Jazz Media / Content Day

[Handlogten's Heros]

View: https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1574807043042598919


Also it's funny as **** to me to look back on the fact that many people here wanted Donovan to be the full-time PG when the dude couldnt even handle the offense/defense load that came with being a quasi-PG/lead playmaker.

It wasn't really about could he do it... it was that was the arrangement that would make the most sense if we were going to be a title contender. Have to assume you will have a superstar if you are winning titles so projecting and pushing him into the role that would help him realize that was the ideal to shoot for.

Didn't have to be Luka or Trae but he needed to be the smallest guy on the court in most of the lineups to have the length and versatility needed to compete at the highest levels. Unless you landed a healthy Lonzo, Haliburton, type pg.

 

[stitches]

View: https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1574807043042598919


Also it's funny as **** to me to look back on the fact that many people here wanted Donovan to be the full-time PG when the dude couldnt even handle the offense/defense load that came with being a quasi-PG/lead playmaker.

That's the thing with Donovan. He always says the right thing. He always "takes responsibility". Except... it's not followed by anything of substance to fix the issues he's taking responsibility for. "I need to play better defense... I need to involve others more"... but nothing actually follows... he still plays **** defense with **** effort and fundamentals, he still has tunnel vision in the clutch... until the next time he's asked... and he again says the right thing and doesn't follow through...

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

That's the thing with Donovan. He always says the right thing. He always "takes responsibility". Except... it's not followed by anything of substance to fix the issues he's taking responsibility for. "I need to play better defense... I need to involve others more"... but nothing actually follows... he still plays **** defense with **** effort and fundamentals, he still has tunnel vision in the clutch... until the next time he's asked... and he again says the right thing and doesn't follow through...

Yep, because he doesnt have the overall talent level to do those things.

He has the scoring talent to be a great scorer. Utah never gave him full PG-reigns because it was obvious watching him.

Everyone's default position with Don was that he should be a good defender because he was a good defender in college, but defensive players dont always translate from college to the NBA.

I think even if Donovan took a huge backseat and was only a spot-up shooter on offense, he'd still be a pretty mediocre defender.

 

[LogGrad98]

View: https://twitter.com/SpinDavies/status/1574807043042598919


Also it's funny as **** to me to look back on the fact that many people here wanted Donovan to be the full-time PG when the dude couldnt even handle the offense/defense load that came with being a quasi-PG/lead playmaker.

No the funny thing is that he fully admits that he can, he just chose not to. What a loser.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

No the funny thing is that he fully admits that he can, he just chose not to. What a loser.

He is saying he can for his own ego. If he came out and said "Yeah I'm sorry on that end and that's probably what it is" that would go over even worse.

 

[LogGrad98]

Yep, because he doesnt have the overall talent level to do those things.

He has the scoring talent to be a great scorer. Utah never gave him full PG-reigns because it was obvious watching him.

Everyone's default position with Don was that he should be a good defender because he was a good defender in college, but defensive players dont always translate from college to the NBA.

I think even if Donovan took a huge backseat and was only a spot-up shooter on offense, he'd still be a pretty mediocre defender.

He was pretty good as a rookie. Decent his second year. And then it had a steady drop-off every year after that until last year's full on IDGAF on D. He chose to stop playing any defense. He admits it. Glad he is gone.

 

[LogGrad98]

He is saying he can for his own ego. If he came out and said "Yeah I'm sorry on that end and that's probably what it is" that would go over even worse.

He has admitted more than once that he didn't put forth the effort on D. This last one was just the most blatant. We have seen him make an effort and be effective. He just stopped. It isn't about lack of tools, it is about lack of effort. Hell, defense is 90% effort as it is. Some of the best defenders out there were not the best athletes, they just had the nose for it and made an effort beyond others.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

No the funny thing is that he fully admits that he can, he just chose not to. What a loser.

This... he's either lying... or he's like "I didn't try real hard". So then why would that change now? That Utah team had a chance at a title. I don't see it going smoothly in Cleveland for Don... we shall see.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

He was pretty good as a rookie. Decent his second year. And then it had a steady drop-off every year after that until last year's full on IDGAF on D. He chose to stop playing any defense. He admits it. Glad he is gone.

His rookie and 2nd year were also with Favors/Gobert, so that probably helped a ton of making us think he was better than he was.

 

[LogGrad98]

His rookie and 2nd year were also with Favors/Gobert, so that probably helped a ton of making us think he was better than he was.

That is true. But regardless of the defense around him his own effort and stats decreased every single year, even while a couple of those years we had stellar team D. He just quit on D. Good riddance.

 

[stitches]

Yep, because he doesnt have the overall talent level to do those things.

He has the scoring talent to be a great scorer. Utah never gave him full PG-reigns because it was obvious watching him.

Everyone's default position with Don was that he should be a good defender because he was a good defender in college, but defensive players dont always translate from college to the NBA.

I think even if Donovan took a huge backseat and was only a spot-up shooter on offense, he'd still be a pretty mediocre defender.

I disagree here. Even as a rookie he was a + or at the very least neutral defender and he's been getting worse and worse every year. And a lot of it is due to lack of effort. Maybe he was never going to be the defensive stopper he was advertised as coming out of college, but he has all the tools to be at the very least a neutral defender in the league.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I disagree here. Even as a rookie he was a + or at the very least neutral defender and he's been getting worse and worse every year. And a lot of it is due to lack of effort. Maybe he was never going to be the defensive stopper he was advertised as coming out of college, but he has all the tools to be at the very least a neutral defender in the league.

I think people are being a bit rose colored glasses with his rookie year just because relative to the later years it was better, but it was never good.

For being a 6'1 elite athlete with a huge frame and wingspan, he should be a suffocating defender. He should be a guy who can get into a jersey. He has never been that guy, and when you are undersized (under sized in terms of vertical length) you have to play that way and Donovan has never been able to. That and his defensive IQ is really poor. I think his best bet for being a more impactful defender is being in a more aggressive defensive system that encourages him to gamble more so he can at least improve his defensive playmaking ability.