Wesley Johnson Talk (Injury Update: Out Several Weeks p. 2)

[Gerald3Wallace]

The other day at the laker game vs Suns, I was thinking to myself "man Wesley Johnson has been playing a lot better recently". So I decided to look up his numbers.

Over his last 5 games, he's averaged 15pts 5rebs 2ast 1blk 1stl while shooting 46% from 3.

For the month of December, he has scored in double figures 11 out of 15 games. All while still shooting 46% from 3.

I think the issue with Wes is consistency.

What do we do with him?

[Danny Darko]

We don't do anything... I think he likes LA. I doubt somebody does a meeks signing with him and he has really picked it up so just let him work all season to see where we end up and who's in our FA targets.

[Slava]

Same as the Lakers did with everyone else this offseason. They asked them to look out for deals on the market but come back to them before they sign anything, if Wes finds a good deal, the Lakers can decide whether to offer him that like they did with Hill or move on like they did with Meeks.

[Penberthy]

Sign him for a couple more years at the min or a couple mil. He's the perfect player to split minutes with Stanley Johnson 50-50. With these starters, he won't really have to score at all besides lobs and tip ins. I actually think he could be played at back up 4 as well in a Matrix way, his D can't be any worse than booze or Kelly at 4.

2015:

Jackson/Price/Clarkson
Kobe/Young/Clarkson
Wes Johnson/Stan Johnson
Randle/Booze/Kelly
Marc (or Asik or LMA or Hibbert or Jordan)/Sacre/Hou1st

Young Kelly Clarkson Randle and Sac are already signed.

[Slava]

A Johnson & Johnson small forward rotation would be crazy athletic.

[Laker_Kid]

ive actually been thinking the same thing and was expecting one of these threads to pop up. i think LA is Wes' last stop. he really has gained some confidence and he is playing within his niche. theres finally some flow in his game.

[EdXDavis21]

I hope at the end of the year... he's playing good enough to get considered for MIP..... he looks way better then his time with the Wolves/Suns early in his career.

[crazyeights]

Player A:

33.6mpg | 9.3ppg | 5.0rpg | 4.9apg | 1.3spg | 0.7bpg | 40.0% fg% | 26.2 3p% | 49.4 ts% | 14.7 USG%| 12.7 PER

Player B:

29.9mpg | 9.7ppg | 3.8rpg | 1.6apg | 0.9spg | 0.8bpg | 42.1% fg% | 38.8% 3p% | 54.0 ts% | 14.1 USG% | 12.4 PER


Player A is Nicolas Batum. Player B is Wesley Johnson. Now obviously Batum is a better rebounder and playmaker, but they have similar PERs and usage and considering Batum makes $11,765,500 and Wesley makes $981,084, I'd say it's a pretty good deal.

Love to watch Wes when he's playing with fire. He's been much more consistent on offense. His defense is okay (holds opponents to just above average PER, 15.3)...but he needs to take it to the next level with his role on offense being limited, although relatively efficient.

I've always felt Wes's faults could be hidden and utilized with the right kind of talent around him...if we can re-sign him for cheap (should take more than the minimum this time) I'd love to have him back...but again, he's not going to be someone you should rely on, he should be a glue-guy role player...so if we're not going to upgrade at center or PG, then hell might as well cut him loose.

[Slava]

To be fair, Batum has been having a terrible season, I guess owing a bit to injury. Up until last season he was good for 15/5/5 at 58% TS and 37% from 3 along with more consistent defense and Wes has surged this season. Hopefully Wes can stay consistent and if he does, he gets paid due to a lack of quality at the SG/SF spot in the league.

[aaron_gray]

Player A:

33.6mpg | 9.3ppg | 5.0rpg | 4.9apg | 1.3spg | 0.7bpg | 40.0% fg% | 26.2 3p% | 49.4 ts% | 14.7 USG%| 12.7 PER

Player B:

29.9mpg | 9.7ppg | 3.8rpg | 1.6apg | 0.9spg | 0.8bpg | 42.1% fg% | 38.8% 3p% | 54.0 ts% | 14.1 USG% | 12.4 PER


Player A is Nicolas Batum. Player B is Wesley Johnson. Now obviously Batum is a better rebounder and playmaker, but they have similar PERs and usage and considering Batum makes $11,765,500 and Wesley makes $981,084, I'd say it's a pretty good deal.

Love to watch Wes when he's playing with fire. He's been much more consistent on offense. His defense is okay (holds opponents to just above average PER, 15.3)...but he needs to take it to the next level with his role on offense being limited, although relatively efficient.

I've always felt Wes's faults could be hidden and utilized with the right kind of talent around him...if we can re-sign him for cheap (should take more than the minimum this time) I'd love to have him back...but again, he's not going to be someone you should rely on, he should be a glue-guy role player...so if we're not going to upgrade at center or PG, then hell might as well cut him loose.

What Slava said about Batum, but what specific weaknesses/faults are we talking about here? I definitely think he can be a glue guy, but he's not really someone that hurts you on either end of the floor. I'm not sure you have to hide him as much as just not expecting him to be your 1st, 2nd or 3rd option on offense in the first place.

To be fair, Batum has been having a terrible season, I guess owing a bit to injury. Up until last season he was good for 15/5/5 at 58% TS and 37% from 3 along with more consistent defense and Wes has surged this season. Hopefully Wes can stay consistent and if he does, he gets paid due to a lack of quality at the SG/SF spot in the league.

He went on a massive cold streak a while back.

[crazyeights]

Sure, Wes isn't Batum, but he could be Batum-lite. And comparing their contracts, who would you rather have? Batum? Or Wes at 11x cheaper salary?

Batum's awful shooting aside this season, he's putting career-like numbers up in blocks, assists, rebounds...in steals he's slightly up.

Also, he never averaged 15ppg (one year he was close 14.3). He also didn't until 2 years ago average near 5 assists a game, it's how he's being utilized now. And with Batum's size, length, role, and career PER 15.4, he's an apt comparison, since Wes in his role will never really have the sort of output that you'd need to get into 18 or 19s....

You see a lot of people compare Wes to the Matrix...I can't fathom why. I'm trying to point out something that makes a little more sense.

As for what Wes's weaknesses are, essentially it's his personality. He's not a killer. That's the knock about him, the guy is passive, tentative, modest. I'd say his BBIQ isn't very high. He's more of an athlete than a natural bball player, but you wouldn't know that from looking at his smooth jumpshot. So that tells me it's mostly mental.

If he's to be a starter, he has to be surrounded by scorers to be comfortable. It's why I wanted him to be re-signed last off-season when many seemed to loathe him, because I wanted to see him next to the alpha male in Kobe. He can't be relied upon to create his own shot. He also isn't much of a creator.

So I said Wes should model his game after Batum: lengthy, pesky defender who can hit the spot-up 3. They're both near 1-1-1 guys (1 3-pointer, 1 steal, 1 block)...which is pretty rare in the NBA. Plus, he could potentially be had for pennies on the dollar.

[aaron_gray]

So I said Wes should model his game after Batum: lengthy, pesky defender who can hit the spot-up 3.

That sounds more like Ronnie Price then Batum lol. I'd rather he stay away from the Batum and Iguodala models, as both are secondary ball handlers who are asked to run the offense at times. Instead, I think Danny Green would make for a better case study. 2 years ago, he was basically a 3'D guy and nothing more. Since then, he's added tons of good stuff off the dribble and he can finish with the floater. If Wes could add that to his game, I don't think anyone would be opposed to paying him 5 mil. Putting the ball on the floor with a half a step head start doesn't require as much bball IQ as recognizing the various options of an offense.

[crazyeights]

Ronnie Price might average one block in the WNBA.

Again, I'm talking about potential 1-1-1 guys who are 6'7"/'6'8" 200ish lbs forwards with +7' wingspans, glue-guys for their starting lineup, who guard the best wing on the floor, and hit 3s at a nice clip.

It's a pretty basic comparison and their numbers (especially with a down-swing Batum) back that up. The biggest difference being Batum's specific role on his specific team. Whereas Wes's role is even more simple.

[aaron_gray]

I agree that Wes can definitely be a 1-1-1 guy, but I think he's closer to old Leonard/Kirilenko glue guy role than the Batum glue guy role. Idk why I just have trouble seeing Wes becoming Batum lite.

[Pointgod]

All we need from Wes is 3 and D. I'd gladly keep him on a low cost long term contract.

[Tee212]

hes been ok im sad to admit that he looked as tho he peaked. if he plays the way hes been playing this past week im dam happy for the money hes getting paid.

[LebronLover23]

Forget about Batum, Wes can't create like him.

His highest potential at this point is becoming someone like Ariza -- a very solid small forward. Plays decent d, runs the break, finishes in transition, hits the 3, slashes to the basket, and occasional mid range.

[aaron_gray]

Glue guy. LMA Lillard and Wes are asked to score and often ahead of him, so he is just the guy who keeps everything together.

He runs alot of PnR with our athletic players and Lopez who is a good roll man.

He always has a head on a swivel looking for open men on the line or down low, really good vision and a very good Ast/TO ratio.

above avg three point shooter who is probably more effective if he takes it to the hoop more, but for some reasons won't. However like I said he is not asked to score but be more of a facilitator. When guys aren't making their shots, he has to recognize he needs to step up and score himself, which is a balancing act. One that He handled well last year and even more so in the playoffs, but not so well to start this year.

He is also asked to defend quick PGs that are the engine of other teams, like Lawson, CP3, Dragic etc.

From a blazers fan ^. Is Wes really what's being described above?

[Mirjalovic]

Glue guy. LMA Lillard and Wes are asked to score and often ahead of him, so he is just the guy who keeps everything together.

He runs alot of PnR with our athletic players and Lopez who is a good roll man.

He always has a head on a swivel looking for open men on the line or down low, really good vision and a very good Ast/TO ratio.

above avg three point shooter who is probably more effective if he takes it to the hoop more, but for some reasons won't. However like I said he is not asked to score but be more of a facilitator. When guys aren't making their shots, he has to recognize he needs to step up and score himself, which is a balancing act. One that He handled well last year and even more so in the playoffs, but not so well to start this year.

He is also asked to defend quick PGs that are the engine of other teams, like Lawson, CP3, Dragic etc.

From a blazers fan ^. Is Wes really what's being described above?

**** no

He has talent tho, but sometimes never channeling it properly.

[crazyeights]

Look up the definition of "-lite."

Also you seem to underestimate how rare 1-1-1 guys are.

comparison: a likening; illustration by similitude; comparative estimate or statement.

I've outlined their stats and stature are comparible.