It's not just us though.... it's everyone. So many analysts think this dude is going to be great. I was listening to RCR this morning and they had a analyst on (I can't remember the name) who said that Scoot was miles ahead of everyone else except Wemby.
At minimum, he should provide several things the Blazers are missing: someone who will push the pace, someone who will find Shaedon Sharpe more often in transition and half court, someone who will promote more player movement in the half court, someone who has to be considered by the defense as a constant threat to drive to the basket. A much more athletic Andre Miller, whom I believe will be able to play off the ball better than Miller.
Yeah, but he sure debated it to the end, when he opted for the better fit next to Ball. I think the issue for us fans at this point is we did not watch him like we did those playing in college. We still have no idea how good or over-hyped he may be.
If you're concerned about his numbers, look at Jaden Hardy. Hardy shot 27% on 3-pointers for G-league Ignite. One season later, his 3-point shooting percentage went way up to 40% in the actual NBA. Not saying it will happen for Scoot, but it could improve enough.
I will say, and not saying it will happen, but being a 19-year-old that pushes Dame out of Portland....Oooof.
You only can go so much on highlights, but watching him beat Wembanyama several times one-on-one, getting to the rim and finishing, it's hard to doubt the upside he brings to the table. Wemby's this elite shot-blocker with good lateral movement, but Scoot still could get to his shot consistently.
We don't know how much they debated. It wouldn't surprise me if Kupchak was told to work other teams to get them to trade into the #2 slot. For most other teams, they had Scoot rated higher than Miller.
