I don’t think it would have cost us the playoffs to play Reed. We might have been a lower seed but the outcome woulda been the same.
yup and this is what I say to the crowd that says we are wrong for wanting to play Reed even when he doesn't have it going. Every minute he is on the floor he is getting experience and learning. Over his last 10 games he is averaging 17ppg on some of the highest efficiency in the league
One thing I've admired this year is Ime recognizing this. I heard him say in one of the post game interviews that Reed is improving on defense and the blow bys are less of a thing now. It really did just take giving him playing time and learning through all the mistakes. Reed is worth that when you look at his talent, where you drafted him and what we need position wise for our team.
I thought I did? You could make an argument that if Reed basically does what he's doing right now for the rest of the season playing ~25+ minutes a game that he's "better" as an NBA player at this point than Steph was in his rookie year at age 21. It's more style of play. Rookie Steph looked shiftier off the dribble and had some ability to finish in the paint with floaters that I don't think Reed has and for that reason I don't see Reed ever becoming close to the multi-level scorer Steph has been. Steph wasn't bombing away from 3 with anywhere close to volume Reed is, but the league was different then and he was on a bad team with Ellis jacking up shots. If ~5 years from now Reed looks like a potential all time great scorer rather than just potential all-star caliber we can revisit and I'll happily take the L on this evaluation.
I kinda see and agree with what you're saying about Curry's shiftiness.... But I'm not sure that (this far into Reed's career) it's made him lesser of a scorer... For instance, What Reed is averaging right now from inside the arc is higher than Curry's career average....Curry didn't top what Reed is averaging from inside the arc right now until his 7th year in the league...He had a few years where he shot significantly better, but mostly he is right around or below what Reed is currently shooting from 2. So the point about the shiftiness....Does it matter if Curry hit's some really nice layups vs Reed hitting those CP3 mid range shots? I dunno.... Also want to point out that Reed has shown some pretty good finishing at the rim in these past few games as well... And I know this all extremely premature and unlikely that Reed gets to Curry's level....But just looking at the numbers from both of their age 21 seasons sure is exciting to think about the potential Reed has...
Just remember it takes time for players to acclimate to the speed and strength of experienced NBA vets. No matter how good a rookie is in college, the NBA is a whole different beast. Reed was way out of his depth last year and it showed. He has had a whole year since getting drafted to get his bearings and adjust so now we are seeing what we saw in college. He wouldn't have been able to do this last year even if he was thrown in more without hurting the win-loss column.
I hear you. Like I was saying, if Reed keeps this up for the season (which is a check I'm not cashing yet) he's got a strong argument that he's a better player right now than Curry at 21. Curry is an all time great so by sheer probability it's extremely unlikely Reed gets to his level and something like Price's 4x all star 4x all nba career feels like a more realistic somewhat plausible upper case scenario for Reed. My main point is some people watch Reed and see Steph, which is cool and I get it. I don't as much, though this is of course subjective and imprecise this early into his career.
in the "per minute" catch-all metrics Reed is higher than Sengun… As a comparison, I don’t think Jalen Green ever cracked top 200 in those metrics…
Yes, they are different, good points. Reed is bouncier however, jumps higher. That matters. The close-outs must get sooner and closer to Reed to block his shot. Other than that it’s all upstairs, the mental aspects. Curry is not only the best shooter in history, but if you look at the top 100 All-Time, he’s clearly the best off-ball player ever. The constant movement, the cuts, even screening… That’s not a physical talent, it is motor and intelligence. Let’s see how much of that Reed has. So far it’s encouraging.
KD should take the two Jazz games off for load management. I feel like we can handle them with Amen/Sheppard/Okogie/Bari/Sengun.
Yep. And if we don't watch it, he'll become the best American-born white player, which should soon get us a lot of publicity/coverage/televised games and get Reed a bunch of foul calls and endorsements. Only comp right now is Chet and Reaves, both of whom are third options on their teams--don't talk to me about douche-y Herro. (No D&D--just a marketing/NBA ratings observation.)
I agree with you there. I see steph in like 1/50th of his game. Stylistically i dont think they are all that similar, but I think because of the shooting they can be used is some similar ways. And tbh, thats part of the reason Ive always been so high on Reed... Because hes NOT a steph clone. For someone to be a Steph clone AND be as successful as him is extremely unlikely. Usually stars are unique. Even kobe who took A LOT grom Mj wasnt exactly the same. But to be able to even be remotely mentioned in conversations about the best part of a grwt platers game + have a different set of skills that could also be potentially high level as well is tantalizing.
