Is Wendell Carter officially a bust?

[waffle]

For Wendell, I am afraid, it was his inability to be an effective SUPPORT player, to do the little things that help. He seemed always a step slow, or in the wrong spot, or simply looking like he was not sure of what was going on. It is easier, frankly, to be on a team where you have the green light more often.

GOOD teams run sets. They have good players that make plays. They have players who do the right things that allow the good players to make plays. To Me that is where Wendell had issues.

[chefo]

Magic are outrebounded by 36 rebounds over 3 games ...
You guys think he was bad? Man, we wasted 6# pick on freaking Bamba, who just randomlly fouls out from a game in 12 min

But, but.... Bamba could really, really dribble against chairs and brooms in these pre-draft videos. And his pull-up jumper was just as sweet against same chairs and brooms. In a league of chairs and brooms, he'd be MVP material.

[Ice Man]

The irony with Wendell beating out Bamba for the job is that GarPax had the hots for both of them, and would have picked Bamba first if given the chance. So not only wrong about Wendell (I am a Wendell fan, but even I don't think he will become more than a serviceable NBA starter, at tops) but wronger yet about which not-so-great big to draft. I don't miss GarPax, not at all.

[Dresden]

The irony with Wendell beating out Bamba for the job is that GarPax had the hots for both of them, and would have picked Bamba first if given the chance. So not only wrong about Wendell (I am a Wendell fan, but even I don't think he will become more than a serviceable NBA starter, at tops) but wronger yet about which not-so-great big to draft. I don't miss GarPax, not at all.

That draft showed once again how dicey it is to pick a player after 1 year of college ball. Ayton was the consensus #1, and he is very pedestrian. Bagley has been a semi-bust, who can't stay healthy. Luka is the one real superstar of what was supposed to be a generational draft class. Bamba is a complete bust. Wendell, a semi-bust (only because he was picked 7th,not top 4). Trae is a star, but not one I'm sure you can win with. MPJ, who went further down, might be the 4th best prospect from that class, with SGA 3rd.

Centers really just are not worth as much as they used to be, unless they can shoot like AD and Embiid can. I would really hesitate to draft a center in the top 4 if I were a GM. Even James Wiseman has not looked that great here for the Warriors- still very raw, and not all that much of a factor. He might be a 3-4 year project, at best.

[Ice Man]

That draft showed once again how dicey it is to pick a player after 1 year of college ball. Ayton was the consensus #1, and he is very pedestrian. Bagley has been a semi-bust, who can't stay healthy. Luka is the one real superstar of what was supposed to be a generational draft class. Bamba is a complete bust. Wendell, a semi-bust (only because he was picked 7th,not top 4). Trae is a star, but not one I'm sure you can win with. MPJ, who went further down, might be the 4th best prospect from that class, with SGA 3rd.

In a word, yep.

[SalmonsSuperfan]

wendell has actually looked pretty good in orlando. if this guy can ever make defenders respect him from 3, which seems possible, i think he'll actually have a good career. was watching a bit of the denver/orlando game, he even looked better defending jokic than he did whenever jokic had that monster game against us. i think it'll come with experience how to defend those guys, he's barely played a full season over the course of three years. i think orlando fans have to be happy about the return they got from blowing up their team, just like chi and den fans have to be pleased about vuc and gordon.

[Ice Man]

he even looked better defending jokic than he did whenever jokic had that monster game against us..

Wendell came into the NBA a good defender. Something wasn't working for him this season, he was mentally out of sorts and not in sync with the team, but I think under normal circumstances he will be a useful defender/screener. The open question is whether he can develop enough offense to be more than a rotation player/low-level starter. We shall see.

[R3AL1TY]

He's not a bust. He's just a player that may not be able to go to the next level as a star or a 20+ scorer, but he'll still be of value with some double-doubles and with some defense.

[nomorezorro]

i would not be surprised if wendell continues to perform a lot better after moving out of a defensive system he clearly never looked comfortable in, playing as the backline for really weak perimeter defenders. getting less in his head on defense could lead to better offense too

that being said, we needed him to be the backline for really weak perimeter defenders to be worth his draft status, so there's not really a ton of sellers' remorse even if he succeeds elsewhere

[sco]

i would not be surprised if wendell continues to perform a lot better after moving out of a defensive system he clearly never looked comfortable in, playing as the backline for really weak perimeter defenders. getting less in his head on defense could lead to better offense too

that being said, we needed him to be the backline for really weak perimeter defenders to be worth his draft status, so there's not really a ton of sellers' remorse even if he succeeds elsewhere

I'm still amazed ORL seems to be giving WCJ the nod over Bamba. Bamba seems so much more skilled offensively and defensively.

[nomorezorro]

i assumed bamba must have just been an unmitigated catastrophic bust if he couldn't get burn in orlando, but supposedly he looks pretty good when he actually sees the floor so maybe the magic are just dumb

[kingkirk]

i would not be surprised if wendell continues to perform a lot better after moving out of a defensive system he clearly never looked comfortable in, playing as the backline for really weak perimeter defenders. getting less in his head on defense could lead to better offense too

that being said, we needed him to be the backline for really weak perimeter defenders to be worth his draft status, so there's not really a ton of sellers' remorse even if he succeeds elsewhere

The Magic run the same base defense as the Bulls. They drop in coverage.

Only difference is they actually have more capable defenders at most positions, to the point where they're not getting crushed on rotations and everything being out of sync.

[kingkirk]

i would not be surprised if wendell continues to perform a lot better after moving out of a defensive system he clearly never looked comfortable in, playing as the backline for really weak perimeter defenders. getting less in his head on defense could lead to better offense too

that being said, we needed him to be the backline for really weak perimeter defenders to be worth his draft status, so there's not really a ton of sellers' remorse even if he succeeds elsewhere

I'm still amazed ORL seems to be giving WCJ the nod over Bamba. Bamba seems so much more skilled offensively and defensively.

That definitely isn't the case. Bamba is really, really bad and I understand why a coach like Clifford wouldn't play him. He has no idea about positionality at all.