JJ Redick has been one of the highest chatted about for us for awhile now, and I see this myth propagated a lot: "JJ Redick will be shooting open jumpers all day with Tmac and Yao" Or maybe something like "JJ Redick is more NBA ready than Adam Morisson" or "JJ Redick is our dream 3rd weapon" I hear a lot of this and I think it is blatanly wrong and here is why: Look at the top five teams in the league: Detroit, Miami, SA, PHO and Dal. All are incredibly deep with talent. While our number 1 and 2 is arguably stronger or as strong, there is a steep decline after that. There is at least 2-5 guys I would take off of each of those teams as being better than every one by Mac and Yao. We need to add a quality 3rd and 4th option. We have the 5th through 10th role players in place. They can become a solid core when looked in that regard. Dan Dickau My first argument against JJ Redick will not be able to come in and be our 3rd or 4th best player. Not even close. One would argue that neither would any other rookie that we get. But, if our pick, comes in and gets 14/4/4 (assuming its a wing or guard) and this pick also becomes our best perimeter defender other than Tmac , that really, he does become our 3rd or 4th best player. Trajan Langdon JJ Redick will shoot jumpers and be a liability in every other facet of the game. Mike Penberthy If we were coming off a year where we got bounced in the first or second round and we had the 18-23, I think I would be in a position to add Redick and be happy about it. We need shooting, but we need to address others areas just as much or maybe more. This is the best shot we have ever had (probably by draft, or by trade) to add a legitamate piece to our puzzle. Look at the teams were are strategically structured after, the Lakers (Shaq, Kobe, PJ) and Heat. The Heat obviously have incredible depth now and have a few legitamate options better than our crew. The Lakers (sans the Rice year) were basically a 2 headed monsters as far their players. But they also had the 1 of the 3 or 4 most dominant (not best) to ever play the game. Not to mention a great coach, which the Heat do as well. We need to address our depth, but it is our depth at the top of our rotation and JJ will never be the one of the best four players on his team. Jon Barry We play a simple offense, there are not shots for a pick and pop or curl player in this I would enjoy having JJ on the perimeter as someone that 1 defender always has to watch. And that statement is the key. JJ will absorb 1, and 1 defender only. He cannot penetrate at will and will never draw a double team. He can be guarded effectively by a sub par NBA perimter player. Rafer Alson, Mike James, Luther Head, even Rick Brunson could all shut JJ down at will and that is not a compliment. Teams obviously will put their best perimeter defensive player on Tmac (unless he is the primary offensive player) but it will not take their 2nd or even 3rd to contain Redick. We need that 3rd player who can do that, and will team with McGrady to shred the perimeter D. Double teaming Yao and/or Mcgrady with Redick on the floor, is not a great improvement to without him. They can effectively play D, with 1 guy occupied with babysitting Redick on the perimeter. Van Gundy is not going to be able to utilize Redick. Van Gundy can utilize someone like a Carney, Brewer, or Gay. Strong defenders with athleticism and shut down ability and neither of the three as good as shooters as Redick, but far more dominant in most other aspects of the game. Personally I want to trade the pick for Maggette or I would even trade it for Mike Miller+ maybe bit more or even Rashard Lewis. But if we have to draft, I would take any of the big six if they fall (Bargnanni, Aldrige, Morisson, Gay , Thomas, Roy). But if they dont, I am fine with taking Carney, Brewer, or trading down for Shelden Williams. I would be less than pleased, but ok I guess, with Marcus Williams. Discuss
So because you listed marginally talented players who never averaged 30 ppg in college while leading the ACC in scoring, we are supposed to somehow conclude that JJ will bust; I don't see it. JJ will be closer to Hornacek than Mike Penberthy, mark my words and I think he is a surer thing than others being discussed with the pick.
here's my take on jj redick: while, on one hand, he has the absolute purest shot i have seen in long time, i also realize that he has much to change in his game to be a productive nba'er. first, let's realize that he is a shooting guard in a point guard's body. that has to change. meaning he has to work on his point guard skills...while in the nba getting abused by faster, pure point guards. not encouraging. second, let's realize that he has never had to play off of another dominant player. sheldon williams, for all the brutishness he brought to camden, was not an offensive weapon. i wonder how redick will play coming off of another player like, say, tmac or yao? he could be wildly successful coming off of weakside screens and moving without the ball. then again, nba defenses could just deny the 3 and force him to cut to the basket. at least, that's what i would do. one thing i can definitely say is that redick never *likes* to go to the bucket. in fact, he is more likely to step back to 25 or 27 feet and shoot from further out than he is to go to the midrange spots. the scary part? he can make those. given what the nba is moving towards, which is the longer multipositional athletes, i'd have to be absolutely blown away by any player that is a specialist. that is what jj redick is - a specialist. he's not going to play 2 or more positions, so he'd have to be absolutely phenomenal at what he does to warrant being picked. 30ppg in college? yea, that's a phenomenal number, but can that skillset be neutralized by 6'4-6'8" players that are able to use their length to slow him? i think so. now let's talk about the rockets. they have multiple holes to fill. their need for athleticism and just overall talent is staggering. our 1, 2, and 4 spots are manned by career backups. not young guys who haven't found a home yet (think phoenix with diaw, barbosa, bell, etc.). these guys are who they are. our backup 1 (head) has a pretty visual ceiling. more than likely, he maxes out at a scoring sixth man. our backup 2 is who? our 4's? kelvin cato would be an upgrade. that says it all. and if that doesn't say it all, try this on for size: richie frahm, maciej lampe, and ryan bowen are on our team[/b]. oh, yea, there a mummy that keeps getting on the court wearing number 55. people say it's dikembe mutombo, but i think they're lying. deke does cookie monster voice overs. he doesn't have to play ball anymore. my point is that with all these holes to fill, we need players that fill multiple needs. specialists need not apply to this team...unless they are absolutely dominant at that specialty. jj redick may prove to be absolutely dominant at his specialty, but it's a risk not worth taking at this juncture. not when the window of opportunity is a tight as tmac's back. we need an effective penetrator who can also stick the open jumper. preferably 6'5 to 6'8". we need a point guard who can, and will, get to the rim and finish well. rafer penetrates well, but is one of the worse finishers in the league. we need a power forward who, ironically, is not a power forward. someone who can play the 3 or the 4, who can stick a jumper and, when mismatched, post up effectively. the commonalities with these players is the ability to: 1) play a fluent, uptempo game 2) stick a jumper consistently 3) "d" up on multiple positions yao is our best player now, but make no mistake, we cannot win playing a slow down, half court game every time downcourt. we have to have players that will seize scoring opportunities off of missed shots. use yao for the sets after made shots. same goes for tmac. redick, unfortunatetly, didn't win the rocket's genetic lotto. if he were a couple inches taller or have a little better dexterity, he'd be great for us. as is, he's fool's gold. on a team with a 6'7" shooting guard who can also serve as a point? great. for us? no.
