quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

DL, what is your obsession with Ball?

He has the best chance of anyone in this draft of becoming a star.

And we need stars. Badly.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
·
1m
The Sixers are trading Al Horford and a first-round and second-round pick to the Thunder for Danny Green, sources tell ESPN.

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mr. Ed

quote:

IMO Ball has even more red flags.

DL, what are the LaMelo Red flags

Beside his father?

His father is a non-issue. LaMelo has done everything he can to distance himself from him.

And by all accounts, he's a really likable kid, a very good teammate and he absolutely loves basketball. He's the type of guy that would refuse to come out of blowouts and instead he'd set screens and set up passes to the end of bench guys to make sure they all got a chance to score.

His red flags are shooting and defense, but I don't think either are fatal flaws.

He's never had a shooting coach, and his form still tends to look like the little kid that his dad forced to play against guys 5+ years older than him all his life. And his shot selection is pretty atrocious because he's always been told to "let it fly".

That said, he has very good natural touch (he has a terrific floater out to about 10 feet, he's good around the basket and he makes his FTs. And he appears coachable. About halfway through last season he got rid of his outrageous leg kick and proceeded to shoot 38% from 3 for the the 2nd half of his year.

On defense, he has all the tools. He has great length, enough athleticism and a really high BBIQ. He's also a tremendous rebounder - which is one of the things you look at when projecting defense. He does get steals (but tends to gamble), and has shown natural instincts at staying in front of his man.

He's literally never been told to play defense. This is where he really needs to be coached up.

And that goes back to the main problem. He's never been properly coached. He's basically dominated everywhere he's gone on raw instinct and BBIQ. His dad was his AAU coach throughout his life and he went to an awful Australia team where he was just told to go out and do his thing (and he nearly averaged a triple-double against grown men doing it).

What he brings to the draft that no one else does is he already has elite NBA level skills. His handle with both hands, vision and passing ability will likely be Top 5 the minute he steps on the floor. I also wouldn't be shocked if he averages 6 rebounds as a skinny rookie.

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

quote:

ORIGINAL: SoMnFan

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mr. Ed

quote:

They cannot be talked into loving something that isn't in their heart to start.
As was said, he tried to backpedal, but it was obvious.

Even in the back track when he said

And it's what I do. It's a job. I feel like I'm working right now. I love it

is STILL a red flag.

And as mentioned, they'll draft him anyway.

Wiggins II

That guy never seemed to love the game either.

Probably going to turn out like Bennet or Olowokandi

Early washout with that type of attitude

That was my point
Its hard enough when the game is everything to them
You'll never get to the high level needed, if its just something someone told you you were good at
Congrats to those who see no red flags. I see em.

There are so many red flags in there that this nugget gets overlooked:

He says if he were drafted by the NFL tomorrow, he'd let basketball go. "Because you can do anything on the field," he explains. "You can spike the ball. You can dance. You can do all type of disrespectful stuff." In the NBA, he says, "you can't do any of that. You'll get fined."

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mr. Ed

quote:

IMO Ball has even more red flags.

DL, what are the LaMelo Red flags

Beside his father?

His father is a non-issue. LaMelo has done everything he can to distance himself from him.

And by all accounts, he's a really likable kid, a very good teammate and he absolutely loves basketball. He's the type of guy that would refuse to come out of blowouts and instead he'd set screens and set up passes to the end of bench guys to make sure they all got a chance to score.

His red flags are shooting and defense, but I don't think either are fatal flaws.

He's never had a shooting coach, and his form still tends to look like the little kid that his dad forced to play against guys 5+ years older than him all his life. And his shot selection is pretty atrocious because he's always been told to "let it fly".

That said, he has very good natural touch (he has a terrific floater out to about 10 feet, he's good around the basket and he makes his FTs. And he appears coachable. About halfway through last season he got rid of his outrageous leg kick and proceeded to shoot 38% from 3 for the the 2nd half of his year.

On defense, he has all the tools. He has great length, enough athleticism and a really high BBIQ. He's also a tremendous rebounder - which is one of the things you look at when projecting defense. He does get steals (but tends to gamble), and has shown natural instincts at staying in front of his man.

He's literally never been told to play defense. This is where he really needs to be coached up.

And that goes back to the main problem. He's never been properly coached. He's basically dominated everywhere he's gone on raw instinct and BBIQ. His dad was his AAU coach throughout his life and he went to an awful Australia team where he was just told to go out and do his thing (and he nearly averaged a triple-double against grown men doing it).

What he brings to the draft that no one else does is he already has elite NBA level skills. His handle with both hands, vision and passing ability will likely be Top 5 the minute he steps on the floor. I also wouldn't be shocked if he averages 6 rebounds as a skinny rookie.

So he is a poor man's Zach LaVine.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Karl Juhnke

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

quote:

ORIGINAL: SoMnFan

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mr. Ed

quote:

They cannot be talked into loving something that isn't in their heart to start.
As was said, he tried to backpedal, but it was obvious.

Even in the back track when he said

And it's what I do. It's a job. I feel like I'm working right now. I love it

is STILL a red flag.

And as mentioned, they'll draft him anyway.

Wiggins II

That guy never seemed to love the game either.

Probably going to turn out like Bennet or Olowokandi

Early washout with that type of attitude

That was my point
Its hard enough when the game is everything to them
You'll never get to the high level needed, if its just something someone told you you were good at
Congrats to those who see no red flags. I see em.

There are so many red flags in there that this nugget gets overlooked:

He says if he were drafted by the NFL tomorrow, he'd let basketball go. "Because you can do anything on the field," he explains. "You can spike the ball. You can dance. You can do all type of disrespectful stuff." In the NBA, he says, "you can't do any of that. You'll get fined."

That’s actually a plus in my book. He has some attitude. For those worried he’s another Wiggins with no fire, this would seem very far away from anything Wiggins would say.

Sports is fun. Nothing wrong with some attitude.

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

I’ve never wanted to be wrong more than right now.

Ugh.

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

I’ve never wanted to be wrong more than right now.

Ugh.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mr. Ed

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

I’ve never wanted to be wrong more than right now.

Ugh.

Hope for a trade

quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

I’ve never wanted to be wrong more than right now.

Ugh.

Look at the bright side. I didn't want Edwards either and I'm always wrong about Wolves draft picks.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Karl Juhnke

Watching on ESPN. That was the most ho hum breakdown of a #1 player I’ve ever heard.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Karl Juhnke

Watching on ESPN. That was the most ho him breakdown of a #1 player I’ve ever heard.

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

I’ve never wanted to be wrong more than right now.

Ugh.

Look at the bright side. I didn't want Edwards either and I'm always wrong about Wolves draft picks.

Unfortunately I'm almost always right...

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mr. Ed

quote:

IMO Ball has even more red flags.

DL, what are the LaMelo Red flags

Beside his father?

His father is a non-issue. LaMelo has done everything he can to distance himself from him.

And by all accounts, he's a really likable kid, a very good teammate and he absolutely loves basketball. He's the type of guy that would refuse to come out of blowouts and instead he'd set screens and set up passes to the end of bench guys to make sure they all got a chance to score.

His red flags are shooting and defense, but I don't think either are fatal flaws.

He's never had a shooting coach, and his form still tends to look like the little kid that his dad forced to play against guys 5+ years older than him all his life. And his shot selection is pretty atrocious because he's always been told to "let it fly".

That said, he has very good natural touch (he has a terrific floater out to about 10 feet, he's good around the basket and he makes his FTs. And he appears coachable. About halfway through last season he got rid of his outrageous leg kick and proceeded to shoot 38% from 3 for the the 2nd half of his year.

On defense, he has all the tools. He has great length, enough athleticism and a really high BBIQ. He's also a tremendous rebounder - which is one of the things you look at when projecting defense. He does get steals (but tends to gamble), and has shown natural instincts at staying in front of his man.

He's literally never been told to play defense. This is where he really needs to be coached up.

And that goes back to the main problem. He's never been properly coached. He's basically dominated everywhere he's gone on raw instinct and BBIQ. His dad was his AAU coach throughout his life and he went to an awful Australia team where he was just told to go out and do his thing (and he nearly averaged a triple-double against grown men doing it).

What he brings to the draft that no one else does is he already has elite NBA level skills. His handle with both hands, vision and passing ability will likely be Top 5 the minute he steps on the floor. I also wouldn't be shocked if he averages 6 rebounds as a skinny rookie.

So he is a poor man's Zach LaVine.

No.

I literally described the opposite of Zach LaVine (outside of loving basketball).

Shooting is Zach's one real skill. And he has almost no BBIQ.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Karl Juhnke

Wiseman #2. Interesting. Biggest star potential drops to 3...or lower?

quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

quote:

ORIGINAL: Karl Juhnke

Wiseman #2. Interesting. Biggest star potential drops to 3...or lower?

I've nailed it so far.