The Nik Stauskas Thread

[-Ian-]

Speaking of Goodman, anyone here who has seen his mock draft? Back when he's still with CBS, I like his mock drafts more than Chad Ford's.

[MKGsMotor]

I know many on here love Nik Stauskus. But I want to be the voice of the other side. I don't like him. I don't like him at all, and I especially don't like him at 9.

Nik isn't quick enough to get by NBA defenders. He isn't strong enough to hold his own. He isn't fast enough to excel on the break. He isn't enough of an athlete to score in the paint. And even though he's improved- his ball handling is NOT good enough to create for himself. He will get eaten alive by most NBA defenders. Nik's defense is appalling. He will instantly become the biggest defensive liability on the team. Wing players with pitiful defense are usually not starters- they are best off the bench - for their whole careers. That is, if they can score and score well.

Nik is a good shooter. He will have to prove himself to become recognized as a "great" shooter. This will be his role. It's a role that isn't worth a top ten, lottery, or probably even first round pick. Nik is a good passer. However, he will not be a playmaking passer in the NBA, because his ball handling and quickness is simply not good enough to get past NBA defenders.

Nik was not a top 100 recruit out of high school. Nik was not a highly talked-about Freshman in college. Nik had a good sophomore season in college. I'm not saying Nik Stauskus sucks at basketball. Relatively, Nik is better than 95% of people in the world at playing basketball. However, to make it in the NBA you have to be great. Nik's shooting may find him a role in the league. But I even doubt that.

Quote me, screenshot me, do whatever. Nik Stauskus will be one of our famous busts if we draft him at pick 9.

[mrknowitall215]

I know many on here love Nik Stauskus. But I want to be the voice of the other side. I don't like him. I don't like him at all, and I especially don't like him at 9.

Nik isn't quick enough to get by NBA defenders. He isn't strong enough to hold his own. He isn't fast enough to excel on the break. He isn't enough of an athlete to score in the paint. And even though he's improved- his ball handling is NOT good enough to create for himself. He will get eaten alive by most NBA defenders. Nik's defense is appalling. He will instantly become the biggest defensive liability on the team. Wing players with pitiful defense are usually not starters- they are best off the bench - for their whole careers. That is, if they can score and score well.

Nik is a good shooter. He will have to prove himself to become recognized as a "great" shooter. This will be his role. It's a role that isn't worth a top ten, lottery, or probably even first round pick. Nik is a good passer. However, he will not be a playmaking passer in the NBA, because his ball handling and quickness is simply not good enough to get past NBA defenders.

Nik was not a top 100 recruit out of high school. Nik was not a highly talked-about Freshman in college. Nik had a good sophomore season in college. I'm not saying Nik Stauskus sucks at basketball. Relatively, Nik is better than 95% of people in the world at playing basketball. However, to make it in the NBA you have to be great. Nik's shooting may find him a role in the league. But I even doubt that.

Quote me, screenshot me, do whatever. Nik Stauskus will be one of our famous busts if we draft him at pick 9.

I casually share some of your same concerns regarding Nik Stauskas, but not enough to 'And1' it. My major concern with Charlotte drafting Stauskas is that I seriously doubt he'll ever become the team's 1st or 2nd option, and that's what I'm hoping the Hornets try to draft out of this relatively strong class of talent. As I've stated a while ago, I watched a lot of Stauskas when Trey Burke was at Michigan, and he pretty much played 3rd to 4th fiddle on that team, whereas I liked his game, but nothing about his game ever jumped off the screen to me and made me think that he could be more than a role player in the NBA that season. However, Stauskas did impress me in his sophomore season at Michigan, but I still didn't consider him lottery talent. I want Charlotte to draft a player that'll make Kemba a 3rd option a few years from now, and Stauskas just isn't that guy to me

Segue, as some might know, I am interested in Doug McDermott. However, I wouldn't recommend Charlotte to draft McDermott neither, but 'if' (emphasis on if) they plan on 'playing it safe' in this draft, then McDermott should be that guy because of his offensive diversity that doesn't stop at being arguably the best shooter to enter the draft in maybe a decade

[MKGsMotor]

I know many on here love Nik Stauskus. But I want to be the voice of the other side. I don't like him. I don't like him at all, and I especially don't like him at 9.

Nik isn't quick enough to get by NBA defenders. He isn't strong enough to hold his own. He isn't fast enough to excel on the break. He isn't enough of an athlete to score in the paint. And even though he's improved- his ball handling is NOT good enough to create for himself. He will get eaten alive by most NBA defenders. Nik's defense is appalling. He will instantly become the biggest defensive liability on the team. Wing players with pitiful defense are usually not starters- they are best off the bench - for their whole careers. That is, if they can score and score well.

Nik is a good shooter. He will have to prove himself to become recognized as a "great" shooter. This will be his role. It's a role that isn't worth a top ten, lottery, or probably even first round pick. Nik is a good passer. However, he will not be a playmaking passer in the NBA, because his ball handling and quickness is simply not good enough to get past NBA defenders.

Nik was not a top 100 recruit out of high school. Nik was not a highly talked-about Freshman in college. Nik had a good sophomore season in college. I'm not saying Nik Stauskus sucks at basketball. Relatively, Nik is better than 95% of people in the world at playing basketball. However, to make it in the NBA you have to be great. Nik's shooting may find him a role in the league. But I even doubt that.

Quote me, screenshot me, do whatever. Nik Stauskus will be one of our famous busts if we draft him at pick 9.

I casually share some of your same concerns regarding Nik Stauskas, but not enough to 'And1' it. My major concern with Charlotte drafting Stauskas is that I seriously doubt he'll ever become the team's 1st or 2nd option, and that's what I'm hoping the Hornets try to draft out of this relatively strong class of talent. As I've stated a while ago, I watched a lot of Stauskas when Trey Burke was at Michigan, and he pretty much played 3rd to 4th fiddle on that team, whereas I liked his game, but nothing about his game ever jumped off the screen to me and made me think that he could be more than a role player in the NBA that season. However, Stauskas did impress me in his sophomore season at Michigan, but I still didn't consider him lottery talent. I want Charlotte to draft a player that'll make Kemba a 3rd option a few years from now, and Stauskas just isn't that guy to me

Segue, as some might know, I am interested in Doug McDermott. However, I wouldn't recommend Charlotte to draft McDermott neither, but 'if' (emphasis on if) they plan on 'playing it safe' in this draft, then McDermott should be that guy because of his offensive diversity that doesn't stop at being arguably the best shooter to enter the draft in maybe a decade

I 100% agree with your McDermott over Stauskus argument. I don't want to draft McDermott. I have around six guys over him that will be available at 9, and that number rises to 8 including players who could fall. But if we're going for a team need, shooting, with this pick, it has to be McDermott. McDermott is a PROVEN shooter with deep range, and that will be there in the NBA. I think McDermott will be reduced to a Matt Bonnar role in the NBA, but I also believe that's close to Stauskus' cieling.

[fatlever]

MKGsMotor - sounds like you view stauskus as matt carroll from 2005-7, maybe with better handles and passing, but not much more.

[BeesWax]

High ceiling low floor. Whats not to love.

This guy if he lasts till 9 will be BPA.

[JDR720]

Nik ceiling: slightly better Klay Thompson

Nik floor: bigger JJ Redick

[fatlever]

if stauskus does end up becoming similar to redick, lets just hope he hits his peak a little faster. redick was a 4 year college player at duke and still was pretty much an end of the bench rotation guy his first 3 years and didnt break 12ppg until his 7th season at age 28. it took redick a long long time to become a very good rotation guy. stauskus will be gone from charlotte by the time he is 28 with that kind of trajectory.

[BeesWax]

if stauskus does end up becoming similar to redick, lets just hope he hits his peak a little faster. redick was a 4 year college player at duke and still was pretty much an end of the bench rotation guy his first 3 years and didnt break 12ppg until his 7th season at age 28. it took redick a long long time to become a very good rotation guy. stauskus will be gone from charlotte by the time he is 28 with that kind of trajectory.

Stauskas has better handles now than Reddick ever has. I think the shooting is comparison here. Reddick just couldn't do anything else at first and Stauskas already has a more well rounded game.

[MasterIchiro]

If I had to pick 2 skills the Spurs are built on, other than IQ, it's passing and shooting. They can all do that, starters, bench, the whole roster. That's their system, whip the ball around, exhaust defenses scrambling to prevent wide open shots and make the extra passes to keep them moving. And they all learned the system because they are coachable. Well Stauskas has the high IQ to learn and adapt, can pass better than any shooter in this draft and can shoot better than any shooter other than McDermott. On top of that, he's a good dribbler.

Harris is being considered a 2-way player here because he plays tough defense but he may only be an average defender against bigger tougher players. So he has no big advantage there with his major selling point of being a 2-way player. He doesn't have the potential to become an elite shooter like Stauskas or McDermott and right now Stauskas is the better playmaker. I just see Stauskas as being more of a team guy than Harris or McDermott. Stauskas can really embarrass you if you overcommit to stop him from shooting. He can find the open guy.

[mrknowitall215]

if stauskus does end up becoming similar to redick, lets just hope he hits his peak a little faster. redick was a 4 year college player at duke and still was pretty much an end of the bench rotation guy his first 3 years and didnt break 12ppg until his 7th season at age 28. it took redick a long long time to become a very good rotation guy. stauskus will be gone from charlotte by the time he is 28 with that kind of trajectory.

Defense kept Redick off the floor more than anything. That was around the time when high caliber players like Kobe Bryant in his prime were manning the SG position and Redick didn't really stand a chance, especially with Stan Van Gundy preaching defense 24/7/365

[yosemiteben]

if stauskus does end up becoming similar to redick, lets just hope he hits his peak a little faster. redick was a 4 year college player at duke and still was pretty much an end of the bench rotation guy his first 3 years and didnt break 12ppg until his 7th season at age 28. it took redick a long long time to become a very good rotation guy. stauskus will be gone from charlotte by the time he is 28 with that kind of trajectory.

Defense kept Redick off the floor more than anything. That was around the time when high caliber players like Kobe Bryant in his prime were manning the SG position and Redick didn't really stand a chance, especially with Stan Van Gundy preaching defense 24/7/365

I hear Clifford is big on defense...

[TheKingofSting2]

if stauskus does end up becoming similar to redick, lets just hope he hits his peak a little faster. redick was a 4 year college player at duke and still was pretty much an end of the bench rotation guy his first 3 years and didnt break 12ppg until his 7th season at age 28. it took redick a long long time to become a very good rotation guy. stauskus will be gone from charlotte by the time he is 28 with that kind of trajectory.

Defense kept Redick off the floor more than anything. That was around the time when high caliber players like Kobe Bryant in his prime were manning the SG position and Redick didn't really stand a chance, especially with Stan Van Gundy preaching defense 24/7/365

I hear Clifford is big on defense...

Yes but he can also cover up flaws on defense. See Jefferson Al.

[W_HAMILTON]

With the potential for at least a couple of the top-rated guys to fall, I'm resigning myself to the probability that we'll end up drafting Embiid, Randle, or McDermott. Stauskas will probably end up on one of those middling Western Conference teams a few picks behind us.

I never get to have nice things.

Come to think of it, maybe I should prepare myself for the team passing on Embiid/Randle/McDermott/Stauskas in favor of drafting Young/Harris.

[Stun704]

Defense kept Redick off the floor more than anything. That was around the time when high caliber players like Kobe Bryant in his prime were manning the SG position and Redick didn't really stand a chance, especially with Stan Van Gundy preaching defense 24/7/365

I hear Clifford is big on defense...

Yes but he can also cover up flaws on defense. See Jefferson Al.

This is a flawed rebuttal. Big Als flaws can be covered up because he is the only one in the starting 5 with below average D for his position. You have two weak defenders in the starting line up and our team defense would be trash. Just look what happened when MKG went down and a weaker defender went in the starting line up. Went from top 10 to not mentioned at all.

[Liver_Pooty]

I hear Clifford is big on defense...

Yes but he can also cover up flaws on defense. See Jefferson Al.

This is a flawed rebuttal. Big Als flaws can be covered up because he is the only one in the starting 5 with below average D for his position. You have two weak defenders in the starting line up and our team defense would be trash. Just look what happened when MKG went down and a weaker defender went in the starting line up. Went from top 10 to not mentioned at all.

Agreed. People on here give Henderson hell, but if you replace Henderson with Stauskas our defense goes in the toilet quickly. Yeah you will have much better spacing and shooting, but the defense goes down significantly. Clifford is a great defensive coach, but he can only do so much.

[BeesWax]

Yes but he can also cover up flaws on defense. See Jefferson Al.

This is a flawed rebuttal. Big Als flaws can be covered up because he is the only one in the starting 5 with below average D for his position. You have two weak defenders in the starting line up and our team defense would be trash. Just look what happened when MKG went down and a weaker defender went in the starting line up. Went from top 10 to not mentioned at all.

Agreed. People on here give Henderson hell, but if you replace Henderson with Stauskas our defense goes in the toilet quickly. Yeah you will have much better spacing and shooting, but the defense goes down significantly. Clifford is a great defensive coach, but he can only do so much.

But if like all of you have said Nik or any other SG will come off the bench he would be backed by Biz. Nik will be able to play good team defense like McRoberts because he is smart.

By the way McRoberts was know as a bad defender until he just had to play a role in this defense and became decent. The reason Al is the only bad defender we have is because all the other guys know where to be and Al just stands around.

[MasterIchiro]

"I have a rare skill set that not many people have, the ability to really shoot it and then put it on the floor and create for others," he continued. "There's not many people who can do what I can do."

-Nik Stauskas

That right there is SA Spurs material.

[MasterIchiro]

1. Who is the best shooter in the draft?

Jay Bilas: I would tab Nik Stauskas of Michigan as the best overall shooter in the NBA draft. Stauskas has deep range, a quick and high release and the ability to get a shot off under duress. He moves without the ball, can rise up off the run, can catch and shoot and has the ability to pull up and hit with consistency.

[mrknowitall215]

That right there is SA Spurs material.

Spurs material had the worst net rating out of all of our wings not named Jeffery Taylor



What good is Spurs material without a Popovich? Popovich is the king of flexibility while Clifford is the peasant of it