Official Jamal Shead Thread

[tsherkin]

He shows up and plays hard. It's already a win at this point.

Agreed.

It can take a lot of time (e.g., years) to increase shooting range without your mechanics breaking down, especially if you have energy leaks. For some guys they can never develop 3pt distance because of their mechanics (DeMar DeRozan is a good example).

I think we can afford to be patient and see how Shead develops given he's a backup PG.

Yeah, sort of my point is that he's a low-ceiling guy who can come in for spot minutes. We've already acquired something semi-useful, and at a value spot. We can be patient with him, for sure. And even if he never develops, he's a cheap backup who can cover a few minutes and play decent defense, etc, etc. He's a good pick. I'm not super CONCERNED that he sucks from 3, I just don't like entertaining delusions that he's visibly improved and that there's loads of optimism AROUND his shot, is all.

I am quite happy with his performance relative to slot. Good attitude, good hustle, decent basic skills as a PG, right? I'm happy to see how he develops over time.

[YogurtProducer]

He's got potential to be better than FVV, due to his athleticism; quicker on defense and better finisher at the rim.

If Shead has potential to be better than FVV then so does every single NBA prospect.

The odds he reaches even 75% of FVV is very unlikely

[tsherkin]

He's got potential to be better than FVV, due to his athleticism; quicker on defense and better finisher at the rim.

If Shead has potential to be better than FVV then so does every single NBA prospect.

The odds he reaches even 75% of FVV is very unlikely

He isn't wrong about the finishing, and it isn't a small difference, though obviously the volume gap is of note. The thing is, Fred was also a better shooter through his entire college career, and I don't see Shead suddenly becoming an 86% FT shooter who pounds 37% on 7 3PA/g like Fred's career numbers.

The odds of Shead matching FVV, let alone exceeding him, are EXTREMELY low, for sure. Would be dope, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[wegotthabeet]

He's got potential to be better than FVV, due to his athleticism; quicker on defense and better finisher at the rim.

He’s going to be everything to this city that Fred Stans pretend he was.

[YogurtProducer]

He's got potential to be better than FVV, due to his athleticism; quicker on defense and better finisher at the rim.

He’s going to be everything to this city that Fred Stans pretend he was.

you guys and your FVV hate is something else

I hope Shead is better than FVV. Getting a perennial all-star would be a great grab in the 2nd round. But it is lunacy to act like it is even close to a likely outcome

[tsherkin]

He's got potential to be better than FVV, due to his athleticism; quicker on defense and better finisher at the rim.

He’s going to be everything to this city that Fred Stans pretend he was.

you guys and your FVV hate is something else

I hope Shead is better than FVV. Getting a perennial all-star would be a great grab in the 2nd round. But it is lunacy to act like it is even close to a likely outcome

FVV was a decent player. He gets a lot of random flak from Raps fans for not being better than he was, and for daring play during some years where we asked to do more than we should have had to, which is odd. But he was a decent player, especially given that he was an undrafted G-Leaguer.

I doubt Shead is getting there, but I too would be THRILLED if he became an FVV-level player. That would be a HUGE win for us.

[bluerap23]

Fack, just what we need. Another thread to get Fred haters a place to put their hate.

[Psubs]

Fred was a great clutch backup PG and was so critical in the NBA Finals.

As a starter he became a volume inefficient shooter. He did maintain a high A/T ratio but the eye test didn't really have him sharing the ball and making his teammates better.

[tsherkin]

Fack, just what we need. Another thread to get Fred haters a place to put their hate.

I honestly don't understand the vitriol. He was pretty good for us. He WELL overachieved his humble beginnings. He wasn't super special during the title run, but he was a consequential talent for us in the years after. Like, he was pretty much a maximal success story as far as where he started with us and how he developed and played, etc.

So the huge amounts of crap he takes are a little weird to me.

[Psubs]

Fack, just what we need. Another thread to get Fred haters a place to put their hate.

I honestly don't understand the vitriol. He was pretty good for us. He WELL overachieved his humble beginnings. He wasn't super special during the title run, but he was a consequential talent for us in the years after. Like, he was pretty much a maximal success story as far as where he started with us and how he developed and played, etc.

So the huge amounts of crap he takes are a little weird to me.

He was great from being undrafted and in the bench role was great. As a starter making the allstar team, he was overrated. The team now is playing a much better style without over dribbling. Everyone is engaged and hungry to attack.

[tsherkin]

He was great from being undrafted and in the bench role was great. As a starter making the allstar team, he was overrated.

A little, yes. But he was a 20/7 guy who was producing, like, +3 offense. +2.3 O-EPM, +3.1 OBPM, la la la.

Like, proportionate to his actual performance, the backlash he faces on this board is a little stupid. The team we have right now has been utterly useless on offense, so I don't know that I'd really look to our style of play as any kind of positive. We were just the 6th-worst offense in the league. The year before, 7th-worst. In 2022, we were 14th-ranked. Now, our ball protection and offensive rebounding were a big part of that, and Fred wasn't an efficient scorer, but he was still a net-positive offensive player to a meaningful extent. And given all the injuries, and the lack of anyone else better to run the ball to, again, I don't see the sense in the MAGNITUDE of the backlash towards FVV.

[LoveMyRaps]

Mannn I don't remember starting an "Official FVV thread"

Y'all didn't take long to derail my Jamal Shead thread... it's his birthday too. smh

[tsherkin]

Mannn I don't remember starting an "Official FVV thread"

Hah, fair.


Shead appears to be promising for his draft slot. He's a good pickup, regardless of whether or not he overreaches any further.

[MEDIC]

I think he.has fantastic leadership qualities & he is the perfect guy to lead the new bench mob.

Hard worker
Excellent motor
Great communication skills
Positive mindset

He checks a lot of boxes. Super happy he is on the team.

[YogurtProducer]

The team now is playing a much better style without over dribbling. Everyone is engaged and hungry to attack.

This part always makes me laugh.

We have won 25 and 30 games in the 2 seasons since he left. What a "better style"

[tsherkin]

We have won 25 and 30 games in the 2 seasons since he left. What a "better style"

Indeed. We have been 24th and 23rd in the league (or the other way around?) on offense without him. Our better style has left us sucking a great deal on offense without him, leaning hard in all the wrong directions.

[Kingsway_fan]

Hopefully he can be a solid backup pg... trending that way...

[wegotthabeet]

He’s going to be everything to this city that Fred Stans pretend he was.

you guys and your FVV hate is something else

I hope Shead is better than FVV. Getting a perennial all-star would be a great grab in the 2nd round. But it is lunacy to act like it is even close to a likely outcome

FVV was a decent player. He gets a lot of random flak from Raps fans for not being better than he was, and for daring play during some years where we asked to do more than we should have had to, which is odd. But he was a decent player, especially given that he was an undrafted G-Leaguer.

I doubt Shead is getting there, but I too would be THRILLED if he became an FVV-level player. That would be a HUGE win for us.

I don’t necessarily mean his career arc or on court production but rather how they rep the team and city. Fred should’ve put his name on the front of his jersey. He’s a very selfish person in my opinion and will never understand the love he gets from some fans.

[tsherkin]

I don’t necessarily mean his career arc or on court production but rather how they rep the team and city. Fred should’ve put his name on the front of his jersey. He’s a very selfish person in my opinion and will never understand the love he gets from some fans.

None of that makes any sense, no.

[wegotthabeet]

I don’t necessarily mean his career arc or on court production but rather how they rep the team and city. Fred should’ve put his name on the front of his jersey. He’s a very selfish person in my opinion and will never understand the love he gets from some fans.

None of that makes any sense, no.

Fred’s not selfish? Ok