Bradley Beal

[Illuminaire]

Beal attempted 5 three pointers per game in college and got to the foul line 5 times per game. Is that what you call passive for a college freshman?

^
This.

Beal plays smooth and under control. He does what his coaches tell him to. He is in many ways the anti-Crawford.

I don't know if he has the Ginobili "I can take over this game any time my team needs me to" mentality, and that's a fair criticism. He's no Tim Thomas, though; he plays hard, and he attacks when it's in the game plan.

[blazinskillz]

Not worried. Wait till Wall gets back

[Knighthonor]

http://www.nba.com/wizards/video/2012/1 ... p4-2271408

[TheBigThree]

I was loving the pick, but he looks no part the NBA player so far. I know he's 19, but that's alarming for the #3 pick.

I think he's just thinking too much out there. Doesn't ever look comfortable or in the flow of the game. His lack of speed and handles exacerbates this point, making him easy to defend.

Hoping things get better when Wall's speed and vision arrives to give him good looks.

[Knighthonor]

I was loving the pick, but he looks no part the NBA player so far. I know he's 19, but that's alarming for the #3 pick.

I think he's just thinking too much out there. Doesn't ever look comfortable or in the flow of the game. His lack of speed and handles exacerbates this point, making him easy to defend.

Hoping things get better when Wall's speed and vision arrives to give him good looks.

the problem,,, How do they develop Beal if he not out there?

[miller31time]

Not saying he'll be a bust or anything but it's pretty unacceptable for the #3 pick to play like this.

[80sballboy]

Not saying he'll be a bust or anything but it's pretty unacceptable for the #3 pick to play like this.

I don't know if unacceptable is the word. The guy is playing with A.J. Price and Jannero Pargo, two shoot-first point guards who never set him up. Even Nene, who passes it well, would help Beal's game. I think the Wiz looked at his understated personality and character and fell in love with him. But his game is pretty ordinary unless he's playing with a strong point guard. Can't create his own shot and doesn't have the swag -yet. But I have confidence in the kid. He's smart. At some point, he'll get it. It might take 10 games or 70. Right now, he should be coming off the bench, playing 15-20 minutes per game. He's obviously not ready to carry an offense with Okafor, Booker, Ariza and Price in it. If you're a defense, who would you defend? That's the major issue. Nobody is giving him an inch because that lineup is so incredibly offensively inept, you're asking a 19-year old, passive rookie to be the number one option. Maybe with a better mix of players, with Webster and Seraphin in the game, he gets better shots.

[Knighthonor]

Do most (well talented NBA) rookie SG struggle like this?
Is this the norm for above avg NBA SG as rookie?

[fugop]

For those concerned, please take a look at Harden's first month:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/456 ... ?year=2009

Harden was a year older than Beal when drafted.

I don't mean to be pollyanna-ish and draw a comparison, merely suggest that two early games don't carry a lot of predictive value.

[blazinskillz]

Horrible game but Wizards fans are too reactionary. You would think after all the bad players we've had in the past that we'd be used to MEDIOCRITY and would let a 19 year kid grow but no...This is why Washington has the worst sports fans.

[AWIZZINGBULLET]

Not worried. Wait till Wall gets back

Beal needs to show that he can hold his own. I can imagine things getting better for Beal upon Wall's return, mainly having someone in his ear as on-court motivation, but as I said he needs to carry is own weight now.

[dandridge 10]

Not saying he'll be a bust or anything but it's pretty unacceptable for the #3 pick to play like this.

I don't know if unacceptable is the word. The guy is playing with A.J. Price and Jannero Pargo, two shoot-first point guards who never set him up. Even Nene, who passes it well, would help Beal's game. I think the Wiz looked at his understated personality and character and fell in love with him. But his game is pretty ordinary unless he's playing with a strong point guard. Can't create his own shot and doesn't have the swag -yet. But I have confidence in the kid. He's smart. At some point, he'll get it. It might take 10 games or 70. Right now, he should be coming off the bench, playing 15-20 minutes per game. He's obviously not ready to carry an offense with Okafor, Booker, Ariza and Price in it. If you're a defense, who would you defend? That's the major issue. Nobody is giving him an inch because that lineup is so incredibly offensively inept, you're asking a 19-year old, passive rookie to be the number one option. Maybe with a better mix of players, with Webster and Seraphin in the game, he gets better shots.

+1. As I said in the Celtics game thread, Witt is putting Beal in a position to fail when he is putting him in with four other players that have trouble scoring and asking him to be the number 1 option. Let Beal come off the bench where he is matched up against back-ups, surround him with better offensive players, and he will have a better chance of succeeding and gaining his confidence.

[Upper Decker]

When will the Zards ever have a high lotto pick where we dont have to completely justify why they're sucking? Wiz fans have made so many excuses for why Walls not progresing, why Vesely sucks, and now we're doing the same thing for Beal. When are we going to get a top pick who comes in and looks like a legit player from day one?

These are the excuses I've seen after two games:
-he's playing with bad PG's
-he has a twisted ankle
-he's only 19
-we're asking him to do too much

I don't hear any excuses from the Blazers or the Cav's. It's only 2 games so I'll stop, but I'm not encouraged.

[Nivek]

Two games is obviously way too quick to pass judgement on any rookie, much less Beal. That said, I'm really surprised how badly he's played to start the season.

[tontoz]

I just think it was a bad idea to put him in the starting lineup. That puts pressure on him to produce right away. Better to let him come off the bench.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

When will the Zards ever have a high lotto pick where we dont have to completely justify why they're sucking? Wiz fans have made so many excuses for why Walls not progresing, why Vesely sucks, and now we're doing the same thing for Beal. When are we going to get a top pick who comes in and looks like a legit player from day one?

These are the excuses I've seen after two games:
-he's playing with bad PG's
-he has a twisted ankle
-he's only 19
-we're asking him to do too much

I don't hear any excuses from the Blazers or the Cav's. It's only 2 games so I'll stop, but I'm not encouraged.

In my over 40 years of watching basketball, I would say I have not seen any 19-year old player drafted by Washington any more ready from day one than Bradley Beal.

At the same time, if you bring a young guy into a messed up culture (EG and Ted are losers in sports until proven otherwise), put inferior talent around him, dumb teammates around him (Did Booker really say, "Maybe it's not your year" to Beal? And this coach likes Jordan Crawford a ton, BTW"), cut the players or bench the players closest to his age, AND ASK HIM TO DO WAY THE HELL TOO MUCH TOO SOON, you're going to have problems.

I hated on John Wall a lot, but Flip counted on him too soon and that wasn't Wall's fault. Now Wittman and company are doing the same thing with Bradley Beal.

I would put pretty decent money on there being two things and history working with Beal. We already have guessed he has an injury. The second thing is the kid psychologically is very overwhelmed. Most important is his history. In the SEC he didn't look like all that early. He finished strong. Beal reminds me of former Bullet, Jeff Malone. Bradley Beal is going to be really good in time.

However, the Wizards can hurt his career a bunch by being the fools they usually are. They put pressure on young players. Then the young guys' character gets attacked next. Right now Beal should be considered a guy less than two years out of HS. Deer in the headlights scared shouldn't be a character issue. Lillard and Waiters are 22 and 21 years old. Beal JUST TURNED 19!

Kidd-Gilchrist has decent vets around him in the backcourt. He has decent players who take the spotlight off of him. Washington should just put Crawford or Webster in the starting line up. Wittman did like Saunders, when Wall went 1st and was made captain. We are depending on Beal to take on seasoned NBA veterans. Beal must hit shots and score 15-20 a night from day one, because he was drafted third.

If anybody had a damned clue in the Wizards organization they would figure out a guy like Jae Crowder SHOULD BE BETTER from day one than Beal. He's older, stronger, wiser, tougher, and not in the least intimidated. But that is no knock on Beal.

Sorry for the rant, but Beal IS a very good pick.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I just think it was a bad idea to put him in the starting lineup. That puts pressure on him to produce right away. Better to let him come off the bench.

+1,000,000,000

Amen, tontoz.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

I just think it was a bad idea to put him in the starting lineup. That puts pressure on him to produce right away. Better to let him come off the bench.

+1,000,000,000

Amen, tontoz.

I don't think it's so much being in the starting lineup as it is he's really the only offensive option allowing the D to focus on shutting him off. He's out there with Okafor, Booker and Ariza. IMO put Webster out there with him in place of Ariza and he'd get more open looks.

[Wizardspride]

@CCJ

I don't think being drafted into a "messed up culture" has anything to do with Beal's struggles.


Rather, I think Beal's struggles are due primarily to his inability to create his own shot.

And frankly, I don't think that's going to change.

[GswSucks4Ever]

@CCJ

I don't think being drafted into a "messed up culture" has anything to do with Beal's struggles.


Rather, I think Beal's struggles are due primarily to his inability to create his own shot.

And frankly, I don't think that's going to change.

This is blatantly false. Culture and the support around the player is not everything, but it's a huge part. Saying the environment around a 19 year old doesn't matter... that's ridiculous