@jiggyfly I understand what you're trying to explain with LeBron and Banchero. They aren't comparable but there isn't really a lot of guys to reference because being a passer at that size and strength isn't common. When you invoke a transcendent player like LeBron, people aren't going to apply nuance. I do think that Ben Simmons in college before he went full PG and Zion Williamson are probably better comps as far as playmaking. They have the talent but they aren't going to be primary facilitators at that point in time. The flashes are there and maybe more can be extrapolated. We saw Simmons able to expand that part of his game and we really haven't gotten a chance to see how Zion evolves because of injury. Banchero is a unique prospect with a lot of parts of his game that can be compared to very good players. He also has faults like almost any prospect that isn't a 100/100.
If Silas had 5 or more positionless players then being interchangeable makes complete sense on offense. This is where I prefer Abdelfattah's (and MDA) ability to identify the interchangeable players and empower those players while simplifying the roles of less skilled players so they focus on what they do best to maximize success. And Silas still struggles fielding a balanced defense, whether its hybrid or switch heavy. His roster and rotation management should improve in year 3 like Abdelfattah did.
Duke may have looked a mess on offense but it was prolific at times, just too iso heavy when system broke down. But on defense, Duke had the benefit of having an smart long 2 way eraser at center - Mark Williams. When MW not on floor, defense was ass. I thought Mark Williams was as responsible for many of the wins in March Madness as either Banchero and Griffin.
You get it and everybody can take it as they want. I think Banchero is a better comp than Zion and Simmons because he has a more well-rounded game and can overpower and finesse you Maybe Zion is a good comp but I have never really studied his game other than highlights. Now I think another thing that might be a huge difference is being able to think at a high level but I want to see Banchero play with space and pace and players that compliment him.
I agree that's why I keep saying he is a step below Lebron or Lebron lite. Do we really need to keep going over this? I get it, you think it's blasphemy and I don't, let's just agree to disagree. Or we can just keep saying the same thing over and over because I am going to keep saying what I am saying about the potential I see.
KPJr must be Harden 1.0…just take away the scoring, strength, elite passing, and ability to get to the line
I dont "pick and choose" things to watch with players. I'm not married to certain guys and I'll never be a C(het)OF or a P(aolo)OF. I do however defer to the experts and read almost everything that is written and shown on these prospects. @Nook is an example of someone who is much more knowledgeable than myself and I respect his opinions. Amongst many other writers and bloggers as well. There's plenty of tape of Chet being able to put the ball on the floor if you know where to look. Very few people care about how much you won in college. Mobley and Barnes were the top 2 rookies most of the year and neither of their teams won much. Mobley was supposed to also get "abused" in the NBA and he did just fine. The reason Chet is higher on most draft boards is because he has fewer glaring holes in his game. If Chet achieves his potential, we'd be talking about an unprecedented player who probably has never existed. Like Dirk Nowitzki with defense or 7 foot Durant with defense. Will he? I don't know. But Paolo's comps are Blake Griffin and Carlos Boozer. Those are not bad at all but to take him over Chet is basically betting that Chet will definitely flame out. Right now I'd take Chet easily over Jabari or Paolo. But we'll see. I'll support Paolo if that's who the Rockets draft even though he wouldn't be my pick. Not going to constantly **** on him just to prove myself right.
They can run the sets but they didn’t have the right players for the offense they ran. A good coach adapts and Duke didn’t do that. Also, we don’t know if Griffin can create or play make. He was hurt entering the season and had missed nearly two years of high school ball. Duke is an elite program but the actual coaching was lacking recently.
That is a very slow windup. He'll have to work on that. Regarding bringing the ball up, that is perhaps helpful on the margin as an emergency outlet, but he'd get picked clean if he tries that repeatedly in the NBA. That said, his value as a rim protector overwhelms all of those challenges. He would be the perfect complement to Sengun, who actually can dribble well and is a force on offense where I think Chet will always be a complementary player at best.
I'm more concerned with his mechanics. His shot is more of a push than a flick, and instead of sliding his feet into position he does a little hop which requires more time. In fact, that may be why he has a tendency to take longer threes; you need more time and space to shoot the way he does. Probably why he struggles to have any kind of midrange pullup as well.
Thats all fair. I've been watching an unhealthy amount of draft tape myself which can lead to some tunnel vision I appreciate your perspective. While pro scouts, draft analysts and podcasters are all fun to read and listen to I feel pretty good when I say Clutch Fans has some of the most knowledgeable fans out there and agree with your opinion of @Nook and all our other insiders. Being able to sift through the talking points and cherry picked arguments is just part of the process when we all have our own favorite and preference for how the roster should be filled and now we have basketball philosophy as another (fill out defense first or offense). Chet will thrive in a defensive help role and spot shooter until he proves he can man up big NBA 4's and 5's on the block and can create for himself and others with the ball. He is bouncy for his size on the wing, but to say he'll be Evan Mobley out there or better is wishful thinking and even Mobley had his problems with bigger post players himself. Chet is nowhere close to KD in their college season. Not even in the same stratosphere. Chet is way more rigid and lacks the fluidity with which KD would play and it might even surprise you but KDs defensive win shares were higher than Chets this year. Dont see the defensive rating and BPM which I feel Chet should lead in still KD was the unicorn. There wont be another like him and every year guys just want to see if another human that size can move like that. Have you seen Poku highlights? Poku and Chet are identical physically minus wingspan where Chet is longer by 3 inches, but look how they move. I thought Chet would be like Poku when I ran tape, but I was wrong. Poku is MORE skilled offensively and more fluid, but he just isnt the instinctual defender on help defense that Chet is. Poku is the biggest wing I've ever seen. True wing. Closer to KD than Chet, but cant defend the block as well as either. Chet does play well in transition, but that downhill ability doesnt appear in halfcourt sets. Playoff time some of what he gets touted for will be negated if he doesnt have a bag to get his own shot. At least you can give the ball to Poku and he can go make things happen. Apart from fast break, transition stuff I cant find anything to convince me Chet can do those things on a consistent basis. Especially not enough to say his type of player has "never existed" Somehow people started looking for weird ways to denigrate Paolo by comparing him to Boozer in some "he's awful at defense" jab, but those same people obviously didnt bother to look up how Boozers defensive stats stack up to some of his contemporaries of the time. I'd be fine with Paolo as a defensive Boozer with the offensive acumen similar to Lebron James. A player so offensively gifted he see's the plays happen before they happen. Paolo isnt nearly as athletic as Blake Griffin for me to see that as apples to apples and yet Paolo was a better shooter in their college season. Paolo arcs more toward a Jayson Tatum archetype for me. I've been on record from the very beginning (knowing that all of these guys are likely going to be high level support players to a talent like Jalen Green) that Im fine with whoever it may be, but it still is strange how Paolo doesnt get the benefit of the doubt the same way the other guys do since there isnt a consensus anyway. I respect your preference and look forward to more of your input.
