Science Statistical Storylines in VSL 2018: Big Z and WB4ever

He didn't.

Rookie year: 21 ppg, 37% FG, 3.4 apg, 4.0 rpg in 35 mpg in 5 games, 18 PER.
Year 2: 20.2 ppg, 48% FG, 2.0 apg, 3.2 rpg in 33 mpg in 5 games, 25 PER.

Wade: 14.4 ppg, 54% FG, 8.4 apg, 3.8 rpg in 26 mpg in 5 games 29 PER. He's leading the entire summer league in ast% and is rarely turning it over. He looks like the best PG out there among all the teams.

Wade is a bonafide PG, CJ isn't.

 

It's kinda simple. There's no backup PG on this summer league team. The offense kinda goes to shit when he's out.

 

I thought the discussion was whether Baldwin is a better option this year over current-level CJ, not the CJ from five years ago. He may be, and I’d agree he has a more natural talent for that position, but he’s going to have to show it translates against the varsity.

 

If the Lakers make it to the championship game, I fully expect LeBron to suit up and play all 48 minutes for them. It's their only chance at beating this Blazers team, and his only chance at making the finals now that he's in the Western Conference.

BNM

 

LBJ will not be suiting up for the SL Lakers, however, the refs will treat them like he is

 

Baldwin shows signs of being a complete two way player...something we've lacked in the guard positions....Bazz was at times...led the team in steals last season..Baldwin flat out shuts down guards on defense....I've never been able to say that about CJ....CJ is a shooter...that's his game.
Baldwin also has a pretty alley oop pass...hit Layman several times...we haven't had that since Andre Miller....actually Baldwin has some of Dre's skillset in his game but is much faster.

 

The 2-way players for the Blazers are:
1) Nurk
2) Baldwin

soon Collins will develop into one as well.

 

I'm adding Layman to the list...his defense in underrated...people just guage him by scoring stats but he's a good all around player these days. Simons can become that as well

 

I think Moe could join the club next season, and I sure hope Collins does.

 

I would say that Layman can't do either well enough.

 

we disagree then..it's all good...I really like how his game has evolved this offseason...

 

I hope you're right!

 

To me, Jake is either on or off and mostly off. And when he's off, I don't feel like he helps the team. In fact, I don't think it registers to him that he's off and he keeps shooting, which doesn't help the team... Hopefully this Summer League is a new Jake, but it'll take some good regular season games to convince me he even belongs in the NBA.

 

couldn't disagree more.....

 

We might just be disagreeing about the definition of a "2-way player" is. I would say something like top 30 at your position in both offense and defense. Nurk is a top 30 center on the offensive end and at the defensive end. Layman has improved, but isn't top 30 in anything.

Parenthetically, this is yet another problem with ET. I was thinking/hoping/praying we were getting a 2-way player when we signed him.

The fact that he is a 0-way player (not top 30 in either O or D) is bonecrushing.
The fact that he is destroying our cap is soulcrushing.
It's actually quite an accomplishment for a single human to both bonecrush and soulcrush an entire NBA fan base.

 

the NBA is so soft that now they rest guys in summer league games.

 

You don't notice he seems to lack a conscious? Or as they say: has never seen a shot he doesn't like?

 

I basically agree, but there is an actual answer not based on your, my, or @riverman 's feelings. How far do other teams sag off of him? If I'm a defender in 2017-18, I'm sagging way the hell off to help my teammates. Hopefully, this new SL Jake will be different, and consider the "3rd year leaps" made by other Blazers, it's very possible.

 

This feels like a great meme:
"The NBA is so soft that now.... you have to create burner accounts to say what you really feel."