RealGM

For all of his athleticism, length, and quickness, Javale McGee sucks at playing basketball. Yes, we knew he was a project coming in. But it's been 3 years - 3 offseasons, and 2 full NBA seasons. He still looks, for the most part, the exact same as he did 4 games into his rookie campaign. Who cares how athuletic he is - he has no basketball IQ, he's soft, and he doesn't really want to be a center - what makes you think he's anything more than a nice energy bench player at this point, or will be anything more?

The NBA is littered with super-athletes who didn't have it between the ears, and it seems clear that McGee is one of them.

The results are in: Javale McGee is a capital-B BUST. He will never be a starter on a winning team.

So, what to do? Simple. Let him rack up Sportscenter highlights, and then trade him for a real center who can do center things, like rebound and defend inside. His trade value is high because of his "potential", but as people realize he can't play, it will sink fast.

4 game sample size.

If you really don't want him, Atlanta would be glad to ship out a 'real center' in Zaza Pachulia for him.

More like a 168 game sample size.

Javale McGee has shown almost no improvement since we drafted him. He's still soft offensively and a major liability defensively.

As much as people like to wank "potential", basketball IQ and toughness don't magically appear just like 6'9 guys don't magically become 7'1 guys.

And yes, we'd definitely win more games with Zaza than McGee.

I wouldn't trade him for Zaza Pachulia but I'd gladly listen to a prospect for prospect trade.

I think the b word is tossed around a little too often. What exactly were we expecting from the 18th pick in the draft? Kwame was a bust because he was expected to be a franchise caliber big man. McGee was more of a 'see what we have' high potential guy.

McGee has made a little improvements from his rookie year, but with high potential big men it's typically not a steady and gradual increase in performance. They typically have an 'ah ha' moment and make a big leap. It happened with Blatche and happened with Chandler, and Camby (the two players most compared to McGee). It's still possible for McGee to be a starting center on a winning team, however, when I say winning team I'm not sure it means a championship caliber team, but rather an above .500 team.

Ideally McGee shows a little more consistency thus enabling the Wiz to trade him with a little incentive for Oden. A healthy Oden makes a good team a championship caliber team--same effect of Dwight Howard. I'd say the odds are higher that Oden becomes healthy than they are of McGee becoming good enough/consistent enough to be the center on a championship caliber team.

Fellas lets not jump the gun here. After all just a few years into his career there were people claiming that Darko Milicic was a bust. Where are those folks hiding now?

^^^ Wait, did I miss something? Is Darko good now??

JWizmentality wrote:^^^ Wait, did I miss something? Is Darko good now??

Yes, you did miss something.

Chaos, your name will be remembered 2 or 3 years from now when JM fills-out and comes into his own. A real big-man coach would really help the pace his development, look how-much Hibbert improved after one summer with HOF player Walton.

closg00 wrote:Chaos, your name will be remembered 2 or 3 years from now when JM fills-out and comes into his own. A real big-man coach would really help the pace his development, look how-much Hibbert improved after one summer with HOF player Walton.

Not sure the situations are analogous. Big Roy came to the NBA with no illusions about being a post player and he came from a school that preached defense. He's also not a mama's boy who would rather listen to his mommie than his coach. You could have a coaching staff of Olajuwon, Russell, and Kareem but I'm not sure how much it would help. McGee's ceiling is probably as an energy guy off the bench on a good team (which is what I've been saying all along).

no D in Hibachi wrote:McGee has made a little improvements from his rookie year, but with high potential big men it's typically not a steady and gradual increase in performance. They typically have an 'ah ha' moment and make a big leap. It happened with Blatche and happened with Chandler, and Camby (the two players most compared to McGee). It's still possible for McGee to be a starting center on a winning team, however, when I say winning team I'm not sure it means a championship caliber team, but rather an above .500 team.

Actually, on a per36 basis, his production in his first year in NO was identical to his 3rd year onward in Chicago. Chandler was just sharing minutes with Eddy Curry and playing out of position at PF. I'd argue that rookie Chandler > McGee now.

Camby was a quality player his rookie year onward, it was just injuries that really held him back.

He's also not a mama's boy who would rather listen to his mommie than his coach.

yep yep

fact is javale does NOT have the mental makeup to be a top-tier starting center; even if he becomes 7'1 270 with a body like dwight, it won't mean much if he wants to be a face up pf like dirk who's allergic to contact

Chaos Revenant wrote:For all of his athleticism, length, and quickness, Javale McGee sucks at playing basketball. Yes, we knew he was a project coming in. But it's been 3 years - 3 offseasons, and 2 full NBA seasons. He still looks, for the most part, the exact same as he did 4 games into his rookie campaign. Who cares how athuletic he is - he has no basketball IQ, he's soft, and he doesn't really want to be a center - what makes you think he's anything more than a nice energy bench player at this point, or will be anything more?

The NBA is littered with super-athletes who didn't have it between the ears, and it seems clear that McGee is one of them.

The results are in: Javale McGee is a capital-B BUST. He will never be a starter on a winning team.

So, what to do? Simple. Let him rack up Sportscenter highlights, and then trade him for a real center who can do center things, like rebound and defend inside. His trade value is high because of his "potential", but as people realize he can't play, it will sink fast.

It been 2 season and 2 off-seasons and three coaches and a team that was blown up mid season last year. I would hardly count the time between him being drafted and coming to camp totally raw as an NBA off season.

I'm one of the ones who doesn't want him starting right now but lets at least be accurate in evaluating where the kid is and what kind of experience he has had. Hell, we aren't even sure he has stopped growing yet. He added 10 pounds or so in the summer and he has been invited to two USA team camps.

He isn't ready but no way you can call him a bust.

Chaos Revenant wrote:

no D in Hibachi wrote:McGee has made a little improvements from his rookie year, but with high potential big men it's typically not a steady and gradual increase in performance. They typically have an 'ah ha' moment and make a big leap. It happened with Blatche and happened with Chandler, and Camby (the two players most compared to McGee). It's still possible for McGee to be a starting center on a winning team, however, when I say winning team I'm not sure it means a championship caliber team, but rather an above .500 team.

Actually, on a per36 basis, his production in his first year in NO was identical to his 3rd year onward in Chicago. Chandler was just sharing minutes with Eddy Curry and playing out of position at PF. I'd argue that rookie Chandler > McGee now.

Camby was a quality player his rookie year onward, it was just injuries that really held him back.

He's also not a mama's boy who would rather listen to his mommie than his coach.

yep yep

fact is javale does NOT have the mental makeup to be a top-tier starting center; even if he becomes 7'1 270 with a body like dwight, it won't mean much if he wants to be a face up pf like dirk who's allergic to contact

Well now I think your are onto something. That is something I have been saying for a while.
I'm still not convinced McGee wants to be a center. If he was just a back up for us right now and we had a quality starter, I don't think people would be so hard on his though.

With the right coaching and time I think he will develop a better game.

If he doesn't want to be a center then he is a bust. As much as you may think so, he's never going to be an effective face up big man offensively - he's nothing special as a shooter, his handles are nice for a 7'1 guy but he's not going to blow by guys, and the fact is, we have a more effective version of what he wants to do in Blatche. Add the fact that he sucks on defense and doesn't hit the boards consistently, and I just don't see how he's a good player. If all he did was use his physical makeup to pull down 12 boards per 36, then you could live with the other stuff, but he doesn't.

As cool as a 7'1 faceup guy sounds, it sounds more like a gimmick than anything.

Chaos Revenant wrote:If he doesn't want to be a center then he is a bust. As much as you may think so, he's never going to be an effective face up big man offensively - he's nothing special as a shooter, his handles are nice for a 7'1 guy but he's not going to blow by guys, and the fact is, we have a more effective version of what he wants to do in Blatche. Add the fact that he sucks on defense and doesn't hit the boards consistently, and I just don't see how he's a good player. If all he did was use his physical makeup to pull down 12 boards per 36, then you could live with the other stuff, but he doesn't.

As cool as a 7'1 faceup guy sounds, it sounds more like a gimmick than anything.

He isn't ready for either as a starter. He is a bench player right now. Doesn't make him a bust. What is he, like 22 and 3 games into his third season? Three coaches ? Come on.

He will get better at things this year. It is a long season.

But if the goal is winning while developing the team, he should be brought in off the bench. When he is hot, roll with him. When he isn't. Sit him. He is a Nick Young type player only he is younger and way taller. I wouldn't give up on him yet.

The main thing he needs to do right now is improve his defensive rebounding. He and Blatche both suck on the defensive glass and there is no reason for it with their length and athleticism.

*Yawn*

Can Seraphin steal some minutes?

This thread is misguided. Javale doesn't suck. A player who is capable of averaging 7 points, 6 rebs, and 2 blks can definitely help most teams. He is, however, a poor fit with Andray Blatche. You cannot have two finesse bigs that don't rebound nor defend well. It's a recipe for disaster, as we've seen so far this year.

I think eventually that either Blatche or McGee will have to go. As of now, I would choose McGee, because Blatche is less of a question mark. I think a more physical big is needed, because this team doesn't scare anyone in the paint.