Mac McClung seems to perform well in every scenario, but keeps getting cut...

[cupcakesnake]

Nothing wrong with being a fan of Mac McClung. He's been a fun player to watch.

But you have to recognize why he's a fringe NBA player. His limitations are glaring and he'd need to add some defense or some efficient scoring inside the 3-point line to his game. Dominating the g-league is something tons and tons of scoring guards have done and never made the jump to being an NBA player.

There's nothing especially notable about Mac McClung being in this category.

[Augusto61]

jeremy lin is being harshly disrespected in this thread. damn

[DaPessimist]

Two words; De Fense.

[kg01]

Perhaps he's not actually "performing well in every scenario"?

Guards are a dime-a-dozen nowadays.

[skones]

[SelfishPlayer]

He's Jeremy Lin without a D'Antoni that's willing to feature him.

Jeremy Lin if he was smaller, weaker and had shorter arms, worse finisher at the basket too, doesn't sound so much like Lin anymore.

They are very similar in being score first guards stuck at the PG position only because of lack of height. Lin is the fully actualized version that caught the correct wave of energy in his favor. They both are barely NBA players. Mike James is what it looks like when you are that sort of player and truly belong in the NBA. Mike James entered the NBA at a later age and had more of an impact because he truly belonged and didn't benefit from people "hoping" that he would pan out. Mike James took the job of NBA players every single season until he couldn't beat anyone out for a spot any longer. He wasn't blackballed or anything like that. He entered the NBA at age 26 and his last NBA season was at age 38. He earned it!

[Infinite Llamas]

I remember back in the day when everyone was wondering when Pierre Jackson would get his chance. Then he got hurt and people kind of forgot about him. Mac will get a chance at some point even if it’s for a cup of coffee but don’t expect much more.

[Laimbeer]

The guy has played a total of 25 NBA minutes. How do we know he is performing?

[SelfishPlayer]

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jamesmi01.html

[lambchop]

He's Jeremy Lin without a D'Antoni that's willing to feature him.

Jeremy Lin if he was smaller, weaker and had shorter arms, worse finisher at the basket too, doesn't sound so much like Lin anymore.

They are very similar in being score first guards stuck at the PG position only because of lack of height. Lin is the fully actualized version that caught the correct wave of energy in his favor. They both are barely NBA players. Mike James is what it looks like when you are that sort of player and truly belong in the NBA. Mike James entered the NBA at a later age and had more of an impact because he truly belonged and didn't benefit from people "hoping" that he would pan out. Mike James took the job of NBA players every single season until he couldn't beat anyone out for a spot any longer. He wasn't blackballed or anything like that. He entered the NBA at age 26 and his last NBA season was at age 38. He earned it!

This. McClung is also essentially just fighting to be a 3rd string point guard that never plays. Being 3rd at any position in the NBA is tough cause the criteria isn't very clear, but teams general favour experienced vets that can contribute with their leadership (that's why even someone like Delly is back in the NBA) OR guys with a ton of hypothetical potential (like Caboclo or Poku).

McClung has to be patient, if he wants to make it. Ish Smith was in exactly that same position for 4 seasons until he finally landed on the process Sixers - a team that was by far the worst team in the league and didn't meet NBA standards at all. So bad that people got upset about it. But after proving himself there, Ish Smith was finally acknowledged by teams and they knew he would be OK as a back up.

McClung is fighting to be a 3rd stringer that gets zero minutes. I personally would love to see him play in Europe and learn how to lead a team and be a floor general.

[Richard4444]

Cool name though.

Mac McClung could be a Marvel character.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

He's a shooting guard in a point guards body, that said, someone like the Pacers should take a chance on him. They have the big PG that you could put him next to when Hield / Duarte goes out the game.

[lambchop]

Nothing wrong with being a fan of Mac McClung. He's been a fun player to watch.

But you have to recognize why he's a fringe NBA player. His limitations are glaring and he'd need to add some defense or some efficient scoring inside the 3-point line to his game. Dominating the g-league is something tons and tons of scoring guards have done and never made the jump to being an NBA player.

There's nothing especially notable about Mac McClung being in this category.

Gary Payton II was averaging 25 ppg in the G League, but teams didn't even bat an eye. Once his scoring average dropped to 12 ppg and he won DPOY, the Warriors knew they had a serviceable NBA player. Even Svi Mykhailiuk had multiple 40 point games in the G league and was doing backdoor cuts for alley oop dunks and absolutely obliterating the competition.

In the JJ Redick podcast Caruso said Sam Presti told him that NBA teams aren't really looking for scorers when they evaluate fringe guys / g league players. They are looking for players that have the right attitude and can defend multiple positions.

[SelfishPlayer]

Jeremy Lin if he was smaller, weaker and had shorter arms, worse finisher at the basket too, doesn't sound so much like Lin anymore.

They are very similar in being score first guards stuck at the PG position only because of lack of height. Lin is the fully actualized version that caught the correct wave of energy in his favor. They both are barely NBA players. Mike James is what it looks like when you are that sort of player and truly belong in the NBA. Mike James entered the NBA at a later age and had more of an impact because he truly belonged and didn't benefit from people "hoping" that he would pan out. Mike James took the job of NBA players every single season until he couldn't beat anyone out for a spot any longer. He wasn't blackballed or anything like that. He entered the NBA at age 26 and his last NBA season was at age 38. He earned it!

This. McClung is also essentially just fighting to be a 3rd string point guard that never plays. Being 3rd at any position in the NBA is tough cause the criteria isn't very clear, but teams general favour experienced vets that can contribute with their leadership (that's why even someone like Delly is back in the NBA) OR guys with a ton of hypothetical potential (like Caboclo or Poku).

McClung has to be patient, if he wants to make it. Ish Smith was in exactly that same position for 4 seasons until he finally landed on the process Sixers - a team that was by far the worst team in the league and didn't meet NBA standards at all. So bad that people got upset about it. But after proving himself there, Ish Smith was finally acknowledged by teams and they knew he would be OK as a back up.

McClung is fighting to be a 3rd stringer that gets zero minutes. I personally would love to see him play in Europe and learn how to lead a team and be a floor general.

Trevor Ruffin, look into how he never played another NBA game after flashing for the Sixers during an era where scoring was difficult.

Watch on YouTube

[deepeeenn]

He's been in the league for one season and multiple teams have taken a look at him and you think he's being blackballed? There are tons of undrafted players who have had a similar first year.

It’s funny because he’s probably one of the first most recognized social media basketball players. He built a hype train on social media but it really just shows how the talent gap between highschool or AAU is from the NBA. He wasn’t even blowing any doors off in college either. The NBA is a different beast. It takes the right balance of talent but also high level BBIQ to make it.

[deepeeenn]

defense. Defense. DEFENSE.

Everyone should listen to what Alex Caruso said about how he made the league. When in the G-League, just about everyone can handle the ball at an NBA Level, everyone can shoot a bit and score. Teams don't need that and don't want that. Teams have players--Stars--who do that. Teams require you to defend at a high level to make the team when coming from the G-League.

So much this. Too many young players want to be the next or their team scoring phenom, they don’t know how else to contribute to winning basketball. It’s sad.

[kenwood3333]

He can't be any worse than Austin reaves

[LBJKB24MJ23]

He can't be any worse than Austin reaves

yes he can.

[Chris Porter's Hair]

It was my team that just cut him loose. I didn't blink an eye, and neither did most of our fans.

Does he deserve to be at the end of some team's bench? Maybe. That's about where he's at right now. Is it a travesty if he isn't? Nope. There are only 30 ends of benches, and he's borderline. If he has a strength, it is scoring. That isn't what we need at the end of the bench. We need defense, playmaking, or both. He's not that guy.

I was at every Warriors summer league game. He was fun, and I thought he might have earned himself a seat at the end of the bench. But even that wasn't a given, and I'm not shocked if we decided we needed something else.

[TimeisIllmatic]

He can't be any worse than Austin reaves

Reaves gives effort on the defensive end which is why he's on the Lakers.