Revisiting Aaron Gordon

[phippsj]

I'm not sure what there is to smokescreen, really.

Vonleh has massive potential as a 2 way player, can likely come right in and rebound, will eventually get the opportunity to stretch the floor to work with a low post big or rim protector, wingspan/hand size, good handles for a big etc etc. His knock is he's going to be somewhat of a project and he's likely not much of a leader. Or at least not vocally, at this stage.

Gordon is what he is going to be, IMO, in a lot of ways. Some very good and some very bad. The kid is a freak athlete, is a highlight reel above the rim, will be a really good defender etc. Obviously where he falls short is a real roll offensively outside of putbacks and hustle plays. And then there's his FT%. A lot of people that like him and want him on the Jazz say "I think he can fix that". I can think of very few examples of guys coming into the league and fixing something like that. And if they did, they didn't start as bad as AG is. And this isn't college. If it's a mental thing, how is an NBA stadium and pressure going to ease that.......82 games a season?


I like AG, I think he'd be fun to watch. I just don't like him anywhere near 5, and that's not a smokescreen, it's reality.

I don't think the Jazz get Gordon. However, in all the bluster about his offensive problems it seems we have all missed some interesting facts. First, he was the best player in college basketball at finishing at the rim. His percentage was close to 80%. Vonleh, by contrast, was 52% (forgive me, going memory there). Second, his three point percentage is 36% (again, going on memory so I could be off a bit).

While I'm not sold on him being 5, I think that's his ceiling and 6-8 is more probable. MVP of the US team is pretty good as well... I don't think garbage players get that.

Gordon has a lot of stuff he does really, really well. He has a terrible mid range game. If he can make gradual improvements to that them he'll be an all star. He's 18, so there's a good chance. Heck, even Evans is figuring that out.

 

[Hotdog]

I don't think the Jazz get Gordon. However, in all the bluster about his offensive problems it seems we have all missed some interesting facts. First, he was the best player in college basketball at finishing at the rim. His percentage was close to 80%. Vonleh, by contrast, was 52% (forgive me, going memory there). Second, his three point percentage is 36% (again, going on memory so I could be off a bit).

While I'm not sold on him being 5, I think that's his ceiling and 6-8 is more probable. MVP of the US team is pretty good as well... I don't think garbage players get that.

Gordon has a lot of stuff he does really, really well. He has a terrible mid range game. If he can make gradual improvements to that them he'll be an all star. He's 18, so there's a good chance. Heck, even Evans is figuring that out.

exactly. ..

It's weird that so many people have decided he'll never be a good shooter. He's the youngest player in the draft. Why can't he get better?

Gordon does a lot of things really good already for how young he is. That's how he should be looked at. There is a lot of potential in him.

 

[phippsj]

"The Jazz should use the asset that they acquired through having the most miserable season in 30 years to acquire a guy that no one has said can or likely will be able to score a basketball on his own or help others to, in a draft where players that are projected to be able to play basketball will still be on the board. Because Aaron Gordon can jump and run."

-morons

The guy can create his own shot. They are layups and scoop shots.

 

[framer]

The guy can create his own shot. They are layups and scoop shots.

He's very good at sharing the ball too, but. . .NUMBERICA.

 

[Bodhi]

I don't think the Jazz get Gordon. However, in all the bluster about his offensive problems it seems we have all missed some interesting facts. First, he was the best player in college basketball at finishing at the rim. His percentage was close to 80%. Vonleh, by contrast, was 52% (forgive me, going memory there). Second, his three point percentage is 36% (again, going on memory so I could be off a bit).

While I'm not sold on him being 5, I think that's his ceiling and 6-8 is more probable. MVP of the US team is pretty good as well... I don't think garbage players get that.

Gordon has a lot of stuff he does really, really well. He has a terrible mid range game. If he can make gradual improvements to that them he'll be an all star. He's 18, so there's a good chance. Heck, even Evans is figuring that out.

Sure he shot 36% from 3 but that's half the stat. He made 16 in 38 or so games. NV also made 16. One shot 45 of em and the other shot 33.

 

[spycam1]

I really think Gordon is the hardest to project of all the guy's we're looking at.

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

exactly. ..

It's weird that so many people have decided he'll never be a good shooter. He's the youngest player in the draft. Why can't he get better?

Gordon does a lot of things really good already for how young he is. That's how he should be looked at. There is a lot of potential in him.

And yet, when it comes to Burke and Kanter who are all of 21 and 22, the prevailing thinking here seems to be that they are fully formed as players.

It may not be possible, but if there's any way to avoid drafting a project at #5, I'll all for it. I don't want to spend the indefinite future waiting for young guys to fulfill their potential (which may never happen) while we continue to miss the playoffs year after year. I was content to do this last year and again next year (though no way in hell am I advocating tanking), but after that, my patience, and fandom, will begin to be sorely tested.

 

[Getting Traded]

Always in the right place. Good vision. Getting deflections. Always the quickest guy to the loose ball. Played with more energy and higher motor than everyone else on the court. Smart. Unselfish. Good passer. Good defender. Good rebounder. Seemed to be everywhere on the court. Always seemed to be communicating with teammate, telling them and pointing to them where to go (leadership qualities)

Oh ya, and he can jump high too, which is nice

Who does this sound like? The young AK47, who never learned to shoot and which was why AK's best position was at the 4. At the same time, AK wasn't strong enough to consistently play the 4 -- in Europe, yes, because they play a less physical style. People are saying that Gordon isn't a SF because he can't shoot, like AK. So, do the Jazz want to draft another SF who can't shoot but whose best position is the 4? Maybe Gordon will put on weight and be strong enough, unlike AK. He is more compactly built, so maybe he will.

 

[spycam1]

Who does this sound like? The young AK47, who never learned to shoot and which was why AK's best position was at the 4. At the same time, AK wasn't strong enough to consistently play the 4 -- in Europe, yes, because they play a less physical style. People are saying that Gordon isn't a SF because he can't shoot, like AK. So, do the Jazz want to draft another SF who can't shoot but whose best position is the 4? Maybe Gordon will put on weight and be strong enough, unlike AK. He is more compactly built, so maybe he will.

He's the youngest player in the draft, iirc, and he's already stronger than AK.

 

[Jazz4ever]

Who does this sound like? The young AK47, who never learned to shoot and which was why AK's best position was at the 4. At the same time, AK wasn't strong enough to consistently play the 4 -- in Europe, yes, because they play a less physical style. People are saying that Gordon isn't a SF because he can't shoot, like AK. So, do the Jazz want to draft another SF who can't shoot but whose best position is the 4? Maybe Gordon will put on weight and be strong enough, unlike AK. He is more compactly built, so maybe he will.

I don't think they're real similar. Gordon has better lateral quickness, AK relied on those go go gadget arms to steal and block even after he was beat off the dribble. However the help defense generally still had to collapse when they saw AK was beat, so Gordon's D projects a little better as a SF. Both are in no man's land offensively. AK simply wasn't guarded most of the time, nor will Gordan be. His defender will sink into the lane and make our lives miserable.

 

[Stifle Tower]

He's the youngest player in the draft, iirc, and he's already stronger than AK.

Oh, stawp it with the "youngest player" line. He has Noah by 1 month. Several other players are within 5-6 months. This whole "youngest player" crap is bull excrement in terms of justifying his development potential vis-a-vis Exum, Wiggins, Vonleh, Parker, etc. What MIGHT be more valid is to look at players who may have more years of playing organized basketball vs. others. For example, if there were another very good center in the draft to compare against Embiid who is 20 yrs old, but has very few years of basketball experience.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Only way Jazz don't draft Gordon is if Exum falls.