Josh Giddey - Conundrum Killer

[Ice Man]

I know how Caruso can impact winning. The jury is still out on Giddey.

That's the nature of the beast. When teams trade a 30 year old for a 22 year old, the first guy is a current winner and the second guy is a current loser. If the 30 year old weren't a winner, he would have no trade value and if the 22 year old was already a winner, the team that had him would not trade him.

I mean, what 22 year old guard is winning games now? OK, to answer my own question Ausar Thompson ranks #63 on EPM (that's just one stat, but we gotta pick something) and Dyson Daniels ranks #100. Those are the only 2 guards in the Top 100 on that list who are 22 years or younger (they are both 22). So, it's not a common thing.

In 5 years, several of the young PGs who are currently losing players will become winners. I dunno if we have one of those, but we might. That's about as good as it gets for a trade like this.

[WindyCityBorn]

I know how Caruso can impact winning. The jury is still out on Giddey.

That's the nature of the beast. When teams trade a 30 year old for a 22 year old, the first guy is a current winner and the second guy is a current loser. If the 30 year old weren't a winner, he would have no trade value and if the 22 year old was already a winner, the team that had him would not trade him.

I mean, what 22 year old guard is winning games now? OK, to answer my own question Ausar Thompson ranks #63 on EPM (that's just one stat, but we gotta pick something) and Dyson Daniels ranks #100. Those are the only 2 guards in the Top 100 on that list who are 22 years or younger (they are both 22). So, it's not a common thing.

In 5 years, several of the young PGs who are currently losing players will become winners. I dunno if we have one of those, but we might. That's about as good as it gets for a trade like this.

Looks like we have one.

[Jcool0]

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[SHO'NUFF]

He should be better. He’s already half way to 44.

[Jcool0]

Is Giddey our best 3PT shooter?

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[Chi town]

It's been more than 3 games.

Strat, I’m interested. Did you hoop back in the day?

If so, what was your game like?

Always interested in your takes. You’re a hoops purist. I respect it.

Somewhere between what jcool responded with and what Homosapien responded with.

Oh what the hell. Let's tell a story:

Once upon a time, when I started my Junior year in high school I was 15, 5'6", 115', slow and attended one of the best non-chicago basketball high schools in the state.

By the end of my Senior year I was 17, 6'4", 135' and still slow. I was rolling in gym class enough that Dolph Stanley (the head basketball coach; if you haven't heard of him Google him) asked me why I never went out for the basketball team. I told him I did but he cut me twice.

It took me until my mid-twenties to fill out to the svelte 6'3.5" (I've started shrinking), 185' playing weight I have maintained since.

Played a lot of playground basketball against high school varsity players in this area and against college players in Memphis. Some of those Memphis guys were amazing.

I was a good ball-handler and passer by the playground standards of the day and had a decent outside shot. That came from my 5'6" days.

I became a good inside defender against guys a lot heavier than me in Memphis. I also limped into my apartment and collapsed with bruised ribs, arms and once almost got my jaw knocked off guarding a guy my height but 35 pounds heavier.

So the TLDR summary. "Didn't play any consequential hoops"

Love to hear it! Thanks for the story. That’s what I was hoping for.

I was small and skinny like you. Grew quick when I finally did and then was lanky. Did everything to gain weight and couldn’t. Grew into my body freshman year in college and could dunk with two hands. Was glorious considering I was always the shortest kid on the team.

I’m 43 now and run 3xs a week and hoop with my sons at the rec two times per week just to keep the Dad bod away.

How have you stayed in shape at your age? Not being able to outwork the diet sucks. I’m living it.

[Chi town]

I know how Caruso can impact winning. The jury is still out on Giddey.

That's the nature of the beast. When teams trade a 30 year old for a 22 year old, the first guy is a current winner and the second guy is a current loser. If the 30 year old weren't a winner, he would have no trade value and if the 22 year old was already a winner, the team that had him would not trade him.

I mean, what 22 year old guard is winning games now? OK, to answer my own question Ausar Thompson ranks #63 on EPM (that's just one stat, but we gotta pick something) and Dyson Daniels ranks #100. Those are the only 2 guards in the Top 100 on that list who are 22 years or younger (they are both 22). So, it's not a common thing.

In 5 years, several of the young PGs who are currently losing players will become winners. I dunno if we have one of those, but we might. That's about as good as it gets for a trade like this.

Exceptional post!

[Stratmaster]

Strat, I’m interested. Did you hoop back in the day?

If so, what was your game like?

Always interested in your takes. You’re a hoops purist. I respect it.

Somewhere between what jcool responded with and what Homosapien responded with.

Oh what the hell. Let's tell a story:

Once upon a time, when I started my Junior year in high school I was 15, 5'6", 115', slow and attended one of the best non-chicago basketball high schools in the state.

By the end of my Senior year I was 17, 6'4", 135' and still slow. I was rolling in gym class enough that Dolph Stanley (the head basketball coach; if you haven't heard of him Google him) asked me why I never went out for the basketball team. I told him I did but he cut me twice.

It took me until my mid-twenties to fill out to the svelte 6'3.5" (I've started shrinking), 185' playing weight I have maintained since.

Played a lot of playground basketball against high school varsity players in this area and against college players in Memphis. Some of those Memphis guys were amazing.

I was a good ball-handler and passer by the playground standards of the day and had a decent outside shot. That came from my 5'6" days.

I became a good inside defender against guys a lot heavier than me in Memphis. I also limped into my apartment and collapsed with bruised ribs, arms and once almost got my jaw knocked off guarding a guy my height but 35 pounds heavier.

So the TLDR summary. "Didn't play any consequential hoops"

Love to hear it! Thanks for the story. That’s what I was hoping for.

I was small and skinny like you. Grew quick when I finally did and then was lanky. Did everything to gain weight and couldn’t. Grew into my body freshman year in college and could dunk with two hands. Was glorious considering I was always the shortest kid on the team.

I’m 43 now and run 3xs a week and hoop with my sons at the rec two times per week just to keep the Dad bod away.

How have you stayed in shape at your age? Not being able to outwork the diet sucks. I’m living it.

I just turned 65. I attribute the good shape to being, of all things, a seedy rock musician. Seriously, hauling gear a couple times a week and being on my feet for 5 to 6 hours at a time... and running around on stage like a silly 21 year old keeps me young.

https://www.facebook.com/share/16GEemzMGF/

I retired my playground basketball shoes at about 35. Just because life, work, wife, kids and bands took up all my time. I helped coach my son's basketball team for a couple years after that. Keep playing ball with your sons. You will always remember it

[Chi town]

Can’t wait to see how Giddey plays and adjusts as teams key on him, blitz him in PNR, and stay with him at the 3pt line. His elite IQ and competition edge will be fun to see how he responds.

DET ate him alive with their physical D in the first game. He played better 2nd game.

So the Clips showed us tight D on Giddey, ball denial, and someone one him at the 3pt line the whole game.

You could see Giddey probing and figuring out what he was going to do. The answer was mostly pass for buckets. 3rd Q he got some 3s and made them all.

Very few teams will have the aggressive defenders to stay all over him all game. He will get 3s but I don’t know if you he will get 5 per game if defended like he was tonight where they want the ball out of his hands.

He should have gotten more FTs. Screwed out of a couple calls.

[step]

Very few teams will have the aggressive defenders to stay all over him all game. He will get 3s but I don’t know if you he will get 5 per game if defended like he was tonight where they want the ball out of his hands.

Well come playoff time, there will be an even greater attention and detailed gameplan. And we saw how well he did last year...

That being said, I don't expect him to be as horrible as he was then (18%) and there's been obvious improvements since then.
And not that we are in any danger of making the playoffs (properly) any time soon (play in aside).

[jnrjr79]

I just turned 65. I attribute the good shape to being, of all things, a seedy rock musician. Seriously, hauling gear a couple times a week and being on my feet for 5 to 6 hours at a time... and running around on stage like a silly 21 year old keeps me young.

Ha, I get this. I used to play in some little bar bands - sometimes cover bands, sometimes originals - here and there for some years, but definitely not in any band that would play multiple times a week. But for people that haven’t done that, I don’t think they realize how laborious it can be to schlep a big amp, 2-3 guitars, pedal board, etc. to the gig, then have to set them up, actually play the show, break them down after you play, schlep it all back home, and in my case, set all that stuff back up in the rehearsal space I used to have in my basement. I do miss playing with others - it’s totally different than just strumming along playing for your own amusement - but I do not miss all of the hauling!

[Chi town]

I just turned 65. I attribute the good shape to being, of all things, a seedy rock musician. Seriously, hauling gear a couple times a week and being on my feet for 5 to 6 hours at a time... and running around on stage like a silly 21 year old keeps me young.

Ha, I get this. I used to play in some little bar bands - sometimes cover bands, sometimes originals - here and there for some years, but definitely not in any band that would play multiple times a week. But for people that haven’t done that, I don’t think they realize how laborious it can be to schlep a big amp, 2-3 guitars, pedal board, etc. to the gig, then have to set them up, actually play the show, break them down after you play, schlep it all back home, and in my case, set all that stuff back up in the rehearsal space I used to have in my basement. I do miss playing with others - it’s totally different than just strumming along playing for your own amusement - but I do not miss all of the hauling!

Shlep. Such a great word and use of the word. Haven’t heard that one in a long time.

[ConstableChaos]

if the thunder had this giddey coming off the bench instead of caruso, theyd be even shorter favourites for the chip

[Chi town]

Keep playing ball with your sons. You will always remember it

We play every sat am and Tues night. I keep getting worse and they keep getting better my Soph son is growing like crazy and adding muscle 5’10 now and get can get rim with both hands. Not bad with my whiteboy genes. Our dream is for me to throw him an oop in one of the rec runs. Hes squatting and doing plyos. Hes thinks its coming his junior year. He may be right. We shall see.

It is pretty fun when we go on a run together and win 4-5 games in a row and we hit some game winners. I’m having the time of my life playing with them. It’s more fun that when I played in HS and won two state titles. Never thought anything could eclipse that in my limited playing days.

[Stratmaster]

Keep playing ball with your sons. You will always remember it

We play every sat am and Tues night. I keep getting worse and they keep getting better my Soph son is growing like crazy and adding muscle 5’10 now and get can get rim with both hands. Not bad with my whiteboy genes. Our dream is for me to throw him an oop in one of the rec runs. Hes squatting and doing plyos. Hes thinks its coming his junior year. He may be right. We shall see.

It is pretty fun when we go on a run together and win 4-5 games in a row and we hit some game winners. I’m having the time of my life playing with them. It’s more fun that when I played in HS and won two state titles. Never thought anything could eclipse that in my limited playing days.

2 Illinois State titles? You had/have some skills then! I've been thinking about taking the game back up at 65 lol. Just starting with some shoot arounds... maybe some 21. And then see if I can get in good enough shape to play half court playground old man games lol

[dougthonus]

I just turned 65. I attribute the good shape to being, of all things, a seedy rock musician. Seriously, hauling gear a couple times a week and being on my feet for 5 to 6 hours at a time... and running around on stage like a silly 21 year old keeps me young.

Now I see why you want get your pizza. Just watching your figure.

[MalagaBulls]

Giddey since the All-Star break:

- 24.3 PPG
- 12.0 RPG
- 8.0 APG
- 1.5 SPG
- 1.3 BPG
- 58/78/9

Just sayin, I was wrong and he is making a case for a new contract (should be done properly after an RFA offer sheet).

[WindyCityBorn]

if the thunder had this giddey coming off the bench instead of caruso, theyd be even shorter favourites for the chip

Probably, but he told them straight he didn’t want to play off the bench so they probably wouldn’t get this version since he’d be disgruntled.

[WindyCityBorn]

Very few teams will have the aggressive defenders to stay all over him all game. He will get 3s but I don’t know if you he will get 5 per game if defended like he was tonight where they want the ball out of his hands.

Well come playoff time, there will be an even greater attention and detailed gameplan. And we saw how well he did last year...

That being said, I don't expect him to be as horrible as he was then (18%) and there's been obvious improvements since then.
And not that we are in any danger of making the playoffs (properly) any time soon (play in aside).

And ideally we’d have two top scorers ahead of him so teams would not be able to use that kind of pressure knowing he will find the open player.

[League Circles]

Keep playing ball with your sons. You will always remember it

We play every sat am and Tues night. I keep getting worse and they keep getting better my Soph son is growing like crazy and adding muscle 5’10 now and get can get rim with both hands. Not bad with my whiteboy genes. Our dream is for me to throw him an oop in one of the rec runs. Hes squatting and doing plyos. Hes thinks its coming his junior year. He may be right. We shall see.

It is pretty fun when we go on a run together and win 4-5 games in a row and we hit some game winners. I’m having the time of my life playing with them. It’s more fun that when I played in HS and won two state titles. Never thought anything could eclipse that in my limited playing days.

2 Illinois State titles? You had/have some skills then! I've been thinking about taking the game back up at 65 lol. Just starting with some shoot arounds... maybe some 21. And then see if I can get in good enough shape to play half court playground old man games lol

Lol, we should start a "RealGM Seniors" rec league team or scrimmage group. I played a lot for a long time but it's been a few years now.