Post#853 » by PhilBlackson » Tue Apr 11, 2023 2:34 am
Although I'm extremely doubtful, I just hope "Playoff D" (DeMar) can step up & knock us out of the Play-In so we can at least have some minor "control" over our draft where we can solidify at least finding a guard with higher upside to replace one of Fred or (more likely) Gary...
IF we didn't make it through the Play-In, I'll be praying one of Walker or Hendricks somehow falls to us but the order I'd choose the guards:
George
NS Jr
Wallace
I have nothing against picking Wallace, although I think he projects to be more like possibly a better Davion Mitchell than Jrue (who I think is a FAR more crafty ballhandler but maybe UK didn't use him right as many people ironically believe their guards are better than advertised because of how they're featured), so maybe I'm wrong. But to me even if he were to hit the level of a Marcus Smart (I think his upside is more inline with) or Jrue, is that really what will put the team over the hump long term?! I don't think were a Smart level player away from contending or at least being much more than a 1st to high side 2nd rd team, although ofc he looks like a special defender as a guard with just unbelievable ability to track the ball...
I'm not saying George would do so either but I think it would at least make it more fun & interesting as a fan, at least imo. I'm not sure if Keyonte is quite going to be able to reach the level of someone like Booker or maybe even Beal buuut I can see him not being too far off. I'm not comparing their styles as players but I could see George reaching the "level" of someone like Garland as a scorer and from what I heard he's at least a passable defender. Even if he turns out to basically be GT Jr with a much better bag, that's a nice replacement & I think having a secondary scorer for Pascal is just more important than adding another "OG" level defender on the wings from the guard position. No doubt it's valuable but I find this team at times badly stagnates in the half court because most of them are fairly limited off the dribble other than Pascal, and Fred is just too small that they can push him off the 3pt line. Someone like George will change how much attention any of those guys are getting when he starts breaking his man down off the dribble & KG has shown some flashes of passing.
While I like NS Jr's offensive IQ maybe more than both of the previous 2 names, I just don't see his skinny ass frame ever being that good of a defender and really I see more of a Herro, Bones, Poole type of player which would give a nice scoring punch but it's not dominant enough like Steph or prime Harden to offset his defensive shortcomings. I have to watch more of Hawkins tbh but he seemed like mainly just a really good 3+D player.
Annnd...if we do make the Playoffs then I just hope they roll the dice on someone with decent potential like Cissiko, Bilal, Whitehead, GG. Because this team must find a way to raise their ceiling somehow since they botched the last 2 deadlines for short term gains and more limited offensive players aren't the answer imo.
>>>THENOTORIOUSBI3<<<
*INGRAM*ALLSTARSEASON* Wemby is HIM
Names of who OG will be better than Shaedon: DelAbbott, ThaCynic, pingpongrac, Los_29, OakleyDokley