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I had this guy pegged as a guy who would be out of the league in a few years during the draft. People were saying how he was the next Bruce Bowen. His defense was so overrated coming into the league and too skinny, his stats also show how good of an offensive player he is. Does anyone think he still has a chance to improve or what?

Give him another year or two... he's still young

definately needs more time

I don't think you can effectively call him a bust, no.

First of all, he's on the Wolves and they don't have a wonderfully coherent offensive system. Second, he's very young. Third, he's already a good defender. Fourth, while he's been crap from the field, he's hitting almost 78% at the line, which is very valuable. Fifth, he's rebounding and passing reasonably well, which are important factors to consider.

He's got plenty of room to improve but he's like 22 years old and he's doing just fine.

I haven't seen a whole lot of him in the NBA, but apparently Wolves fans feel he is playing good d - he was certainly a great defender in college. His offensive stats are horrendous, but if he can get his scoring to a decent level (in the range of 10-12 ppg, .430-.440 FG%), and play lockdown defense, then he'd be a pretty useful player, and not at all a bust.

Re: the Bruce Bowen comparison, Bruce didn't even make it to the NBA until his mid 20s, and didn't start on a consistent basis until he was almost 30.

I'd rather have any of the next 3 players drafted though. Brandan Wright, Joakim Noah and Spencer Hawes all look like they can become pretty good players in a couple years.

Its to early to judge if he is a bust or not...

tsherkin wrote:Fourth, while he's been crap from the field, he's hitting almost 78% at the line, which is very valuable.

I'm sorry, I just disagree with this line here. He neither draws a high volume of fouls, nor is that percentage anything to be proud of. As an SG, that can only be described as mediocre. As an SF, it can be described as slightly-above averaged.

Not only that, but the small sample size brings into question how good that FT shot really is. In his college career he shot .769 and .723 from the FT line. Perhaps he's improved it, but its not something to laud him for.

Its pretty weird to call it "very valuable".

Unless a player gets a career ending injury or something along those lines there is no way you can label him after a 1st season. Heck the example of Bowen is perfect he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn when he first in the nba and worked hard enough that he is nasty in the corners.

He's a pretty good defender I remember him styling all over Pierce this year. Offensively though... I trust Jason Collins' jumper more than I do Brewer's.

You really can't call a rookie a bust after less than one season. Hell by this logic Oden is the biggest bust in NBA history.

BrooklynBulls wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



I'm sorry, I just disagree with this line here. He neither draws a high volume of fouls, nor is that percentage anything to be proud of. As an SG, that can only be described as mediocre. As an SF, it can be described as slightly-above averaged.

He's a nearly 80% free throw shooter, you don't think that's valuable? It's meaningful when you're able to keep a good defender in near the end of games and not worry so much about his FT shooting ability the way you do with, say, Bowen.

tsherkin wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



He's a nearly 80% free throw shooter, you don't think that's valuable? It's meaningful when you're able to keep a good defender in near the end of games and not worry so much about his FT shooting ability the way you do with, say, Bowen.

I disagree with your placement of the word valuable. Valuable is something that is a positive to a team. This is a "neutral" to a team. He doesn't do this any better than most guys at his position. As for Bowen, he's a guy whose FT shooting is a liability. There's a difference between valuable ft shooting (which I'd define as excellent, top-of-the-league percentage, such as Ben Gordon or Steve Nash) and simply appropriate FT shooting.

tsherkin wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



He's a nearly 80% free throw shooter, you don't think that's valuable? It's meaningful when you're able to keep a good defender in near the end of games and not worry so much about his FT shooting ability the way you do with, say, Bowen.

I think his point is that we shouldn't put too much stock into a stat that doesn't have much meaning considering the number of attempts and its relative avgness at the position.

tsherkin wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



He's a nearly 80% free throw shooter, you don't think that's valuable? It's meaningful when you're able to keep a good defender in near the end of games and not worry so much about his FT shooting ability the way you do with, say, Bowen.

Brewer averages 1.7 freethrows per game, I wouldn't really call his 78% ft valuable.

Give Corey Brewer some time.

I can't see why he can't be as good a player as his namesake, Ronnie Brewer.

Ronnie was the guy 'who couldn't shoot' a year ago, and now look at him.

I think tsherkin's point is, you can put him out as a defensive stopper down the stretch, and not worry about hacka-shaq strategy on him

Too early to judge... he ain't monta ellis or dwight howard.

Once he bulks up and works on his shoot he will be a solid starter and have the chance to be a very good starter. It's to early give the kid a break

NO-KG-AI wrote:I think tsherkin's point is, you can put him out as a defensive stopper down the stretch, and not worry about hacka-shaq strategy on him

Thank you.

Obviously, he's not Dwyane Wade or Lebron or whomever, DRAWING lots of fouls. The value is in the fact that he's not a liability at the line.

i've seen a whole lot of him and i believe that he's the most one dimensionally defensive rookie i've ever seen. he looks absolutely lost on offense and i would never trust his jumper. ever.
however on the defensive side he's shown great instinct for clogging passing lanes and timing his jumps, two of the things that usually hard for rookies to understand. if he can build up some (any) muscle to be able to crowd the defender he'll definitely be a usable defensive specialist.