The Amazingly Sucky Bradley Beal

TGW · Post #1 » by **TGW** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 7:13 pm

It's been long overdue. Sorry it had to be you...

Before I get jumped on, let's look at the evidence:

- Below average PER
- Below average ws/48
- One of the worst mid-range shooters in the league, despite taking a TON of them
- poor ballhandler/can't create of the dribble
- average defender

Literally the only thing Beal has going for him is his age. He's young. Other than that, he's a mediocre player at best.

Post #2 » by **nate33** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 7:25 pm

It's pretty hard to argue with these criticisms. I will say that Beal is an above-average passer for his position and age, and he's certainly a good 3-point shooter. But overall, he's a pretty average player who has shown very little tangible improvement in 3 years.

He's really got to figure out how to use opponents' fear of his 3-point shot to get to the rim and/or to the free throw line. Right now, everyone is chasing him off the line and he hasn't figured out how to adapt. His counter is to step in and miss a long 2. That's not good basketball.

FAH1223 · Post #3 » by **FAH1223** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 7:32 pm

Good thread, powerful posting.

Kid sucks. Hasn't taken the jump. Obviously he's young but he's nowhere near the player he was in May 2014.

We can blame injuries all we want but he looked a lot better in December than he does now after two extended times off early in the year and during the middle portion.

hands11 · Post #4 » by **hands11** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 7:32 pm

nate33 wrote:It's pretty hard to argue with these criticisms. I will say that Beal is an above-average passer for his position and age, and he's certainly a good 3-point shooter. But overall, he's a pretty average player who has shown very little tangible improvement in 3 years.

He's really got to figure out how to use opponents' fear of his 3-point shot to get to the rim and/or to the free throw line. Right now, everyone is chasing him off the line and he hasn't figured out how to adapt. His counter is to step in and miss a long 2. That's not good basketball.

I will wait to see him with a legit good HC in a NBA qualified offense before hamming on him to much.

But yeah, I don't get what he is trying to do out there. What's he game plan ?

If he is going to take that long to release his shot, but better get a pump fake/draw foul ... game developed.

But for right now. Its hard to grade anymore. Randy's offense and coaching is so putrid, I can't see past that.

Wall is the only one talented enough to put any shine on this turd offense and that only really happens when they spread the floor or get out on a fast break.

Illmatic12 · Post #5 » by **Illmatic12** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 7:34 pm

This should be changed to a "Sucky Wittman thread" (yes, we need two)

I said this in the GT, but I've watched a lot of NBA basketball this season and looking around the league, Beal is easily one of the most talented/skilled guards in the league in his age bracket. He sees the floor well as a passer and isn't selfish, he's physical and fights for rebounds, his handles aren't nearly as bad as you think, he doesn't have Harden handles but he can adequately run PnR and his jumpshot actually commands respect. Very few young SGs have a level of offensive ability that commands respect on scouting reports. Despite that, Beal is rarely ever put in a position where he can maximize his impact on the offensive end and that's on coaching.

Beal's defense has been fine the majority of this season. He did a great job on Harden defensively tonight, who is a tough cover to chase around.

If you think Bradley Beal sucks or has little value as a player, no offense but you're pretty clueless about basketball and I guarantee the majority of knowledgeable GMs, scouts, coaches, etc around the league would corroborate. I guarantee you any competent team would take him and turn him into a stud.

What you're missing is the bigger picture: Beal is yet another talented and valuable asset being squandered by this franchise.

nuposse04 · Post #6 » by **nuposse04** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 7:39 pm

A lot of his faults are on his own inabilities, but it doesn't look he's really been developed much at all. I mean, sans Wall who has this coaching staff developed from raw into a good player? You could argue maybe Booker but he was like 23 when he was drafted, I doubt the coaching staff did much for him. Wall has number 1 overall pedigree, I think he developed irrespective of Randy and company.

Still, Ted needs to realize Beal might still be salvageable with a better coaching staff. He ought to invest in his assets instead of taking the cheap way out.

closg00 · Post #7 » by **closg00** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 7:42 pm

Got to give him additional time with a different HC before banishing him to the great disappointment bin. Beals overall game and instincts look pretty bad so-far.

Dark Faze · Post #8 » by **Dark Faze** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:15 pm

Honestly at this point he shouldn't even be starting. I'm not going to call him a bust right now, but a quality coach would bench him for performance reasons in order to motivate him to improve, either during the season or in the off-season.

I don't mind keeping him around for 10 million a year right now. That sounds about right based off his potential. But if he tries to get cute and demand a max I'd move him.

And Ernie should be fired yesterday. Potentially busts at LITERALLY EVERY DRAFT POSITION during this rebuild outside of the consensus #1 pick.

hands11 · Post #9 » by **hands11** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:25 pm

Illmatic12 wrote:This should be changed to a "Sucky Wittman thread" (yes, we need two)

I said this in the GT, but I've watched a lot of NBA basketball this season and looking around the league, Beal is easily one of the most talented/skilled guards in the league in his age bracket. He sees the floor well as a passer and isn't selfish, he's physical and fights for rebounds, his handles aren't nearly as bad as you think, he doesn't have Harden handles but he can adequately run PnR and his jumpshot actually commands respect. Very few young SGs have a level of offensive ability that commands respect on scouting reports. Despite that, Beal is rarely ever put in a position where he can maximize his impact on the offensive end and that's on coaching.

Beal's defense has been fine the majority of this season. He did a great job on Harden defensively tonight, who is a tough cover to chase around.

If you think Bradley Beal sucks or has little value as a player, no offense but you're pretty clueless about basketball and I guarantee the majority of knowledgeable GMs, scouts, coaches, etc around the league would corroborate. I guarantee you any competent team would take him and turn him into a stud.

What you're missing is the bigger picture: Beal is yet another talented and valuable asset being squandered by this franchise.

Highest RPM for any young SG not named Middleton.

He doesn't suck. The HC ? That is who sucks. Beal should be lighting it up from 3 this year. Instead he is being asked to do things he doesn't do well in an "Offense" if you want to talk it that... that doesn't help anyone and that is only survivable if you are a post player who can play back to the basket or Wall.

AFM · Post #10 » by **AFM** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:29 pm

this board is ridiculous

dckingsfan · Post #11 » by **dckingsfan** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:38 pm

I think he is the 10th best player or so in his class, so he doesn't suck - he just doesn't measure up to expectations.

Illmatic12 · Post #12 » by **Illmatic12** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:56 pm

Wonder how many people are aware that Bradley Beal is the most prolific 3pt shooter in NBA history aged 21 or younger, by a wide margin

http://bkref.com/tiny/ZTTJr

And his career 3pt% ranks #6 among that group. Yet THIS OFFENSE RARELY ATTEMPTS 3pt shots, why?

Beal isn't amazingly sucky, the way he's being utilized is amazingly sucky. By all accounts, Beal is a talented player who has the skillset to be very effective in this league.

But there's not much success he'll be able to have on a Randy Wittman-coached team that's in love with long twos. And when it's not long twos, we are constantly dumping the ball down to our inefficient, blackhole bigs who kill ball movement. A team that runs this type of offense is only going to waste a player like Beal:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee/status/582232276492099584[/tweet]

Wizards2Lottery · Post #13 » by **Wizards2Lottery** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 9:01 pm

I refuse to pass judgement on any player on this team as long as the current coaching staff is employed.

This is simply terrible basketball out there. There is no design on this offense at all.

Forget Ernie and Witt. **** Ted for employing hacks and then pretending that all is good.

dckingsfan · Post #14 » by **dckingsfan** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 9:33 pm

For his class thusfar in '14-'15
http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... =ws_per_48

dckingsfan · Post #15 » by **dckingsfan** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 9:34 pm

And age based:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... =ws_per_48

dckingsfan · Post #16 » by **dckingsfan** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 9:36 pm

So, he doesn't suck - let's give it another year or two. Same for Porter... Neither were the best in their respective classes - but at least Grunfeld didn't totally blow it. Or another way to say it - it is an amazing good result for EG.

Dark Faze · Post #17 » by **Dark Faze** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 9:36 pm

Wittman shares some of the blame sure, but I can't tell you how many times the guy needlessly pump fakes into a mid-range shot or makes soft decisions in general.

Illmatic12 · Post #18 » by **Illmatic12** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:48 pm

Dark Faze wrote:Wittman shares some of the blame sure, but I can't tell you how many times the guy needlessly pump fakes into a mid-range shot or makes soft decisions in general.

Literally every player on this team does that. So why would it surprise you that Beal does it also?

Tonight I saw Pierce, Gooden, Webster, Butler, etc doing the exact same thing. If Klay Thompson was drafted by this team, he'd be needlessly pumpfaking and shooting long twos as well right now.

Dark Faze · Post #19 » by **Dark Faze** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 11:01 pm

That's a fair point, but then again everybody else on this team other than Wall and Pierce are roleplayers with limited handle.

So did the chicken come before the egg? Is Beal shooting that way because of his limitations, or because it is in line with Wittmans thinking?

nuposse04 · Post #20 » by **nuposse04** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 11:03 pm

dckingsfan wrote:So, he doesn't suck - let's give it another year or two. Same for Porter... Neither were the best in their respective classes - but at least Grunfeld didn't totally blow it. Or another way to say it - it is an amazing good result for EG.

I don't think anyone thinks they've met expectations. They've both been below expectations for number 3 overall picks. It helps they are both still very young. To your first list, AD is in his own league good. I won't begin to compare any young prospect to him. There are tons of other guys Beal SHOULD be better then. I still maintain a good bit of his failures are due to this system, but he does sulk far too much. I thought Porter might be a better player when it is all said and done, and in the right system, I don't know if that would be too much of an exaggeration.

Here is hoping they both live up to their draft pedigree