jbeachboy wrote:whats weaknesses and negatives with him? i heard teammates dont like him
- Very raw
- Poor defensive instincts. Not just poor effort ( which can sometimes be corrected) but clearly doesn't understand where to be on the floor and why. The defensive side of the ball might move too fast for him in terms of BBIQ.
- Sixth man mentality i.e. will try to shoot his way out of a bad shooting night
- Game translated to NBA style ball, he might be far more foul prone, and where he can excel in transition, most NBA teams simply don't space the floor and play the team game to facilitate that for him, not to the degree of Euro ball.
- Ball dominant/does not appear to consistently move well off the ball
- Will likely need a dominant coach to maximize his ability ( think Parcells)
Worst case scenarios
1) He ends up profiling as a Sixth Man. When the Knicks already have a Sixth Man as their core player.
2) His shot selection plus Melo's might cause Allan Houston to spontaneously shove a Glock in his mouth during halftime of a game and pull the trigger.
3) He ends up profiling as a career long defensive liability that suits more of a tweener Stretch 4. He's young now, without some serious work, his defense will get even worse as he loses a step.
4) The Triangle is simply a bad fit for him. He can create his own shot and he might simply function better in a "space and pace" situation.
Let's take a hierarchy of shotjackers
At the top is Kobe Bryant. The ultimate Anti-Team player. A relentless shotjacker who freezes out team mates and plays complete hero ball non stop. Ironically Mamba's shot selection is probably tantamount to basic rape. He forces everything and acts like he's doing you the favor. So in that regard, since he's actually a real life rapist, it's sort of a fit
Then there is Cory Maggette level shot jacking. Without any kind of conscience at all. A guy who isn't as talented as he thinks he is and just won't stop heaving up the ball like a chucker
Then there is Nate Robinson. Who is like the Rocket Racoon from Guardians of the Galaxy of shot jackers. He can see the difference between a good shot and a bad shot, but he can't help but amuse himself.
Somewhere between Nate Robinson and Cory Maggette is Hezonga in terms of a gunners mentality. The best thing about a guy like that is he believes there is no shot he can't make at any given time. The worst thing about a guy like this is he believes there is no shot he can't make at any given time.
IMHO, I still believe that Devin Booker is the "right choice" in terms of the Knicks getting a wing that fits their variable needs ( help at the present, help at the future, still have room to develop into more, can play around Melo's limitations, is a two way player, strong fundamentals)