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He’s not your prototype center and he’s not exactly a stretch four. In case y’all forgot it’s the NBA your average shooting guard is 6’7” and Bagley won’t be the tallest on the court either. He has to learn to play physicala tweener between what? He's a versital player, and is plenty tall and athletic. He's not a 6'4 guard...
I'm kind of confused why he has become an afterthought. Isn't he exactly what an NBA big should be these days?
On offense, sure. But not on D.
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NBA bigs, both PF and C, simply have to defend and rebound at a high level. Any offense is great, but ultimately secondary. Anthony Davis gets a lot of pub for his scoring, but he rebounds at a high level and is a great defender. He doesn't win DMVP or make all defensive teams, but make no mistake, he protects the rim.
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Bagley doesn't. He rebounds well, so he's got that going for him. But he's a horrible defender. And high level NBA bigs simply cannot be bad on D.
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Take KAT and Oak. Kat isn't a great defender. But he's OK. Oak is a bad defender, and he's going to be lucky to get many more contracts in the NBA. Bigs hav eto defend to day. I cannot stress that enough. Jackson, who many here dismiss, displayed near elite defensive instincts. He fouls too much, but those are sins of aggression, and the NBA can work with that. H'll learn as he gets more experience.
Further, a lot of Bags's offensive success seemed to derive from his athleticism. He won't have such a large advantage in that area in the pros. Bags is a Melo like player who just wantsto score, and let the plebes do everything else.
Bamba has the highest bust potential of any of the top 5-6 players, excluding only possibly Porter and his back issues.
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Bamba COULD be an elite defender and rebounder. Heck, he SHOULD be an elite defender and rebounder. He COULD and SHOULD be another Rudy Gobert. If Bamba would focus on, and work toward, replicating Gobert's game, Bamba would be an elite player. On offense, he'd get enough lobs, putbacks, and otherwise garbage buckets to help his team, whoever that turns out to be, compete for NBA titles for the better part of a decade (though not for a few years).
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But I'm afraid he sees himself as another Dirk, or, god forbid, another Durant. Not that there is anything wrong with either player. But Bamba is delusional if he thinks he can approach the offensive prowess of either player. It would be bad enough if Bamba thought he could approach Davis's level of offensive output.
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He can't. Bamba needs to stay in his lane. I'm afraid he has no genuine interest in focusing on D. I saw in the All Star games last year, and in college all the time, he's a minus rebounder given his athletic gifts. He doesn't anticipate where the rebound will come off, and he doesn't rebound outside his area AT ALL. He's got better defensive instincts, IQ, and effort than Bags, but If Bags had Bamba's body, Bags would be getting 20 boards a game, and I'm not at all kidding.
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Every time I hear Bamba talk about his game, I get worried. Even if he develops into an above average offensive player (though by no means elite, he's too far away on that front), I'm worried it will come at the cost of defensive development.
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Bamba needs to focus on being Gobert or Bill Russell (on O and D). If he'll do that, Bamba will be one of the elite players in the NBA purely on how he can control the game on Defense.
But Bamba made 14 3's in college tho and experts think he will be a taller Steph Curry in the NBA
It's odd. That's more than Ayton, who I've also heard them talk about his ability to step out and make a 3, but less than Carter or Bagley. And at a lower % too...
I do think Bamba will find a home in the NBA, but stating he may be THE most talented in a DEEP draft, I'm not so sure. This a very talented draft that feature more domestic players too.
I think Bagley should focus on D. He will get more than enough lobs, stick backs and easy post ups that just by applying his motor he will get 15+ per night without even refining his post moves or expanding his perimeter shot. If he puts full focus on D, trying to learn with 100% focus, much the way a catcher in baseball's first job is defense first and managing the staff... The OFFENSE will be there by just applying his motor.
Wendell has "true" post moves. A variety of weapons down low and a better perimeter J. I don't want to say he will be better than Marvin... It will be close though! And as of now he is a much better defender than MB35...
It will come down to who works harder out of the two.. They both could be perennial stars. But they have to work very hard.
There are many players of similar skills to these two, some are just putting in countless hours perfecting their craft and adding tools to their tool belt.
JJ Redick is the Pro's Pro... Just works his butt off and it shows. "You have never arrived... You are always becoming." JJ to the team preseason 2015-16 (I believe it was that year)
First, I think you're selling Bagley really short if you think he has the attitude that "the plebes" can do all the non-scoring. He never showed this attitude. He had the highest motor on the team. His defense was more a lack of experience in a team setting, than a lack of effort.
Second, here are the starters at his position for the playoff teams this year. Pretty sure he can hang with almost all of them right now.
Draymond Green
Kevin Love
Al Horford
Ryan Anderson
Dario Saric
Serge Ibaka
Derrick Favors
Anthony Davis
John Henson
Myles Turner
James Johnson
Otto Porter
Al-Farouq Aminu
Melo
Tahj Gibson
LaMarcus Aldridge[/QUOTE
Bags isn’t playing small forward. Most play out of position. Bagley lack of willingness to play defense and play physical is why scouts have so many questions about him.
I’ll give offense tobags but not defense against most that list.
Bemba is being sought after for offense it’s his defense teams like. Especially the Celtics.
We will see shortly what each will do n the league
I've seen experts say the same thing. Is this really true?I understand why he’s not going number 1. Can’t really shoot (which is a must these days)
I've seen experts say the same thing. Is this really true?
He looked pretty pure with that stroke. When he made them, it was nothing but net and great rotation. 39.7% for Bagley for the year on 50+ attempts. Granted Allen took 5 times as many and many of those were tougher looks, but he only shot 37% last season. I think Bagley has great potential as an outside shooter in the pros.
Agreed. Most of Bagley's threes last year were the classic "No No No No...YES it went in" type of three's. But he was very efficient, even considering they were mostly wide open looks.I've seen experts say the same thing. Is this really true?
He looked pretty pure with that stroke. When he made them, it was nothing but net and great rotation. 39.7% for Bagley for the year on 50+ attempts. Granted Allen took 5 times as many and many of those were tougher looks, but he only shot 37% last season. I think Bagley has great potential as an outside shooter in the pros.
Agreed. Most of Bagley's threes last year were the classic "No No No No...YES it went in" type of three's. But he was very efficient, even considering they were mostly wide open looks.
From what I've read...the concern is mainly due to the fact that he shot poorly from the FT line, apparently there is a direct correlation between those numbers and future professional shooting??
And also his mechanics, his shooting form isn't the purest, and the rotation on his ball is a bit off.
All true on the defense, though I'm not as worried as most about his defense. Mainly due to the insane athleticism, and the fact that he was a junior in High School 13 months ago. He did show "flashes" of great man to man defense, mainly in the PK 80. I specifically remember the end of the Florida and Texas games, he locked down guys on the perimeter in crunch time, and K praised his ability "to guard any position" after those games. Definitely his biggest question mark though.Plus, some of the other bigs shot approx. 40% from three while being at least nominally guarded for most of their attempts. Bags was left wide open on the perimeter. Even so, the FT percentage is apparently depressing his perceived value.
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IMHO, any "concerns" about his shooting are largely fabrications that various teams might be using to justify not picking him (though only 2-3 teams).
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The reality is, as I've said ad nauseum, BIGS HAVE TO PLAY SOLID DEFENSE. And, of the bigs projected at the top of the draft, Bags is by a wide margin the worst defender. Fans don't realize this, and base their projections and happiness based on offensive production. Pick a good offensive player and your fans are happy immediately. Pick a good defensive player, and your fans will get to see playoff games.
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But bad teams, AKA the ones at the top of the draft, are losers. And losers need to find ways to bump up fan support/interest. Fans want offensive output from their draftees, even if their are better pieces for a winning team available.
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Bags, while a good offensive player in college, mostly thrived by being more athletic (and longer) than college defenders. Pro defenders and rebounders might curtail some of his offensive output initially. But he'll be bad on D.
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Thus, some franchises might be laying the ground work to pass on Bags. Though not many.
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And, he could still go number 2 to the Kings. Bamba and Jackson are too similar to other bigs on their roster, and I still have concerns about Dokic, and I'm seeing whispers of those concerns elsewhere.
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Phoenix almost has to take Ayton. He's got physical gifts we've rarely seen. After that it gets wonky for the next 3-4 picks.
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IDGAF where Bags goes. As long as it isn't Orlando. I think concerns about his game, while valid, will ultimately be overcome by a kid I think will work hard on his body and game. A coach that "owns" him for more than a year can make him play D or sit him, which will do wonders for him. But Orl has no clear path forward, and no strategy or identity. I'm afraid he would flounder in a floundering organization.