The Rob Dillingham Thread

[Saltine]

Jesus, he's nineteen.

[Klomp]

It is a great sign, and important for his future role. My question is how many of those 13 have been in transition or with a mismatch created by transition?

Why is that a bad thing? That's what they are bringing him in to do on the main club too, to inject pace into the game.

Not saying it is. I am saying he is good at that part. The other part is what worries me. The breaking down defenses and dishing to open shooters. We already know he is bad a finishing (both in college and in SL so far,) and if he cannot drive and kick or drive and finish he cannot play NBA PG… YET.

I think it's also important to remember that he's at worst the second focus of the opponents right now. That won't be the case next year playing alongside Ant, KAT, Naz, etc. With them, the defense will already be on tilt when he gets the ball, making it easier to break down.

[TheZachAttack]

I didn't forget, I just don't see that as a mitigating factor. I'm a believer that screens are 30% screener and 70% ball handler. Once Shifty is past the screen, he still has NBA length to deal with. Again, I'm a fan so far, but taking everything from Summer League with a grain - or five - of salt.

I'm not talking about running past the screen; I'm talking about setting up behind it.

My big takeaway from summer league so far is 13 assists; 2 turnovers

It is a great sign, and important for his future role. My question is how many of those 13 have been in transition or with a mismatch created by transition?

I'm not sure if they are assists or not, but he's constantly pushing the pace and throwing it up to the wing which is not something our current guards do. Legler even commented on it in game 1, and I thought he was better in game 2.

[minimus]

One potential issue with his size is that Summer League is "smaller" than the NBA, meaning he'll have even more size to contend with in the regular season. He'll need to be extra Shifty.

People keep forgetting that he'll have Rudy Gobert setting screens for him....

I didn't forget, I just don't see that as a mitigating factor. I'm a believer that screens are 30% screener and 70% ball handler. Once Shifty is past the screen, he still has NBA length to deal with. Again, I'm a fan so far, but taking everything from Summer League with a grain - or five - of salt.

I hope Rob learns from Conley how to use Gobert screen/re-screen action to get into easy pullup three. Also Conley is definitely more relaxed, more fluid, less explosive while shooting those threes. I Dilly will figure it out as well.

[winforlose]

Why is that a bad thing? That's what they are bringing him in to do on the main club too, to inject pace into the game.

Not saying it is. I am saying he is good at that part. The other part is what worries me. The breaking down defenses and dishing to open shooters. We already know he is bad a finishing (both in college and in SL so far,) and if he cannot drive and kick or drive and finish he cannot play NBA PG… YET.

I think it's also important to remember that he's at worst the second focus of the opponents right now. That won't be the case next year playing alongside Ant, KAT, Naz, etc. With them, the defense will already be on tilt when he gets the ball, making it easier to break down.

Fair. But it’s also fair to point out Summer League has weaker opponents and less team structure to the defense. If RD is struggling at this level to get to the basket and either pass out or finish, I don’t know how much easier he will find it when he is playing against a team of NBA players from the first and second line.

[winforlose]

Jesus, he's nineteen.

Exactly. Expectations of a 19 year old and PG2 for a contender are usually different.

[Klomp]

Not saying it is. I am saying he is good at that part. The other part is what worries me. The breaking down defenses and dishing to open shooters. We already know he is bad a finishing (both in college and in SL so far,) and if he cannot drive and kick or drive and finish he cannot play NBA PG… YET.

I think it's also important to remember that he's at worst the second focus of the opponents right now. That won't be the case next year playing alongside Ant, KAT, Naz, etc. With them, the defense will already be on tilt when he gets the ball, making it easier to break down.

Fair. But it’s also fair to point out Summer League has weaker opponents and less team structure to the defense. If RD is struggling at this level to get to the basket and either pass out or finish, I don’t know how much easier he will find it when he is playing against a team of NBA players from the first and second line.

I don't consider 13 assists and 2 turnovers struggling, but maybe that's just me.....

[BlacJacMac]

Jesus, he's nineteen.

Exactly. Expectations of a 19 year old and PG2 for a contender are usually different.

We're still over 3 months away from the season starting. Are you sure its not your expectations that are out of whack?

He's 54 minutes into his "NBA" career.

[winforlose]

I think it's also important to remember that he's at worst the second focus of the opponents right now. That won't be the case next year playing alongside Ant, KAT, Naz, etc. With them, the defense will already be on tilt when he gets the ball, making it easier to break down.

Fair. But it’s also fair to point out Summer League has weaker opponents and less team structure to the defense. If RD is struggling at this level to get to the basket and either pass out or finish, I don’t know how much easier he will find it when he is playing against a team of NBA players from the first and second line.

I don't consider 13 assists and 2 turnovers struggling, but maybe that's just me.....

This is the SL trap. You look at the PPG or the stat line and say we’re good. You think Garza dropping 30 in the G means he can play C2 behind Rudy? SL is weaker than the G (by a fair amount,) and guys who are ready for big minutes should be a step above. That RD is 7/26 from the field and most of his makes are not near the basket is troubling. That he cannot seem to get into the defense and run the offense is troubling. He is great in transition, and have seen him exploit the matchup against bigs. But he needs to be able to do more than just pass to someone else and wait for a catch and shoot if the ball finds him again. At least if you want him as PG2 in October.

[Saltine]

Jesus, he's nineteen.

Exactly. Expectations of a 19 year old and PG2 for a contender are usually different.

Of course, where would we have been without Monté Morris last season?

So vital to winning they let him go...

[winforlose]

Jesus, he's nineteen.

Exactly. Expectations of a 19 year old and PG2 for a contender are usually different.

We're still over 3 months away from the season starting. Are you sure its not your expectations that are out of whack?

He's 54 minutes into his "NBA" career.

There is truth in this. He will get better with time, training camp, and preseason. That said, so will the opponents he faces. Worse, they won’t be functioning off of 4 practices together and playing pro/am basketball with relatively young and inexperienced coaches.

[winforlose]

Jesus, he's nineteen.

Exactly. Expectations of a 19 year old and PG2 for a contender are usually different.

Of course, where would we have been without Monté Morris last season?

So vital to winning they let him go...

LOL. It always come back to this. Mike played well and was healthy the whole regular season. We had JMAC waiting in the wings, and you saw how bad it was when we played Milton before moving him. You can listen to Finch tell you over and over how important actual PG play is. Morris was hurt the first half and again in March and never showed you what he can do. JMAC came alive and did help us win games. You just don’t value the PG, which is fine. We have a very different opinion about basketball.

[thinktank]

Good lord.

SL is toughest on PGs because it’s total chaos.

Winforlose, see the forest, please.

[BlacJacMac]

Exactly. Expectations of a 19 year old and PG2 for a contender are usually different.

We're still over 3 months away from the season starting. Are you sure its not your expectations that are out of whack?

He's 54 minutes into his "NBA" career.

There is truth in this. He will get better with time, training camp, and preseason. That said, so will the opponents he faces. Worse, they won’t be functioning off of 4 practices together and playing pro/am basketball with relatively young and inexperienced coaches.

I get that he's not doing exactly what you want him to, but its a process. He's known his teammates for less than a month. They likely have the most rudimentary of offensive and defensives systems in place. He's not going to be able to do/show everything immediately.

It looks to me like they're focusing on certain areas right now and will add more as he's ready. You can't just overwhelm him with everything and expect him to look like a 20 MPG NBA player after 2 glorified scrimmages.

And as easy as it is to dismiss the lack of competition, its still a step up from what he's used to. Just making a Summer League team puts you ahead of 90% of college players. Most of these guys were stars on their college team - even if they aren't NBA caliber.

[Klomp]

Fair. But it’s also fair to point out Summer League has weaker opponents and less team structure to the defense. If RD is struggling at this level to get to the basket and either pass out or finish, I don’t know how much easier he will find it when he is playing against a team of NBA players from the first and second line.

I don't consider 13 assists and 2 turnovers struggling, but maybe that's just me.....

This is the SL trap. You look at the PPG or the stat line and say we’re good. You think Garza dropping 30 in the G means he can play C2 behind Rudy? SL is weaker than the G (by a fair amount,) and guys who are ready for big minutes should be a step above. That RD is 7/26 from the field and most of his makes are not near the basket is troubling. That he cannot seem to get into the defense and run the offense is troubling. He is great in transition, and have seen him exploit the matchup against bigs. But he needs to be able to do more than just pass to someone else and wait for a catch and shoot if the ball finds him again. At least if you want him as PG2 in October.

Not at all. I don't care about his shooting numbers at all in fact. He's 19 years old. He will not be asked to carry the whole offensive load, whether scoring or getting into the lane and facilitating. In Mike Conley's time in Minnesota, only 8% of his FGs have come at the rim. Is that troubling to you? No, because that's not what our PGs are required to do.

[DaMplsKid]

Open this thread to see if most are feeling like me right.

Man the scouting reports were dead on with Dilly. He is lost out there on defense and needs to add at least 20 pounds. The height doesn't bother me as must as the shorter arms do. I hope he wants to be great and will listen to the coaching staff/trainers. I hope he has that dog in him that drives him to get better. Right now he is all flash. He needs to work on all the things that make you great.

Lucky for us I still believe Mike Conely will be able to help him and he is young so putting on muscle should be easy. I just hope he wants to be more then a flashy player.

[frankenwolf]

What I'm seeing is a 19 year old learning the hardest NBA job. Not being around practices, but I would think the staff is saying to concentrate on the PG, we know the shooting will come around. I don't expect him to be a Chris Paul his first season, but I know he will get better with MC in his ear and the team keeping him accountable.

[thinktank]

Open this thread to see if most are feeling like me right.

Man the scouting reports were dead on with Dilly. He is lost out there on defense and needs to add at least 20 pounds. The height doesn't bother me as must as the shorter arms do. I hope he wants to be great and will listen to the coaching staff/trainers. I hope he has that dog in him that drives him to get better. Right now he is all flash. He needs to work on all the things that make you great.

Lucky for us I still believe Mike Conely will be able to help him and he is young so putting on muscle should be easy. I just hope he wants to be more then a flashy player.

If he was all flash he wouldn’t have a 6 to 1 assist to turnover ratio.

That is what we call MEAT.

EDIT:

Seems like the haters want it both ways:

-It’s summer league. He should be dominating these guys. It’s over for Dilly.

And…

-It’s summer league. 6 to 1 assist to turnover ratio means nothing! It’s over for Dilly.

[Slim Tubby]

Open this thread to see if most are feeling like me right.

Man the scouting reports were dead on with Dilly. He is lost out there on defense and needs to add at least 20 pounds. The height doesn't bother me as must as the shorter arms do. I hope he wants to be great and will listen to the coaching staff/trainers. I hope he has that dog in him that drives him to get better. Right now he is all flash. He needs to work on all the things that make you great.

Lucky for us I still believe Mike Conely will be able to help him and he is young so putting on muscle should be easy. I just hope he wants to be more then a flashy player.

If he was all flash he wouldn’t have a 6 to 1 assist to turnover ratio.

That is what we call MEAT.

EDIT:

Seems like the haters want it both ways:

-It’s summer league. He should be dominating these guys. It’s over for Dilly.

And…

-It’s summer league. 6 to 1 assist to turnover ratio means nothing! It’s over for Dilly.

Bingo.

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[A1FromDay1]

winforlose didnt like the pick from the start so i expect this to go on for a while.

We all have different views on basketball but i'm happy with the view our front office and coaches have, it got us to the WCF. I'm sure they've done their homework pre-draft and based on what i'm seeing from Rob, I trust him to adjust to the NBA , even with his small size.

Time always tells, but we gotta kill some time til October