Hoopalotta wrote:As to the Williams-McGee debate, I actually think the Javale is being sold shot offensively and has the capacity to be the third option who gives you about 12-14 or more points right down the the gut of the opposing defense (if we count free throws).
The guy has zero discipline and limited situational awareness, but IMO, his offensive endevours were whittled downward by our overall lack of playmaking acumen in the starting lineup through most of the year combined with an overabundance of shot takers. Not to make excuses because he generally responded poorly, but I believe a lot of his discipline problems were related to him not thinking he was going to get the ball based on that overall preponderance of gunners. We were fundamentally ill-disciplined overall with that forming a feedback loop as guys are competing with one another to get theirs.
But he's definitely the guy to finish what others create and I thought he showed it towards the end of the year through chemistry with Crawford and then Wall. It wasn't a great offense by any means overall and Crawford might not be the guy longterm, but you bring in some overall playmaking from the backcourt and I think McGee is the better interior scorer to Williams and really, it's not even close.
He strikes me as the classic "you look for him early in the game and he scores. The other team adjusts because they can't handle giving up dunks like that and they take him out of his game a bit, but in doing so, now everyone else has more room to operate". That's the guy who can increase the efficiency of everyone else out on the court, which is one of the main things you're hoping for from your first and second options.
Now, I don't think he's a second option scorer like Williams and I don't think he'll ever have the court awareness to where you're running much beyond a lob for him late in close games, but what I laid out has worth if it comes to fruition. Williams is likely to be that second option scorer and can work a whole lot more shot creating mojo out on the wing, but I think Javale has just as much capacity to make the other team adjust in ways which accrue team-wide advantage.
Even with all the negatives, it was 4.5 shots at the rim on excellent efficiency with another 1.9 shots out within the nine foot range with less scintillating effects, so it's not like there isn't a foundation here (and I definitely thought the 9-foot range shots looked better late in the season too). Offensively, what he really needs to do is, first, just settle down overall, which, as noted, I believe is related to having faith that the team will get him the ball in scoring situations. And then, he really needs to get his free throw shooting up. That was a huge impediment to his scoring efficiency last year - if he can hit those at 70%, he can swing a lot of those turnovers and wild shots into FT attempts (or even makes) as he'll be more confident to consistently take the direct approach to the hoop when he has the ball deep.
And that's not even getting into the idea of him being, you know, a center who brings other things.
I agree with this. JaVale actually has WAY more moves than other C at his age had, including Marcus Camby and Tyson Chandler. He has hooks, fingerolls, counter moves, a dropstep, and a pretty soft touch. He also has decent face-up skills. As he gets stronger, he should even be better in the post. And don't forget that he's a huge target for alley-oops and gets many putbacks. I think he will AT LEAST be a 15-ppg scorer in his prime. I even think that he can develop a semi-reliable jumpshot if he works on it with the coaches enough.
I don't think he'll ever be the scorer that Williams is, but lets not forget the other things JaVale provides that Williams doesn't, like size, and shot-blocking.
JaVale will get better at D. He has all the tools, but he's still young. I have no doubt in my mind that if JaVale puts it all together, that he'll be an All-Star C.
Magnumt
