The RJ Hunter Thread

Eoghan · Post #21 » by **Eoghan** » Fri May 15, 2015 3:07 am

If he is a lottery pick this is a really bad draft.

Snidely FC · Post #22 » by **Snidely FC** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:10 pm

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXeor53iMiU[/youtube]
I think it is a bad draft, and he maybe a reach in the lottery, but I do think this kid has a lot of NBA ready skills: he can handle, playmake on O and D, shoot, good length, fluid movement, high bbiq, 89% ft. Wish he wasn't so skinny and not an explosive athlete, but I've always been a sucker for guys who get by on skill and guile (see: Steph Curry, my avatar Bobby Jones)

BeesWax · Post #23 » by **BeesWax** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:52 pm

Liver_Pooty wrote:Hunter is going to show out in workouts, and I wouldn't mind at all if we took him at 9. Anything is better than Hairston and Lance at this point.

Except Hairston's D-leauge numbers were better than what Hunter put up last season in college. So there is that but whatever, hate is hate.

Post #24 » by **fatlever** » Sat May 16, 2015 3:23 pm

jdm3 wrote:
Liver_Pooty wrote:Hunter is going to show out in workouts, and I wouldn't mind at all if we took him at 9. Anything is better than Hairston and Lance at this point.

Except Hairston's D-leauge numbers were better than what Hunter put up last season in college. So there is that but whatever, hate is hate.

How does that comparison even make sense?

Liver_Pooty · Post #25 » by **Liver_Pooty** » Sat May 16, 2015 3:35 pm

fatlever wrote:
jdm3 wrote:
Liver_Pooty wrote:Hunter is going to show out in workouts, and I wouldn't mind at all if we took him at 9. Anything is better than Hairston and Lance at this point.

Except Hairston's D-leauge numbers were better than what Hunter put up last season in college. So there is that but whatever, hate is hate.

How does that comparison even make sense?

I don't want Hunter at 9 anymore, but Ill stick by the anything is better than Hairston or Lance comment. Because anything literally would be better.

I don't get the comparison either.

BeesWax · Post #26 » by **BeesWax** » Sat May 16, 2015 5:00 pm

Liver_Pooty wrote:
fatlever wrote:
jdm3 wrote:Except Hairston's D-leauge numbers were better than what Hunter put up last season in college. So there is that but whatever, hate is hate.

How does that comparison even make sense?

I don't want Hunter at 9 anymore, but Ill stick by the anything is better than Hairston or Lance comment. Because anything literally would be better.

I don't get the comparison either.

It is very easy to see. Against tougher competition and from the real three point line Hairston out played what Hunter has shown so far. So no Hunter is not at this point better than Hairston and to comment like that is quite a bit crazy. Hairston was better than quite a few of the late round prospects in this draft until he got stuck with Clifford as a coach.

Eoghan · Post #27 » by **Eoghan** » Sat May 16, 2015 5:14 pm

He shoots more like Dell Curry than Stephen. Not much lift, holds the ball out a little too much, quick release.

Post #28 » by **JDR720** » Sun May 17, 2015 3:39 am

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36dznrmdUYI[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_E_HybhoNY[/youtube]

JMAC3 · Post #29 » by **JMAC3** » Thu May 21, 2015 4:36 am

Comparing Hunter to Booker....

They are the exact same height, but Hunter has the larger wingspan (6'10.5).

Booker has more weight on his frame, but he has a larger body fat %. (8.3 vs 6).

Booker is the younger prospect, which is usually a bright side, but knowing our coach having a slightly more seasoned rookie might be the better route to take.

Booker had a slightly higher vert at 34.5 vs Hunter 33.5 inch, but Hunter was slightly faster.

Once we start talking about actual skill level, Hunter starts to blow Booker out of the water in my mind.

Hunter is the much better playmaker increasing his assists every year and becoming a reliable playmaker out of the pick and roll and making the right passes coming off pin down screens.

Booker shot the better percentage from 3 point land, but the eye test would give the edge to Hunter in my mind as he is the more dynamic outside shooter. He has deeper range, quicker release, and much better shooting off the bounce from range.

Defensively they both have good size and length to defend at the next level, but Hunter averaged over 2 steals and 1 block per game.

Taking Hunter seems like the higher upside pick, because we have seen him be a 20 pt scorer at the college level while being the main focus point of the defense. Booker was the exact opposite, capitalizing on being on a great team getting good looks and playing within the flow of the game. Not very often was he forced to break the defense down and create a shot for himself or a teammate.

If not for Hunter having a lapse in his 3 point shooting percentage this year, I think he would be a lock to be a top 12 guy, but teams like stats. I think if you switch Booker and Hunter to each others team, Kentucky wins the national championship with Hunter being the leading scorer, while Booker struggles to get Georgia State to a winning record.

Snidely FC · Post #30 » by **Snidely FC** » Thu May 21, 2015 1:00 pm

Other than strength concerns, I think the stat that has some people concerned about Hunter is that he shot 29% from 3 as a junior this year.

But he shot 40% from 3 as a sophomore. Why the big drop?

Hunter's usage rate went from high at 23% as a soph to a ridiculous 29% as a jr. He was GSU's offense, and opposing teams draped him.

Compare Gordon Hayward, who shot 44% from 3 as a freshman at Butler with a 16% usage and dropped to a 29% from 3 as a soph with a 20% usage.

I look at Hunter's 89% free throw shooting and believe he is a good shooter.

Hayward's 3 pt shooting has stabilized in the high 30%s in the NBA, I would look for Hunter's % to do the same or better.

BTW Devin Booker shot 40% from 3 this yr with a 13% usage rate.

LofJ · Post #31 » by **LofJ** » Thu May 21, 2015 1:21 pm

Hunter was a senior in high school when he was the same age as Booker is this year. And Booker's stats were better than Hunter's were as freshmen, even more so when you take into account their respective competition levels. The fact that Booker is so young has to be taken into account, he was essentially a high school senior playing on the highest level of college basketball.

Post #32 » by **fatlever** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 1:30 am

Chad Ford ‏@chadfordinsider 6m6 minutes ago
Hornets also like RJ Hunter a lot, but won't take him at 9. It's possible they trade down a few spots for Hunter & pick up another asset

Post #33 » by **JDR720** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 1:31 am

this is going to be a very interesting couple of weeks.

Post #34 » by **fatlever** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 1:33 am

He also mentioned Booker and Oubre, but not really worth posting in a new thread.

Liver_Pooty · Post #35 » by **Liver_Pooty** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 1:34 am

fatlever wrote:
Chad Ford ‏@chadfordinsider 6m6 minutes ago
Hornets also like RJ Hunter a lot, but won't take him at 9. It's possible they trade down a few spots for Hunter & pick up another asset

I could live with that.

Post #36 » by **yosemiteben** » Tue Jun 16, 2015 1:39 am

I knew this would be an interesting offseason.

martymane · Post #37 » by **martymane** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:34 pm

Assuming a big name doesn't fall to us at 9 who we weren't expecting, I see the Hornets trading back with the Celtics and taking RJ Hunter.

He's a coach's son, from a mid-major, 6 ft 6, more athletic than Booker and better shooting off screens and on the move.

I feel like there is a little bit of Steph in his game. He likes to take and make the big shot and he plays the game the right way. There is something to be said about guys like Steph, Lillard, Klay Thompson, who have had to figure out how to score playing on lesser teams in college where they were continuously game planned for by opposing teams. Things seem to come easier to these guys when they get to the NBA and are put around better talent they never had at their disposal in college.

No more double teams, box and ones, etc and BOOM, all the sudden people realize Curry can pass/is a playmaker. Same with Klay, people get enamored with their shooting b/c that's what they had to do in college versus honing their game in the NBA and learning to play off their teammates.

Also, I think all the Booker talk is a smokescreen and the fact that we loved Hunter who just so happened to get "hurt" at our workout makes me feel like that's who we are targeting. Try to shut him down a little bit, let other people rise in the draft, get a solid veteran from Boston and take RJ at 16. If we are not absolutely sold on Booker, take the more proven shooter/scorer who has done it in a variety of ways in college.

His shot is so pure and you can't teach size, which Clifford loves. Needs to add some muscle.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXeor53iMiU[/youtube]

MasterIchiro · Post #38 » by **MasterIchiro** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:39 pm

So RJ is faking an injury and purposely damaging his draft stock so he can make less money further down in the draft in order to play for the Hornets?

What a guy.

martymane · Post #39 » by **martymane** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:48 pm

MasterIchiro wrote:So RJ is faking an injury and purposely damaging his draft stock so he can make less money further down in the draft in order to play for the Hornets? What a guy.

He's not faking an injury. It's gamesmanship if he has a promise from the Hornets. If you played at Georgia State and that's where your family is, don't you think playing in Charlotte for the GOAT Michael Jordan is more intriguing than say Indiana, Utah, Phoenix, etc?

For what it's worth 16 is probably the highest he would go anyway, hence why the trade rumors are being rumored. We could land him there and more from Boston. He's not hurting his stock intentionally at all.

Players fake injuries, purposely answer questions the wrong way for teams they don't won't to play for all the time. This is a business so if there are places you would rather be, you do what has to be done. Not that crazy IMO...

*You also have Stauskas in your sig. Thank god we didn't draft him. RJ is the same size and a better player than Nik.*

amcoolio · Post #40 » by **amcoolio** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:51 pm

I don't know, with the way the league is going, he could already have a promise from the Pacers or Suns. I think RJ will be a good player and much, much better than Booker.

I'm not crazy with the way he moves with the ball though. He's probably only going to be a Kyle Korver type.