Welcome Zhaire Smith

[Revived]

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[LloydFree]

Brett Brown learned well under Hinkie and watching Danny Ainge fleece teams.

His team itself got fleeced by Ainge last draft.

A learning point

[Ben]

I don't think there has been more than one or two trade-ups in the Draft Lottery era, that have been beneficial to the team that traded up.

Portland trading up from #4 to #2 (with Chicago) for LaMarcus Aldridge AND a Bulls 2007 2nd round draft pick. Bulls got Tyrus Thomas and, for the boon of trading down two spots and giving up a 2007 2nd rounder they got... wait for it... the draft rights to Viktor Khryapa. Which weren't even worth the 2007 2nd rounder.
( was one of many who hated that move when it happened. Small wonder.)

[Negrodamus]

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Holy cherrypicked stats.

[Sixerscan]

I don't think there has been more than one or two trade-ups in the Draft Lottery era, that have been beneficial to the team that traded up.

Portland trading up from #4 to #2 (with Chicago) for LaMarcus Aldridge AND a Bulls 2007 2nd round draft pick. Bulls got Tyrus Thomas and, for the boon of trading down two spots and giving up a 2007 2nd rounder they got... wait for it... the draft rights to Viktor Khryapa. Which weren't even worth the 2007 2nd rounder.
( was one of many who hated that move when it happened. Small wonder.)

The Jazz traded up for mitchell just last year...

[LloydFree]

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Holy cherrypicked stats.

Not really. Freshman Guards don't get 5 rebounds per game, and 71% FT shooting is very good for a Freshman. Drawing conclusions from scouting boxscores, is a different matter.

[Stanford]

He wasn't a guard though. He played the 4.

[LloydFree]

He wasn't a guard though. He played the 4.

That's why drawing conclusions from a boxscore in college game is a faulty way to assess prospects. The way coaches use a player in their system, has a huge impact on their numbers.

[Negrodamus]

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Holy cherrypicked stats.

Not really. Freshman Guards don't get 5 rebounds per game, and 71% FT shooting is very good for a Freshman. Drawing conclusions from scouting boxscores, is a different matter.

All of those stats are without context. If a prospect is playing 35+ minutes a game, 5 rpg, 1 spg, and 1 bpg isn't outrageous production.

If he's shooting 2 FT per game, 71% isn't great (I don't think it's very good for a freshman anyway). We know that all of the above isn't the case with Zhaire because we've been following him, but those stats mean nothing without context. In the same vein, those stats were not produced as a "G", so all of this is moot.

And if we're including the "F" in this statement, Jayson Tatum did it a year earlier. Does he not fit under the "F" in G/F?

[Sixerscan]

Holy cherrypicked stats.

Not really. Freshman Guards don't get 5 rebounds per game, and 71% FT shooting is very good for a Freshman. Drawing conclusions from scouting boxscores, is a different matter.

All of those stats are without context. If a prospect is playing 35+ minutes a game, 5 rpg, 1 spg, and 1 bpg isn't outrageous production.

If he's shooting 2 FT per game, 71% isn't great (I don't think it's very good for a freshman anyway). We know that all of the above isn't the case with Zhaire because we've been following him, but those stats mean nothing without context. In the same vein, those stats were not produced as a "G", so all of this is moot.

And if we're including the "F" in this statement, Jayson Tatum did it a year earlier. Does he not fit under the "F" in G/F?

Let's add 50+% shooting from the field then!

I assume they're using BBR's positional designations or whatever and Tatum is a straight F.

[Negrodamus]

Not really. Freshman Guards don't get 5 rebounds per game, and 71% FT shooting is very good for a Freshman. Drawing conclusions from scouting boxscores, is a different matter.

All of those stats are without context. If a prospect is playing 35+ minutes a game, 5 rpg, 1 spg, and 1 bpg isn't outrageous production.

If he's shooting 2 FT per game, 71% isn't great (I don't think it's very good for a freshman anyway). We know that all of the above isn't the case with Zhaire because we've been following him, but those stats mean nothing without context. In the same vein, those stats were not produced as a "G", so all of this is moot.

And if we're including the "F" in this statement, Jayson Tatum did it a year earlier. Does he not fit under the "F" in G/F?

Let's add 50+% shooting from the field then!

I assume they're using BBR's positional designations or whatever and Tatum is a straight F.

Interesting, even less context. I'm going to need a list of every "G/F" of the past 10 years to interpret if this tweet was worth reading.

[Sixerscan]

All of those stats are without context. If a prospect is playing 35+ minutes a game, 5 rpg, 1 spg, and 1 bpg isn't outrageous production.

If he's shooting 2 FT per game, 71% isn't great (I don't think it's very good for a freshman anyway). We know that all of the above isn't the case with Zhaire because we've been following him, but those stats mean nothing without context. In the same vein, those stats were not produced as a "G", so all of this is moot.

And if we're including the "F" in this statement, Jayson Tatum did it a year earlier. Does he not fit under the "F" in G/F?

Let's add 50+% shooting from the field then!

I assume they're using BBR's positional designations or whatever and Tatum is a straight F.

Interesting, even less context. I'm going to need a list of every "G/F" of the past 10 years to interpret if this tweet was worth reading.

You have the technology.

[Negrodamus]

Let's add 50+% shooting from the field then!

I assume they're using BBR's positional designations or whatever and Tatum is a straight F.

Interesting, even less context. I'm going to need a list of every "G/F" of the past 10 years to interpret if this tweet was worth reading.

You have the technology.

I was saying that more facetiously. "G/F" isn't a thing in my book.

[LloydFree]

I don't think there has been more than one or two trade-ups in the Draft Lottery era, that have been beneficial to the team that traded up.

Portland trading up from #4 to #2 (with Chicago) for LaMarcus Aldridge AND a Bulls 2007 2nd round draft pick. Bulls got Tyrus Thomas and, for the boon of trading down two spots and giving up a 2007 2nd rounder they got... wait for it... the draft rights to Viktor Khryapa. Which weren't even worth the 2007 2nd rounder.
( was one of many who hated that move when it happened. Small wonder.)

Yep. That's was a great one. The other that always comes to my mind is Utah going from 6 to 3, with Portland (Webster)

to get Deron Williams. But even then they messed that up, because they passed on Chris Paul at #4, to get Deron Williams.

[rzzzzz]

considering the amount of improvement (allegedly) in his shot between the NCAAs and his draft workouts, i can't wait for summer league. while not a finished project, hopefully, that should give us some indication if he's as fast a learner as Brett says.

If he gets traded to the Spurs, imagine what Chip Engelland (aka shot doctor) will do with him!

yeah, there is a strong trade possibility, which i don't like to think about, 'cause this kid looks really special.

[MambaJuice]

https://www.libertyballers.com/2018/6/26/17504296/youth-experience-and-zhaire-smith

Interesting article. Basically posits that when it comes to prospects with similar stats you always take the younger guy. Uses baseball prospects for examples as apparently stats weren't readily available for basketball.

I'm still not expecting much from Zhaire this year outside of defense, highlight dunks and hitting some wide open, uncontested 3s. But it is important to remember how young he is. Hopefully the future is bright.

[Kobblehead]

I wish these guys would stop getting compared. Bridges is an accomplished 3&D wing with PF length. Smith is a defensive specialist with SG length.

[Wilfried]

Am I wrong to view him as a Richard Jefferson type of player?

[Bum Adebayo]

And one is 3 years older.

[Kobblehead]

I wouldn't compare them even if they were the same age. They're just different players with different physical profiles.