Simplified, but fairly accurate. I think it should be noted that in Dunn's case, his three point percentage went from 28% his freshman year, to 35% his sophmore year, to 37% his junior year. Which bodes well for the future. I have no doubts about his ability. My biggest concern would be getting a clean bill of health from the team doctors. He showed no ill effects from past injuries his past season, but you never know. Some things end up being chronic. I'd like just enough question for him to drop to us at eight.
2016 NBA Draft Discussion
- Thread starter Dime Dropper
- Start date
Not sure where your getting this rawness from in regards to Dunn. One of the things that scouts like about him, is that he's more experienced than the other PG's in the draft. The only rawness I can attest to is that he hasn't played the PG position as long as some of the others, but to my mind, it's his best position. He seems to have the right mind set for the position, and for the most part, is more inclined to pass, than to shoot. I saw games where he only took two or three shots in the first half trying to get his teammates involved, and then in the second half, he would take over and score 15 or so points. He only had one go to guy on the Providence team, Ben Bentil.
In short, I would say that yes, he still has some learning to do as far as the PG position goes, but I wouldn't call him raw. To me, raw means a player with great athletic ability, but little feel for the game, and has a lot of polishing to do on most of his abilities. Jaylen Brown is raw. Marquise Chriss is raw. Kris Dunn is not raw. Just my opinion!
In short, I would say that yes, he still has some learning to do as far as the PG position goes, but I wouldn't call him raw. To me, raw means a player with great athletic ability, but little feel for the game, and has a lot of polishing to do on most of his abilities. Jaylen Brown is raw. Marquise Chriss is raw. Kris Dunn is not raw. Just my opinion!
Looks like early reports are that Dunn won't be there at 8 but that Brown is a wildcard due to his interviews at the combine.....some star potential but also some rawness to his game.
Denzel Valentine is intriguing with his size, his college numbers jump out, the lateral speed could be overcome possibly as the kid has the strength it looks like...as opposed to a guy like Stauskas who was physically lacking in strength......I'll be curious to see us work him out and see if he's an option.
Denzel Valentine is intriguing with his size, his college numbers jump out, the lateral speed could be overcome possibly as the kid has the strength it looks like...as opposed to a guy like Stauskas who was physically lacking in strength......I'll be curious to see us work him out and see if he's an option.
While it's nice to put up a good numbers in those drills, I go more on the eye test, and simply didn't do a good job of guarding his man. A lot of it is instinctive. Some players have a good feel for it, and some don't. And sometimes it doesn't have anything to do with lateral quickness. If you ever watched Aaron Craft guard someone, he's amazing. It's as though he knows where your going before you do. Yes he has decent lateral quickness, but his instincts are off the chart.
When Vlade was the sole decision-maker, I wouldn't look at it as option, but with Catanella on board trading down will certainly be explored with Boston and Denver being obvious partners. Taking a flyer on a few players at 13-15 roster spots look like a better use of those, than signing meh veterans like Anderson.
Looks like Denzel Valentine was a big Kings and Peja fan 
:
http://www.csnbayarea.com/kings/valentine-meets-kings-talks-one-my-favorite-players
If the Kings keep the #8 or #9 pick and picks Valentine, he would welcome coming to the Kings and playing for Peja and Vlade.
:http://www.csnbayarea.com/kings/valentine-meets-kings-talks-one-my-favorite-players
If the Kings keep the #8 or #9 pick and picks Valentine, he would welcome coming to the Kings and playing for Peja and Vlade.
Looks like Denzel Valentine was a big Kings and Peja fan :
http://www.csnbayarea.com/kings/valentine-meets-kings-talks-one-my-favorite-players
If the Kings keep the #8 or #9 pick and picks Valentine, he would welcome coming to the Kings and playing for Peja and Vlade.
:http://www.csnbayarea.com/kings/valentine-meets-kings-talks-one-my-favorite-players
If the Kings keep the #8 or #9 pick and picks Valentine, he would welcome coming to the Kings and playing for Peja and Vlade.
If you look at Klay Thompson's Pre-Draft Draft Express scouting report and Denzel Valentine's Scouting report, they are very similar.
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Klay-Thompson-5490/
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Denzel-Valentine-58739/
Both players in their scouting report are said to have High Basketball IQ and excellent shooters but below average NBA athletes, liability on defense.
In fact, Dezel had a 32" max vertical is very similar to Klay's 31.5" max vertical. Klay is 1 1/2" taller, but Denzel has a 1 3/4" longer wingspan.
I think if Denzel is put into the right defensive system, his shortcomings on defense can be covered up with good team defense, which I think Joerger will have.
True, Denzel would probably work better with a non-ball dominate PG like Collison, instead of Rondo.
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Klay-Thompson-5490/
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Denzel-Valentine-58739/
Both players in their scouting report are said to have High Basketball IQ and excellent shooters but below average NBA athletes, liability on defense.
In fact, Dezel had a 32" max vertical is very similar to Klay's 31.5" max vertical. Klay is 1 1/2" taller, but Denzel has a 1 3/4" longer wingspan.
I think if Denzel is put into the right defensive system, his shortcomings on defense can be covered up with good team defense, which I think Joerger will have.
True, Denzel would probably work better with a non-ball dominate PG like Collison, instead of Rondo.
Per Chad Ford (so take that for what it's worth) Vlade apparently "loves" Buddy Hield.
That may not mean anything if he's gone before the Kings pick but Hield definitely seems like a pick that would work well if Rondo is re-signed since Hield isn't much of a playmaker and would excel if he has a PG setting him up for open looks.
That may not mean anything if he's gone before the Kings pick but Hield definitely seems like a pick that would work well if Rondo is re-signed since Hield isn't much of a playmaker and would excel if he has a PG setting him up for open looks.
Does anyone know what Jaylen Brown might have said that teams didn't like? Overconfidence in a top 5 pick isn't typically seen as a bad thing and he was projected in the top 3 of this draft a year ago. The quote Jason Jones had from Brown in the Bee on Saturday sounds like music to my ears:
He also said his favorite current player is Russell Westbrook and a lot of the criticisms people have about him (not a consistent shooter, can't play in the halfcourt, plays out of control too often, great athlete but does he have feel for the game?) were the things people said about Westbrook coming out of college too. Maybe there's some smoke-screening going on here because athletes like Brown tend to move up draft boards in workouts and his off-the-court accomplishments are equally impressive.
He also said his favorite current player is Russell Westbrook and a lot of the criticisms people have about him (not a consistent shooter, can't play in the halfcourt, plays out of control too often, great athlete but does he have feel for the game?) were the things people said about Westbrook coming out of college too. Maybe there's some smoke-screening going on here because athletes like Brown tend to move up draft boards in workouts and his off-the-court accomplishments are equally impressive.
Obviously I'm a big Hield fan. Of course if we get lucky in the lottery tomorrow, then getting Hield would be a lot easier and almost a given. Without getting lucky, then it will require a trade, which is very possible depending on how much you love Hield. I think Hield can fit in regardless of whether they bring back Rondo or not. There is no written law that a SG has to also be a playmaker. There's also no reason that Hield can't become more of a playmaker. Klay Thompson wasn't much of a playmaker in college, and even now, he lives off of his teammates more often than not. So what?
Don't get me wrong, it's a nice quality to have, but not a deal breaker is you don't. That's one of the attributes that Murray has, in that he was a PG before coming to Kentucky, so he's very capable of being a playmaker. Truth is, you never know for sure what you have until you get them on your floor, and get them into real games. I still struggle with the idea of Rondo coming back because of what it might cost, and because of his poor defense. But as I said, for the right price, I'm on board.
Don't get me wrong, it's a nice quality to have, but not a deal breaker is you don't. That's one of the attributes that Murray has, in that he was a PG before coming to Kentucky, so he's very capable of being a playmaker. Truth is, you never know for sure what you have until you get them on your floor, and get them into real games. I still struggle with the idea of Rondo coming back because of what it might cost, and because of his poor defense. But as I said, for the right price, I'm on board.
I'm not advocating Brown, but I found this article interesting.
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/n...&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=nba-draft
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/n...&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=nba-draft
No, a SG definitely doesn't need to be a playmaker. But if Rondo walks then Collison is likely the starting PG and he's not a playmaker. Neither is Rudy Gay. Neither is WCS. Add Hield and you've got a team that would likely struggle with ball movement.
I'm on board with letting Rondo walk. But in that instance I think you want a ball handling/playmaking SG next to him to help pick up some of the slack. I'm a big fan of Hield, but that is a weakness of his. I see him as being a JJ Redick type player and perhaps even more down the road and that type of player benefits a lot from having a PG who can set him up.
I'm on board with letting Rondo walk. But in that instance I think you want a ball handling/playmaking SG next to him to help pick up some of the slack. I'm a big fan of Hield, but that is a weakness of his. I see him as being a JJ Redick type player and perhaps even more down the road and that type of player benefits a lot from having a PG who can set him up.
It's interesting that intelligence would be seen as a negative. Maybe the assumption is that he won't be as focused on basketball if he has other interests? He said in his media interview that he wants to work in an NBA front office after his career is over which I could see eliciting some eye rolls from execs. I remember there being a similar kind of a stigma with Harrison Barnes when he was drafted -- an exceptional athlete himself though he was seen as too tentative during games. The perception is that you don't want players thinking too much on the court, just reacting instinctively, and maybe a player can be too smart for their own good. The only thing I'm ever worried about mentally though is how hard a player is willing to work and how badly they want to be great. If you get that much, your coaching staff should be able to do the rest.
