GAME 21: Pistons @ Nuggets 9PM

[ByeByeDre]

I’m guessing a barber is involved

[Snakebites]

If it's McGruder after all the news about him in the last 24 hours, he'll never live it down

Funnily enough, Klay mentioned that he’d be out of the league soon. He might have been out now had we needed to stretch him.

[Sort]

I didn't see his garbage time play in GS, but I have no idea how he managed to get a five million dollar contract. His play doesn't look like it belongs in the NBA for sure. That said, all of this tough guy stuff is nonsense. It's just talk. All of it. And quite frankly, that's a good thing.

[Billl]

I didn't see his garbage time play in GS, but I have no idea how he managed to get a five million dollar contract. His play doesn't look like it belongs in the NBA for sure. That said, all of this tough guy stuff is nonsense. It's just talk. All of it. And quite frankly, that's a good thing.

He carved out a niche as a scrappy role player in Miami. For some reason, it wasn't obvious to every GM that he was a product of that system and it wasn't going to translate.

[MotownMadness]

Read on Twitter

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[flow]

McGruder catching unwarranted fire from all sides.

He played very well for the Heat from 2016-2018. Started 112 out of 154 games played. After losing most of 2017 to a broken leg, he rebounded with a very good 2018, starting the first 45 games of the season before getting injured again. Eliminated from playoff contention, the Heat waived McGruder & others in April, 2018 due to salary cap stresses. McGruder was quickly claimed by the Clippers despite not qualifying for their playoff roster, and then signed him to a 3 year contract. So this is not a scrub player. The following season, the Clips signed Kawhi/George and became very deep, and McGruder got buried beneath the depth. Then he got acquired by the Pistons. The fact that Casey doesn't play him doesn't mean he's a scrub. Everyone on this board should know that well.

As far as the incident in GS the other night, he shouldn't have gone over to their bench. But since when do we belittle a player for sticking up for a teammate? F Klay & Draymond for talking that mess. Ellington gave an interview sticking up for Rodney and slamming Draymond. I'm glad he did, he should have his back after Rodney had his. They're old teammates from back in Miami. I like him more now.

https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2021/02/01/pistons-warriors-draymond-green-rodney-mcgruder-wayne-ellington

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[Invictus88]

McGruder catching unwarranted fire from all sides.

He played very well for the Heat from 2016-2018. Started 112 out of 154 games played. After losing most of 2017 to a broken leg, he rebounded with a very good 2018, starting the first 45 games of the season before getting injured again. Eliminated from playoff contention, the Heat waived McGruder & others in April, 2018 due to salary cap stresses. McGruder was quickly claimed by the Clippers despite not qualifying for their playoff roster, and was signed to a 3 year contract. So this is not a scrub player.

I want you to look at his career stats at https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mcgruro01.html and then tell me whether or not you think he is a 'scrub player' or minimal role player, etc.

My Take: He has had two very mediocre seasons for a mediocre Miami team sandwiched around an abbreviated season where he broke his leg. He then moves to the Clippers where he did far worse and became salary fodder for the trade with the Pistons.

There hasn't been any signal in his numbers or in any game that I have watched that have shown that he's going to become anything more than what he is already producing.

Now, is it bush league that Klay Thompson calls him out on national television? Yeah. But I don't see him being overtly wrong in his assessment; however crudely-delivered it was.

I feel a little bad for the guy to be the butt of jokes but I think it's also wrong to make him out to be something that he hasn't shown to be out of pity too.

Also, seeing a mediocre team waiving a player due to salary cap stresses should be a pretty strong indication that the guy is... well... a mediocre player at best. They were completely unsuccessful in getting anything for him.

And seeing a player sign a 3 year contract means absolutely nothing in terms of his actual worth. I mean, we have an example of that sitting right here in front of us in Sirvydis...