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Anyone else starting to wonder what the end game for Giannis will be ?
I have always been cautiously optimistic about him, and am really starting to wonder about the nuts and bolts of his game and where he could / should end up.

If you take away his slashing drives to the basket in transition (I'm not saying that doesn't count for something) I am having a hard time figuring out what his role could / should be. Obviously he is young and needs to work on his outside shot. That's a given, and he has done that. He still has a ways to go. Does he even have a mid-range game ? Some of what I wonder about is not really his fault. At 6'-11" should we ever expect him to be able to create his own shot off the dribble in the half court ? Should we ever expect him to be an outstanding ball handler ? A lot of what he does well happens in the open court when he overwhelms with his length and stride. Hard to create that in the half court. He does seem to struggle inside in the half court as well. I wonder what his shooting % is if you take away the dunks (Yes I know they still count) but as a wing, you need much more than that. I wonder if someday he ends up a 4 ? I think its safe to say the ludicrous thought of him playing point is a thing of the past. Yes he handles the ball exceptionally well for someone 6'-11" but that doesn't mean he handles it well enough to be a wing.

I cant understand why people say the offense should run through him, when he simply doesn't have enough in his game at this point to be able to come close to shouldering that. There are still times when he looks like a young Buck crossing an icy road. I'm sure many are thinking that I am hating on the guy, but truly just being realistic. I am a fan of him and know he is very young and still learning and will only get better, but questions linger in my mind on where he is headed.

It has been so much of a foregone conclusion that he will be a superstar that I think people forget that he first has to get there somehow.

Very much interested in your thoughts about how and where Giannis ends up

He is 6'11 with a ~7'5 wingspan. He has the vision and instincts of a point guard. He has shown more natural ability in the post than some players who became very good post players later in their careers at the same age. He has absurd strides. He has shown an ability over the last month to hit midrange shots. He can finish with either hand and can damn near dunk anything. He has about as good of handles for a guy that long as the league has seen. He is a terror in transition. He makes the right play most of the time and shows an incredibly high bball IQ. He has no fear. He has elite level work ethic. He wants to be great. Oh, and he turned 20 in December. I didn't even get into his defensive potential either.

Patience. It will take time but he has as much promise as basically any 20 year old the league has seen. He is still quite raw but the trajectory is off the charts.

I expect to see him settle into a traditional power forward role after a while. Not an old-school Terry Cummings type, but more of a Larry Nance/James Worthy athletic four. His handle and ball skills make it tempting to see him as someone who can play any position, but I think he'll eventually find himself on the baseline or around the basket to exploit his length and the shot-blocking skills that will come as he matures.

I think Giannis ends up being a top 5 player. He has elite measurables, IQ, and work ethic. Guys like that tend to end up being great.

Now
he can not be a pnr ball handler
he can not be the roll man
he can not shoot 3P


his upside is here, not there

20110913 wrote:Now
he can not be a pnr ball handler
he can not be the wall man
he can not shoot 3P


his upside is here, not there

Numbers, you're speaking in riddles.

The area I am most upset about is his post-up game. I haven't seen one post up within 10 feet of the basket run for him except when Dudley once pretty much forced it. And it worked out unbelievably well. If Giannis has a mismatch and is guarded by a guy 6'7" or shorter there should be a play where he can get the ball within 10 feet of the basket then either create the double team or take his man. And this setup should be run 3-4 times a game minimum.

For a guy teetering on 7'0" tall and being guarded by guys 6'7" or shorter I don't know how this hasn't happened yet.

I always thought Yiannis can be something between Pippen and Garnett, but I start to realize he will be unique. In 10-20 years people will use him as example if the want to describe an anordinary player.

TroyD92 wrote:I think Giannis ends up being a top 5 player. He has elite measurables, IQ, and work ethic. Guys like that tend to end up being great.

Top 5...like ever?

First we need to wait for him to stop growing and get the proper muscles.
That we probably happen next year.

hege53190 wrote:The area I am most upset about is his post-up game. I haven't seen one post up within 10 feet of the basket run for him except when Dudley once pretty much forced it. And it worked out unbelievably well. If Giannis has a mismatch and is guarded by a guy 6'7" or shorter there should be a play where he can get the ball within 10 feet of the basket then either create the double team or take his man. And this setup should be run 3-4 times a game minimum.

For a guy teetering on 7'0" tall and being guarded by guys 6'7" or shorter I don't know how this hasn't happened yet.

they did imismatch at clutch time, check vs rockets game, maybe not post up

20110913 wrote:Now
he can not be a pnr ball handler
he can not be the roll man
he can not shoot 3P


his upside is here, not there

But how well does he cut?

once he gets confidence shooting more jumpers that'll help the rest of his game..

He could be a poor mans anthony davis type player that is a bit more versatile

Mags FTW wrote:

20110913 wrote:Now
he can not be a pnr ball handler
he can not be the roll man
he can not shoot 3P


his upside is here, not there

But how well does he cut?

he cut, you cut?

I love Giannis but I think it's more likely he is an average starter than a top 5 player. He still has a lot to develop and who knows if that will ever happen. I see him being a multiple time all star as a likely scenario.

Dcebucks11 wrote:once he gets confidence shooting more jumpers that'll help the rest of his game..

He could be a poor mans anthony davis type player that is a bit more versatile

agree.

a poor mans anthony davis + pnr ball handling + 33% 3P

Black_Dragon wrote:

TroyD92 wrote:I think Giannis ends up being a top 5 player. He has elite measurables, IQ, and work ethic. Guys like that tend to end up being great.

Top 5...like ever?

Like in the league.

Giannis will be great. Name me a 20 year old that doesn't have bad games. I know that's why this thread is brought up

We just gotta sit back and let greatness unfold

To me, Giannis looks like a 16 yr old Kevin Durant. Hopefully he turns out to become him. Hopes? I'd say so.

H2tObes wrote:Giannis will be great. Name me a 20 year old that doesn't have bad games. I know that's why this thread is brought up

We just gotta sit back and let greatness unfold

Wrong.
But your comment about just needing to sit back and let the greatness unfold is certainly part of the reason. Fans are certainly confident and quick to make generic blanket statements, but when asked to put some thought behind it .......