MalonesElbows wrote:GimmeDat wrote:I think Huerter's release is more transferable to the NBA level, and more versatile in terms of coming off curls and stuff. Heurter looks quicker, is bigger, and fits in to a role easier than Stauskas who did more off the dribble stuff which hasn't really translated for him. And of course, massive difference on defense.
It's all revisionist history, flavor of the month,etc. I do agree Huerter is a better defender, but here are what executives and scouts were saying about Stauskas this time in 2014:
“He’s a lot like Klay Thompson in terms of body type and shooting,” the scout said. “Thompson is a pretty good ballhandler, but I think [Stauskas is] even better with the ball and a better passer than Thompson — and Klay Thompson is a fringe All-Star player. I love Klay Thompson, but I think Stauskas could be that good. Stauskas is good, man. He’s good.
“The thing is, as good a shooter as [Stauskas] is, and he might be the best shooter in the draft, but he’s much more than that. His skill as a handler and passer, he’s got long hands and a good passer . . . Nik Stauskas was hands-down the 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year in a conference with [Indiana forward] Noah Vonleh, [Michigan State guard] Gary Harris, [Michigan State forward] Adreian Payne, the Ohio State guys.
“Watch Stauskas and how teams defended him. They threw everything at him and he scored every way. You couldn’t shake him right. He’ll go left. You couldn’t handle him physically. He’s a real basketball player.”
“I would mention him first ahead of the rest of the guys,” said a Western Conference executive. “I think he’s got an NBA game. He’s got the size for the [shooting guard] position. And he’s an excellent shooter.
“He gets his shot away quickly with really good range. I think his game is going to transfer to the NBA really well. If he lasts until the late lottery, people are going to be really happy that they got him.”
“He’s bigger than you think,” said one Eastern Conference executive. “He’s a legitimate 6-6. He’s also more athletic than you think.”
“He’s the best pro shooter in the draft and he has the best pro jump shot in the draft,” said one league source familiar with Stauskas. “If he adds other stuff to his game, I think he’s going to be good.”
“Stauskas was especially impressive,” wrote ESPN draft analyst Chad Ford. “He measured with a 35.5-inch max [vertical leap], a 10.79 lane agility score, a 2.92 shuttle run and a 3.27 sprint. Those were all very good numbers and should boost his draft stock.”
I wouldn't call it revisionist, because I'm not trying to disparage Stauskas in making those evaluations. I liked him as a prospect, thought he'd shoot 35-40% from 3, and thought his handle and on-ball game was translate at least as a secondary creator.
As someone said, I think the mental side of it got to him a bit. The talent was there.
But I also stick by what I said about Heurter in comparison. There are several elements I think he does better at, and in particular, when I look at it in hindsight compared to how I evaluated Stauskas, I think the conclusion I get to is that Heurter is more likely to fit in to a role player role a lot better. His stroke is quicker and more one motion, and he can transition in to it effortlessly off curls and other actions, a bit like Jamal Murray's stroke. Stauskas was a elite stand-still shooter with a little bit of aptitude off the dribble, but in general I don't think the shot itself was as fluid. Heurter does have more size, is x10 the better defender, in some ways I'd say he's not quite the same athlete I viewed Stauskas as but I do think he's a tiny bit quicker, he moves off ball great, really high IQ, etc.
Banking on Stauskas to be anything more than a niche shooter (of which you would've assumed was a no-brainer given he shot 44% from 3 in college), was to be banking on his off the dribble stuff, and it just hasn't translated.
Heurter has that passing/IQ element to his game, and I think has potential to develop in to a secondary creator in PnR and other on-ball actions, but take that potential development away and I think he projects as a better role player than Stauskas would've.
