80sballboy wrote:doclinkin wrote:Anthony Black.
Cool, a defender who passes well and can't shoot. That's exactly what this team always needs. Tommy must be drooling. We can field an entire team of Deni Avdijas. Just need to somehow get back Isaac Bonga. Troy Brown Jr. Trade for Ben Simmons even.
I mean he's young? Maybe he improves? He's big if he is a PG? I don't like that he shot his worst against his biggest competition.
For me that's a pass or a trade back. Teams need outside shooters or break-you-down scorers who can rack fouls and score efficiently. Players who can't shoot tend not to get play time, so their developmental time is wasted.
So you don't want a good defender in the backcourt because of Bonga, Brown and Avdija? We've been one of the worst defensive teams for the last decade and Beal is going nowhere. I'm not saying Black is the guy at 7 or 8, but I have no issue going for a tall point guard that can defend, is athletic and can run an offense. Josh Giddey couldn't shoot a lick either coming out.
I haven't seen enough of Black where I'm enamored with him or hate him. But I don't hate the idea of adding a tall point guard that can defend and pass. So is he a healthy Lonzo Ball or is he Dyson Daniels, who is still developing? Yes, the perimeter shooting is a concern and you aren't getting a perfect player at 7 or 8 in this draft.
https://fansided.com/2023/03/29/2023-nba-draft-scouting-report-anthony-black/
Sure and add John Wall to the list, while we are at it, much as I love the guy. And Johnny Davis' 24% from three. Are we counting him as a success? Or a reason to draft more incomplete players?
Are we not tired of bringing in players hoping they will learn to play the game? A backcourt player who cannot shoot is a liability. Show me one guy we have brought in to this organization in the past 10 years who learned to shoot from outside while he was here. (Okay Rui, I guess, though his game was deficient in other ways). Hell, Beal has regressed in outside shooting. Maybe Black develops a shot, maybe, but the track record of this organization says nope.
If I am drafting an incomplete player, let me draft back and get one proven player plus one potential guy. Or kick the pick forward. Or trade Deni I suppose for someone who wants to bid on him ahead of the season.
Sure, why not pick a back court defender who will take Delon Wright's minutes. Or displace Deni from the line-up. I'm all for upgrades, but let me upgrade with players who don't duplicate and magnify the problems we already have. Because if you draft a guy who redoubles the problems we already have you will only devalue both of them. They won't play on court at the same time. They will trade minutes back and forth, and teams that circle like vultures to pick one off won't offer much in trade because they perceive the team as having a surplus. You devalue your own assets.
Seems to me a high usage backcourt scorer and ballhandler who cannot play off the ball will be a source of frustration on a team with Bradley Beal. And no upgrade from Morris and Delon. Not that I worry about displacing them, just that they both played pretty efficiently and we still couldn't sniff the lottery.
For me its a Pass. Take Taylor Hendricks as a frontcourt player who can both block shots and shoot from outside. To sub in for Gafford who only does one of those 2 things. Our biggest deficit came from inefficient play by Kuzma. Lets get an upgrade there if there is equivalent talent.
Or trade back. Give me Trayce Jackson Davis for toughness, plus Bilal Coulibaly as that rangy backcourt defender you're looking for.
That's my opinion as of today. I'm not on team Black. Maybe I will research further and decide I like what I see. But him showing up smaller in the big games suggests to me 'nah'.
