Rick Fox is who his game reminds me of - except Elleby looks like he’s going to be at least a solid/borderline elite defender.
CJE is an inexpensive roster spot right now. [Simons, Powell, Little, DJJ are ahead of him.]. However, I like what he can become. He is NOT a graceful baller. He does have skills and motor and smarts with enough athleticism to play. Is he a starter—ever? Maybe. It depends on his work ethic. Quality 6th or 7th man? Again, maybe. I expect he sticks around as his trade value is low and so is his contract. I like him for the Blazers.
Elleby has an active not stiff body, like Will Barton. He's not shy, like rookies Crabbe, Connaughton, Armon Johnson, and Nolan Smith were. Unlike most rookies who default every play into their one instinctive scoring move, he has a thinking multi-dimensional game, looking every play to set up teammates. He may become Barton-quality.
I think he's going to be a Dylan Brooks type player....he's closer to a two way player then Ant has shown in small sample sizes
He has some interesting traits but his shot is a bit funky. He tends to come across is body a bit which makes repeatable efficiency more difficult. Hope he can fix that. It was something that was in his pre-draft bio coming out of college and it has shown up too frequently in the few shots he does get.
Elleby is now shooting a little over 34% from outside, including 9 for his last 21. Considering where he was at, that’s quite the development. I gave up on him, mainly because of his shot because he’s always had good defensive tools, so it’s pretty encouraging, albeit a small sample.
