People keep talking Chris Paul, but I'm seeing a lot of KJ in the pull-up game. Of course, physically they're nothing similar - physically Scoot reminds me of a taller Tim Hardaway (Sr.).
I see a pre-injury Derrick Rose as being the closest. I do see a lot of Kevin Johnson, however. The similarities with Paul are his mid-range and change-of-pace moves. He's much more explosive than Paul, but not as crafty. I'm just happy we're using comps like these. Even reaching 75% of any of the aforementioned would be a huge win.
the 'square-peg-round-hole-no-defense-in sight' position; the channeling-MeJ position; the '9th-straight-year-of-unbalanced-roster' position
The only way to play all 3 is to play 2 of them out of position. Scoot and Simons are both 1s; although you could argue Simons is a "2" in a "1s" body, the counter is that a vast majority of his "high-level" play has been when he played the 1 albeit with a horrific AST:TO. Sharpe is a 2. Scoot / Ant / Sharpe / ?? / ?? = 2 of them are playing out of position. Obviously, you could bring Simons or Scoot off the bench, as I've been advocating for a while, but as many people have noted, "that's not going to happen". Also, note I said "LONG TERM". Which means in 3 years do you think one of Scoot / Ant is going to be coming off the bench? Don't think so. Everything up to this point indicates that they are bad defenders. Could that change? Sure, but if we are operating in reality, we aren't playing the "they could be this or that" game. They are what they are until they prove otherwise. This brings me back to my original point. Under no circumstances do I want to continue playing 2 players out of position and 3 really bad defenders long-term. And it's a forum, of course, it's meant to be dramatic. If 2 of them grew and 2 of them became elite defenders, sure, that would change the scenario, but the circumstance is the same ... because that's not 3 no-defense guards and 2 out of position. So correct, there is nothing that could happen in the entire world in which I would want to continue playing 2 players out of position and 3 really bad defenders long term. And your whole perish off a bus is a load of bullshit. Really? Do you think someone is going to threaten to drive a bus off a cliff if the Blazers don't change their basketball lineup? That's not a realistic circumstance. I'm going to blow up the entire world unless you give me $10,000,000 dollars by next week. What's your decision? I bet it's pretty easy because that's not realistic.
Oh, I'm certain they share the same opinion as you, lol. And I don't think it is really an issue for Sharpe's development. It's an issue for the development of Rupert and Murray who both, IMO, are 3s, and I want to see what we've got in those guys. So they're not going to get the development they theoretically need. After watching their SL performance though... not sure Rupert is ready for a single NBA minute, but it's early.
https://www.si.com/.amp/extra-musta...on-electric-summer-league-debut-trail-blazers NBA World Amazed by Scoot Henderson’s Electric Summer League Debut
From one summer league game? Or from 2 seasons of the G League? And from what I saw last night, his screen navigation is horrible. But it's summer league. Tons of different variables. So I'm not going to evaluate that. And I've said in other places what I learned from watching him in the G League, but they'll call me a "Scoot hater", so not really interested in going down that path again.
I think for most of these young players, it is about projecting whether or not they have the ability to play defense. (Size/athleticism) If they have that then they can be taught to be a good defender. Instincts of course help as well. But defensive stats don't tell me anything at that age.
For the most part, I agree, that's why I said I wasn't going to evaluate Summer League play. A lot of it has to do with a limited time to install defensive schemes and they have no chemistry and who knows how the communication is. So it's hard to truly evaluate.
I was very clear in the post that I originally made that I'm not talking about projections or what they could be. People were saying the same thing about Dame and Simons and Sharpe. They all have the tools to be good defenders yet none of them (currently) are. I'm talking about what they are now. And right now, they're all bad defensively. I also acknowledged that could change but we are talking about present reality. It's like the people who think it's a no-brainer that Amen Thompson can be taught how to shoot the ball. If it was such a no-brainer, I think he would've been the clear and obvious #2 choice in this draft. But the reality is he can't shoot right now and he was drafted in a place that reflects that weakness. And I think it's disingenuous to say defensive stats don't tell you "anything".
I was very clear to say "at that age". So I do not think it is disingenuous to say defensive stats don't tell us anything about a 19-year-old who has never played in an NBA game. And as you said there are "tons of variables" when you are referencing "trackable stats"
Add *at that age*, I assumed it was … assumed. Which makes an ass out of me. But, to be clear, you don’t think Wemby’s defensive stats tell you anything? You didn’t think Amens or even Ausars defensive stats tell you anything? What about Anthony Davis? Davion Mitchell? Marcus Smart? Chet Holmgren? You don’t think their defensive stats told you *anything at that age*? I said there are tons of variables in summer league. Over the course of 2 years, there aren’t many variables. But let’s not get off topic. You still want to stick with “defensive stats don’t tell you anything at that age”?
