Raptors NBA Draft Thread: Jeremy Lamb (HOU)

[JunkYardSubs]

I say we only take Lamb if Davis, MKG, Robinson, Beal, Drummond, Lillard and Barnes are all gone

[Waylon Mercy]

Chris Sheridans latest mock

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/06/09

8. Raptors – Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut
Lamb is a long, athletic, scoring guard that would do very well playing alongside DeMar DeRozan in Toronto. The Raptors need someone like Lamb who can provide an additional scoring option on the perimeter. The fact that Lamb is an aggressive defender will also make him more appealing in Toronto.

[Man of Steel]

I hope we draft him just for the lulz. His facial expressions make me laugh, I could totally see Casey yelling his ass off at Lamb while Lamb just makes that goofy face.

[5DOM]

Maybe he'll do well on the Caliper test. He does always have that "I-don'****" facial expression.

[CarterDUnk16]

It seems like he's been dropping as of late but he just has so much potential. T-Mac always had that lazy, sleepy facial expression. Wish the draft would hurry up already.

[Ku-Bar]

If we draft him, its obvious because of his skillset. That's major reason. If you're not drafting a franchise changer, then you better be drafting someone who has skills to play his position.... Babcock? Lol, I'm assuming u hinting at the Arraujo pick comparison into the Lamb talk, thats absurd.

Nono, like I said fellow UCONN Huskie CV as in Charlie Villanueva.

That was when Smith sounded off on Babcock.

It was agreed Villanueva had skills and upside to be able to play for Coach Calhoun in a good program but not to warrent being picked at #7. Actually, after a decent rookie season for Charlie the lack of motor caught up with him and he proved a lack luster prospect after all as was worried before the draft.

I'm reading the same warning signs here again with Mr. Lamb. In other words, skills but no motor something you need to play hard in the NBA and capitalize on your skill set.

[fredericklove]

If we draft him, its obvious because of his skillset. That's major reason. If you're not drafting a franchise changer, then you better be drafting someone who has skills to play his position.... Babcock? Lol, I'm assuming u hinting at the Arraujo pick comparison into the Lamb talk, thats absurd.

Nono, like I said fellow UCONN Huskie CV as in Charlie Villanueva.

That was when Smith sounded off on Babcock.

It was agreed Villanueva had skills and upside to be able to play for Coach Calhoun in a good program but not to warrent being picked at #7. Actually, after a decent rookie season for Charlie the lack of motor caught up with him and he proved a lack luster prospect after all as was worried before the draft.

I'm reading the same warning signs here again with Mr. Lamb. In other words, skills but no motor something you need to play hard in the NBA and capitalize on your skill set.

Villanueva is basically Villanueva, Villanueva is not Lamb. Both have different brand of ball skills w/ different motor issue. Your attempt at making the comparison of the two to drag Lamb into the Villanuevas type of motor issue is inconsistent, its not even the same. Charlie plays a game where he rarely moves, depends heavily for someone to feed him the ball to shoot, not being active around the rim considering his size, not creating off the dribble or be more active on finding other ways to score, all he does is posting up demands the ball, or stand still catch and shoot, without playing much defense or get active across the boards. His motor issue hurts his rebounding/defense/not able to score more.

Lamb plays different style and his motor issue is different from Charlie V. He will tend to pass the ball back out, when things don't go right he won't have self-discipline to bring that fire back into him, but his motor issue doesn't affect other parts of his offensive game. Because most of the times he will run actively through high and low screens or curl off screens, and actively try to score by moving around via picks to get his shots off. These requires some degree of motor, and when he has the ball he's using p&r or iso, just being active finding ways to score and defensively, he uses his length and quick hands to go after the ball.

I see alot of posters will try to use a notorious weak player as comparison to make other posters think oh they play like that w/ same motor issue. Its different type/different impact. Besides, Charlie V's only tool is shooting, its not even a good skillset comparisons to Lamb as his skillset is more diverse. Motor issue hurts Charlie V more because team doesn't even know what set of plays to throw for him, whereas Lamb, teams will keep throwing the high/low screens or down screens plays for Lamb over and over, that makes Lamb active because he'll have to always run around screens in every offensive sequence. So the level of skillset is obviously different between them, hence the level of negative impact to their game results from motor issue should also be different. In this case, it hurts Charlie V even more because his motor issue causes him to not even do things he's supposed to do at the SF/PF position (ie. rebounding, defense). Its different, you get that?

[Ku-Bar]

Its different, you get that?

I understand your view and your entitled to it.

In my view worth ethic or drive cannot be acquired later in life no matter the existing skill set a given player may own.

That's all I'm saying not interested to pick it apart so in depth.

I choose not to differentiate motors unless we are talking about say automobiles, you get that?

[fredericklove]

Its different, you get that?

I understand your view and your entitled to it.

In my view worth ethic or drive cannot be acquired later in life no matter the existing skill set a given player may own.

That's all I'm saying not interested to pick it apart so in depth.

I choose not to differentiate motors unless we are talking about say automobiles, you get that?

Lamb is reported to have a strong work ethic. So I won't worry about that. Drive can be obtained later in career it ties to motivations. Something big or goals that want to achieve will boost up that drive.

[fredericklove]

Did anyone notice that Lamb got bigger in the draft combine? His arms noticeably bigger than during late season. I couldn't find draft combine photos of him but next time I watch the combine again on NBATV, I'll take a photo of it.

Even from the predraft workout here, notice something different?

[Undefeated]

Yeah, I noticed that as well. He looked like he packed on some muscle ever since that private workout he had with Meyers Leonard out in Rhode Island before the NBA Draft Combine.

On a different note, there's no doubt Lamb needs to get stronger if he wants to finish through contact on the regular, but let's not act like he's some player who was bounced around like a rag doll at UConn. We put too much emphasis on strength, not that it isn't important, but with the things I'm reading it's almost people expect him to be some sort of professional body builder or weightlifter. Almost every single rookie will get stronger as their career progresses, look no further than Kevin Durant, and I'd wager Durant had a much slender built than Lamb entering the NBA.

[Al_Oliver]

I think a good comparison for Jeremy Lamb is Kerry Kittles minus the aggressiveness

or the long distance phone calls...

[HolyMage110]

i have a feeling like lamb might be a big let down, he wasnt doing so well in the combine
his season was okay
BUT
i think if you put him with great players, he will do good
i dont think lamb could play well under pressure
and while kemba did have the spotlight
he was able to relax and play
but that turned around this season
SO
i do see potential in lamb, you just need him to be paired up the right pieces

[JN]

i have a feeling like lamb might be a big let down, he wasnt doing so well in the combine
his season was okay
BUT
i think if you put him with great players, he will do good
i dont think lamb could play well under pressure
and while kemba did have the spotlight
he was able to relax and play
but that turned around this season
SO
i do see potential in lamb, you just need him to be paired up the right pieces

Is this some sort of poem?

[HolyMage110]

i have a feeling like lamb might be a big let down, he wasnt doing so well in the combine
his season was okay
BUT
i think if you put him with great players, he will do good
i dont think lamb could play well under pressure
and while kemba did have the spotlight
he was able to relax and play
but that turned around this season
SO
i do see potential in lamb, you just need him to be paired up the right pieces

Is this some sort of poem?

if it makes you feel any better, then yes

[JWiLL02]

Lamb's incredibly high 2pt FG% and % when finishing at the basket give me confidence that he'll be a solid NBA player.

His in between game is already elite. Floaters are runners are something you can obviously work on, but it seems to be a thing you either have or don't as well (finishing at a high rate, at least). He's pretty special in this aspect.

[MikeM]

I honestly have no idea how this guy isn't consensus top 3. Maybe I'm out to lunch but I don't see anything I don't like about him.

Elite wingspan, anticipation, body control, natural jumpshot mechanics. I don't know what you want from the 8th pick but you're not going to do much better than Lamb IMO.

What I really, really don't get is this notion that he had a bad college year. 18 points on 48% FG.

SIXTY PER CENT on two-pointers. 80% from the line. Natural shooter with an unblockable jumper, can create his own shot, athletic, quick, smart.

I must be crazy.

[HolyMage110]

he's too lay back

[MikeM]

McGrady was half asleep for his whole career and was a monster.

[Fenris-77]

I honestly have no idea how this guy isn't consensus top 3. Maybe I'm out to lunch but I don't see anything I don't like about him.

Elite wingspan, anticipation, body control, natural jumpshot mechanics. I don't know what you want from the 8th pick but you're not going to do much better than Lamb IMO.

What I really, really don't get is this notion that he had a bad college year. 18 points on 48% FG.

SIXTY PER CENT on two-pointers. 80% from the line. Natural shooter with an unblockable jumper, can create his own shot, athletic, quick, smart.

I must be crazy.

Sketchy defense, doesn't get to the line, has trouble asserting himself, poor demeanor and body language, not as long as advertised. His list of potential pitfalls is pretty well established at this point. Obviously there's some solid reasons that he's not a consensus top three guy, even if you like him that much. It's really about how eager you are to explain away (or just ignore) the downside, much as is the case with any non-sure-thing prospect.