The Jeremiah Fears Thread

[JMAC3]

Question for those of you that are high on fears, high enough to draft him at 4.
- how do you see the Hornets backcourt playing out in year 2+ if they were to draft fears?
- Do you think it works with fears and melo Eventually starting next to each other - Meaning by his 2nd season?
- Do you see fears as more of a high end 6th man and high level backup to melo?
- Or do you see fears as the eventual replacement as starting point guard allowing the Hornets to look for a melo trade?

I don't really care about fit all that much in this scenario. Year 1 maybe Fears comes off the bench behind Josh Green, but I still think he plays close to 30 mpg both next to LaMelo and behind him. I would probably still extend QO to Mann but wouldn't give him anything long-term. As far as LaMelo, it would depend on how successful the team was this year.

1. If we are good, then yeah keep LaMelo.
2. If Fears isn't a day 1 impact guy, keep LaMelo.
3. If LaMelo is hurt again maybe you look to move him.
4. If Fears is really good, but the team still sucks then yeah maybe you look to rebuild.

I don't really see a reason why LaMelo and Fears can't work.. if Rozier and LaMelo worked for the most part. Kemba/Lin worked. Mitchell/Garland worked. Lillard/McCollum worked...

Maybe it isn't the ideal championship backcourt but all those teams had different levels of success together.

[Bassman]

If we take Fears 4th (either because they want him the most or perhaps VJ is off the board), I think they go forward and “see what happens”. I doubt they’d draft Fears and feel emboldened enough to trade Melo immediately for a good deal, thereby entrusting the point to a rookie, unless they LOVED his workout and think he’s THE ONE. They develop Fears, plan to play him behind Melo, try them together some, see how he progresses. When Melo inevitably misses some time (hopefully just a couple of games) try him with the starters.

Fears belongs with Ace and Tre as players with limitations who still have the potential to become a star. The next group down from them also have limitations, should develop into starters but a reach to become stars; Kon, Kaman, Jaku, maybe Queen, CMB.

But Fears seems to illicit a wide variable on rating and ranking. So is he gold, or fool’s gold?

[MasterIchiro]

If we take Fears 4th (either because they want him the most or perhaps VJ is off the board), I think they go forward and “see what happens”. I doubt they’d draft Fears and feel emboldened enough to trade Melo immediately for a good deal, thereby entrusting the point to a rookie, unless they LOVED his workout and think he’s THE ONE. They develop Fears, plan to play him behind Melo, try them together some, see how he progresses. When Melo inevitably misses some time (hopefully just a couple of games) try him with the starters.

Fears belongs with Ace and Tre as players with limitations who still have the potential to become a star. The next group down from them also have limitations, should develop into starters but a reach to become stars; Kon, Kaman, Jaku, maybe Queen, CMB.

But Fears seems to illicit a wide variable on rating and ranking. So is he gold, or fool’s gold?

The 4 year rookie scale deal mirrors the 4 years remaining on LaMelo. Fears will be 23.

[yosemiteben]

I'm not out on Fears, but I am scratching my head a bit on him being a marquee prospect. He only averaged 4 assists, was only slightly above 1:1 ATO, and he shot very poorly in college and apparently also was a non-shooter in high school. He also had one of the lowest standing reaches, one of the smallest wingspans, and one of the lowest weights at the combine, so size is an issue.

I've heard he improved during the course of this season, so I looked up his splits. In doing so I saw his home vs. road splits, which seemed notable:



Those road splits are awful, not sure what's going on there. Also not really sure why he played in 9 more home games than road games, that seems strange too but don't care enough to look into why that was the case.

Here is his monthly splits:



Doesn't really seem to fit the characterization that he improved as the season went on, January was by far his worst month.

[JDR720]

Besides Maluach, he's the one I don't want. We don't need more small scoring guards.

[fatlever]

such a WIDE range
ringer has him 19, sam vecenie has him 18

[JMAC3]

I'm not out on Fears, but I am scratching my head a bit on him being a marquee prospect. He only averaged 4 assists, was only slightly above 1:1 ATO, and he shot very poorly in college and apparently also was a non-shooter in high school. He also had one of the lowest standing reaches, one of the smallest wingspans, and one of the lowest weights at the combine, so size is an issue.

I've heard he improved during the course of this season, so I looked up his splits. In doing so I saw his home vs. road splits, which seemed notable:



Those road splits are awful, not sure what's going on there. Also not really sure why he played in 9 more home games than road games, that seems strange too but don't care enough to look into why that was the case.

Here is his monthly splits:



Doesn't really seem to fit the characterization that he improved as the season went on, January was by far his worst month.

I mean his final 5 games he scored 28+ pts 3 times.
He played on a bad team where assists weren't easily manufactured.

Not to this degree but the selling point of Fears is scoring 40 pts 5 times and then scoring 0 pts 5 times and saying what is the big deal with this guy? He only averages 20 ppg. It is about he flashes of him being elite more than him struggling and being inconsistent as someone who was supposed to be a high school senior.

He was the 65th ranked prospect in his class, he has improved more in the last 12 months than any other prospect, the bet is that he will continue to improve at a faster pace than his peers.

[yosemiteben]

I can see the point. At the same time, spending a top 5 pick on a guy that just randomly plays like dog **** for chunks of time is concerning, especially given that when he plays really well he still doesn't really shoot outside or generate many assists.

[Bassman]

I can see the point. At the same time, spending a top 5 pick on a guy that just randomly plays like dog **** for chunks of time is concerning, especially given that when he plays really well he still doesn't really shoot outside or generate many assists.

Agree, and while he may have outlier high potential, I wouldn’t take him 4th. Unless we trade up for Harper, I’m for drafting one of Ace, VJ or Tre at the 4.

[Braggins]

He shot 36% on catch and shoot 3s and like 20% on off the dribble 3s. He also shot 85% from the free throw line and his form looks pretty good to me. Its pretty standard for young guards to take some time to dial in their pull up 3 point shot and he was 18 for the entire season.

One of the main issues people have with him is his shooting, but I don't think the 3pt% by itself really tells the entire story.

[KembaWalker]

this guy has Hornets energy for sure

[yosemiteben]

Didn't know that his C&S % was that high, that's encouraging.

Just to be clear about my stance on him, I'm not at all out on him and am not even necessarily opposed to drafting him, I just don't see him as necessarily the best among our available options.

[Braggins]

Didn't know that his C&S % was that high, that's encouraging.

Just to be clear about my stance on him, I'm not at all out on him and am not even necessarily opposed to drafting him, I just don't see him as necessarily the best among our available options.

He wouldn't be my top guy but I think he deserves to be in the convo and I wouldn't be against drafting him.

[JMAC3]

I can see the point. At the same time, spending a top 5 pick on a guy that just randomly plays like dog **** for chunks of time is concerning, especially given that when he plays really well he still doesn't really shoot outside or generate many assists.

That is what being 18 yrs old in college basketball is though.
Fears had a 28.6% assist rate that is higher than Flagg, Harper and Kasparas.

[wilson115]

I'm not out on Fears, but I am scratching my head a bit on him being a marquee prospect. He only averaged 4 assists, was only slightly above 1:1 ATO, and he shot very poorly in college and apparently also was a non-shooter in high school. He also had one of the lowest standing reaches, one of the smallest wingspans, and one of the lowest weights at the combine, so size is an issue.

That's make or break for me, can he defend in the NBA given his limitations? Like, if VJ's getting knocked for being too small... Also, I look at the OKC and Pacers rosters and all I see are high-end roleplayers able to play both ends effectively. Outside of SGA and Hali, is there even anyone on either roster able to do what Fears is getting hype for, break down his man and get to the rim at will? A valuable skill on its own maybe, but not at the cost of compromising team defense.

[GiggitySmalls]

Fears ceiling to me is Kyrie Irving like, so I get the love.

I view it the same way. Im a big advocate for VJ, but if we drafted Fears id be excited to have him followed by the thrill that we didn't draft Maluach. My fear for drafting Fears would be that we trade him to Brooklyn for multiple picks. I like Fears because he can play with Melo and if that doesn't work and maybe Melo isn't healthy most of the season again we got our pg 1 of the future and can move off Melo.

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[Diop]

he feels like the risky big swing pick for me.

[MasterIchiro]

he feels like the risky big swing pick for me.

Very Salaün-esque.

But actually skilled, breaks down defenders consistently and touches the paint at will.

With experience he will be able to make better decisions once he reaches it, making the right pass, being more selective about his shots off the dribble.

I do see pretty stellar court vision in him from the tape and view his turnovers relating to attempts at extremely difficult passes rather than to weak handles.

The 85% FT is nice for an NCAA Tourney team. He hit those in meaningful games which illustrates how he handles pressure and tired legs.

[MasterIchiro]

Nets supposedly love him and those scouts are all Jeff's former colleagues. Will be interesting to watch Hornets and Nets draft night.

[luciano-davidwesley]

I have a feeling he will be a big riser on draft night.