We have way too many guards, so I don’t know that I’d draft him, but Hunter Sallis would be an interesting pick.
Seems inaccurate. That was the issue at Oregon. Not seeing those issues at Indiana. In fact, he improved significantly. You don't improve without effort.
I do not see Ware's mental traits transfering to the nba. We do not need a lazy porch dog that has to be pushed to do his job. We need a bull terrier, always ready to use his talents, at the highest level, and eager to do it everyday.
Well, not just Oregon. His high school coach hinted as much, too, with him having a weak motor and with coach wanting him to try harder. It seems he might be fully embracing it now but I think, it will probably always be a label applied to him when he isn't able to live up to certain expectations expected of him. If he's not a star, he's soft. If he's not a superstar, he'll be soft. https://highschool.si.com/oregon/20...elel-ware-finally-letting-game-do-the-talking Either way, I am warming up to Ware. I do believe he is very similar to LaMarcus Aldridge (whose motor and 'softness' was also questioned) due to how well he pivots and how unblockable those long arms can be......but with more strength and power in his hips and shoulders than Aldridge which, again, reminds me of Jermaine O'Neal. Comparisons to Skal and Frye are also similar (including complaints) but Ware is much more efficient, has a higher TS%, has a much longer wingspan, and has better athleticism at the college level. This makes him closer to Aldridge than those other two. I don't know that he quite reaches that high of a level but it's possible that makes him Myles Turner-like with better rebounding and less defense.
The video quoted earlier basically said that you don't get the huge improvement Ware has undergone without having a serious attitude. Could it be his demeanor is the problem? Is that really a problem?
I believe I was talking about Tyler Smith here. I don't expect Ware to drop to the second round. I've got some stuff on Ware in another thread. I actually watched a full game replay of Indiana against Iowa and I thought his effort was good. He has improved a lot since he played at Oregon and as someone pointed out, that takes effort too. Also I think he got stricter guidelines from the coaches at Indiana.
Interesting that although I was talking about hoping Smith would fall to the second round. Givony has him going at #20 and Ware at # 27.
I was listening to Tom Tolbert on local Bay Area sports talk the other day talking about his playing days in the league. When he entered the NBA he thought all the players would be big sports fans like himself but soon found out other wise. He said many were in the league just because they were tall and hoops came naturally to them and that many weren't even following the standings and goings on of the NBA. I'm not saying how Ware is mentally, but I'm with you hoping Blazer brass is targeting ballers not just guys who are good at hoops. STOMP
I haven't said anything about this because the person I talked to was getting the chatter 2nd hand from another source. But I was told that the "Ware has an attitude problem" chatter all flowed from his time at Oregon. And that right from opening practice at Oregon, Dana Altman and Ware butted heads. There was immediate friction. Having watched Altman's time at Oregon there is little doubt he's a demanding coach and has a strong personality. There is also little doubt he usually gets the best out of his players. But not always, and that seems like it might have been the case with Ware. Certainly the dramatic change in his role and numbers from Oregon to Indiana imply that's a probability. So then, it may be an amber caution flag on Ware but I don't think it's anywhere close to a red flag
I like Jared McCain—don't think he'll be available at 34 and Portland isn't really in the market for a guy like him.
I'm gonna take advantage of having 2 second rounders and make 2 dark horse selections. The first is a guy I've been wanting for a while, Jamal Shead. Tough! Great defender, good shooter, very good playmaker, exceptional leader. My new 2nd rd/UDFA crush is Jalen Bridges. I see a lot of Ariza/Igoudala from him. 6'7", 40%+ from 3, great defender. He'll never be an All-Star, but I can see him being Tysse with a very good stroke. That's more than you usually get from a 2nd rd.
