Prospect Watch Thread

bluethunder0005 · Post #821 » by **bluethunder0005** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:42 pm

John Wall can't hit a shot to save his life, Rose was an awful shooter when he entered the league, Turner is a poor shot, Tyreke Evans is a bad shooter as well. Shooting is easy to fix it usually just requires a lot of practice. You can't fix unathletic or bad decision making. Burks has the size, ball handling ability, aggressiveness, and smarts. He lacks strength and shooting and that's really all I see. There aren't many polished players in this draft. Most rely on raw talent and potential and I think Burks is an easier fix than a Perry Jones, Brandon Knight, Walker, Jimmer, or basically anyone not named Irving, Kanter, Williams, and Barnes.

Krapinsky · Post #822 » by **Krapinsky** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:55 pm

bluethunder0005 wrote:John Wall can't hit a shot to save his life, Rose was an awful shooter when he entered the league, Turner is a poor shot, Tyreke Evans is a bad shooter as well. Shooting is easy to fix it usually just requires a lot of practice. You can't fix unathletic or bad decision making. Burks has the size, ball handling ability, aggressiveness, and smarts. He lacks strength and shooting and that's really all I see. There aren't many polished players in this draft. Most rely on raw talent and potential and I think Burks is an easier fix than a Perry Jones, Brandon Knight, Walker, Jimmer, or basically anyone not named Irving, Kanter, Williams, and Barnes.

Aside from Turner (who's struggling mightily) all those guys are physical specimens that can get by without a great jumper. Burks is far from it. He's listed at 195 and looks even less than that with a Coreyesque-narrow frame. I can't think of many wings under 200 lbs that succeed in the NBA and don't have a silky jumper or play stellar defense. He's also seems somewhat limited/disinterested playing off the ball.

So, although I think he has some nice tools and upside, I think he's going to be a project and isn't a player we should expect to plug in the rotation at SG right away if we're trying to win games next year. To make matters worse he's also a poor compliment to Rubio offensively and defensively.

bluethunder0005 · Post #823 » by **bluethunder0005** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 5:31 pm

Yeah I suppose you are right. I'm probably just reaching because I feel he's what this team needs. If he somehow were to last to the Memphis pick I'd be all over it.

Post #824 » by **Klomp** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:13 pm

I think he'll surprise a lot of people during workouts. He'd be a great wing complement for Wes. I love how he drives the ball and gets to the FT line. 14 times he went to the FT line 10+ times. 2 games with at least 15 FTAs, and one 20 FT game. He's 83% from there too.

I'm sick of seeing our best wing barely ever get to the line. In 27 more games this season, Beasley's had 11 fewer games than Burks with 10+ FTAs. He's had 11 games this year without a single free throw attempt.

Shooting technique can be taught. Weight can be added. Getting to the free throw line is something hard to teach. You either have that knack or you don't.

Post #825 » by **Klomp** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:20 pm

Krapinsky wrote:He's listed at 195 and looks even less than that with a Coreyesque-narrow frame. I can't think of many wings under 200 lbs that succeed in the NBA and don't have a silky jumper or play stellar defense.

When Michael Jordan was drafted, he weighed 195 pounds.
When Kobe Bryant was drafted, he weighed 199 pounds.

Krapinsky · Post #826 » by **Krapinsky** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:48 pm

Klomp wrote:
Krapinsky wrote:He's listed at 195 and looks even less than that with a Coreyesque-narrow frame. I can't think of many wings under 200 lbs that succeed in the NBA and don't have a silky jumper or play stellar defense.

When Michael Jordan was drafted, he weighed 195 pounds.
When Kobe Bryant was drafted, he weighed 199 pounds.

Yes, you're right. I overstated that point. Burks to me though looks like he's 175-180 then the 195 he's listed at. Does anyone else notice this?

bluethunder0005 · Post #827 » by **bluethunder0005** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:08 pm

Yeah I don't think he's quite 195. Still with a 6-6 frame he can add a solid 20 pounds of muscle putting him around 205 or 210 which isn't bad. Everything I've came across shows he has worked hard to become what he is. He went to Colorado because he was widely unknown and not many considered him to be a top talent. Outside of Irving and Barnes I don't think anyone else fits this team better. I can understand some people wanting Kanter and Jonas and I'd be happy with them too. I'd just love for him to somehow fall and we could get him with the Memphis pick but I doubt that happens. I'd also be fine if his stock skyrocketed with some good workouts.

Krapinsky · Post #828 » by **Krapinsky** » Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:52 pm

bluethunder0005 wrote:Yeah I don't think he's quite 195. Still with a 6-6 frame he can add a solid 20 pounds of muscle putting him around 205 or 210 which isn't bad. Everything I've came across shows he has worked hard to become what he is. He went to Colorado because he was widely unknown and not many considered him to be a top talent. Outside of Irving and Barnes I don't think anyone else fits this team better. I can understand some people wanting Kanter and Jonas and I'd be happy with them too. I'd just love for him to somehow fall and we could get him with the Memphis pick but I doubt that happens. I'd also be fine if his stock skyrocketed with some good workouts.

I'd throw in Brandon Knight too.

Devilzsidewalk · Post #829 » by **Devilzsidewalk** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:25 pm

Esohny wrote:
Devilzsidewalk wrote:how come Brandon Knight is regarded so poorly, he strikes me as kinda beast?

I think this is my preliminary top 5:

P Jones
D Williams
B Knight
Irving
Barnes

In that order?

1. Irving
2. P Jones
3. Barnes
4. D Williams
5. Knight

this has stood up pretty well for 2 months, Knight has risen almost 20 spots on the DX mock so I look like less of a tard now. I'm torn on Barnes and Williams. Barnes makes more sense I guess, but I wish he was more of a slasher.

Esohny · Post #830 » by **Esohny** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:39 pm

I'm still surprised that you like Knight that much. He looks good, but more like back of the lottery good.

Foye · Post #831 » by **Foye** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:40 pm

1. Irving
2. Williams
3. Barnes
4. Kanter
5. Jones

I haven't really looked into many guys, though. I heard Burks would fit in well here.

eyeteeth · Post #832 » by **eyeteeth** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:30 pm

Foye wrote:1. Irving
2. Williams
3. Barnes
4. Kanter
5. Jones

I haven't really looked into many guys, though. I heard Burks would fit in well here.

1. Irving (ack, drowning in point guards!)
2. Barnes (buying the hype)
3. Williams (Beasley 2.0?)
4. Valenciunas (I hear there's this really amazing guy in Europe who.. Waitaminute... sh*t.)
5. punt

Perry Jones is like Anthony Randolph with Darko's brain.

LOBO 7 · Post #833 » by **LOBO 7** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:33 pm

At this point, it's Barnes or bust for me. I think he can play the 2, moving Wes to his more natural 3 spot, moving Beas for a defensive stud big man.

Devilzsidewalk · Post #834 » by **Devilzsidewalk** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:46 pm

theres no stud anything we can trade Beasley for, we just need to hope he starts to find his groove again

Grits n Gravy · Post #835 » by **Grits n Gravy** » Fri Apr 1, 2011 2:35 am

LOBO 7 wrote:At this point, it's Barnes or bust for me. I think he can play the 2, moving Wes to his more natural 3 spot, moving Beas for a defensive stud big man.

lobo i just read you're impatience thread, and personally i think wes is far more suited at the 2 than barnes would be...i think wes with an off season of work will be absolutely fine going forward at the 2. i've only seen him a couple of times but imo i think wes is much more athletic than barnes in pretty much every area and is much more suited at the 2. i think barnes doesn't fit well if you're projecting him as a 2.

Saltine · Post #836 » by **Saltine** » Fri Apr 1, 2011 3:21 am

Wes did a great job against Kobe at the 2, the idea he can't, or shouldn't, play there is absurd.

Post #837 » by **Klomp** » Fri Apr 1, 2011 3:38 am

Saltine wrote:Wes did a great job against Kobe at the 2, the idea he can't, or shouldn't, play there is absurd.

Yeah I still don't get that. No he's not perfect...but he's probably the best SG we've had since Sprewell. I'm sick of rolling out with undersized SGs like Foye and McCants, etc.

AQuintus · Post #838 » by **AQuintus** » Fri Apr 1, 2011 3:42 am

Saltine wrote:Wes did a great job against Kobe at the 2, the idea he can't, or shouldn't, play there is absurd.

I don't get it either, and the only real argument I ever see is because his handles are poor. For some reason Wolves fans can't rap their heads around the PG and SF being the primary ball handlers with the SG playing off the ball.

horaceworthy · Post #839 » by **horaceworthy** » Fri Apr 1, 2011 4:00 am

Klomp wrote:I think he'll surprise a lot of people during workouts. He'd be a great wing complement for Wes. I love how he drives the ball and gets to the FT line. 14 times he went to the FT line 10+ times. 2 games with at least 15 FTAs, and one 20 FT game. He's 83% from there too.

I'm sick of seeing our best wing barely ever get to the line. In 27 more games this season, Beasley's had 11 fewer games than Burks with 10+ FTAs. He's had 11 games this year without a single free throw attempt.

Shooting technique can be taught. Weight can be added. Getting to the free throw line is something hard to teach. You either have that knack or you don't.

To be fair, Beasley got to the line 8.5 times per game as a collegian. Burks does have a knack for getting to the line, but Beasley appeared to have a bit of a knack for that at one time as well.

That being said, I really like Burks. I'm inherently suspicious of players who rock the T-shirt, so to draw an arbitrary line in the sand, if he turns out to be a legit 190 with a wingspan of 6'9" or better, I'd be comfortable with the Wolves taking him with their own pick.

Guys with his size, handle, speed, acceleration, body control and finishing ability are tough to find. He's not as reliant as Turner was on deception (such as splitting double teams and spin moves in the lane), and he has the speed to turn the corner on screens with either hand. The jumper definitely needs work, right now it's almost as much "lunge flick" as it is "jump shot". He needs to do a much better job getting his base under him consistently as well. At least there's some reason for hope in his touch at the charity stripe.

He's not a perfect player, and his late bloomer status denied him the pedigree of some other top picks, but it looks like he has a good chance of developing into a fringe all-star type shooting guard. That type of player would really tie the room together.

Krapinsky · Post #840 » by **Krapinsky** » Fri Apr 1, 2011 4:02 am

AQuintus wrote:
Saltine wrote:Wes did a great job against Kobe at the 2, the idea he can't, or shouldn't, play there is absurd.

I don't get it either, and the only real argument I ever see is because his handles are poor. For some reason Wolves fans can't rap their heads around the PG and SF being the primary ball handlers with the SG playing off the ball.

There's also the fact that he looks genuinely uncomfortable out there, hasn't figured out how to fight through screens or close out on shooters and 4/5 way through the season he doesn't know what to do except launch 20 + footers. For the one good game he had against Kobe or whoever he's had 10 games where he hasn't shown up at all.