Is NAW an NBA starter on another team?

[winforlose]

I keep worrying that NAW isn’t simply playing himself out of our price range, but that he is also outgrowing his role. I could think of a half a dozen teams that might be tempted to start him if it meant getting him free agency. Then again I could see it going the other way, and NAW coming back down to earth a bit next year and being a 6th man. Figured I would post it as a poll and see what people think.

[BlacJacMac]

He’s a starter on a Playoff team. He’d be great in Denver, for example.

I don’t think his value shows on bad teams. He was a very similar player in Utah as he has been for us. But he’s not a floor raiser at all. He is potentially a ceiling raiser.

[shrink]

Strong yes. In fact, three weeks ago I was toying with the idea of trading him, to get value before we risked losing him for nothing - GMing 101.

The biggest problem though was that he’d be TOO good on other teams! I also looked at Denver like BlacJacMac, and I thought he might be their missing piece, the ultra-cheap wing defender they have needed (since Bruce Brown and KCP) to return to the top of the West. Right now, who does DEN have to guard Ant? I would hate to be eliminated from the playoffs because we traded NAW for a little extra value. And it’s possible we need NAW to advance anyway!

Yes, remove the names and all the “trade him” signs are there. Roster crowding. Having a great year. An upcoming UFA. Not a great opportunity on the team going forward. Under-utilized. But I hope that, like Naz before him, we get him to sign a new deal with us in the summer, because we need him!

[shrink]

The other thing I would mention is that posters from other forums don’t realize how much NAW has improved. Hopefully that’s partly true for REAL gms this summer, and we can retain him on an affordable deal.

[wolves_89]

I think NAW has been one of the Wolves top 5 players this season and should probably be getting starter minutes. Based on merit, he should be getting at least 30 minutes a night with the Wolves (likely taking minutes from Conley and McDaniels).

[FrenchMinnyFan]

Starter definitely. I will be pretty annoyed if we have to let him ( and NAZ) go because of salary issues based on Randle option and Rudy extension. TC make a huge mistake, hope he correct it soon.

[Loaf_of_bread]

Without a doubt. Beginning to look super polished. Not a fan of him being critical of fans booing. Who cares if you've been working hard.. that's what good people do. Keep doing it.. you've earned yourself quite a paycheck.

[LSWF]

Dude is totally NAWSOME! Hope we can retain him.

[shrink]

Dude is totally NAWSOME! Hope we can retain him.

I always laugh at the Sprite, Anta Clause commercial where the woman says, “Egg Nog? More like Egg Naw!” and dumps her drink.

Ant should have told the producers, “You can’t have someone say “NAW” in my commercial and act like that!”

[Folklore]

This just shows how short sited TC is. Also a question of if NAW is better than DD should be asked. If no then what was the point of trading for him? And by playing them together you show this team and other teams who the best one out of the two is and that lowers DD's value and prices NAW out of our range.

[shrink]

This just shows how short sited TC is. Also a question of if NAW is better than DD should be asked. If no then what was the point of trading for him? And by playing them together you show this team and other teams who the best one out of the two is and that lowers DD's value and prices NAW out of our range.

I wrote this elsewhere

All three provide something valuable to the team:

- NAW is a great defender, good catch-and-shoot-three point shooter, good passer and that makes him valuable.

- DDV is a good defender, good passer, but great motion three point shooter, and that makes him valuable for the offense Finch has always wanted.

- Ant is a great downhill scorer, good defender, great three point shooter. He’s pretty valuable too.

The problem is .. SG is the primary position for all three. When Chris Finch tries to find more minutes for NAW or DDV as back up, playmaking PGs, it diminishes their games. Still, all three are starter-worthy, and it’s why when Ant starts, the bench unit of NAW, DDV and 6MOY Naz Reid are killing opposing bench units.

It should be noted that Finch has started playing the bench unit with Randle, and he’s looked and performed the best in the last five games than any time since he got there. Finch may have unlocked him.

[winforlose]

This just shows how short sited TC is. Also a question of if NAW is better than DD should be asked. If no then what was the point of trading for him? And by playing them together you show this team and other teams who the best one out of the two is and that lowers DD's value and prices NAW out of our range.

I wrote this elsewhere

All three provide something valuable to the team:

- NAW is a great defender, good catch-and-shoot-three point shooter, good passer and that makes him valuable.

- DDV is a good defender, good passer, but great motion three point shooter, and that makes him valuable for the offense Finch has always wanted.

- Ant is a great downhill scorer, good defender, great three point shooter. He’s pretty valuable too.

The problem is .. SG is the primary position for all three. When Chris Finch tries to find more minutes for NAW or DDV as back up, playmaking PGs, it diminishes their games. Still, all three are starter-worthy, and it’s why when Ant starts, the bench unit of NAW, DDV and 6MOY Naz Reid are killing opposing bench units.

It should be noted that Finch has started playing the bench unit with Randle, and he’s looked and performed the best in the last five games than any time since he got there. Finch may have unlocked him.

A better way to say that is Ant and Randle together equals ball movement cancer. The bench mob is so good at moving the ball they can survive Randle.

[younggunsmn]

If you want a guy who is league average or better?
No, he's not.

He's great in his role as a 3+D bench mob guy, but if he is your starter at the 1, 2, or 3, he is a minus.
He just doesn't have the full offensive skillset you expect from a 1 or 2, and about half of the starting 3's in the league are too big for him to defend effectively.

He's about on the level of Christian Braun from Denver for instance, and the downgrade from KCP to him has been a big problem for Denver this year.

[minimus]

He can be our version of KCP of championship DEN. BUT, it means that someone in starting unit must be playing on MVP level. And in my opinion this should be criteria when we give him a new contract: KCP on DEN vs KCP on ORL. I know that KCP suffers from injuries and general decline, but still. Playing alongside Jokic is not the same playing with Banchero and Wagner.

[Klomp]

If you want a guy who is league average or better?
No, he's not.

He's great in his role as a 3+D bench mob guy, but if he is your starter at the 1, 2, or 3, he is a minus.
He just doesn't have the full offensive skillset you expect from a 1 or 2, and about half of the starting 3's in the league are too big for him to defend effectively.

He's about on the level of Christian Braun from Denver for instance, and the downgrade from KCP to him has been a big problem for Denver this year.

This is missing the fact that the NBA operates with a salary cap. If you can build the perfect team with no cap constraints, Alexander-Walker would be stuck coming off the bench. But because money matters, teams can't just load up on these guys with the full skill set. Some hae to come cheaper, and so there is some sacrificing that has to come in the skill sets every starter has.

I haven't done a deep dive, but I don't think there are more than 10 teams where he would NOT start this season. Boston and New York come to mind immediately in the East. In the West, Phoenix and Oklahoma City for starters.

[younggunsmn]

If you want a guy who is league average or better?
No, he's not.

He's great in his role as a 3+D bench mob guy, but if he is your starter at the 1, 2, or 3, he is a minus.
He just doesn't have the full offensive skillset you expect from a 1 or 2, and about half of the starting 3's in the league are too big for him to defend effectively.

He's about on the level of Christian Braun from Denver for instance, and the downgrade from KCP to him has been a big problem for Denver this year.

This is missing the fact that the NBA operates with a salary cap. If you can build the perfect team with no cap constraints, Alexander-Walker would be stuck coming off the bench. But because money matters, teams can't just load up on these guys with the full skill set. Some hae to come cheaper, and so there is some sacrificing that has to come in the skill sets every starter has.

I haven't done a deep dive, but I don't think there are more than 10 teams where he would NOT start this season. Boston and New York come to mind immediately in the East. In the West, Phoenix and Oklahoma City for starters.

I think you are way overestimating NAW's offensive skillset and underestimating how much teams value ballhandling and playmaking in their guards, and like the players they already have. And I like NAW. Just not with the ball in his hands asked to make plays.

I think saying even 5 teams would start him if he was added to their roster is being pretty generous.
There are NAW - level guys on every roster, sometimes multiple, and most of those guys come off the bench or play less than 25 minutes. Just look at Chicago or OKC for example.

[minimus]

Generally speaking a classic 3&D (like Danny Green) is transforming. In current NBA it should be a lot more of "3" and still high level D. If "3" is not elite, then it should be 3&D + one more valuable skill. This might be rebounding like Josh Hart, or shoblocking like Derrick White. NAW might need that additional skills to be 100% starter. IMO he should take more mid range shots.

[Klomp]

If you want a guy who is league average or better?
No, he's not.

He's great in his role as a 3+D bench mob guy, but if he is your starter at the 1, 2, or 3, he is a minus.
He just doesn't have the full offensive skillset you expect from a 1 or 2, and about half of the starting 3's in the league are too big for him to defend effectively.

He's about on the level of Christian Braun from Denver for instance, and the downgrade from KCP to him has been a big problem for Denver this year.

This is missing the fact that the NBA operates with a salary cap. If you can build the perfect team with no cap constraints, Alexander-Walker would be stuck coming off the bench. But because money matters, teams can't just load up on these guys with the full skill set. Some hae to come cheaper, and so there is some sacrificing that has to come in the skill sets every starter has.

I haven't done a deep dive, but I don't think there are more than 10 teams where he would NOT start this season. Boston and New York come to mind immediately in the East. In the West, Phoenix and Oklahoma City for starters.

I think you are way overestimating NAW's offensive skillset and underestimating how much teams value ballhandling and playmaking in their guards, and like the players they already have. And I like NAW. Just not with the ball in his hands asked to make plays.

I think saying even 5 teams would start him if he was added to their roster is being pretty generous.
There are NAW - level guys on every roster, sometimes multiple, and most of those guys come off the bench or play less than 25 minutes. Just look at Chicago or OKC for example.

I'm not putting NAW in a category with guys like his cousin, Ant, Booker, etc. That's a different class of guards entirely. That's where you really see the ballhandling and playmaking.

However, those are exactly the kinds of players who he thrives playing next to. He is that Derrick White/Alex Caruso/Dyson Daniels kind of secondary guard.

[Norseman79]

This wasn't an option, but it completely depends on the team. He's not starting on the Celtics.