Dallas has good shooters, but they didn't get far in the playoffs until they had great defense and defenders. And I think Dallas has more good athletes/scorers than they have "shooters". Phoenix plays no defense really, but they are thoroughbreds at just about every position. They have people that can pop an open 3 but aren't necessarily sharpshooters. They run you to death with athletes. They'll drive on you and not let you get your defense set up in order to beat you. Miami plays hard defense and has good athletes and scorers. They don't necessarily win by sharpshooting you to death when Shaq and Wade are being guarded. San Antonio has quick players in the backcourt that can drive, cut, and slash. They play great defense. They have guys that can pop a 3 when needed, but very few of them are "pure shooters". I've seen too many "great shooters" do absolutely nothing in the NBA or become so 1-dimensional that they can only be used for spot duty. It doesn't matter if the guy you draft is a great shooter if he's getting manhandled on the other end of the court. So tell me about JJ's defense. Is it passable? How many positions can he play? Because I'm sorry, I've seen the Steve Alfords, Steve Kerrs, Steve Harrises (damn, don't draft a Steve) of the world... great college gunners that get eaten alive in the NBA or are such a liability on the other end of the court, they can never be big-minute starters. 1) Good defense 2) Good athletes that can shoot when needed because they'll get open looks. That's what we need. I don't want a guy that can hit an open 20+ footer, and that's it, with the #8 pick in the draft.
i see it like this::::: Yao does not get any love from the refs when he challenges shots. He is called for the foul and goes to the bench , thus limiting our offense . We ALL no that. So wouldn't be VERY HELPFUL if we kept the defenders in front of our guards!!!!!!
Redick is actually quicker than Brewer, he's also 6-5 in shoes and he has tested very well in workouts on D. How is he the world's worst defender?
We need a defender too. Anyone remember when Mobley SCHOOLED Luther Head? He was just pushing him everywhere, harassing him.
Great post. I've been using similar "What can he contribute if his shot isn't falling?" arguments myself and that essentially is my biggest problem with taking him so high in the draft. If we trade down and acquire another player or pick then i'm okay with taking Redick, otherwise you have to go bigger and more athletic (Gay or Roy ideally but Brewer or Carney more realistically).
See this is where the arguments break apart. The pro Redick crowd thinks that his shooting is PART of his overall package. The no Redick crowd thinks this is all he can do. Personally, I think his high energy, super competitiveness, good height, high basketball IQ, and great shooting make him a good fit. I do not think he is a bad defender, and would be the best perimeter defender the Rockets have just stepping on the court, based on the same players from last year. IMHO. DD
The problem with the "what can he contribute if the shot is not falling" is you have to ask that question of guys that have trouble shooting the ball. With shooters like TMac and Redick, if their shot is not falling, they contribute by keeping shooting. Because they are good enough shooters that their shot is going to start falling and it is going to start falling soon. There just aren't too many times when Redick's shot isn't going to fall, and when it isn't, the defense is STILL going to have to account for him because they know if they let him line up a couple dingers, he's gonna get RED HOT and then everything he throws up is going to start falling. On the other hand, a player that is not a known shooter, that is not a top of the line shooter, well, when his shot doesn't fall, the defense gets to fade off of him and cheat over on McGrady and Yao. J.J. is a deadly sniper. His shot will quit falling in about 10-15 years, and then he will retire. Until then, he's gonna be plugging treys.
Then there is a crowd that thinks Redick's shooting is part of his overall package, but would like to get a defensive player who is proven to be able to lock-down their guy.
There is not a single guy in the draft that fits that description, not a single guaranteed, proven lock down defender. DD
ROFL I don't think such a defender exists. Find us the defender that can shut down Kobe, Iverson, Ray Allen, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Ginobilli, Jason Richardson, Chris Paul, Sam Cassell, Steve Nash, Peja, Tony, Gilbert, Pierce, and all the other great perimeter scorers in this league. Yoohoo, where are you? Will the real "lock down" defender please stand up. Shout it. Tell us you are da man. "Lock down" defender is another phrase for one dimensional athlete that has no offensive skills but has great athleticism, length, and quickness and hustles a lot on defense.
Ohhhhh, the jaw breaker. He is CAPABLE of defending guys better than J.J. Yeah, that's the difference maker, right there.
How many times have we had the problem of shooters not being able to hit open looks? Redick is a truely remarkable shooter but he's going to have to his cold nights. Everybody has them, they're inevitable. I'm not just talking about his scoring on one of these "off-nights". If a player like T-Mac's shot isn't falling he's still going to contribute with his abilities to attack the basket, handle the ball, rebound and defend. The problem with Redick is the jury is still out there on how versatile his game at the NBA level is really going to be. He has plenty of doubters calling him one-dimensional and labeling him simply a spot-up shooter. Defenses will always have to respect Redick and I am not arguing that, however I want the kind of player who isn't going need to rely on any one characteristic or trait to be successful. If Redick is to become a starter in the NBA he's going to have to expand his game and become more of a complete player. With the kind of line-ups Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio and the other elite teams are throwing out there, versatility is absolutely essential.
Look, if only I had the clips of Luther being abused by other guards like Mobley, it would prove a point. Redick, would no doubt be abused too. What are you going to say, there's no proof of that? Brewer has at least the potential to stay in front of his man. Freaking Luther was shoved to the floor by Cat.
Baller, Have you watched Redick play at all? Because reading your posts it sounds like you think he is a spot up shooter. Redick is ALWAYS moving, around screens, through traffic, always on the move, sort of like Rip Hamilton. Redick would be a cutter, mover, passer and shooter with the Rockets, and it is EXACTLY what they need. And, I believe he will be an adequate defender. DD
That's exactly how I would draft if it came to looking for swing man. Out of any of the possible guys who may drop: Morrison > Roy > Thomas > Gay > Brewer > Redick > Carney I think that one of the more pressing matters into drafting Redick is how other teams' fans will use Redick and Luther against us. Just imagine poster boards in opposing arenas: "Rockets give Head and love Re-dick" Oh the humanity.
The same poster that is head over heels in love with a bonehead like Darius Miles because of his defensive potential is now underestimating the importance of having a "lock down defender" on a basketball team.
Maybe yes, maybe not. Certainly he is more athletic, but does he have the same basketball IQ? Smarts can beat athleticism 100% of the time...look at Stockton.....and Bird....guys that are hardly good athletes but are smarter than the rest. I think Redick fits into the smarter than most category. DD
