Is it time to give up on Taylor Hendricks ever being anything on offense?

[HadAnEffectHere]

Wiggins is 25 years old with 3 seasons under his belt. Hendricks played like 40 games as a rookie. Sure, he's got some weaknesses in his game and he's not going to be a star but he can be a very useful player as long as he continues to improve defensively and improve his shot.

To be clear, I'm using Aaron Wiggins as an example of how even elite shooting percentages and decent defense is not enough to be a playoff rotation player in the modern NBA.

Wiggins shot 49% from three and isn't bad defensively and is unplayable when the stakes are high.

If you can only shoot spot-up threes on offense, you have to be EXTREMELY good at defense to see the court.

If Hendricks never does anything but shoot spot-up threes and cut every once and a while, then he has to be a ridiculously high level defender to stay on the court and it's not clear he can get there.

[MalonesElbows]

Grant sort of scooted by with a huge wingspan (7'3") and a 40 inch vertical, and even after that he turned out pretty average once the smoke cleared. Hendricks doesn't have those freakish measurables so is going to have to develop some more all around skills than Grant to make it imo.

[Hoops Addict]

Hendrix is awesome at 3pt shooting for a PF, shooting 37% his rookie year. He needs to get a better handle, but his outside shot is elite.

[Cappy_Smurf]

Such a great thread.

I really do think we need to seriously consider giving up on players sooner. In fact, we should probably just give up on the guys we just drafted. No need to wait until we see them play anymore. That way, if they work out, it will be a pleasant surprise instead of setting ourselves up for disappointment.

[jazzvintage]

<...>
I really do think we need to seriously consider giving up on players sooner <...> we should probably just give up on the guys we just drafted <...> if they work out, it will be a pleasant surprise instead of setting ourselves up for disappointment.

I've learned, not soon enough, to do exactly as you say.
This way, if youngsters pan out to be good, I'm just another a$$hole in a world full of them.
I can live being an a$$hole.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Such a great thread.

I really do think we need to seriously consider giving up on players sooner. In fact, we should probably just give up on the guys we just drafted. No need to wait until we see them play anymore. That way, if they work out, it will be a pleasant surprise instead of setting ourselves up for disappointment.

Isn't this what the Jazz did with Agbaji.

[Inigo Montoya]

Such a great thread.

I really do think we need to seriously consider giving up on players sooner. In fact, we should probably just give up on the guys we just drafted. No need to wait until we see them play anymore. That way, if they work out, it will be a pleasant surprise instead of setting ourselves up for disappointment.

Isn't this what the Jazz did with Agbaji.

Age is a factor though. Ochai was almost 24 years old when the Jazz traded him after a season and a half. Hendricks is only 20.

[babyjax13]

Such a great thread.

I really do think we need to seriously consider giving up on players sooner. In fact, we should probably just give up on the guys we just drafted. No need to wait until we see them play anymore. That way, if they work out, it will be a pleasant surprise instead of setting ourselves up for disappointment.

Isn't this what the Jazz did with Agbaji.

Age is a factor though. Ochai was almost 24 years old when the Jazz traded him after a season and a half. Hendricks is only 20.

And the Jazz also didn't choose to draft Ochai.

[Hoops Addict]

How can you call Hendrix bad on offense, when he is an amazing shooter. Surely he needs to improve his handle, but he has some things that cannot be taught like the ability to jump high, he glides really well and he is tall. Surely he will learn and get his handle strong enough to get to his spot.

[HadAnEffectHere]

How can you call Hendrix bad on offense, when he is an amazing shooter. Surely he needs to improve his handle, but he has some things that cannot be taught like the ability to jump high, he glides really well and he is tall. Surely he will learn and get his handle strong enough to get to his spot.

Being just good at shooting isn't good enough in this era is the point. Aaron Wiggins shoots 49% from three and is mostly a non-factor as an example I keep giving.

Being a good shooter in the NBA in 2024-2025 is necessary, but is not sufficient. He hasn't shown anything other than corner three shooting so far.

[Inigo Montoya]

He has shown defensive potential and versatility. Even if he can't dribble or create his own shot he could be a valuable player as a defensively versatile 3 and D player who can also rebound.

[HadAnEffectHere]

He has shown defensive potential and versatility. Even if he can't dribble or create his own shot he could be a valuable player as a defensively versatile 3 and D player who can also rebound.

But he hasn't shown any of that? Hendricks has been a poor rebounder who is too slow to defend SFs (and is currently in the process of getting bigger and slower based on how much weight he's added since last year) and too short to defend Cs. He'll have to play SF this year because the Jazz don't have an NBA caliber SF on their roster, but he's a position locked PF who provided little defensive impact last year (and especially not in the G League or summer league). He was the 4th best defender on the worst defensive team in NBA history (and he wasn't even close to as good as the best two defenders on the team) and that was the best he played defensively since leaving college.

He's a pure PF who needs to become massively better at defense and rebounding to be able to get serious minutes as a guy who does nothing but spot-up shoot.

(Hendricks and Markkanen being only actually able to play PF on good teams despite how the Jazz posture makes Hendricks' future even more unclear. Especially since Cody Williams is far too slow to play SF and may end up being a pure PF in the end as well. Then again, Markkanen could be traded and it's not clear Hendricks or Williams are long-term pieces either)

[ForeverRDjazz]

He has shown defensive potential and versatility. Even if he can't dribble or create his own shot he could be a valuable player as a defensively versatile 3 and D player who can also rebound.

But he hasn't shown any of that? Hendricks has been a poor rebounder who is too slow to defend SFs (and is currently in the process of getting bigger and slower based on how much weight he's added since last year) and too short to defend Cs. He'll have to play SF this year because the Jazz don't have an NBA caliber SF on their roster, but he's a position locked PF who provided little defensive impact last year (and especially not in the G League or summer league). He was the 4th best defender on the worst defensive team in NBA history (and he wasn't even close to as good as the best two defenders on the team) and that was the best he played defensively since leaving college.

He's a pure PF who needs to become massively better at defense and rebounding to be able to get serious minutes as a guy who does nothing but spot-up shoot.

(Hendricks and Markkanen being only actually able to play PF on good teams despite how the Jazz posture makes Hendricks' future even more unclear. Especially since Cody Williams is far too slow to play SF and may end up being a pure PF in the end as well. Then again, Markkanen could be traded and it's not clear Hendricks or Williams are long-term pieces either)

Not sure who you are? but you better get in and see the doctor about adjusting your meds. Giving up after one year and other player zero years. this thread is just plan stupid....

[Catchall]

Welp, he still doesn't dribble, doesn't self-create, and needs to have his feet set to shoot. He shows occasional glimpses as a driver, but he's mostly 3D right now. Again, think Dorian Finney-Smith.

[FJS]

Neither keyonte

Sent from my 23030RAC7Y using RealGM mobile app