I have to Say I think Presti did a good job overall - we got the 2nd and 5th picks in a very deep draft!Whats the low down on D west - I always thought he was a good player that could fill a stat sheet. Well rounded- No-one seems that sad that he's going though so I must be wrong?Guys please tell me EVERYTHING about Delonte and SZerbiack.
I remember Wally quite well from his Timberwolve days, so I can tell you a little about him, some quick things.He's not a very strong player, he can shoot the ball quite well but he can just not create his own shot at all, he is a poor defender, a former all star who isn't quite in his prime anymore, I think Szczerbiak is much more of role player and not that good of one if you ask me, he's a team player though, gets injuried a lot, list goes on.
Delonte West<ul>[*]A true hustler, he gives his all every second he's on the floor. He never holds back or plays soft. He will battle 7 footers for loose balls.[*]He is a very unique personality, very likable, very funny, he will be a fan favorite everywhere he plays.[*]He's a good shooter.[*]He's more of a 2-guard than a point guard, he can be somewhat turnover prone when he's at the point.[*]He's probably an average defender, but because of his size, he's obviously a liability when he's guarding bigger SG's. He won't go out without a fight though, as I mentioned above.[*]He's a clutch shooter from the outside and at the free throw line, he has hit a ton of huge shots for us over the last 3 years.[/list]Wally Szczerbiak<ul>[*]He's one of the best and most efficient shooters in the league when he's healthy.[*]One problem, he's never healthy for an extended period of time, with his bad knees AND ankles.[*]He's grossly overpaid.[*]He can't guard my mother sitting down in a stationary chair.[*]He's very classy and a real professional, he plays hard, and he has a high basketball IQ.[/list]
[quote name='CelticBalla32']A true hustler, he gives his all every second he's on the floor. He never holds back or plays soft. He will battle 7 footers for loose balls.[/quote]This is true, but this style of play often works to his detriment, as he seems to injure himself while attempting to chase after loose balls or block taller players. Obviously he is trying to maximize his limited talent, but he's very injury-prone now because his recklessness has resulted in injuries that will continue to plague him. Along with his frail frame, this characteristic isn't exactly a positive, in my opinion. To be a fan favorite, he has to actually, you know, produce. He's a nice guy and that article that he wrote for PageTwo was amusing, but until he actually performs well, I don't think his jersey will be flying off the team store shelves. He's an average shooter. His 47.2 eFG% isn't very impressive. He can hit the open shot, but he cannot create his own shot and in Boston, he usually relied on Pierce to draw a double-team and leave him wide open to find his shot. In my opinion, he's an awful point guard. Often, with Wally especially, he would play "catch" and pass the ball back and forth, but he doesn't create for others. He also uses far too many possessions, as his usage rate nearly matches that of Pierce. He's a poor ballhandler and his court vision is lesss than adequate. Truly, his size [6'2.75"] really only allows him to play the point, but to be sucessful, he's going to have to be matched with a shooting guard that can lead the offense and create for others. I mean, at best, he's the third or fourth guard off the bench, but his size really hurts him. Yeah, he's about a below average to average defender at the point guard position, but shooting guard, he often picks up unnecessary fouls when attempting to defend physically stronger players.</p>
</p> On the contrary, Seattle's team as a whole is soft. Having a player with Delonte's level of toughness and competitiveness will make a positive impact. Also, let's not make him out to be Theo Ratliff, he's not missing entire seasons. He will miss 10-15 games per year, sure, but it's nothing significant.</p> </p> You must hold some type of grudge against Delonte, because to say that he's not a productive player is ridiculous. He's not perfect, but he's not the scrub you're making him out to be.</p> Also, being a fan favorite has nothing to do with jersey sales. Do you think Tractor Traylor sold many jerseys in Cleveland? Hell no, but he was a fan favorite. The point is that Delonte's demeanor and personality will be highly appreciated wherever he plays.</p> </p> Delonte is no 1-on-1 stud, but he gets the job done. I don't care what statistics you will try and throw out there, Delonte can shoot the basketball and he takes it hard to the basket. Kyle Korver doesn't create his own shots, Jason Kapono doesn't create his own shots, but we aren't talking about what they can do 1-on-1. Delonte West can shoot the ball.</p> Also, don't you think Kevin Durant will draw those same double-teams, therefore leaving shooters open in Seattle? Let's not forget that Luke Ridnour, Earl Watson, and Jeff Green also move the ball well and will find open players. Delonte will be fine, especially in Seattle's up-tempo style which will get Delonte more looks than he had here.</p> </p> Agreed, and I never said Delonte is a viable option to start at the 2. I think he's a good role player to have, though, and I think he is a good 3rd guard to have.</p>
