GT: Summer League Game # 4 - Warriors (2-1) vs Raptors (3-0) @ 10pm Tonight - SN

[manjusaka]

I hope we let CMB have similar or more usage next game as well. Maybe use him as a screen hub offensive engine.

I don’t think Shead and Martin are capable of running a good offence. They’re just too much of a non threat offensively to create any advantages.

Pretty disappointed in Shead this SL.

Understanding that I've primarily been watching highlight videos and not full games, every time I see clips of Shead, they're solid PnRs and transition passing. Is it mostly his scoring threat which concerns you?

Defensively he’s solid as it should be. Although not spectacular, he is still the best playmaker/prime ball-handler on the summer league squad.

There are some plays when the opponent was pressing. Shead tries to bring up and speed the tempo a bit, he just run into the trap, or go coast to coast going for layups by himself with 2 or 3 defenders around him.

[tsherkin]

It’s mainly everything offensively, including his passing. He makes very basic reads which isn’t an issue but it becomes one when you’re basically a non threat at the rim, mid range and 3.

Is that projecting as a major issue for a guy we're hoping to use as a bench-minutes soaker, though?

Defensively he’s solid as it should be. Although not spectacular, he is still the best playmaker/prime ball-handler on the summer league squad.

There are some plays when the opponent was pressing. Shead tries to bring up and speed the tempo a bit, he just run into the trap, or go coast to coast going for layups by himself with 2 or 3 defenders around him.

Good to note, thanks.

[HumbleRen]

It’s mainly everything offensively, including his passing. He makes very basic reads which isn’t an issue but it becomes one when you’re basically a non threat at the rim, mid range and 3.

Is that projecting as a major issue for a guy we're hoping to use as a bench-minutes soaker, though?

Defensively he’s solid as it should be. Although not spectacular, he is still the best playmaker/prime ball-handler on the summer league squad.

There are some plays when the opponent was pressing. Shead tries to bring up and speed the tempo a bit, he just run into the trap, or go coast to coast going for layups by himself with 2 or 3 defenders around him.

Good to note, thanks.

I think it’s a genuine concern but not a major problem yet. It’s why I think Darko is instilling this balls to the wall defence with our bench guys. Generate as much turnovers as possible to fuel this very limited bench on offence.

He’s currently 3/15 from the 3. 10/26 from inside the 3 point line.

He’s an amazing leader though, you can tell by watching the games that the some of the guys look to him to set the tempo.

[StopitLeo]

You can really see some nice chemistry on the team,

Shead and CMB certainly knew how to connect. Their dynamic looked good, although I must admit, I only saw the highlight reel. Was it the same in full, live flow?

I would say so. They did a good job of keeping the ball moving and keeping themselves moving. Several instances of the correct read but a poorly executed pass or poor catch.

Some really nice plays though. One standout that I'm sure you saw in the highlights was the give and go with Martin and Chomche in Q1. Martin got caught having picked up his dribble on the right side of the court and was looking for help. Hepburn came over the top and was open but Martin seemed to glance right and notice that everyone was spread out so he skipped the pass to Chomche (who was above the 3pt line) and immediately cut to the rim. Chomche clearly saw the play developing because right away he made a wicked bounce pass into the lane and Martin made a tough off-hand finish. Not sure which was more impressive, Martin reading that the lane was going to be open or Chomche making that pass.

I've also been impressed with CMB's smarts. There was this one situation he handled that goes wrong all the time. There was a guard up top with the ball and CMB was to his right on the 3pt line looking for a pass to his left hand like setting up for a DHO. You often see big guys just stand there reaching out trying to hold their position, keeping their right foot planted so they can seal their defender for a DHO, but the defender can still go around and breakup/steal the pass.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure the guard picked up his dribble, which creates a problem because now they can't create an angle to pass it further toward half-court away from the guy defending the big. So CMB's standing there with his left hand up and he just casually throws his right hand out like you do when you're crossing someone up. The defender bites taking a step towards the rim and the guard makes an easy pass to CMB.

Like someone else has said, CMB isn't slow so much as patient. And you can only be patient if you can read the game fast.

[RaptorLakerJay]

I hope we let CMB have similar or more usage next game as well. Maybe use him as a screen hub offensive engine.

I don’t think Shead and Martin are capable of running a good offence. They’re just too much of a non threat offensively to create any advantages.

Pretty disappointed in Shead this SL.

He was a second round, if he ultimately becomes a backup pg is still a win. His shooting development looks stalled, it is concerning. His ability to shoot is going to determine his ultimate ceiling.

Agreed. His shooting will determine if he’s a legit back up PG or just a 3rd string PG.

Or he could be like TJ McConnell who doesn't really shoot the 3 at all, but he's just insane in the paint.

[HumbleRen]

He was a second round, if he ultimately becomes a backup pg is still a win. His shooting development looks stalled, it is concerning. His ability to shoot is going to determine his ultimate ceiling.

Agreed. His shooting will determine if he’s a legit back up PG or just a 3rd string PG.

Or he could be like TJ McConnell who doesn't really shoot the 3 at all, but he's just insane in the paint.

TJ is such an anomaly, I don’t think he’s a fair example. He’s like one of the best pull up shooters in the league inside the FT line area over the last 5-6 years or so.

I think the hope for Shead is that he becomes a 3&D PG. I don’t think you necessarily want him running the show with the bench line ups. Just defend, pass and make your open 3’s.

[TheDunc]

Shead is an nba backup pg without a doubt, if he ever learns to be consistent from 3 then hes your starting guard but thats still up in the air at this point.

I feel like if Gradey doesnt become a knockdown sharpshooter this year and improve his defense then he'll be traded before the deadline to make room for Battle. Im not giving up on Dick but Battle is knocking on the door. His d is already better then Dick and hes the better shooter.

[manjusaka]

You can really see some nice chemistry on the team,

Shead and CMB certainly knew how to connect. Their dynamic looked good, although I must admit, I only saw the highlight reel. Was it the same in full, live flow?

I would say so. They did a good job of keeping the ball moving and keeping themselves moving. Several instances of the correct read but a poorly executed pass or poor catch.

Some really nice plays though. One standout that I'm sure you saw in the highlights was the give and go with Martin and Chomche in Q1. Martin got caught having picked up his dribble on the right side of the court and was looking for help. Hepburn came over the top and was open but Martin seemed to glance right and notice that everyone was spread out so he skipped the pass to Chomche (who was above the 3pt line) and immediately cut to the rim. Chomche clearly saw the play developing because right away he made a wicked bounce pass into the lane and Martin made a tough off-hand finish. Not sure which was more impressive, Martin reading that the lane was going to be open or Chomche making that pass.

Watch on YouTube

at 1:30

Chomche continues to impress in this game, his defence instincts and positioning had an impact. Offensively he’s solid had some good rolls but not able to finish it. He is still working on touches around the basket as he mentioned in the interview. Teammates have the confidence to feed him in the post is telling. Remember last year he was pretty much got ignored. The improvement he made is really something. There is hope someday he can be the starting 5 alongside with SB and CMB.

[manjusaka]

Shead is an nba backup pg without a doubt, if he ever learns to be consistent from 3 then hes your starting guard but thats still up in the air at this point.

I feel like if Gradey doesnt become a knockdown sharpshooter this year and improve his defense then he'll be traded before the deadline to make room for Battle. Im not giving up on Dick but Battle is knocking on the door. His d is already better then Dick and hes the better shooter.

Battle peaked as a solid rotational player IMO. Gradey still has rooms to improve. So does Walter. I am hoping everything goes right that both of them can hit their ultimate ceiling.

[ConSarnit]

Shead is an nba backup pg without a doubt, if he ever learns to be consistent from 3 then hes your starting guard but thats still up in the air at this point.

I feel like if Gradey doesnt become a knockdown sharpshooter this year and improve his defense then he'll be traded before the deadline to make room for Battle. Im not giving up on Dick but Battle is knocking on the door. His d is already better then Dick and hes the better shooter.

I don’t see it (yet). If he can’t shoot it’s tough to see how he’s a rotation player. You don’t really want him running the offense and his scoring game is extremely lacking. He’s got FVV-itis inside of the 3pt line when it comes to scoring. no3 + D point guard isn’t really an NBA rotation player.

Shead is one of our biggest question marks. If he can’t shoot he’s not a top 45 pg and if he’s not top 45 he’s then he’s almost assuredly not a rotation level player. Defense is not enough for what he’ll take off the table offensively if he can’t shoot.

[ConSarnit]

Shead is an nba backup pg without a doubt, if he ever learns to be consistent from 3 then hes your starting guard but thats still up in the air at this point.

I feel like if Gradey doesnt become a knockdown sharpshooter this year and improve his defense then he'll be traded before the deadline to make room for Battle. Im not giving up on Dick but Battle is knocking on the door. His d is already better then Dick and hes the better shooter.

Battle peaked as a solid rotational player IMO. Gradey still has rooms to improve. So does Walter. I am hoping everything goes right that both of them can hit their ultimate ceiling.

I would guess Battle starts the season as our 11th man. The young guys will get opportunity over him but he’s there if we need him. It might not be fair to Battle but we’re generally more invested in Dick and Walter (for the time being).

Battle still feels like an end of rotation guy to me. 10th or 11th man. For his salary and production we can’t really complain at all. It’s tough to ever see him cracking the top 8 imo. Hit open 3’s and don’t be a defensive liability (relative to bench players). That’s extremely solid value for someone on a min contract.

[tsherkin]

I think it’s a genuine concern but not a major problem yet. It’s why I think Darko is instilling this balls to the wall defence with our bench guys. Generate as much turnovers as possible to fuel this very limited bench on offence.

Makes some sense.

He’s currently 3/15 from the 3. 10/26 from inside the 3 point line.

4 games, right? I don't think him shooting 20% is representative from 3, especially since he shot over 32% for us this past season. But he certainly isn't strong from there, and has a lot of development to do. He was above average from the corner for us and he's like a 77% FT shooter... but that 3P% does match his last 3 seasons in college. We'll have to see what a larger sample shows us.

Naturally, I don't expect him to be an elite scoring threat. He's small and he doesn't have elite athleticism, so he was always going to need his 3pt shot to click to be any kind of meaningful scorer. If he doesn't develop there, it limits his utility and we'll have to learn on other guys. He'll be competing maybe with Martin, I guess? But if he can smash even +/- 1% of league average from 3, I feel like that's sufficient for a small bench guy, no?

He’s an amazing leader though, you can tell by watching the games that the some of the guys look to him to set the tempo.

Yeah, that just reinforces what I wrote above. It sounds like he's a good glue guy to have around, even if we don't play him loads of minutes. We can run the ball to Scottie and BI and Quick, and get playmaking after the catch from RJ and stuff to help distribute the offense. So if Shead is a problem in any given game, we can look elsewhere, but he seems like a solid piece to at least have as an option.

[tsherkin]

I would say so. They did a good job of keeping the ball moving and keeping themselves moving. Several instances of the correct read but a poorly executed pass or poor catch.

Encouraging to read.

Like someone else has said, CMB isn't slow so much as patient.

Twas me! xD

And you can only be patient if you can read the game fast.

Yeah. It's one of the things which is making me considerably more encouraged by the pick than I was around draft time.

[StopitLeo]

Shead is an nba backup pg without a doubt, if he ever learns to be consistent from 3 then hes your starting guard but thats still up in the air at this point.

I feel like if Gradey doesnt become a knockdown sharpshooter this year and improve his defense then he'll be traded before the deadline to make room for Battle. Im not giving up on Dick but Battle is knocking on the door. His d is already better then Dick and hes the better shooter.

I don’t see it (yet). If he can’t shoot it’s tough to see how he’s a rotation player. You don’t really want him running the offense and his scoring game is extremely lacking. He’s got FVV-itis inside of the 3pt line when it comes to scoring. no3 + D point guard isn’t really an NBA rotation player.

Shead is one of our biggest question marks. If he can’t shoot he’s not a top 45 pg and if he’s not top 45 he’s then he’s almost assuredly not a rotation level player. Defense is not enough for what he’ll take off the table offensively if he can’t shoot.

Shead definitely needs to improve his 3pt shooting as that will be a major determinant in the type of role he can plan in the NBA. In terms of his scoring, I think the FVV reference is poor because Fred never showed an in-between game. Shead has at least shown the ability to shoot floaters and he is a better finisher at the rim than Fred.

As a backup PG I think the distance shooting is less of a factor because he's going to be initiating the offense. Compare that to IQ who will need to bury open 3s created by Ingram and Barnes.

[Yeezus_]

I dont see Shead as a guaranteed backup in this league yet. He needs to be more consistent offensively as a playmaker. He’s not really a threat shooting the ball and he’s not the greatest at finishing either.

He’ll definitely get better, hopefully well enough to get minutes.

[Psubs]

I dont see Shead as a guaranteed backup in this league yet. He needs to be more consistent offensively as a playmaker. He’s not really a threat shooting the ball and he’s not the greatest at finishing either.

He’ll definitely get better, hopefully well enough to get minutes.

He's already a capable fill-in spot starter. If you're talking championship contender backup, then maybe not quite yet.

Summer league's insanity seemed like it was mandated to push break-neck speed, so real NBA games would feel slower. He already plays decent coming in as a backup in regular season games.

[ConSarnit]

Shead is an nba backup pg without a doubt, if he ever learns to be consistent from 3 then hes your starting guard but thats still up in the air at this point.

I feel like if Gradey doesnt become a knockdown sharpshooter this year and improve his defense then he'll be traded before the deadline to make room for Battle. Im not giving up on Dick but Battle is knocking on the door. His d is already better then Dick and hes the better shooter.

I don’t see it (yet). If he can’t shoot it’s tough to see how he’s a rotation player. You don’t really want him running the offense and his scoring game is extremely lacking. He’s got FVV-itis inside of the 3pt line when it comes to scoring. no3 + D point guard isn’t really an NBA rotation player.

Shead is one of our biggest question marks. If he can’t shoot he’s not a top 45 pg and if he’s not top 45 he’s then he’s almost assuredly not a rotation level player. Defense is not enough for what he’ll take off the table offensively if he can’t shoot.

Shead definitely needs to improve his 3pt shooting as that will be a major determinant in the type of role he can plan in the NBA. In terms of his scoring, I think the FVV reference is poor because Fred never showed an in-between game. Shead has at least shown the ability to shoot floaters and he is a better finisher at the rim than Fred.

As a backup PG I think the distance shooting is less of a factor because he's going to be initiating the offense. Compare that to IQ who will need to bury open 3s created by Ingram and Barnes.

Agreed that he’s better than Fred but that bar is incredibly low (FVV is one of the worst scorers inside the 3pt line in the league). Saying that Shead’s shooting is less of a concern because he’ll be running the offense doesn’t exactly ease my concerns as I don’t think offense run by Shead will be good.

Obviously I’m willing to give him time but I can see a world where he’s not playing up to par this year as our backup PG and we don’t really have any other options. None of the other bench guard options are all that capable of being a lead ball handler. Shead is the best playmaker (for others) out of a bunch of sub-par options imo. And if it’s going to be a ball movement system then his lack of shooting isn’t a good fit.

I don’t see Shead as some McConnell type pg whose playmaking/tempo compensates for his lack of offense, at least not yet.

[manjusaka]

Shead is an nba backup pg without a doubt, if he ever learns to be consistent from 3 then hes your starting guard but thats still up in the air at this point.

I feel like if Gradey doesnt become a knockdown sharpshooter this year and improve his defense then he'll be traded before the deadline to make room for Battle. Im not giving up on Dick but Battle is knocking on the door. His d is already better then Dick and hes the better shooter.

I don’t see it (yet). If he can’t shoot it’s tough to see how he’s a rotation player. You don’t really want him running the offense and his scoring game is extremely lacking. He’s got FVV-itis inside of the 3pt line when it comes to scoring. no3 + D point guard isn’t really an NBA rotation player.

Shead is one of our biggest question marks. If he can’t shoot he’s not a top 45 pg and if he’s not top 45 he’s then he’s almost assuredly not a rotation level player. Defense is not enough for what he’ll take off the table offensively if he can’t shoot.

Shead definitely needs to improve his 3pt shooting as that will be a major determinant in the type of role he can plan in the NBA. In terms of his scoring, I think the FVV reference is poor because Fred never showed an in-between game. Shead has at least shown the ability to shoot floaters and he is a better finisher at the rim than Fred.

As a backup PG I think the distance shooting is less of a factor because he's going to be initiating the offense. Compare that to IQ who will need to bury open 3s created by Ingram and Barnes.

Shead has all the tools to become a player similar to FVV, a solid starting pg when not over his head. What he is missing badly is shooting.

[ConSarnit]

I dont see Shead as a guaranteed backup in this league yet. He needs to be more consistent offensively as a playmaker. He’s not really a threat shooting the ball and he’s not the greatest at finishing either.

He’ll definitely get better, hopefully well enough to get minutes.

He's already a capable fill-in spot starter. If you're talking championship contender backup, then maybe not quite yet.

Summer league's insanity seemed like it was mandated to push break-neck speed, so real NBA games would feel slower. He already plays decent coming in as a backup in regular season games.

He was? All of his offensive numbers were bad.

Ortg: 105
Net rating: -8
TS: 50%
TOV%: 18
OBPM: -3.2
Pnr ball handler: .75ppp (26th percentile)

All of the numbers show he was really bad on offense last year. The offense sucked when he was on the floor and his own individual offense sucked too.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Shead's been solid at everything. I don't know what that looks like in the NBA, but this team's ballhandling is so awful that sometimes Shead looks like Kyrie by comparison. I give him a lot of credit for doing mostly positive things in Vegas.

Walter, Martin and Hepburn just get in so much trouble when they put the ball on the floor. Martin is struggling to change direction in the open court. This would, of course, be fine on a pro team with a lot of premium ballhandlers but the big club doesn't have those, either. Walter, at least, we know he can go off from 3 and his length on D gives him more positions he can guard. He was playing with a lot of passion last night in the second half. It's not lost on me the value of someone who just loves the game so much they pop even when their scoring game is way off. I'll say this about Martin, too, but when you can match professionalism with passion in a player you tend to have great team chemistry.