It also sounds a lot like Terry Rozier, who the Hornets already have. I’m just sayin.
This is kind of where I am. Having a really good team is about finding that elusive superstar. There’s nothing magical about their role players. We had two of them. They have a group of guys who are professional, have talent, understand their roles and execute them to perfection. Every good team needs that, but role players are pretty easy to come by in the NBA. It’s the stars that are hard to get. Not taking anything away from Spoelstra because having a coach who can make the pieces fit is huge, but the hardest thing to find is a transcendent star. Butler is that and we’ve never had that guy. Maybe Melo becomes that, I don’t know, but that’s what it’s going to take.
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Yeah but terry can’t destroy the rim taking contact and burying defenders with the ball
KD begs to differ
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Boomshakalaka
Terry isn’t a dynamic passer. Terry doesn’t quite have the elite athleticism scoot has. Terry lacks the wingspan that scoot has, and is not a plus defender because of that. Terry will attack the rim but he’d rather shoot. He can certainly finish at the rim, but he’s looking to shoot. Scoot is a physical rim rocking attacker that Terry isn’t. Not quite the same. Scoot has a mad high ceiling. We’ve seen terry’s ceiling.
And I’m not saying they’re completely dissimilar players or anything, but scoot does some important things at a much higher level that Terry. And I’m a Terry fan. Love him.
Terry is very athletic, but it seems more of that sneaky type athleticism, where he catches people off guard who don’t expect him to dunk it. Durant sure as hell was shocked.
Scoot seems more of that overwhelming type athlete, where you know he’s gonna speed past you, and you always have to be aware that he might dunk over you on any drive.
Kinda like the difference between Miles and PJ - both can dunk on you, but everyone is hyper aware that Miles is coming for the poster and defenders often get out of the way, vs. PJ will give you the chance to play D and make him take a tougher shot.
Also, Terry is incredibly crafty with his ballhandling and shotmaking, I found myself shaking my head or fist pumping when he pulls off something crazy. But I think the difference is maybe those moves seem more, for lack of better word, finesse, being slick and avoiding contact, with a high level of difficulty that doesn’t always result in points.
So while he can do the same things the star guards can do, with someone like Donovan Mitchell and potentially Scoot, there is more physicality, able to bump people off you for separation, seeking contact and being able to draw fouls.
Getting free throws on drives adds to your efficiency in that it creates more scoring opportunities at the foul line. Even less physical guys like Dame and CP3 figured out the contact part of the game to get to the line, whereas Terry and Melo seem to try to avoid contact and they miss out on that part of the game.
I think the above is a very accurate description of Terry’s game and overall comparison of the two (i.e. Terry being a bit more finesse while Scoot is more blunt force trauma) And to be clear, I wasn’t suggesting that he and Scoot are carbon copies of each other, although I do think there would be a fair amount of overlap in their Venn diagram. I was more just making the point that a lot of what we say we want/need in a player, we already have in Terry.
That said, I’m not anti-Scoot. I do believe we have to take BPA and figure out the rest. My only word of caution to those who already have Scoot on the short list for MVP and have Terry on the first flight out of town, is that we of course have no idea how good Scoot will be. It’s probably just as likely that he ends up being DSJ as it is that he becomes prime D Rose.
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I agree. And I’m very much BPA and confident we are going to get a very good to great player either way we go between Scoot and Miller. It’s just interesting to me how the overwhelming amount of support is for Scoot and any of his weaknesses are quickly explained away or dismissed like everyone’s so confident he’s so great he’ll overcome it all. While Millers perceived weaknesses are painted as things it’s nearly impossible for him to improve. He’s demonstrated ELITE skills and ELITE production. he has ELITE tools and if he has any kind of work ethic which I have no reason to believe he doesn’t, there’s no reason he can’t be an all star level great player. I believe scoot can be as well but I could just as easily see him being DSJ as I could see Miller failing.
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Well no one can see the future. We can only project and prognosticate based on the data we have. And based on the data we have, Scoot has the higher ceiling. He has the “whoa” factor to his game and his body is NBA ready. He’s 6’3 with an enormous wingspan, only two inches less than 6’9 Brandon miller’s wingspan. His shooting mechanics look good to me. Way better than LaMelo’s, who I was down in because of his sub standard 3 point shooting. WRONG. Scoot’s mid range game is filthy. He’s an absolute dog and seems to have a good head for a natural leader. To me, he has less question marks that Brandon miller.
I don’t really know what the issue with scoot is. If he shot 34% from three instead of 29% are we still having this conversation? Yeah, scoot isn’t a sure thing, but damn man his ceiling is higher than Brandon miller’s. And I just can’t see how folks look at those two players and think otherwise.
If we take Brandon miller instead, I’ll be extremely disappointed but still ecstatic to get one of these two players. But from a talent stand standpoint I just don’t understand how anyone looks at the two and says miller had a higher ceiling.
I don’t want to say I feel the exact opposite because I also think scoot has tons of potential but I can EASILY see a path to Brandon being better. So count me as one of those folks who can see otherwise. If they both reach their peak, Brandon is better to me. I have a hard time understanding how folks see otherwise on that.
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Peace to you man. I’m gonna have to disagree with you, but I’d love to really understand why you think that.
DSJ averaged 18pts, 6.2ast and 4.6rbs in college and he shot 36% from three. He was twitchy, super athletic, attacked the rim violently, finished well. Many of the characteristics that you laud about Scoot as a prospect were said about DSJ as a prospect and he was a significantly better shooter to start. I love him to death but he ain’t sniffing no all-star, no all NBA, no all anything and is now criticized for his shooting. But that doesn’t matter for Scoot, he’ll surely improve his shooting and he has a 6’9 wingspan so that erases any flaws… Scoot shoots about the same percentage from three as MKG in college. Oh, but that doesn’t matter because he has great form. He’ll surely get better, its guaranteed… I’m not saying it is likely to happen and I hope it doesn’t happen but why is it so farfetched to think that Scoot could end up more like DSJ if you think Miller can’t reach his potential?
So Miller as I mentioned in another post has put up elite production for a first-year college player of his architype, exceeding most all of his peers other than Durant and RJ Barrett that I could identify. He’s an elite shooter. He has elite size for his position and tools to be a great defender. He was rated 2nd best defender on his Alabama team. SEC player of the year as a freshman. Best player on what was the best team in college basketball for a large stretch of the year.
The flaws I here most are that he doesn’t have burst and his finishing at the rim is questionable and that his handle is loose. Well, he’s not a PG. I’ve seen him put it on the floor and blow past people, driving right or left and finishing equally well with either hand. Take a look at the game winning shot in OT when he dropped 41 on South Carolina, blowing past GG Jackson and finishing at the rim. I’ve seen him use his dribble to create separation to get his shot off. I’ve seen him be an assassin in catch and shoot. I’ve seen him get fired up and show passion on the court. I understand that he had an excellent midrange game in high school and that is what he was more so known for and that it just wasn’t in the scheme of the offense at Alabama for him to show that.
So one, for me, the perceived weaknesses that people say he has, I’m not so sure I buy that they are but obviously he’s not a complete player and I believe he can get even better with hard work. Just as you think Scoot can improve. So how are you so confident that the same way Scoot can overcome his current limitations that Miller can’t get stronger and overcome his?
“IF” he reaches his peak, he’s Brandon Ingram or Paul George-ish. And those are players in their prime and healthy that I’d rather build around more so than Russell Westbrook in his prime if given the choice. Especially when I have an all-star PG already in place.
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So the only slight against Scoot is his three point shooting percentage? Because of that one thing, he gets lumped in with DSJ? I get that he has shades of DSJ, but that’s such a huge undersell. He and DSJ mentally, are very different players.
I watched DSJ play in college a few times in person, and can attest that he was a scorer and could attack the rim. However, he didn’t have the same elite mid range game that scoot has. Scoot is excellent at using his body to both avoid and create contact, and finish at the rim without necessarily having to dunk it.
Scoot’s vision and abilities as a passer is much more that DSJ’s in college. Scoot’s handles are elite and far surpass DSJ. Coming out of college, DSJ was very immature and not a leader. He was a very detached player and the fan base didn’t like him. Was very aloof. Not a good communicator on the floor.
Also, DSJ was a poor defensive player and only had a 6’3 wingspan. DSJ was not particularly a coachable player, and it required him to be on the edge of losing his NBA playing career to humble himself.
Which is funny, because now DSJ is a fantastic defender and great teammate.
I like both players . We could use Millers shooting better than Scoots passing and slashing. The only reason I could pick Miller over Scoot is Mello and fit . If management thinks Scoots the pick I would be fine with it. This is one I just don’t know.
Clearly you think Scoot is flawless so no wonder it’s obvious to you that he is the best player. I think Scoot is great but disagree at this point. But peace to you as well.
I was/am part of the Wolfpack fan base and loved DSJ in college. Saw him play in person as well. DSJ wasn’t an NBA player when he was a prospect. That’s the point. Scoot might get humbled too.
I never said scoot was flawless. I just think he’s a better prospect that Brandon Miller. And I think Brandon miller will be a very good player. As I’ve said repeatedly, I’d be disappointed in choosing miller over scoot; however, I’d be stoked to get miller. I haven’t besmirched miller in any way.
DSJ was a young, shitty and immature teammate who had bad communication skills and poor leadership qualities coming out of college. Scoot has had really impressive interviews and gives all indication that he’s a natural born leader. By all accounts, he’s been a great teammate and people like him.
Oh and lastly, yeah I don’t see Scoot as “flawless”, but he’s been the unanimously projected number two pick in the NBA draft for months, so it’s not like he has a multitude of glaring holes. And most draft years, he’d be the number one pick if it wasn’t for the greatest prospect since Lebron James going at number one.
So yeah, not “flawless”, but largely without flaws, yes.
And same with Brandon Miller. Not a lot of flaws in him either.