Motor Keeps Going: The Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Thread III

[yosemiteben]

I'm starting to think the problem with MKG is he just lacks experience. He's still relatively young and has much more limited game experience due to his injuries. He played only like 1 game with our starters last season and I think he's still figuring out and isn't confident in his role offensively. It's kind of a new team for him playing next to Batum, Cody as a C, and then on the second unit with all new guys. I hope he improves his efficiency and offensive effectiveness as the season progresses.

[Benjamin Linus]

If his shot's not going to make much improvement, maybe he should start working on improving his handle and passing. Seems like most wings who struggle to shoot, have the ability to handle and pass (Winslow, Olidipo, Iggy, Tyreke, Giannis, Ben Simmons, Wade, etc...) or is it too late in the developmental process?

Or maybe work on developing a low-post game. Since he oftentimes has a small defender on him, maybe he could develop a low-post game like Shaun Livingston did to take more advantage of mismatches.

[UNCNYC]

I still believe we should try and trade him while he MIGHT have first round pick value left. I am sure there is a team who would give us at least that for him but not as sure as I was beginning the season as far as that goes

[UNCNYC]

I doubt if we will regret it that much if at all if we were to trade him.

[yosemiteben]

I still believe we should try and trade him...

Yeah, we know.

[UNCNYC]

I still believe we should try and trade him...

Yeah, we know.

LOL

[fatlever]

MKGs offense is basically the boy who cried wolf. How many times are we going to get excited about his offensive potential when he has a good game or makes a couple of jumpers? I'm pretty much done getting excited about his offense until he does it for an entire season. Mostly I have just come to accept MKG for who he is as a player, which is still someone with a lot of value especially compared to his contract and who, on his good days, can still be the best player on the floor.

That being said, the Hornets really need to find a top level backup small forward to have around for injury insurance and for games when MKGs offense is completely ineffective - like going up against top shot blockers who nullify his drives to the rim, or the games where his confidence is shot and he refuses to shoot.

Is Lamb that top level backup? or is he another boy who cried wolf?

[yosemiteben]

To be fair, we've done a lot of judging of MKG on small data sets since we've really worked on improving his jumper and he hasn't really had the opportunity to prove himself or improve with on the court experience in the last two years. The dude just turned 23 and is basically the same age as guys like Kris Dunn, Buddy Hield, Taurean Prince, Malcolm Brogdon, and Denzel Valentine, all of whom were just drafted and none of whom had to sit out all of last season. There's a big difference between reworking a jumper in a gym when you aren't full strength and getting game reps against NBA defenses with new teammates in a new offensive system.

I think as we've seen from Kemba and Marv that our coaching staff can help a player take massive steps forwards in shooting efficiency, even later on in a player's career. I think we'll see an uptick in MKG's confidence and efficiency as the season and his career progresses.

[JDR720]

he is just 23, but that isn't an excuse to me. he has been in the league several years.

anyway, his jumper improvement is pointless if he keeps getting hurt all the time.

[yosemiteben]

he is just 23, but that isn't an excuse to me. he has been in the league several years.

He played 7 games in like 18 months though before this season, so lack of in game experience makes his age even more of a factor IMO.

[Robot Rock]

He's been in the NBA for FIVE YEARS. The excuses will never stop. Five years from now it'll be "He just needs more experience. He's just 28. Give the guy time to develop."

[Radu_Hornets]

I don't understand something here...
Ok the guy can't shoot very well.
But...
We are better with him on the floor than with him on the bench...
that's it.

[yosemiteben]

He's been in the NBA for FIVE YEARS. The excuses will never stop.

We started the three year process to fix his shot in the summer of 2014. MKG played roughly half a season in 2014 and 7 games last season. So in the roughly 30 months since June of 2014 when we started his shot rehabilitation project, MKG has played in a grand total of 62 games.

Yes, if he can't get healthy and get significant game experience, that is a valid excuse IMO.

[bravor]

I just don't see why arguing about his jump shot. That will, most likely, never be his main strenght. So what ? Crash used to play here, Deng is also a reference among wing defenders.
At this point, i am not gonna say fixing his jump shot would be a bonus, since obviously some teams would cheat on defense to challenge him from scoring, but he does not necessary has to be reliable behind the arc.

As long as he can be efficient in post up (considering his game, i tend to think that is the real deal), he has too many tools and upsides to give up on him. And not only in transition (by far the best Hornets player in transition, better than Kemba).
This team still misses toughness, you don't trade one of the only bright spot for this. Especially when thinking about the play offs (Deng was instrumental for Miami's win last season, and not only because of his scoring).

[fatlever]

I don't understand something here...
Ok the guy can't shoot very well.
But...
We are better with him on the floor than with him on the bench...
that's it.

Nobody is arguing that we aren't better with him on the floor. As I said, even if MKG never improves from what he is today, he's still a a really good impact player.

I'm just mentally preparing myself for the possibility that MKG never actually figures it out on offense and this is basically who he is as a player with some obvious slight improvements as he gets older and keeps working.

I said the same thing about Kemba after 4-5 years when he was still chucking away at 37% and Kemba proved me wrong, so maybe MKG will as well.

I am annoyed at the Hornets coaches and media constantly bragging about how great MKG looks in practice, acting like he's jumped to another level, when we are still waiting to see it. As I said before the season, Clifford's comments about MKG improving more than any player he has ever seen in his 17 years in the league was a ridiculous statement. MKG was a damn good player as a rookie, then he got banged up, scratched his eye, got a concussion, lost his confidence, his shot went sideways and he regressed. Not helped at all by coaches that seemed to be OK with just asking him stand in the corner wrecking spacing (Cliff and Dunlap).

MKGs biggest obvious improvement since his rookie year are not any improvements he's made on offense, but his ability to stay out of foul trouble.

[yasuhara2241]

I have loved what MKG has brought to the team this year. One thing that I think he will improve on as the year progresses and his comfort progresses is how to be more involved on offense in a more consistent way.
It seems like whenever teams are starting to make a little run or get the momentum he has a way to come up with a key block, steal or rebound.
His jumper will always look bad but just seeing him FT percentage increase and I feel good about him going to the line really gives me hope that he will be a 13-15pt guy in the future.
I will take a 14pt 10rb and defensive stud on my team any day of the week. Hell I would even take a 10 and 10 which he is now.

[fatlever]

10. MKG, tapping his inner bully

Finally. Kidd-Gilchrist is in the earliest stages of developing a back-to-the-basket game to punish teams who hide their weakest defenders on him. Deal with this, Monta Ellis:

MKG is 4-of-6 on post-ups this season, per Synergy Sports. That's not much. But he attempted just four shots out of the post in 55 games during his most recent healthy season in 2014-15. Baby steps. When things slow down in the playoffs, Kidd-Gilchrist needs a couple of workable post moves in his bag.

From Lowe's 10 Things I Like

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18106035/zach-lowe-portland-trail-blazers-damian-lillard-cj-mccollum-nba

[yosemiteben]

I think MKG's offense is becoming a bit predictable on the block. He has excellent body control so that move is still effective, but you just have to overplay him to his right and he gets himself in trouble. It has seemed like teams have been aware of that the last couple games.

Over/under on how many games until we see MKG's first 3PTA?

[fatlever]

I think MKG's offense is becoming a bit predictable on the block. He has excellent body control so that move is still effective, but you just have to overplay him to his right and he gets himself in trouble. It has seemed like teams have been aware of that the last couple games.

Over/under on how many games until we see MKG's first 3PTA?

We've been talking about this for years. MKG has no left hand and forces everything to his right. Just make him spin back left where that slow, awkward release is easy to block, as we have seen several times this year. Right now MKGs only post move that has worked is that one in the clip from Lowe where he bangs his way into the paint going right and then puts up a half hook, half push shot from about 5-7 feet away. Honestly, I could live with that if I was a defender, but it still be better to try and overplay that right hand.

[euphorbus]

He may be struggling on the offensive end, but in virtually every category on both ends of the floor, Michael is better than P. J. Hairston, his surprise replacement last year. He is also second on the team in rebounds per 36, behind only Spencer Hawes (minimum ten games). Something to be thankful for.