Why doesn't Dajuan Wagner receive more minutes? Why doesn't Wagner have a starting spot on the roster? Last season prior to his struggles with injury he averaged 16 points and 5 assists, was even considered the leading candidate for rookie of the year for awhile. Wagner shows great potential for a kid who left school so early, he's still developing and I believe quality minutes can help turn this kid into a star. Wagner reminds me alot of a Gilbert Arenas type player, he might not be the typical point guard who sets everyone up, but he can be a dominate scorer from that postion. I don't think his lack of passing would hurt the team because Lebron's passing ability could make up for the loss. I simply just don't understand why this guy isn't even getting 20 minutes a game after showing such potential in his rookie season. What puzzles me the most is the fact that Cleveland didn't even attempt to give Wagner some starts at the point since he returned from injury. For a player who's so versatile and such an explosive scorer, you'd think he'd be able to find a starting postion or at least 20 minutes a game.
Wagner is more of a two guard than a one... and the one that plays the two is Bron, who is the franchise player. You could say he is still a PG and should replace Jeff McInnis in the starting lineup, but this team is on a nice streak (7-3) after the all star break and no way Paul Silas is going to juggle the lineup and risk breaking the nice chemistry with McInnis in the lineup. McInnis isn't bad either for this team as he has accumulated 67 assists to 8 turnovers over his last 7 games. Wagner should keep coming off the bench to provide some much-needed energy for the team.
Wagner was a blown pick. Lucas convinced Paxson that Wagner could play the PG spot when in reality, he has no point guard skills whatsoever. Wagner is an undersized (he's probably 6'1") 2 guard who doesn't have the quickness like Iverson or the jumper like Wesley to be successful in the NBA. Plus he is a liability on defense. He doesn't really deserve anything more then spot minutes at this point.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CBBI:</div><div class="quote_post">Wagner was a blown pick.</div> Lets let him play a whole rookie's worth of a season before we start calling people busts. He's had an injury riddled first two years and should feel more comfertable next year after his FIRST training camp in the NBA. Sometimes it takes players more then 82 games for it to click...ie: Michael Redd. Lets just wait and see....
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CBBI:</div><div class="quote_post">Wagner was a blown pick.</div> Wagner hasn't even played a full season yet, he only stayed in College for ONE year, he's still developing. The guy has potential, in his rookie season he moved to a new postion yet somehow still managed to put up 16 points and 5 assists per game before he struggled with injuries. If that's what you refer to has a "blown pick" than I hope Cleveland gets a few more of those because they'll have quality players throughout the roster in no time. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Lucas convinced Paxson that Wagner could play the PG spot when in reality, he has no point guard skills whatsoever. Wagner is an undersized (he's probably 6'1") 2 guard who doesn't have the quickness like Iverson or the jumper like Wesley to be successful in the NBA.</div> He's 6'2" and he's primarily a scorer, so that makes him a "blown" draft pick? Plenty of NBA players are primarily scorers and play the point postion, Steve Francis, Baron Davis, Stephon Marbury, Gilbert Arenas, Nick Van Exel, etc. Just because your a scorer doesn't mean you can't play the point guard postion, clearly it's worked for the aforementioned players so I'm sure Wagner could adapt. Wagner doesn't have quickess? Have you ever watched him play? Statements like that have me convinced you haven't... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Plus he is a liability on defense.</div> That's why he plays the point guard, so he doesn't have to defend shooting guards who range from 6'4" to 6'8".
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">That's why he plays the point guard, so he doesn't have to defend shooting guards who range from 6'4" to 6'8".</div> And you had the audacity to allege that CBBI hasn't seen him play? LOL
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Skywzrd:</div><div class="quote_post">And you had the audacity to allege that CBBI hasn't seen him play? LOL</div> I have seen Wagner play and based on his 76 career games, a few things have been confirmed for me. Wagner has NO point guard skills whatsoever. He does not handle on ball pressure very well, struggles going to his left, he doesn't see the floor well, etc etc etc. When Wagner gets the ball, he is NEVER thinking to create something for others. The only thing running through his mind is trying to take his man off the dribble and putting up a shot. In 30 minutes a game last season, he averaged LESS THEN THREE assists per game. This season in 17 minutes, he doesn't even average 1 assist a game? He IS NOT a point guard. The ONLY thing Wagner is good at is breaking inferior (see: slower) defenders off the dribble, going to his right, and throwing up a running floater over the other team's big man which goes in about 35% of the time. He couldn't shoot at Memphis (41% shooter in college?) and he isn't magically going to learn how to get off good shots in the pros. He basically had the green light at Memphis to shoot it every time he touched it. He is NOT Iverson. He does not have the quickness of Iverson and therefore will never be able to get the same kind of space away from his defender that Iverson gets in order to get off his jumper. I haven't even covered defense yet. Wagner can't cover anything but point guards, but have you ever watched him try and cover a guy who is as quick as him? Not only does Wagner play matador defense, but that forces him to recover the only way possible; by hacking his man on the way by. And for a guy that is supposed to be so quick and Iverson-like, he sure doesn't average many steals. You would think a guy that actually PLAYED DEFENSE would be in position to use his quick hands to poke the ball away or jump into the passing lane. Again I say, Wagner was a blown pick. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- EDIT: I never said Wagner wasn't quick. But at 6'1" he needs that "Iverson" type quickness to get space and get shots off and he simply doesn't have that. Also, would you be happy with Wagner scoring 15 PPG for this team shooting 20 shots a game at 35%? I know I wouldn't. I would rather those shots go to Z, Booz, and James.
This has been talked to death. Wagner will NOT be playing any point this year, next year or in the future. He doesn't want to play point. He wants to score. And the offensive position is takin up by LeBron who averages 40 minutes a game. Only time Wagner will see is the bottom of the 2nd quarter when LeBron gets a blow. Wag was given opportunities to play point and get some minutes. He denied, then we traded for McInnis who is doing far better than expected. Wagner blew his chance to get into the rotation and he will have to wait his turn like everyone else on the bench.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CBBI:</div><div class="quote_post">Training camp isn't going to make Wagner grow 5 inches.</div> I don't see what that has to do with anything? Boozer is undersized and he gets the job done. Plenty other undersized players play well. Not sure where your going here. And just to get the facts straight Wagner is NOT 6'2'' like another poster stated. He's 6 feet at the tallest, could be 5'11" - I've stood next to him. All Dajuan needs to do is work work work, take a page out of Boozers book. They should hang out this summer, quickness CAN be incresead with hard work and shooting can ALWAYS be improved. So far to me Wagner has proved he can't sit on his a$$ all summer, waltz into TC and be a star. He's gonna have to work. It's up to him, he's got the blueprint to being a great player but does he have the heart? I think he does and we will find out.
I agree. Wag just needs to work on some fundementals. How to play off picks, how to drive to the left. And he needs to hustle more. I think thats about it. He can get more shots off pick and rolls instead of driving to the hoop and getting his floater smacked into the seats.
Wagner will never be a star this league period! With a healthy offseason, and plenty of work on his weaknesses he can be a contributor! My expectations of him have dropped!
If Wagner had starter minutes and played in a West Coast style of fast breaking and running and gunning (coaches that encourage volume shooting and aggressiveness), he could be a 20ppg right now. He doesn't fit well with the Cavalier. But I'm confident he can work on his dribbles and get a left hand. Many players come into this league with only one hand, so that's a common and very correctable problem.
Have you ever watched Wagner play point guard? We experimented with it last year and it failed miserably. He is a scorer and a scorer only. To even suggest that he should be starting over Mcinnis is ridiculous. Wags would probably average 5 TOs a game if he played the same minutes that Jeff does. Wagner is a huge liability on defense. With him being so small, opposing guards can simply back him down and he can't stop them. Not to mention he always reaches in or tries to come over their back and gets called for a bunch of cheap fouls. He can't be left in during crunch time because he can't stop his man. This was evident the last time we played the Rockets and Mobley abused him late. He's added a 3 point shot which is nice, but he needs to work on distributing the ball. Whenever he's in and he touches the ball, he almost always goes one on one with his man and doesn't look to pass. He's decent for some instant offense off the bench, but he is a long way from being a starter in this league, let alone the next Iverson.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting redscoon:</div><div class="quote_post"> He's decent for some instant offense off the bench, but he is a long way from being a starter in this league, let alone the next Iverson.</div> I think Wags could potentially start on a few teams in the league but simply not the Cavaliers.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting West Remy:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Wags could potentially start on a few teams in the league but simply not the Cavaliers.</div> Yeah, maybe the Atlanta Hawks!
Uhhhh...anyways. Wagner is our sixth man and that will stand until he establishes a good defensive game. He is our future shooting guard, but not anytime soon.
