Hope this isn't already posted somewhere: PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: LILLARD DOESN'T HAVE A WEAKNESS ON OFFENSE They had a really quiet summer. Their continuity should help them get a fast start, and they showed they could play winning basketball after the Jusuf Nurkic trade. . . . I don’t think the Allen Crabbe [trade to the Nets] is addition by subtraction. It’s just subtraction. There are more minutes and clearer roles for Moe Harkless and Evan Turner, but they needed Crabbe’s shooting. It’s O.K. to overpay for shooting, and he was part of their best five-man lineup. . . . Damian Lillard doesn’t have any weaknesses on offense. He hits big shots, runs an efficient offense, shoots from deep, he’s a caretaker. It’s all on his shoulders. . . . Lillard deserves a lot of credit for finding a good balance with C.J. McCollum; there’s no real jealousy or push-and-pull between the two of them. It’s seamless how they play off each other. They both get naturally more aggressive when the other one is on the bench. . . . McCollum’s midrange game is a big-time weapon. His handle and his craftiness and his ability to play in pick-and-rolls are all pluses—he can score at all three levels. He can hit you at any moment. . . . All the concerns about Turner’s fit came to fruition. He kills their spacing both for the guards and around Nurkic inside. There’s nowhere to hide him. His contract is so, so bad. . . . It’s never going to happen for Meyers Leonard. He doesn’t believe in himself, so why should anyone believe in him? . . . Zach Collins was struggling everywhere in Summer League. Even when he improves, I’m not sure he has a position. That looks like a bad pick. I agree with it all except about Zach Collins. https://www.si.com/nba/2017/10/11/n...m&utm_medium=social&xid=socialflow_twitter_si
Yeah, the "scout" that made that comment is an idiot. I'm unclear why anyone would think Collins has no position. I'm all for people having their opinions, but that guy clearly shouldn't have one in this case. Especially in a league where having a defined position is meaning less and less....
Batum looked like shit in SL to the point where everyone thought he was going to go back to France for a year or two. I remember folks were shocked when he was here immediately. And he stepped up and played well with legit NBA players. Same seems to be the case with Z-Co.
Exactly. I have no problem with someone having a differing opinion about a player. And for what it's worth, Collins did struggle in his short summer league stint. But that comment about lack of position makes absolutely no sense to me. He seems like a pretty damned natural PF to me; checks off all the boxes. And he can back up the 5 as well as long as there isn't some giant banger. I just don't understand that comment at all.
Said it when we drafted him, I'll say it now: I still think he ends up a Lamarcus-type PF. He's got good lateral movement and agility. But he's clearly not as soft mentally or physically.
Remember when LMA was DPoY at Texas, drafted to shore up interior D and not shoot, b/c we had Roy and ZBo? Averaged 9 and 5 on 7 shots a game? (which, btw, is what Noah and Meyers combined shot last year)
If Zach couldn't shoot, defend in space/pnr or protect the rim I'd agree with this guy so......yeah....I don't agree with this guy.
Had he said Collins looks like a future HOFer, and it was the steal if the draft, would he still not know what he was talking about? Both statements are both premature. I can't imagine you guys whining like this had he said that
I think ET is going to redeem himself this season. I agree about Crabbe though. I wasn't happy with how that played out.
The "he might not have a postion" statement is what I, and I think most in this thread are taking exception to. This "scout" can think whatever he wants about Zach's NBA potential, but that take is just bad.