The somethingly something Mike Miller thread

[fishercob]

I love the guy -- at least I want to. I thought he was a much better fit at SF for this team than Butler, and perhaps he is with a reasonable amount of talent around (moot point at this stage).

But I have serious concerns about re-signing this cat given his unwillingness to shoot the rock. What good is his great three point percentage if he wont get shots up? He's going to have to take some tougher shots and risk that efficiency. All the warnings we got from the Minny fans about him being unselfish truly to a fault are absolutely true.

Since the break and the roster gutting, he's taken 8,6, 4, 7, 6, 10, 8 and 3 shots in eight games. Six and a half bloody shots a game! He needs to be taking double that at least IMO, and his season high is 12.

I just don't know that I see the use in re-signing a thirty year old glue guy who won't shoot when his body is already throwing up major red flags that it's breaking down. If he's not willing to at least try to be a secondary scorer and creator, there's really no sense in giving him more than a few million bucks -- and if he;s going to sign for that little it will be with a better team. Fine by me, but a shame because I like the guy.

Hi Donkey.

[Ruzious]

I think the durability issues with Miller and Howard make it hard to justify giving either one of them an offer that would make either happy. Too bad there aren't incentive-laden contracts in the NBA.

[queridiculo]

Really not much to add here, the only thing that comes to mind is WTF??

[TheSecretWeapon]

I like Miller too, and agree with fisher's analysis.

The following rant was precipitated by the "unselfish to a fault" line, but is not directed at fishercob.

How exactly did it come to be accepted that shooting = selfish, and passing = unselfish? It's simply not true.

Gilbert Arenas, for example, was NOT being selfish when he was the Wizards' alpha offensive player. He was scoring efficiently, creating offense, drawing fouls, making life on offense easier on his teammates. He was doing his job. In contrast, Arenas WAS being selfish early this season when he refused to pass the ball unless there was a chance he could get an assist for it.

Mike Miller passing on decent, but not wide-open, looks may actually be selfish. At minimum, his failure to pull the trigger hurts the team's offense because when he gives up the ball, someone else usually ends up having to create a shot. If he's doing it to protect his gaudy shooting percentage, his action is selfish.

[/rant]

[fishercob]

Point taken, and I was sort of intimating that about Miller. No idea if he's the "ego-statistical" type or not, but if he's passing up moderately contested shots because he's worried about his precious shooting percentage, then that's decidedly selfish.

Gil's offensive efficiency was not selfish. His refusal to play defense was/is.

[MJG]

I can't remember ever saying this about someone who's so pass-happy, but I actually think it'd be grating to play with him right now. I mean, when the best shooter on the team passes on a good look for force you into a tougher look, game in game out, that's got to get real old real fast.

It's amazing how quickly this act of his has gone from endearing to aggravating. I have no interest in bringing him back, short of maybe a cheapo one year deal. I say let him go to a championship contender where his unique mentality will actually be an asset rather than a burden.

[montestewart]

We should watch Miller next few games and see if a clear trend is shown. He doesn't strike me as the type that would pass just to protect stats, but I wonder if, despite the accuracy of his shots, he's more thrown off by shooting with tight coverage or in traffic. Some players have a good stroke even with people all over them, others don't. I'm going to watch and see if his shooting % drops dramatically when he's not wide open. Or maybe someone's already done that?

[closg00]

I agree with Fish and will just add that we do have a coach, a coach that will yank young players for supposed non-performance. Flip could at any time yank MM or sit him should he put up another 3 or 4 attempt night....that's not going to happen.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

This franchise is cursed....


Caron quit Mt. Dew and then he couldnt play

Miller cut his hair and now he cant play

Gilbert quit bringing guns to the locker and they kicked him out. I mean c'mon!



Yes Miller needs to shoot more

Hello Fish!

[fishercob]

Hello Fish!

Don't patronize me.

[mohammed10]

Hello Fish!

Don't patronize me.

[miller31time]

I have a hard time believing Miller is passing up shots to protect his fg%. From everything I've seen out of him (on-court and off), he seems like a class-act who is team-first to a fault.

And I totally agree with fish - there's no sense in keeping a glue guy on a 20-30-win team unless he is re-signed at a huge discount (I'm talking 3 or 4 million per season). Also, nothing long term.

[Wizards2Lottery]

He has been a turnover machine since the trade deadline.

[montestewart]

He has been a turnover machine since the trade deadline.

Really, he's had a lot of turnovers since he came back from injury. I looked at his game log; other than that 8 turnover game in Toronto, he has about the same rate before and after the trade deadline. Sometimes, he looks just a little out of control, and I've noticed he cuts too sharp and (literally) falls down a bit or otherwise over-penetrates into turnovers.

Regardless, I admire his attitude and effort, and he is a good shooter, passer, and rebounder. He's probably not right for the rebuilding Wizards, but I hope he ends up with a team that needs someone like him (maybe Utah, San Antonio, Phoenix, or even a return to Memphis) and gets him a ride in the playoffs.

[BanndNDC]

I'm still in the glad we have someone who freakin passes camp. Considering that until recently we had a lineup that consisted of the likes of mike james, nick young, caron butler, antawn jamison and etan thomas i will never complain about somebody overpassing.

this season (like last season - who's in charge of mustering the pitchforks and torches btw?) is a lost season it's about getting in better habits (and pumping up the trade value of people like corky young - though i feel bad for comparing chris burke to nick because clearly chris burke has a higher basketball iq) and passing is contagious.

that being said, id like to state that i appreciate miller's willingness to pass and while i would never ask him not to pass i would ask him to shootwhen he's open because his non-passing skills are also appreciated. furthermore, i think you're right that his "over" passing does bring down the salary number id be willing to pay (for an extension). making the extra pass becomes less effective if the threat of shooting is not there. balance (the threat of actually shooting) is what makes the pass effective and his hesitation to shoot (which is probably injury based) lessens the utility of his passing.

[fishercob]

Um, yuck. 5 points on 8 shots in 39 minutes.

[closg00]

Mike Miller, the new DeShawn Stevens.

[DaRealHibachi]

Mike Miller, the new DeShawn Stevens.

Atleast DS had swagger and played D...

[WizarDynasty]

First off miller has poor body control. Whenever he has to shift his body just a lil bit his shooting percentage drops tremendously. Miller is horrible shooting off the dribble and he has poor handles and can't change direction well while dribbling. The
only time he is effective is standing still in a catch and shoot.
He often misses with a hand in his face even if he is perfectly still so rather than clank it he will pass to artificially in flate his value even if the guy he is passing to doesn't have an offensive advantage when he delivers the ball.
His passing is an attempt to cover his lack of body control while dribbling.
Yes he is better than caron especially on defense because he has the right length to challenge threes he 6'9 without shoes while butler was 6'5.
So curse with miller is he doesn't have a quick step, has poor body control attacking the basket, doesn't have a post game against undersized guards and he shoots a low percentage shooting off the dribble. And he has poor acrobatic ability when driving to the basket.
Caron had almost all the same faults except he was 3 inches shorter so he had to play his man tighter against the three ball allowing his man to drive by him. Miller doesn't have to work as hard because he is three inches taller. Other than pretty much same problems..poor acrobatic ability on the drive, both had slow first steps, both can't post up and shoot over people in the post.

[GhostsOfGil]

a true pg would help too.. he was much better when he played next to gilbert