Motor Keeps Going: The Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Thread III

Post #941 » by **fatlever** » Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:49 pm

True, having MKG in the corner does negate his two best skills on offense, cutting and offensive rebounds. But, perhaps it can be a small part of his role. I think first he mentally needs to get comfortable with the idea of shooting 3s in games, %s be damned.

-Ian- · Post #942 » by **-Ian-** » Sun Feb 5, 2017 11:05 am

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I don't know if Bruce Kreutzer or any shot doctor can fix MKG's form.

Hornet Mania · Post #943 » by **Hornet Mania** » Sun Feb 5, 2017 12:24 pm

At this point I don't think his form will ever be better. He just needs to take ownership of a few spots on the floor, especially the corner 3, and then operate in that comfort zone like a good role player when he isn't cutting. He already obviously favors the one-dribble pull-up jumper from midrange, now he just needs to add a corner 3 and something else and he'd have options.

He seems to have no confidence problem with that one-dribble midrange shot. He was taking it in the final few minutes against Utah last night without hesitation. If he could just feel the same confidence about some sort of 3 (I favor the corner 3, but I'd settle for anything) it would be great. He just needs reps and the focus that he's aiming to master one spot and make it his.

Post #944 » by **fatlever** » Sun Feb 5, 2017 5:49 pm

In a perfect world MKG is either...

A) sandwiched in between 3 or 4 high level offensive players so that there is little need for his offense, really only there to defend, rebound and slash
B) comes off the bench as an energy wing for 20 or so minutes a night

MKG is a luxury on this roster. He's the kind of player you add to an already great team that doesn't need his offense. If we had at least one more high level offensive player, we could probably afford to have MKG hanging around, doing his thing.

I am increasingly warming up to the idea of using MKG as trade bait this summer to try and gamble on adding a better offensive wing in between Kemba and Batum. Kemba needs help and I don't see anyone on our roster that can eventually be good enough offensively to provide the help required.

I'd hate to see MKG go, but he should still have decent trade value based on his contract, defense, rebounding and slashing. Gamble that he's not one or two years away from finally taking that expected leap on offense.

Bassman · Post #945 » by **Bassman** » Mon Feb 6, 2017 2:12 am

A lot of people speculate about the trade value MKG has. I would love to know just what it really is. I suspect he is far less valued than many think. He is at best a complimentary player who is a liability on offense nearly every game. He is athletic and a good defender but NOT a lockdown guy.

I would LOVE for a team to take a gamble that he will someday shoot or excel, and offer us the shooting guard we need in trade.

Vanderbilt_Grad · Post #946 » by **Vanderbilt_Grad** » Mon Feb 6, 2017 3:37 am

Bassman wrote:A lot of people speculate about the trade value MKG has. I would love to know just what it really is. I suspect he is far less valued than many think. He is at best a complimentary player who is a liability on offense nearly every game. He is athletic and a good defender but NOT a lockdown guy.

I would LOVE for a team to take a gamble that he will someday shoot or excel, and offer us the shooting guard we need in trade.

His trade value has gone steadily down with each year his shot stays broken and with each injury. I hate that, but it's true. He is going from "young guy with potential" to "he is what he is."

HornetJail · Post #947 » by **HornetJail** » Mon Feb 6, 2017 4:32 am

Vanderbilt_Grad wrote:
Bassman wrote:A lot of people speculate about the trade value MKG has. I would love to know just what it really is. I suspect he is far less valued than many think. He is at best a complimentary player who is a liability on offense nearly every game. He is athletic and a good defender but NOT a lockdown guy.

I would LOVE for a team to take a gamble that he will someday shoot or excel, and offer us the shooting guard we need in trade.

His trade value has gone steadily down with each year his shot stays broken and with each injury. I hate that, but it's true. He is going from "young guy with potential" to "he is what he is."

Even if that's the case (and I don't think it is)- he'd still be worth keeping. It wouldn't be ideal in terms of his draft position, but the fact of the matter is that his defense, rebounding, and cutting helps us win and he's on a good contract.

I'm really disappointed he couldn't get a healthy offseason last year. Hard to work on a jumper when your shoulder's been out of commission for an entire year. I think next year is MKG's make or break season with a healthy summer. He's done well to stay out of injury trouble so far this year, so I'm still optimistic. He's playing noticeably smarter, less reckless... I'm not ready to say he can't fix that jumper this summer. All I want to see is good health and some amount of progress.

The biggest thing is that I don't expect another team to trade enough value to warrant a trade. We can't realistically expect his value to be high enough right now.

GlenRiceARoni · Post #948 » by **GlenRiceARoni** » Mon Feb 6, 2017 5:50 am

I think once the monstrositiy deals get signed this year he will have tremendous trade value.

I mean hes a quality starter with legitimate skills playing for the same thing scrubs like Dellevedova are.

He makes significantly less than guys like mozgov, noah, and evan Turner

-----------------------------------------------------------------------Hinkie has created a monster that will awaken in 2018 precisely 200 years after Mary Shelley published Frankenstein in 1818 A.D.
I don't think for a second this is coincidental as Hinkie is well educated and a fan of Classic British Lit

UNCNYC · Post #949 » by **UNCNYC** » Mon Feb 6, 2017 4:39 pm

He is a player you don't quite know what to do with. He does slash and play D and rebound somewhat well... but even with that hes not worth much on the trade market. Hes the forgotten about starter on our team. hes like that old TV that you want to break so you can buy a new one but it just doesnt break.

Hornet Mania · Post #950 » by **Hornet Mania** » Mon Feb 6, 2017 5:53 pm

His contract is definitely the best argument in favor of his trade value, and that's unfortunate. But nonetheless, after the second consecutive massive FA spending spree happens and the next wave of Crabbe's and Delledova's get $70m deals MKG is going to look extremely attractive. Especially if a team has an owner who gives his GM the contradictory demands to both get out from under the luxury tax and remain competitive.

It's good reason for us to keep him as well, even if he's only an average-ish starter he's making roughly half of the market rate for that level of player.

Vanderbilt_Grad · Post #951 » by **Vanderbilt_Grad** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:29 am

So what would it take for MKG to be more effective on offense?

Bassman · Post #952 » by **Bassman** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:53 am

Vanderbilt_Grad wrote:So what would it take for MKG to be more effective on offense?

Obvious answers: ability to shoot and hit shots; possession of a handle that allows him to dribble drive to the hole.

chellis · Post #953 » by **chellis** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:04 am

Vanderbilt_Grad wrote:So what would it take for MKG to be more effective on offense?

Honestly, I think if he could develop a corner 3 and we could turn him into a solid 3&D player, it would be great. I think that's where his niche in the league will be long term. He's shown his body doesn't hold up well diving and crashing everywhere.

Liver_Pooty · Post #954 » by **Liver_Pooty** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:27 am

Vanderbilt_Grad wrote:So what would it take for MKG to be more effective on offense?

I wrestled against a guy in highschool with his left hand amputated.

He can finish at the rim with his left arm better than mkg.

Eoghan · Post #955 » by **Eoghan** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:55 am

Vanderbilt_Grad wrote:So what would it take for MKG to be more effective on offense?

Beat his owner 1v1.

Vanderbilt_Grad · Post #956 » by **Vanderbilt_Grad** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 2:14 pm

I think that MKG's lack of finishing ability has a lot to do with his handle. If he were a better finisher he could revert to that on nights when he's not making those mid-range 2s or rare 3s. I suspect that it would give him more confidence in his shot in general if he had a go-to skill that was working for him on that end.

My personal opinion is that MKG's issues are very much a mental thing at this point. His confidence levels seem to vary a lot from game to game ... and even from quarter to quarter within a game. But overall he just seems more tentative to me since last year's injury. I'm hoping that a mostly healthy season will get him back on track and that he finds a bit more aggression and confidence. Last year's pre-injury MKG was looking pretty good.

SWedd523 · Post #957 » by **SWedd523** » Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:05 pm

Liver_Pooty wrote:
Vanderbilt_Grad wrote:So what would it take for MKG to be more effective on offense?

I wrestled against a guy in highschool with his left hand amputated.

He can finish at the rim with his left arm better than mkg.

You lost didn't you :nod:

BlackOutBuzz · Post #958 » by **BlackOutBuzz** » Thu Feb 23, 2017 4:44 am

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Post #959 » by **yosemiteben** » Mon Mar 6, 2017 8:07 pm

MKG FG% from 15-19 feet by month:

NOV: 31.8% (7-22)
DEC: 40.0% (12-30)
JAN: 43.8% (14-32)
FEB: 36.0% (9-25)

Not quite seeing the post-ASB bump in midrange FG% I was hoping, was hoping he'd come back hot.

HornetJail · Post #960 » by **HornetJail** » Mon Mar 6, 2017 11:42 pm

yosemiteben wrote:MKG FG% from 15-19 feet by month:

NOV: 31.8% (7-22)
DEC: 40.0% (12-30)
JAN: 43.8% (14-32)
FEB: 36.0% (9-25)

Not quite seeing the post-ASB bump in midrange FG% I was hoping, was hoping he'd come back hot.

well, that isn't really much of a sample size- if he makes two more total, he's at 44%