look between 15:40-17:05 and tell me it's not second coming of "The Beard". 
Tourney games are not appearing on youtube, probably due to copyright concerns, so we left with Conference tourneys and Pac-12 one was very interesting:
188 lbs measurement is from Hoops Summit 2013, so a year ago. During HS season in Australia he was weighed at 198 reportedly, so if that's true he has ability to put 10lbs in half a year even without elite training program, that he should have access to now.
Tourney games are not appearing on youtube, probably due to copyright concerns, so we left with Conference tourneys and Pac-12 one was very interesting:
Look between 15:40-17:05 and tell me it's not second coming of "The Beard".
Tourney games are not appearing on youtube, probably due to copyright concerns, so we left with Conference tourneys and Pac-12 one was very interesting:
I meant Harden, obviously.
Well, one at 17:03 looks decent for a guy, who's playing mostly off the ball and doesn't have a lot of opportunities to perfect it in game situations.
EDIT: just to be clear, I was talking more about the way Adams moves, which really resembles Harden, rather than comparing talent level of these players.
Well, one at 17:03 looks decent for a guy, who's playing mostly off the ball and doesn't have a lot of opportunities to perfect it in game situations.
EDIT: just to be clear, I was talking more about the way Adams moves, which really resembles Harden, rather than comparing talent level of these players.
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It feels like I've watched 6 Florida games over the past three weeks.
It has me thinking about Patrick Young a lot. In terms of a glue guy with leadership qualities who can defend either the 4 or 5 depending on who it is .. he wouldn't be the worst guy to put next to Cousins. And he might have the most 'nba ready' body in the entire draft class. The guy is huge.
And obviously he is a senior. Can come in right away and contribute. He's starting to remind me of the other Florida guys who went undervalued because they stayed in college too long. I remember Noah was supposed to go top 3 before he decided to stay in school. I think Young is going to a good player. A winning player, more importantly.
You obvious don't take him with our top ten pick, but as a trade target or whatever .. I really like him.
It has me thinking about Patrick Young a lot. In terms of a glue guy with leadership qualities who can defend either the 4 or 5 depending on who it is .. he wouldn't be the worst guy to put next to Cousins. And he might have the most 'nba ready' body in the entire draft class. The guy is huge.
And obviously he is a senior. Can come in right away and contribute. He's starting to remind me of the other Florida guys who went undervalued because they stayed in college too long. I remember Noah was supposed to go top 3 before he decided to stay in school. I think Young is going to a good player. A winning player, more importantly.
You obvious don't take him with our top ten pick, but as a trade target or whatever .. I really like him.
Gordon is a limited offensive player in college, which means that in the pros he's going to be a limited limited offensive player. Ergo, he's going to hurt the other offensive players on the floor because the other team is going to cheat off of him. You at least need a guy to make the other team honest - e.g. Jason Thompson. You may not need a 20 point a game iso scorer, but you don't want the addition to the lineup to subtract from the offensive players performances you do have; it certainly wouldn't help Cousins game any. I see Gordon as the type of guy who you want to get on his second or third go-around in the NBA. If you draft him #1 you're probably going to be doing a lot of coaching and developing for his next team, not your team, because he's going to be too much of an offensive disappointment for your team to keep him after year 2 or 3.
PS The premise that we don't "have to worry about offense" is wrong at several levels, but probably the most primary level is that this team has no assurance that either Gay or IT is going to be with the team next year. We may have more to worry about than is currently surmised.
PS The premise that we don't "have to worry about offense" is wrong at several levels, but probably the most primary level is that this team has no assurance that either Gay or IT is going to be with the team next year. We may have more to worry about than is currently surmised.
First, I think it's an individual thing. Some people are more prone to put on weight than others. Just as some people are more prone to lose weight than others. Nik Stauskas as a freshman weighed around 200 to 205 pounds. He was just a shinny kid that could spot up and shoot three pointers from the corner. During the offseason between his freshman and sophmore years, he put on around 20 pounds of muscle, and also developed, or stopped hiding his ability to pass, create off the dribble, and drive to the basket, as well as handle the ball. I suspect he was hiding most of those abilities, but he definitely redefined his body. As I said, everyone is different in that aspect, and there's certainly no reason that Exum can't at least start on that journey.
From everything I've read about him, both from the PR dept, and from scouting reports, he's a gym rat with a great work ethic. Give me a physically talented player with heart and desire, and eventually I'll have a very good player. As I said, my biggest question is whether he's a PG or not. Either way, it wouldn't disqualify him from being at the top of my board. My ability to see him play in real games is limited. Most of my visual input is from highschool all star games, and a couple of U-19 games. But when allowed to showcase his talents, he stands out. Lets put it this way. I didn't know who he was until I watched him in a game, and afterwards, I immediately started doing research as to who he was, where he came from, etc. In other words, he got my attention. I don't know if he has to put on 20 pounds of muscle between now and the combine (wouldn't hurt), but anything close to that would just add to my desire to have him in a Kings uniform. It's all a moot point if we don't get lucky in the lottery.
My attention now is on players that will be available in the 7 to 12 range. While there's no one that leaps out as a potential all star, it's possible that there will be someone who would be a top five pick in a re-do three years from now. It happens almost every year. The good thing is that this is a deep draft, and while there is a drop off at some point, there are some very talented players to be had at the bottom of the lottery and later in the first round. So if we choose wisely, we should improve the team. Based on mondays performance, one could argue for either Jeff Withey or Ray McCallum. I personally was disappointed when we passed on Withey, but apparently PDA knew what he was doing when he drafted McCallum, who I liked, but wanted Withey because of need for a shotblocker. I suspect that in a redraft a couple of years from now, both Withey and McCallum would be at the bottom of the first round, if not a bit higher.
From everything I've read about him, both from the PR dept, and from scouting reports, he's a gym rat with a great work ethic. Give me a physically talented player with heart and desire, and eventually I'll have a very good player. As I said, my biggest question is whether he's a PG or not. Either way, it wouldn't disqualify him from being at the top of my board. My ability to see him play in real games is limited. Most of my visual input is from highschool all star games, and a couple of U-19 games. But when allowed to showcase his talents, he stands out. Lets put it this way. I didn't know who he was until I watched him in a game, and afterwards, I immediately started doing research as to who he was, where he came from, etc. In other words, he got my attention. I don't know if he has to put on 20 pounds of muscle between now and the combine (wouldn't hurt), but anything close to that would just add to my desire to have him in a Kings uniform. It's all a moot point if we don't get lucky in the lottery.
My attention now is on players that will be available in the 7 to 12 range. While there's no one that leaps out as a potential all star, it's possible that there will be someone who would be a top five pick in a re-do three years from now. It happens almost every year. The good thing is that this is a deep draft, and while there is a drop off at some point, there are some very talented players to be had at the bottom of the lottery and later in the first round. So if we choose wisely, we should improve the team. Based on mondays performance, one could argue for either Jeff Withey or Ray McCallum. I personally was disappointed when we passed on Withey, but apparently PDA knew what he was doing when he drafted McCallum, who I liked, but wanted Withey because of need for a shotblocker. I suspect that in a redraft a couple of years from now, both Withey and McCallum would be at the bottom of the first round, if not a bit higher.
Lets see what his measurements are from the combine. It's very hard to judge how tall a player is on television, but to me, he looks smaller than a lot of the other players. Both in height, and in body size. Also taking into consideration how he plays, he strikes me as more of a Kenneth Faried type of player, with better defense. I have always seen him as more of a SF than a PF. I don't think he has the size and bulk to contend with most of the PF's in the NBA. I could be wrong, but when you consider that he's either going up against players like Chris Bosh, or even our own JT at 6'11", or players like Zach Randolph and Blake Griffin who are considerably stronger than him, I think he's going to struggle at the PF position.
On the other hand, his athleticism, ballhandling, lateral quickness and size lend themselves to the SF position. All that's lacking is a decent jumpshot. That's where the gamble is. If he can develop a shot, then he's a credible lottery pick. Or if a team can live with little offensive production from the SF position, and be content with great defense, then he's a good fit. I'm not sure we fit that description. I think we need someone that's more ready to play, regardless of position. When picking in the top three, I think you have the luxury of thinking positon. But when you drop down into the later part of the lottery, then you have to think best player available.
On the other hand, his athleticism, ballhandling, lateral quickness and size lend themselves to the SF position. All that's lacking is a decent jumpshot. That's where the gamble is. If he can develop a shot, then he's a credible lottery pick. Or if a team can live with little offensive production from the SF position, and be content with great defense, then he's a good fit. I'm not sure we fit that description. I think we need someone that's more ready to play, regardless of position. When picking in the top three, I think you have the luxury of thinking positon. But when you drop down into the later part of the lottery, then you have to think best player available.
I think Stauskas shenanigans deserve mention here
You have to admire his creativity. Blew my mind when I saw that play. Would have been a great assist if, if memory serves, Robinson would have made the shot. For those that didn't see the game, Stauskas drove into the lane, got trapped, and to escape, threw up what at first seemed to be a terrible shot, but instead was a bounce off the backboard which he followed, and then made a pass into the corner to Robinson for a three, which I believe he missed. Stauskas has great court vision and is a very good passer. If not for questions about his ability to guard other PG's, it might be a position he could play. However, he's such a great offensive player, you might be wasting some of his talent.
I have mixed emotions about his ability to defend. First, I think he's a better athlete than I originally thought. He certainly has better hops than I originally thought. I've seen him in games where he was more than adequate on defense. On the other hand, I've seen him in games, particularly the one one above, where he struggled to stay in front of his man. Did he just get up on the wrong side of the bed that day? Did that player just have his number? I don't know, but in the Kentucky game, he did a very good job of guarding three different players. And that was my focus in that game, because if he can defend, or at least not be a liability, he's going to be a very good player in the NBA. Which means we have to take him into consideration.
Re: Patrick Young
Pros:
1. extremely mobile and active on both ends of the floor
can't say, I saw anything like this at 1:19:19 (watch till 1:20:58) from such a big guy
2. sets killer screens
Cons:
1. while he's able to stay with smaller guys, he gets shot over routinely, as he's not a shotblocker - lacks both in length and hops
2. lack of hops has some effect on his shooting around the rim
possession from 1:08:06 on - you expect powerful guy like Young to dunk second attempt
3. weak defensive rebounder, though that might be a product of him often appearing very far on the perimeter, playing D.
4. this one is kinda my biggest problem: doesn't seem to make progress last two years
Don't think he's ever going to start, even for a team like current Sixers, and even talent level to be 3rd big is not obvious. Finally every Florida broadcast doesn't pass without mentioning, how he belongs in the NFL rather than NBA, and is likely to be drafted. I believe, this speculations have some foundation.
As for Aaron Gordon his main problem is that he can't score with the ball in his hands, while his main offensive skill is passing, that you can't utilize without handling the ball. Now if you move him off-the-ball, quicker players can take away his cuts, while Gordon doesn't have post game to punish them.
Pros:
1. extremely mobile and active on both ends of the floor
can't say, I saw anything like this at 1:19:19 (watch till 1:20:58) from such a big guy
Cons:
1. while he's able to stay with smaller guys, he gets shot over routinely, as he's not a shotblocker - lacks both in length and hops
2. lack of hops has some effect on his shooting around the rim
3. weak defensive rebounder, though that might be a product of him often appearing very far on the perimeter, playing D.
4. this one is kinda my biggest problem: doesn't seem to make progress last two years
Don't think he's ever going to start, even for a team like current Sixers, and even talent level to be 3rd big is not obvious. Finally every Florida broadcast doesn't pass without mentioning, how he belongs in the NFL rather than NBA, and is likely to be drafted. I believe, this speculations have some foundation.
As for Aaron Gordon his main problem is that he can't score with the ball in his hands, while his main offensive skill is passing, that you can't utilize without handling the ball. Now if you move him off-the-ball, quicker players can take away his cuts, while Gordon doesn't have post game to punish them.
Freethrow shooting is one stat that doesn't lie. Either you can shoot well, or you can't. The question is, can you improve, and who the hell knows. You either have a feel for shooting or you don't. I guess the word is touch. Some have it, and some don't, and never will. In is first two seasons at Kentucky, Cauley Stein has shot around 55% or so. Not good. Can he improve? Does he lack touch, or is he suffering from lack of experience because of coming to the game late? Using Jeff Withey as an example, he shot around 50% from the freethrow line his first two years at Kansas, but shot over 70% his last two years there. And, judging from monday's game, he appears to have developed a game away from the basket. So is Stein the next Withey, or perhaps even Ibaka, or is he a one dimensional player whose impact is on one side of the floor?
I like Adams quite a bit. He's a tough SOB that rebounds very well. He's has a good post game for a guard. He defends well, handles well, and can hit the outside shot. He sort of reminds me of both Harden, and Mitch Richmond. Has the body type of both. By the way, he looks like he's lost considerable weight from the beginning of the season. He's sort of a sneaky player. By that I mean he's just sort of out there and you don't notice him, but at the end of the game he's sitting there with 18 points, 7 or 8 boards and a few assists. I think he's a very underrated player. By the way, like you, I'm not comparing the talent level of Adams to either Harden or Richmond.