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wow first look at Topic in months. Not really interested for the Spurs but nice to see he does exist and he didn't look terrible.
It's nice, more stuff to potentially crowd the lottery keeps things fluid for SA
Wrong thread
wow first look at Topic in months. Not really interested for the Spurs but nice to see he does exist and he didn't look terrible.
It's nice, more stuff to potentially crowd the lottery keeps things fluid for SA
My preferred guards in order: Castle, Sheppard, McCain
Not interested: Dillingham, Topic, Collier
Can't find the post because of spurstalk's garbage servers taking an hour to load anything, but lmao @ whoever was saying Jovic isn't anything special when I complained about PATFO drafting two scrubs, Branham and Wesley ahead of him.
https://theswishtheory.com/2024-nba-...ing-heuristic/
Really nice article regarding looking beyond the numbers for shooting translation. Special shout outs to Ajinca, Ja'Kobe Walter, and Dillingham, but the principles apply to all draft prospects.
Yes, Salaün is a mix between Kawhi Leonard and Aaron Gordon. Even bigger.
Excellent, wonderful stuff. Great find! Really fascinating perspective on how shooting isn't merely shooting, and how threats on the floor are created and then reacted-to by defenses.
The bit on shot speed speaks to a player like Cody Williams, who is extreeeeemely slow in loading up his shot, so barely ever gets there. His threat on close-outs, at the same time, is minimal. I've been second guessing Castle lately, too, about whether he can solve his shooting problems.
The bits on offensive predictability speak to my concerns about Topic, whose offensive repertoire is very limited at this point, mostly PnRs and straight line drives. Kind of like Collier in that, too. It's wonderful to have those skills, but when your big options are so limited, NBA defenses see you. Can a Nicola Topic learn to shift and manipulate defenses in other ways?
And... the Dillingham part. I've come to regard him as close to an offensive savant and it's great to read this guy's thoughts on why. Unlike a Trae Young, who stares down the defenses and makes more deliberate actions from a stand-still, Dillingham often starts his actions instantaneously. The comment on 'stampeding' closeouts is illuminating: Dillingham is already attacking the closeout even before he gets the ball. He's already seen and recognizes how close the defender is going to be and already instantly made his decision.
He does this a lot. The way he attacks is instant, fluid, super-reactive in the best way. As this blog says, this makes him extremely dangerous, as you have to account for his dynamism -- because he's a threat at any point of those actions. He can take it into the lane, relocate for a different three, take a pull-up two, pass to a cutter, etc., and his handles and control are very high. Not to mention that close contests don't cause hesitation - he fires anyway.
It also gets into another big mark for Dillingham -- that he was thought of a chucker at OTE but gained the role of off-ball shooter at Kentucky, where he shot 47.7% on catch-and-shoot (42/88). His ability to transform into an organized system is a phenomenal sign.
This is all on the offensive side, of course, but RD is exactly what the Spurs need for an incredibly hard offense to cover. If he translates, his perimeter gravity will be pretty significant, which forces defenses to decide whether to cover actions he's involved in or stay at home with Wemby. Of course they're going to decide on Wemby, but if Dillingham gets past defenders on close-outs, whether he's initiator or off-ball, then the whole defense is unlocked. Obviously it will take a lot of seasoning, but this is the player you want. And it gets Vassell in more of a usual off-ball role and lets him attack defenses that have been moved around.
This is the appeal of Trae Young, but Young's shot selection is really poor and he's actually very inefficient for how much he shoots. He also shoots or attacks outside of any movement to the offense, more in the James Harden mode. Everybody stands and watches. He's a much better passer than Dillingham, but Dillingham is pretty good (and a very good lob thrower). RD is simply much, much faster in processing and attacking off what the defense is doing.
"Dillingham’s technical refinement operating off-ball, when paired with high volume off the dribble shooting, amounts to an offensive weapon which could potentially change the entire complexion of a team’s offense. Instead of having a shooter who can only force the defense to react when placed in a set of ideal conditions, a shooter with the depth of tools Dillingham possesses can activate defensive pressure points simply by participating in the play."
Of other concerns about Dillingham -- whether he can learn to play defense -- this is my concern about him on offense. Whether his usage and comfortable shot diet requires him to be very involved in what the team does, i.e. whether he needs to be heavily involved, even if the shots come from somewhere else. As the quote says above, whether he changes the complexion of a team's offense, and whether that's a good thing. But his apparent clutch/cluster scoring, his playmaking, and ability to learn to play more organized ball, are tantalizing. One of the most talented players in this draft.
Salaun probably hasn't star or even starter potential in the NBA but I can see him being a more than serviceable player and the kind of guy you like in your roster for his hard work, versatility and positive energy as a dynamic 3 and D guy whio can notably defend the Tatums or Giannises. Just not sure he has the natural talent to be more than that. Seems like a cool kid too.
A prospect you take a flyer on in the 20s in most drafts and who may end up in the lottery this year. But his length and shooting are definitely appealing in today's NBA.
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