The 2016-17 Brooklyn Nets Regular Season thread (Pt.1)

[MrDollarBills]

Never watched LeVert in live action, but he looks to be very skilled in his highlights. Shows nice handles, good vision, change of pace. It's not just him throwing down dunks on straight drives. Definitely looks a lot better than a pick around the 20s.

Problem is, I kept seeing him land awkwardly almost every time he attacked the rim. He's got noticeably horrid landing fundamentals, so his leg injuries aren't surprising at all in that regard. Hopefully the coaching staff picked up on that and are teaching him how to properly land and fall on drives, otherwise I foresee more leg injuries.

He really does have a lot of skill and talent though. I can see why they traded Thad for him.

yeah, some of the hits that he took on drives to the rim in his tape footage are insane, I cannot fathom him being able to get rocked like that in the NBA and stay in one piece. he's got balls, I'll say that much.

[jbeachboy]

levert struggles to create on nba level and versatility on defense they listed his weaknesses.

[DeRoma]

Just got through watching his and LeVert's draft express scouting video. A lot of his weaknesses that they talked about has carried over. He looked a little like Whiteside in his defensive potential segment, too bad we saw none of that. One of his problems is that he doesn't have a high bbiq and it was obvious watching him in the preseason games. He is also a little too small right now, needs to bulk up. You combine those and I'm not sure he will be ready to play until next year. But, he does have a lot of upside and will require a LOT of patience. For, your sanity, keep your expectations low.

I'm a little higher on LeVert as one of his strengths is a high bbiq. Not expecting great things from him because very few rookies make a difference in their first year. But, I think he can be a contributer in the second part of the season. Can't wait to see him on the court.

I think LeVert will contribute right away. He has one of the highest PPP on his spot up shot in the draft. Which should easily translate over the NBA. He should be one of the best shooters in our team. He also is a capable making the right plays when he is dribbling the ball without forcing anything. The real problem he has is how he develops as a defender in this league. He has some talent with having a long wingspan and above average athleticism. It just the matter if he is smart enough to quickly develop as a good defender. I think there are only 2 questions for him. Which is if he can exceed being more than a role player and can he be confident on his game with all the adversities he had through his injuries.

Other than that I think his highest ceiling is T-MAC if everything falls on his way.

Glad I'm not the only one who saw flashes of T-Mac in his game i thought it was blasphemous to even have that thought but the skillset + body type despite being about an inch shorter and less athletic reminds me so much of him.

I mean It is still a stretch comparing him to T-Mac. However, I think there are small possibilities he becomes as good as that. Most likely he will become a little better version of Danny Green IMO.

[shakendfries]

I think LeVert will contribute right away. He has one of the highest PPP on his spot up shot in the draft. Which should easily translate over the NBA. He should be one of the best shooters in our team. He also is a capable making the right plays when he is dribbling the ball without forcing anything. The real problem he has is how he develops as a defender in this league. He has some talent with having a long wingspan and above average athleticism. It just the matter if he is smart enough to quickly develop as a good defender. I think there are only 2 questions for him. Which is if he can exceed being more than a role player and can he be confident on his game with all the adversities he had through his injuries.

Other than that I think his highest ceiling is T-MAC if everything falls on his way.

Glad I'm not the only one who saw flashes of T-Mac in his game i thought it was blasphemous to even have that thought but the skillset + body type despite being about an inch shorter and less athletic reminds me so much of him.

I mean It is still a stretch comparing him to T-Mac. However, I think there are small possibilities he becomes as good as that. Most likely he will become a little better version of Danny Green IMO.

I don't think he was comparing careers necessarily. I think he was drawing the comparison to their play style/strengths. T-Mac was a 6'9" SG who could distribute as well as he could score. His length from the 2 is the distinct trait that enabled him to get the most out of his court vision and shooting stroke.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

LeVert fits this profile 100%.

Watch on YouTube

Another similarity can be drawn between the trajectory of their careers. T-Mac's prime was from 22-26. LeVert, a 4 year player at Michigan, will likely make the most impact over the next few seasons (LeVert more of a "health" project than a player development project). In terms of sheer scoring ability, LeVert is far from the polished 25ppg player T-Mac was in his prime, but the potential is there. He has range, is crafty around the basket, and can definitely finish above the rim.

In terms of stars in the league today, there really aren't any other players who fit the T-Mac mold. Klay Thompson is tall, but his defensive prowess makes him more of 2-way Pippen-esque threat from the SG position. Also, while he's a capable facilitator, his court vision isn't his trademark skill.

[MrDollarBills]

Glad I'm not the only one who saw flashes of T-Mac in his game i thought it was blasphemous to even have that thought but the skillset + body type despite being about an inch shorter and less athletic reminds me so much of him.

I mean It is still a stretch comparing him to T-Mac. However, I think there are small possibilities he becomes as good as that. Most likely he will become a little better version of Danny Green IMO.

I don't think he was comparing careers necessarily. I think he was drawing the comparison to their play style/strengths. T-Mac was a 6'9" SG who could distribute as well as he could score. His length from the 2 is the distinct trait that enabled him to get the most out of his court vision and shooting stroke.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

LeVert fits this profile 100%.

Watch on YouTube

Another similarity can be drawn between the trajectory of their careers. T-Mac's prime was from 22-26. LeVert, a 4 year player at Michigan, will likely make the most impact over the next few seasons (LeVert more of a "health" project than a player development project). In terms of sheer scoring ability, LeVert is far from the polished 25ppg player T-Mac was in his prime, but the potential is there. He has range, is crafty around the basket, and can definitely finish above the rim.

In terms of stars in the league today, there really aren't any other players who fit the T-Mac mold. Klay Thompson is tall, but his defensive prowess makes him more of 2-way Pippen-esque threat from the SG position. Also, while he's a capable facilitator, his court vision isn't his trademark skill.

I said I saw some things in his skill set that reminded me of T Mac on tape. Not that he's going to be that good. T-Mac in his prime was a god tier player.

This kid looks like he will be way more skilled than Danny Green though.

[shakendfries]

Yeah the combination of length + passing resembles TMac more than other SGs today. Dante Exuum is the only other player in the mold, but neither can avg 25ppg like Mac. To be fair, T-Mac was sub 10ppg in his first 2 seasons

[Born_Ready]

I just want to see Levert get on the floor. I'll reserve comparisons for another day.

[jbeachboy]

levert wont make his debut until december or january.

[DeRoma]

levert wont make his debut until december or january.

Source?

[ChokeFasncists]

Danny Green still can't dribble very well, he's basically 3&D and that's it, elite transition D.

LV's handle's pretty good, he might have trouble with guarding the post up wings but he should be fine guarding most 2s.

[MrDollarBills]

Yeah the combination of length + passing resembles TMac more than other SGs today. Dante Exuum is the only other player in the mold, but neither can avg 25ppg like Mac. To be fair, T-Mac was sub 10ppg in his first 2 seasons

he was also coming right out of high school.

that's why i said, LV reminds of him skill wise, but that's where it stops.

[NyCeEvO]

I'm a bit adversed to comparing players who haven't touched an NBA floor to former/current stars. Knick fans have been chided for comparing Shumpert to Wade when he was drafted. I say let the kid live for a bit before frequently mentioning such lofty titles. For the sake of the current discussion, I'll just say this...

A huge part of what made T-Mac stand out from others was how his crazy athleticism made his other (already) talents even greater. Toning down T-Mac's athleticism even a little turns him into a pretty different player.

If we're going to go the "comparing to a really good" player route, I'd say that I see more Penny Hardaway than T-Mac.

While T-Mac was skinny, I think Penny and Caris have more similar builds. Levert's less athletic and I think a bit more 'pass first'/team oriented than T-Mac,(not to say that T-Mac's approach to the game was inferior)

I also think Levert's play style is more of the 20p/6r/7a type rather than a 30p/7r/5a type of player.

Obviously, Penny is no one to snuff your nose at. If Levert became a Penny-like player, I'd be through the roof.

However, considering that we need to see this dude just stay healthy, I'll be content with seeing him play a few games and show some flashes of potential.

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[jbeachboy]

levert wont make his debut until december or january.

Source?

writers from netsdaily.com told me this.

[MrDollarBills]

I'm a bit adversed to comparing players who haven't touched an NBA floor to former/current stars. Knick fans have been chided for comparing Shumpert to Wade when he was drafted. I say let the kid live for a bit before frequently mentioning such lofty titles. For the sake of the current discussion, I'll just say this...

A huge part of what made T-Mac stand out from others was how his crazy athleticism made his other (already) talents even greater. Toning down T-Mac's athleticism even a little turns him into a pretty different player.

If we're going to go the "comparing to a really good" player route, I'd say that I see more Penny Hardaway than T-Mac.

While T-Mac was skinny, I think Penny and Caris have more similar builds. Levert's less athletic and I think a bit more 'pass first'/team oriented than T-Mac,(not to say that T-Mac's approach to the game was inferior)

I also think Levert's play style is more of the 20p/6r/7a type rather than a 30p/7r/5a type of player.

Obviously, Penny is no one to snuff your nose at. If Levert became a Penny-like player, I'd be through the roof.

However, considering that we need to see this dude just stay healthy, I'll be content with seeing him play a few games and show some flashes of potential.

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I'm only comparing what I see in his game and skill set, I'm not even remotely suggesting that this kid can even attain that level of play. T-Mac was literally on par with Kobe Bryant at the peak of his career in terms of overall ability and skill. That's God Tier level, not A tier, God tier

That being said, I see nothing in LeVert's skillset that brings me to compare him to Penny Hardaway in his prime. Hardaway had some of the greatest footwork the sport has ever seen and LV is nowhere near the passer, and Hardaway was also an explosive leaper in his own right.

Let's not discuss Hardaway's ability to face up an opponent of equal size and break him down or take PGs into the post and dominate them. I haven't seen a guy with Penny's mix of skill and athleticism in that manner to this day.

Let's not get blasphemous now Nyce Hardaway's place in basketball lore is right there with Grant Hill, guys that you know should have been HOF 1st ballot but human frailty interfered with it. A tier, easily

Watch tape of Hardaway's back to back 40 point games in the playoffs vs. The Miami Heat. It was his last two games before he destroyed his knee, his PER for that series was a 29 flat and that was without Shaq. He was a masterful player. the basketball gods are cruel.

[MrDollarBills]

Watch on YouTube

^^watch out for that play at the 2:50 mark. He destroyed Mike on that play

[Prokorov]

i dont see tmac athleticism with levert.

reminds me more of a leaner evan turner

[NyCeEvO]

i dont see tmac athleticism with levert.

That's my main point.

T-Mac's athleticism added another level to his game that I just don't see how they're even comparable aesthetically or play style wise.



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[hood30]

i dont see tmac athleticism with levert.

That's my main point.

T-Mac's athleticism added another level to his game that I just don't see how they're even comparable aesthetically or play style wise.



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after 3 serious foot injuries, whatever little athleticism LeVert had is probably diminished.

[NyCeEvO]

i dont see tmac athleticism with levert.

That's my main point.

T-Mac's athleticism added another level to his game that I just don't see how they're even comparable aesthetically or play style wise.



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after 3 serious foot injuries, whatever little athleticism LeVert had is probably diminished.

You'd have a point if he suffered major muscle tear. Even then it depends on the muscle because some people can come back even stronger.

However, considering that it's bone, it shouldn't have an impact on his athleticism as long as it heals properly.

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[MrDollarBills]

i dont see tmac athleticism with levert.

That's my main point.

T-Mac's athleticism added another level to his game that I just don't see how they're even comparable aesthetically or play style wise.



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T-Mac's game wasn't solely dependent on his leaping ability. His ball handling, length and shooting ability. That's what made me see a bit of his game in LeVert

I can see the Turner comparison, but Turner couldn't and still can't shoot for ****.