Dr Mufasa wrote:Tanger wrote:Anyone else feel Barnes is a bit overrated?
He's a lot overrated
Being a good shooter doesn't make you a star on its own. I mean Korver and Budinger aren't stars
Best bet by far when drafting a perimeter player is creating your own shot at a dynamic level. Most perimeter players who don't create on ball ride in business class
Not to mention we need to think STAR, not role player. Until we get our next franchise player priority no 1 is getting one
Agree to disagree on Barnes being overrated.
You're right that being a good shooter doesn't make you a star, but Barnes isn't
strictly a shooter though. What I see is a phenomenal prospect that can impact the game on both ends of the floor defensively and offensively. For the 28-minutes that Barnes is out there on the floor, I'm always seeing him working hard on the defensive end continuously dropping, bending his knees staying low in his defensive stance, shuffling his feet and arms out. He never takes a play off, and to always stay on his toes and low in his defensive stance? That takes a whole lot of energy which I'm truly amazed that Barnes is able to do for 28-minutes. Even though he didn't shut down Austin Rivers, taking the initiative to guard him who's much quicker than he is shows a lot of poise and leadership. It doesn't get any better than that when you're looking for a two-way wing.
Barnes is certainly a dynamic on-ball shot creator from mid-range. With how small the court is inside the arc at the college level along with the offense that coach Roy Williams runs which makes it even more packed, it just so happens that Barnes
has to create most of his offense off jumpshots rather than penetration. Just last night, he put his ball-handling on display against C.J. Leslie by using a crossover and an inside-out dribble that completely put Leslie on ice skates where Barnes simply J the shot over him. That was one of Barnes' best move I've seen in a while, and he'd show it more if he was allowed to play on-ball more often. He definitely deserves a lot more credit for his handles. But the biggest difference between Barnes and Kyle Korver or Chase Budinger is their ability to score off the screen-and-roll as a ball-handler. Korver and Budinger don't have the ball-handling where they can be relied on to run the pick-and-roll and deny the screen for the jumpshot like Barnes does.
The NBA game is all about being able to execute the screen-and-roll, and that's one of Barnes' strength. And in a one-on-one situation, a select go-to-move for Barnes is fine like Joe Johnson. He doesn't need crazy street handles. Certainly hasn't helped Jamal Crawford or Tyreke Evans, has it? That jumpshot is going to open up his game so much because if the defense is routinely going under the screen like they have, Barnes will burn the defense with his sweet jumper. Go over the screen, Barnes has no problem putting the ball on the floor and exploding to the rim where he's an amazing finisher with the body control and touch for the window.
C'mon, he's the only hope we got!
