NBA 2016-2017 Season Thread

Glad to see the Phoenix Suns draft yet ANOTHER brother. Taylor Griffin, Robin Lopez, and now Morris.

Originally Posted by FLMountainMan

Click to expand...

Had no idea who Vesely was until I watched this "highlight" reel.



Watch at 2:42. This sounds ridiculous, but this one play tells me he will never amount to anything on defense. I've just gotten home from the bar, so I'll have to detail this later, but Vesely, on that play, lunges at the shooter and lands with his back facing the shooter. That's a cop-out move. I do that move now, at age 34, when I play because I know my left ankle will shatter if I land the right way and stay on defense as the guy goes past me. It's ****** defense, to only be used when you're athletically outmatched but don't want everyone to see. The fact that he's doing that at age 20 is, in my opinion, a HUGE red flag.

I'm interested to hear what others who have played basketball think.

Disclaimer: I've only played intramural and recreational ball, so I'm no expert. But I have made a "career" out of knowing how to play to compensate for limited height and athleticism.

FLMM, I wouldn't condemn him for that one play, he's simply too slow to stay with Flip Muray, who's what, 6'5"? However, if this is supposed to be his highlight reel, then I'm decidedly underwhelmed. His game looks like mine, only he's 8" taller than I am. I don't think this makes him an NBA prospect.

The main problems I see with his game are a lack of hand-eye coordination and a lack of physical maturity, but he's only 20. He has good lateral movement and seems to understand the game, but he fumbles passes, misses rebounds, doesn't box out well, and seems timid. He gets pushed around. On the one dunk I saw him make, he ended up about 3" higher than I could jump when I was his age. I don't see a lot of athleticism in his game right now and, even after he physically matures, the hand-eye coordination will probably remain an issue. I don't see him ever making much impact in the NBA.

I had the chance to watch Blake Griffin regularly when he was in college and to compare this guy with Griffin is laughable. Griffin is infinitely more athletic (look where Griffin's head is when he dunks, compared with this guy), had a better skill set in college (3-4 years ago), hustled non-stop, and worked on his game non-stop.

Originally Posted by Imhoff

Click to expand...

Glad to see the Phoenix Suns draft yet ANOTHER brother. Taylor Griffin, Robin Lopez, and now Morris.

Great pick for the Suns.

Originally Posted by Thracozaag

Click to expand...

Great pick for the Suns.

Guess that is true. Does add some toughness to the front court. He just needs to get some burn on the court but right now there is definite log-jam at those positions.

Originally Posted by Sesame Seed

Click to expand...

I still don''t get the logic in having Ricky Rubio stay in Europe. The guy is a PG FFS. He needs to learn the team's systems and get some chemistry going with teammates. How the **** is he going to run the TWolves around the court from the Barcelona bench? They need to give these guys a few years together to get somewhere. Even if this happens next season, they've still set themselves back a few seasons by not bringing him down earlier.

The Wolves didn't leave him there by choice. The issue was his buy-out clause with Barcelona, which was $6M. This year it was reduced to $1.4M, of which the Wolves paid $500K, the max they were allowed under NBA rules, and Rubio/etc paid the rest.

Originally Posted by HRoi

Click to expand...

i'm basing my comments only on vids i've watched. havent seen him actually play. but that's all we get unless we have a regular Turkish Euroleague watcher chime in

i'll give him the fact that he seems to have a pretty good first step. but if he doesnt blow by you with that, then he's absolutely stymied. looks like he has terrible hands (which the commentator points out, and that will kill him in the NBA - how many turnovers does a rook get before he gets pulled?), and no post or pivot game (which makes the Bosh comparison utter crap). gets overpowered on the boards and on D, which i suppose he can fix if he gets stronger.

so then...what else is there? he can dunk if he gets by you with that first step or in the open floor. he can block a shot if you dont see him coming. how well does he shoot, percentage wise?

I think we forget that this is a really weak draft class. Had this been literally any other year, Vesely would be a second rounder, not a lottery pick. He's got intriguing upside; a 6'11 guy that can run around and jump like that, shoot okay, handle the ball okay. He's so unpolished that I think he'll flame out- but if he can either A. bulk up a bit and develop a post game or B. shoot much better from 3, he'll find a spot in the rotation.

I don't get why everyone is ******** on this pick, when I think Derrick Williams is the only surefire starter in the entire draft.

Originally Posted by Imhoff

Click to expand...

Guess that is true. Does add some toughness to the front court. He just needs to get some burn on the court but right now there is definite log-jam at those positions.

His natural position is at the 4, but with good range so could slide over to 3 and in Phoenix's system I imagine he'll be the grateful recipient of many of Nash's drives on the pick and pop.

Originally Posted by jet

Click to expand...

cue monster kobe dunk over ben wallace

cue Jet's knee pads

IMO Spurs' trade of George Hill loathsome.

Originally Posted by Steve B.

Click to expand...

cue Jet's knee pads

IMO Spurs' trade of George Hill loathsome.

What would you have them do, trade Parker instead? Stand pat?

Originally Posted by thinman

Click to expand...

What would you have them do, trade Parker instead? Stand pat?

Get rid of Duncan. He's had a great career but these days he looks like a deer in the headlights.

Originally Posted by Steve B.

Click to expand...

Get rid of Duncan. He's had a great career but these days he looks like a deer in the headlights.

Steve, I'm really surprised to see this from you. Does he have any real trade value at this point in his career? Don't the Spurs owe it to him to treat him with some respect after all he's done for the franchise? He's been one of the classiest, best players, and the face of the franchise for a long time.

Originally Posted by thinman

Click to expand...

Steve, I'm really surprised to see this from you. Does he have any real trade value at this point in his career? Don't the Spurs owe it to him to treat him with some respect after all he's done for the franchise? He's been one of the classiest, best players, and the face of the franchise for a long time.

+1
and that's one of those deals that if they had traded him, there probably would have been an armed revolt (perhaps led by you?), asking how they could do this to such a great guy who has been the heart of such a successful franchise.

Originally Posted by Steve B.

Click to expand...

Get rid of Duncan. He's had a great career but these days he looks like a deer in the headlights.

That's class.

Sorry Steve, I couldnt help it. Plus, there's about as much chance of this happening as LBJ gets elected as the new mayor of Cleveland.

I've been lazy and too tired to look for them but anybody have a full on list or link of the trades that's been happening all over with the draft and such?

Duncan for Kobe