Official Anthony Edwards Thread

Post #841 » by **Klomp** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 3:26 am

I'm not sure I would do any of them. Zion would be the only one.

Post #842 » by **Klomp** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 3:57 am

Read on Twitter

Post #843 » by **Klomp** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 3:58 am

Read on Twitter

m2002brian · Post #844 » by **m2002brian** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:03 am

This young man is special and anybody who can’t SEE it (eye test / not stat watching) is just not skilled enough to evaluate talent with their eyes. There is no way he should be coming off the bench. In a season that is lost, the silver lining isn’t that he can just run wild and learn bad habits, the silver lining is that he (and the team) can try different things, learn what works, and what needs work.

Ultimately this team will be Anthony Edwards’ team, period. He’s going to be that good.

winforlose · Post #845 » by **winforlose** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:13 am

m2002brian wrote:This young man is special and anybody who can’t SEE it (eye test / not stat watching) is just not skilled enough to evaluate talent with their eyes. There is no way he should be coming off the bench. In a season that is lost, the silver lining isn’t that he can just run wild and learn bad habits, the silver lining is that he (and the team) can try different things, learn what works, and what needs work.

Ultimately this team will be Anthony Edwards’ team, period. He’s going to be that good.

No, he has the potential to be that good. But a lot of talented guys never live up to their potential. If Edwards becomes a black hole on offense then he will never be a star. Imagine if Steph Curry never passed the ball. Imagine if James Harden never passed the ball. Edwards shooting percentage is a disaster right now. You can say his eye test looks better, but the numbers speak for themselves. This kid is bad at jump shooting. He should be starting when Dlo and Beasley are out (assuming the goal is winning rather than development,) but once they are back he should be leading the second unit. He needs to learn to play proper defense, play team ball, play within himself, and basically to improve his game in every way. He is clearly not the player you want him to be YET.

Post #846 » by **Worm Guts** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:24 am

Edwards is on the Wiggins/Lavine continuum. He has all the physical ability in the world, but he’s still learning the game. He’s not a consistently good player right now.

Post #847 » by **Klomp** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:29 am

winforlose wrote:You can say his eye test looks better, but the numbers speak for themselves.

You mean like the numbers that say he's a more efficient scorer when playing with better players? You mean like the numbers that say he's been a more efficient scorer under the new coach?

m2002brian · Post #848 » by **m2002brian** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:40 am

@winforlose

You do realize that these shooting numbers you speak of are not really indicative of a bad shooter.

Also:
DLO was playing extremely selfish when he was heathy.

DLo takes 1.3 shots more per 36 than Edwards and makes 1.4 more shots per 36 than Edwards.
Again on 3s alone, the difference is 1 more attempt and one more make for DLo. So in Reality the difference is minuscule. Add to the fact he’s much younger, a better creator (and only getting better), and actually seems to listen and absorb. He doesn’t seem like a stat head, he is a player who plays to win.

If you don’t think a 19 year old will improve his shooting by 1 extra make per 36, you are just arguing to argue. Even Rubio had done that.

What makes him special is his ability to create, his fearless ness physically and mentally to take the shots that matter. That’s where true stars are born. The Vince Carter’s, the Tracy Mcgradys, the Dame Lilards all have something more than just shooting numbers, they are/were fearless to succeed. From that fearlessness comes many failures, and negative people will see all the flaws and all the bad data. He may not be James Harden, and that might actually be good, because he may be a great numbers guy, but he’s not crunch time when it come time for those shots to matter.

To be truly great, you can be a so so shooter (but his defense / and the team defense needs to improve) to be truly great, the only shots that will really matter is when the clock is low and the game is tight and he can focus in and make something happen. He has ALL the skills to do that.

theGreatRC · Post #849 » by **theGreatRC** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:43 am

Worm Guts wrote:Edwards is on the Wiggins/Lavine continuum. He has all the physical ability in the world, but he’s still learning the game. He’s not a consistently good player right now.

Just like his college coach said, he needs the guidance to be on the right path to being one of the greats. He's 19 and oozing with potential, this organization has got to develop him..hopefully Finch is that guy that can grow with him

winforlose · Post #850 » by **winforlose** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:51 am

Klomp wrote:
winforlose wrote:You can say his eye test looks better, but the numbers speak for themselves.

You mean like the numbers that say he's a more efficient scorer when playing with better players? You mean like the numbers that say he's been a more efficient scorer under the new coach?

Most players play better when they play with better players. That said, how are the other players numbers when playing with Edwards. When he doesn’t pass the ball to Beasley for example, Beasley can go an entire quarter with shooting or scoring. As for his numbers under Finch, you are correct he is trending upward. I don’t deny the potential, but I also am cautious about how he got those numbers. For example, how many times did Edwards take bad shots in the second Blazers game. He went 6-14 from 3. Nowell was just as hot as Edwards from deep but he only got 8 3PAs. Edwards is a work in progress, not a bona fide star.

m2002brian · Post #851 » by **m2002brian** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:58 am

If you’re expecting a 19yo to be consistent, that’s rather unrealistic. Secondly, nobody is calling him a star, only that he will be one in the future. It’s all there for everyone to see. It’s all just a matter of consistency.

winforlose · Post #852 » by **winforlose** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:11 am

m2002brian wrote:If you’re expecting a 19yo to be consistent, that’s rather unrealistic. Secondly, nobody is calling him a star, only that he will be one in the future. It’s all there for everyone to see. It’s all just a matter of consistency.

Welcome to my point. In a winning season (or a season that tries to be a winning season, like next year,) you let the inconsistent young guys play against the other teams bench talent and you let your guys who are ready go out and compete against their best. MCD would be better starting 3 than Ant when paired with KAT, Dlo, and Beasley. MCD can shoot but isn’t ball dominant. Put Beasley on the bench and start Ant and he still takes shots away from Dlo, and KAT while playing substandard defense. MCD plays team best defense and hits enough shots to keep the defense honest while allowing our big 3 to shine. Then having an Ant playing with a Nowell and Reid gives us leadership and gets plenty of opportunity against weaker and less developed opposition. Eventually when Ant is more consistent and better at playing within our system (making his teammates better,) he can move to the starting lineup.

Post #853 » by **Klomp** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:16 am

Jonny Athletic brought something up in his podcast today.....the word is spreading quickly around the league about Edwards and his dunks. It won't be long and people will stop jumping with him going for blocks. At that point, the lane is going to start opening up.

Post #854 » by **Klomp** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:20 am

winforlose wrote:
m2002brian wrote:If you’re expecting a 19yo to be consistent, that’s rather unrealistic. Secondly, nobody is calling him a star, only that he will be one in the future. It’s all there for everyone to see. It’s all just a matter of consistency.

Welcome to my point. In a winning season (or a season that tries to be a winning season, like next year,) you let the inconsistent young guys play against the other teams bench talent and you let your guys who are ready go out and compete against their best. MCD would be better starting 3 than Ant when paired with KAT, Dlo, and Beasley. MCD can shoot but isn’t ball dominant. Put Beasley on the bench and start Ant and he still takes shots away from Dlo, and KAT while playing substandard defense. MCD plays team best defense and hits enough shots to keep the defense honest while allowing our big 3 to shine.

So it isn't about his inconsistency as a young guy at all for you, it's about you think it's a pecking order for shots. You don't like Edwards starting because his offense takes shots away from other guys, even though having another dynamic player also takes defensive attention away from them.

winforlose · Post #855 » by **winforlose** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:24 am

Klomp wrote:
winforlose wrote:
m2002brian wrote:If you’re expecting a 19yo to be consistent, that’s rather unrealistic. Secondly, nobody is calling him a star, only that he will be one in the future. It’s all there for everyone to see. It’s all just a matter of consistency.

Welcome to my point. In a winning season (or a season that tries to be a winning season, like next year,) you let the inconsistent young guys play against the other teams bench talent and you let your guys who are ready go out and compete against their best. MCD would be better starting 3 than Ant when paired with KAT, Dlo, and Beasley. MCD can shoot but isn’t ball dominant. Put Beasley on the bench and start Ant and he still takes shots away from Dlo, and KAT while playing substandard defense. MCD plays team best defense and hits enough shots to keep the defense honest while allowing our big 3 to shine.

So it isn't about his inconsistency as a young guy at all for you, it's about you think it's a pecking order for shots. You don't like Edwards starting because his offense takes shots away from other guys, even though having another dynamic player also takes defensive attention away from them.

It’s about a lot of things for me. Ball movement, defense, distance shooting, judgment. MCD plays more mature basketball than Ant. MCD is less ball dominant which creates more opportunities for other scorers. MCD also has the quickness and athleticism to impact rebounding significantly at the 3. I think we agree we need scoring on the second unit. Where we disagree is who is best to fill that role. Beasley needs help creating his shot, Ant wants more than anything to create his own shot. Ant doesn’t like passing or setting screens, or cutting. Ant wants to run an offense let him run the second unit where he isn’t making the better scorers on our team worse.

m2002brian · Post #856 » by **m2002brian** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:35 am

You don’t want Ant taking shots away from the “big three” but it’s apparent that DLo and maybe even Beasley aren’t long for this team. Unless DLo accepts a smaller role, and most likely become the #3 (2b) option.
At some point Rosas is going to have to admit his extremely large mistake if he intends to build a championship team here. Because currently constructed DLo and Beasley are a losing backcourt.
One can’t handle the ball well enough, the other isn’t fast enough athletic enough, and both can’t play defense.
We as wolves fans have watched for years and years and years of point guards and shooting guards who were always a step below what we needed. Ricky David, Wally, Joe Smith, Terry Porter, Marco Jaric, Kevin Martin, Wesley Johnson, Martel Webster, the list goes on. We could never find that guy who could cut and drive and finish and make themself open until maybe Spree, but he was getting up there past his prime.

Ant is the chosen one. Not DLo, not Beasley, we’ve seen those guys before, they weren’t the answer.

I’d argue Terrell Brandon was better than DLo (when healthy).

Jedzz · Post #857 » by **Jedzz** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:36 am

m2002brian wrote:This young man is special and anybody who can’t SEE it (eye test / not stat watching) is just not skilled enough to evaluate talent with their eyes. There is no way he should be coming off the bench. In a season that is lost,

wait just a minute. First the season has to become "lost" for you to say that. But it was partly due to his amount of play that the season was "Tossed" if you ask me. That then becomes a self fullfilling prophecy. Which of course is sort of an annual ritual here. As is waiting for moments after big games to call out all the "negative" prior posts to date all in one fell swoop as you continue on to do here...

m2002brian wrote: the silver lining isn’t that he can just run wild and learn bad habits, the silver lining is that he (and the team) can try different things, learn what works, and what needs work.

Ultimately this team will be Anthony Edwards’ team, period. He’s going to be that good.

The reality is they could have put this team's most ready to play on the court and won more games, tried to be more competitive instead of supposedly developing or actually "selling" players this season. They could have kept the green kids more out of this and slowly worked someone like Edwards in more. There was no need for them to blow a season simply developing him. He could have developed all the same, maybe better, with less time and more refined targets when on court. I'll go ahead and assume you 100% disagree. But I don't care. I prefer to watch more competitive games and staying relevant longer into seasons. Edwards wasn't going to earn them a title series in the next two seasons regardless. We had time to do this and usually do that they refuse to use.

Post #858 » by **Klomp** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:37 am

winforlose wrote:Edwards shooting percentage is a disaster right now. You can say his eye test looks better, but the numbers speak for themselves. This kid is bad at jump shooting. He should be starting when Dlo and Beasley are out (assuming the goal is winning rather than development,) but once they are back he should be leading the second unit. He needs to learn to play proper defense, play team ball, play within himself, and basically to improve his game in every way. He is clearly not the player you want him to be YET.

Would you say the same thing about a rookie shooting .417/.290/.754 on 18.9 FGA per game?

Spoiler:

m2002brian · Post #859 » by **m2002brian** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:43 am

Jedzz wrote:
m2002brian wrote:This young man is special and anybody who can’t SEE it (eye test / not stat watching) is just not skilled enough to evaluate talent with their eyes. There is no way he should be coming off the bench. In a season that is lost,

wait just a minute. First the season has to become "lost" for you to say that. But it was partly due to his amount of play that the season was "Tossed" if you ask me. That then becomes a self fullfilling prophecy. Which of course is sort of an annual ritual here. As is waiting for moments after big games to call out all the "negative" prior posts to date all in one fell swoop as you continue on to do here...
m2002brian wrote: the silver lining isn’t that he can just run wild and learn bad habits, the silver lining is that he (and the team) can try different things, learn what works, and what needs work.

Ultimately this team will be Anthony Edwards’ team, period. He’s going to be that good.

The reality is they could have put this team's most ready to play on the court and won more games, tried to be more competitive instead of supposedly developing or actually "selling" players this season. They could have kept the green kids more out of this and slowly worked someone like Edwards in more. There was no need for them to blow a season simply developing him. He could have developed all the same, maybe better, with less time and more refined targets when on court. I'll go ahead and assume you 100% disagree. But I don't care. I prefer to watch more competitive games and staying relevant longer into seasons. Edwards wasn't going to earn them a title series in the next two seasons regardless. We had time to do this and usually do that they refuse to use.

We all know wrist injuries, Covid, and Ryan, had more to do with losing than anything you may want to pedal.
Look no further than Ants production post Ryan + Towns.
Amazing what can happen when good coaching meets good players.
It’s rather short sighted to put blame all in one area, it’s almost always a multitude of things. As it is with all areas of life in general.

winforlose · Post #860 » by **winforlose** » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:44 am

Klomp wrote:
winforlose wrote:Edwards shooting percentage is a disaster right now. You can say his eye test looks better, but the numbers speak for themselves. This kid is bad at jump shooting. He should be starting when Dlo and Beasley are out (assuming the goal is winning rather than development,) but once they are back he should be leading the second unit. He needs to learn to play proper defense, play team ball, play within himself, and basically to improve his game in every way. He is clearly not the player you want him to be YET.

Would you say the same thing about a rookie shooting .417/.290/.754 on 18.9 FGA per game?

Spoiler:
If so, congrats on benching LeBron James!

Ask yourself 3 questions. 1, Who was on Cavs during Lebron’s rookie season that you would rather have shooting? 2, Was the game as 3 point oriented when Lebron was a rookie? 3. How was the rest of Lebron’s game compared to the rest of Ant’s game? Lebron was a force from day one, Ant is no where close to that level of threat yet.