[NBA.com] Rockets’ Johnson aims to go from second round to the top

All the scouting reports say he would have been higher if he was taller. That was his only knock. If anything, reports have been very high on his character, work ethic and leadership.

If he was a couple inches taller, I believe he would have been a top 15 pick. We got an absolute steal at 42.

I think he also slipped because so many teams pick off potential in the first round then go for the solid well rounded players in the second. Nick Johnson might not have the same potential as some of the first rounders, team might have felt.

 

Delonte West ish

...without the acne, crazy pills, and Lebron James' mom although I'm sure he could hit that if he really wanted to. I mean look at him.

 

trade him for Love

 

I've read from sources that he's as good as Chris Paul. Source.

 

NicJo > JLin = Net positive for the Rockets

 

If he's quick enough to guard the PG position he'll fit in perfectly with this system. (also assuming he can shoot 3's as well) When you have James Harden handling the ball as often as he does it's not essential to have another playmaker (although it helps, as long as that player can shoot 3's...).

Good to know he has a chip on his shoulder, he's definitely starting to look like our next Chandler Parsons!

 

Hope this kid will turn out better than Luther Head

 

His handle is better than most SGs have. His 3-ball is average, could stand some work. His athleticism is elite. His demeanor on court is perfect. Another second round miracle... Chandler who?

 

Right now he is living on purely athleticism

His jumper is pathetic, he has a broken shot etc.

If he is to succeed playing with Harden, he better develop some kind of shot

 

I don't remember Luther Head being able to rise up and throw down like Johnson. Then again, I don't remember much of Head (save for "EAT THE HEAD!") given how sorry he was.

 

He threw it down in one game against the Lakers but his hand was too small and he nearly lost the ball.

 

Sorry... no offense, but that's incredibly incorrect. Yes Johnson made some incredible highlight athletic plays in SL, but its hardly what his game relies on. In fact its quite the opposite. Those were more of an exception to his game not his game as it stands.

Go back and watch the games if you are able to (all the games are online for 5 bucks aka the price of a subway sandwich). The guy is incredibly well coached, is always in the right spots defensively, moves the ball well on offense, and was very good at being vocal with teammates during switches, etc.

-Yes- His shot isn't great right now, but I noticed that his right elbow does something funky where it sticks out to the side, and his release is almost too methodical. He needs to loosen up his shot a little bit, and shoot the ball so boxed up (hard to explain, you kind of have to physically show someone).

I loved that his chemistry with D-Mo in the P&R was really phenomenal and almost better than Canaan's who is a true PG who spent a whole year with D-Mo in the org. Very underrated pocket passer & always made the right pass... NOT just the flashy passes (coaches love players that make the simple correct passes).

Also his ability to finish with floaters & 8 footer range was very promising for the NBA level. He's going to have to put his floaters up a tad bit higher at the NBA level to finish over the likes of the Dwight Howard's, but he'll learn that quick.

I see Nick Johnson as having the potential to be a very very good coach on the floor type of player in a year or two. His shot is probably never going to be elite, but if you think he's "living off of athleticism", I suggest going back, watching some film, and reassess that thought process. This guy is more Battier-like than he is anything else. He's a coaches dream player.

 

NicJo's shot fell off toward the end of summer league because the dude was tired. Guys, go back and look at how sweet his shot looked during the first game in Orlando. That thing looked pretty pure.

How many games did he play in the two summer leagues combined? That is a lot of basketball. Now, put him in the rotation at around 20 minutes a game and I think you really have something.

 

Cf so desperate to replace parsons in our heart.

 

I agree with what you say for the most part except that if you don't have some resemblance of a shot in this league, moreso with this Rockets set up, you will not fair well. Not saying he cannot develop a good shot, but his mechanics looked a bit off in the last two sumemr league games that I watched closely.

NJ has elite athleticism and is a good to great defender (at least from Summer League games) but the fact is teams will play off him if he can't develop some jumper and will double on Dwight and Harden.

Remember Ronnie Brewer? He was given some games purely because he was known to be a good defender but he could not succeed because he had no shot.

I am not insinuating that NJ is anywhere close to Brewer, he is obviously better in most categories but to be a genuine rotation player like most people are suggesting and playing about 20 mins a game, he can't do that off athleticism and defense alone, not as a wing player or in this set up.

 

Had to look it up. Wow.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Max Vertical Jump (running start) Top 3:

1. Nick Johnson 47&quot;
2. Aaron Gordon 43&quot;
3. Gabe York 42.5&quot;</p>&mdash; Arizona Basketball (@APlayersProgram) <a href="https://twitter.com/APlayersProgram/statuses/381518722449436673">September 21, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

In the event that we can trade for Dragic, let Phoenix run their guard system. Let's give up Nick

 

This dude looks like the real deal hopefully he pans out to be that way

 

Oh, it's a long way to the top, if you wanna pick 'n' roll.