How do the pro scouts view Battle.

[br801]

Relying on that offense is calling for major issues.

It means that your defense needs to show up consistently and that you will be in a lot of close games.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I completely agree this is an issue but somehow Brissett and Howard can do it. In addition, they each bring a huge extra piece to the equation outside of scoring (OB - Boards / FH - Assists), whereas Battle does what else besides score?..

Battle could be a stud but right now he's just one of our 3 best players.

Frank will make a pass down there so he changes the dynamic. You're right about OB, but he's got tremendous length and tends to step around his defender. I still think the problems are that OB is taking the ball against his defender and occasionally PC's defender, but Battle has to contend with up to 3 defenders when he attacks the paint.

 

[two3zone]

I think he is athletic enough and believe he will be able to score from multiple points on the floor at the next level. I agree that the jury is still out on him as an NBA 3-point shooter.

I think we agree, but I think we disagree what NBA GMs are looking for. If this were the 90s he'd probably be a lotto pick. I have a feeling the GMs will want him to scrap that midrange spot as it's the worst shot a basketball player statistically can take. Unfortunately for Battle that's probably his best asset.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I don't think he's athletic enough and don't think he's a great shooter nor has the range for the NBA 3.

Yeah, he looked bad at the deep one he took at the end of the game. Changed his form and still ended up just grazing the front of the rim. He's got work to do.

 

[br801]

I think we agree, but I think we disagree what NBA GMs are looking for. If this were the 90s he'd probably be a lotto pick. I have a feeling the GMs will want him to scrap that midrange spot as it's the worst shot a basketball player statistically can take. Unfortunately for Battle that's probably his best asset.

I think he will be able to finish at the rim and will thrive in transition at the next level, and that his midrange game will sort of set him apart from a lot of NBA players these days. For the record, I don't see him as a lottery talent at this point, but do think he will grade out well at the combine and will have a great chance at going at the back end of the first round.

 

[JazzNC]

I haven't read this entire thread so if it's been brought up... my bad. But is it possible that Battle is still hurting from his fall? The guy just hasn't been playing as well since. Has this been mentioned? Could he be covering up an injury because he knows the team needs him?

 

[orangemass]

He not gone


Did himself no favors last night

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I haven't read this entire thread so if it's been brought up... my bad. But is it possible that Battle is still hurting from his fall? The guy just hasn't been playing as well since. Has this been mentioned? Could be covering up an injury because he knows the team needs him?

It hasn't been mentioned, and it's a great point.

 

[OrangeFoo]

Frank will make a pass down there so he changes the dynamic. You're right about OB, but he's got tremendous length and tends to step around his defender. I still think the problems are that OB is taking the ball against his defender and occasionally PC's defender, but Battle has to contend with up to 3 defenders when he attacks the paint.

Great... then that means 2 guys are guarding 4 which means with a few quick passes someone is getting a wide open shot. To me its very clear that when Battle decides he's going to shoot he's going to shoot... he could have Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen guarding him but by god he's going to get that shot off.

 

[oli44]

Great... then that means 2 guys are guarding 4 which means with a few quick passes someone is getting a wide open shot. To me its very clear that when Battle decides he's going to shoot he's going to shoot... he could have Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen guarding him but by god he's going to get that shot off.

I'd be willing to bet he's coached that way. This team isn't loaded with scoring options. There are basically 3 guys who have range outside of an open dunk so I am sure he is coached to be uber-aggressive when he has a look. He's a flawed scorer but he's the best we got and teams know it. In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.

 

[moqui]

I thought wingspan was normally equal to height and thus a 6-8 wing span on a 6-6 man would more than average. .

wingspan to height ratio in the average american male is 1.02. if battle is 78.5 inches tall, that would be 80.07 inch wingspan - 6-8, which is average. the problem is that the average nba wingspan to height ratio is 1.04; so battle's wingspan would have to be 6-9.5 just to be an average nba player.

Problematic? I get the whole wing span thing, but you'd rather have him shorter with a longer wing span and that's good, but taller without the long wing span bad?

Maybe I'm missing something?

my point is that if his published measurements are verified at the combine then they are not going to do him any favors

 

[two3zone]

I'd be willing to bet he's coached that way. This team isn't loaded with scoring options. There are basically 3 guys who have range outside of an open dunk so I am sure he is coached to be uber-aggressive when he has a look. He's a flawed scorer but he's the best we got and teams know it. In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.

If he's coached to shoot a fadeaway with two guys on him and Washington/Moyer are yanked for taking wide open threes then we have a much bigger problem than our roster.

 

[oli44]

If he's coached to shoot a fadeaway with two guys on him and Washington/Moyer are yanked for taking wide open threes then we have a much bigger problem than our roster.

OK so you want less shots for Battle and more Moyer and Washington 3's ? We'll agree to disagree.

 

[two3zone]

OK so you want less shots for Battle and more Moyer and Washington 3's ? We'll agree to disagree.

If Moyer and Washington don't have anybody 10 feet from them and Battle is shooting a fade away with two guys on him then yes.

If Moyer and Washington aren't trusted to take a WIDE open shot they shouldn't be on the damn team.

 

[iommi]

If Moyer and Washington don't have anybody 10 feet from them and Battle is shooting a fade away with two guys on him then yes.

If Moyer and Washington aren't trusted to take a WIDE open shot they shouldn't be on the damn team.

They're not trusted to take a wide open shot outside of 15 feet.

 

[LaggyJon]

A few thoughts (more about his draft decision process, not his talent):

1. The conventional wisdom used to be to leave if you're a first rounder, largely due to the guaranteed contract and the likelihood you were booking a plane ticket to Europe if you weren't a first rounder. However, given the evolution (and lack of stigma) of the G-League, the availability of affiliate/2-way contracts, and the like, I suspect that it'll be more common for players to leave even if they don't think they'll go in the first. It's already starting to happen - looking at the second round of last year's draft there were a bunch of sophomores picked that I don't recall ever being mentioned as likely 1st rounders. Maybe “second round pick with a 2-way contract and a verbal promise to spend 45 days with the NBA team” is the new “first round guarantee.”

This will happen to us eventually, and I predict several posters here will have coronaries arguing about it in the thread.

2. The idea of “playing your way into the lottery” as an upperclassman is almost extinct.

In last year’s draft, zero upperclassmen were drafted in the lottery. The first senior wasn’t selected until pick 29. The first 11 picks were freshmen (plus Ntilikina, an 18-year-old foreign player). It’s been five years since there’s been more than one junior selected in the lottery, and while I wouldn’t put much stock in mock drafts at this point of the season, there seems to be only one that is being considered this year (Bridges from Villanova).

There’s always a contingent that says “bet on yourself and come back!” every time a player is considering going pro, but for most players that would seem to be a bad bet.

 

[br801]

A few thoughts (more about his draft decision process, not his talent):

1. The conventional wisdom used to be to leave if you're a first rounder, largely due to the guaranteed contract and the likelihood you were booking a plane ticket to Europe if you weren't a first rounder. However, given the evolution (and lack of stigma) of the G-League, the availability of affiliate/2-way contracts, and the like, I suspect that it'll be more common for players to leave even if they don't think they'll go in the first. It's already starting to happen - looking at the second round of last year's draft there were a bunch of sophomores picked that I don't recall ever being mentioned as likely 1st rounders. Maybe “second round pick with a 2-way contract and a verbal promise to spend 45 days with the NBA team” is the new “first round guarantee.”

This will happen to us eventually, and I predict several posters here will have coronaries arguing about it in the thread.

2. The idea of “playing your way into the lottery” as an upperclassman is almost extinct.

In last year’s draft, zero upperclassmen were drafted in the lottery. The first senior wasn’t selected until pick 29. The first 11 picks were freshmen (plus Ntilikina, an 18-year-old foreign player). It’s been five years since there’s been more than one junior selected in the lottery, and while I wouldn’t put much stock in mock drafts at this point of the season, there seems to be only one that is being considered this year (Bridges from Villanova).

There’s always a contingent that says “bet on yourself and come back!” every time a player is considering going pro, but for most players that would seem to be a bad bet.

That's an excellent post and should be tacked to the top of the basketball board.

 

[two3zone]

They're not trusted to take a wide open shot outside of 15 feet.

My rebuttle to that is, why bother recruiting them.

 

[oli44]

My rebuttle to that is, why bother recruiting them.

Not all player are recruited to shoot. I wouldn't want Craig Forth shooting wide open threes that doesn't mean he shouldn't have been recruited. There are countess others. Moyer is not a 3 pt shooter unless the shot clock is 5 seconds or less IMO.

Also I think this deal with Washington is over blown. He came in ice cold off the bench, in crunch time (or close to it) and took a 3 with time left on the shot clock. He was pulled. This gets blown into "OMG Washington isn't allowed to shoot 3's !". It was not a good shot given time/score/situation.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

My rebuttle to that is, why bother recruiting them.

Because a basketball team has needs outside of scoring as well. You would never say anything like this regarding PC, so why do you feel the need to say it with these two?

And for the record, I personally prefer having all players be able to shoot. But I'm not in the BB HOF, just the awesome hair HOF. Hopeful for the beard HOF some day as well...

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Not all player are recruited to shoot. I wouldn't want Craig Forth shooting wide open threes that doesn't mean he shouldn't have been recruited. There are countess others. Moyer is not a 3 pt shooter unless the shot clock is 5 seconds or less IMO.

Also I think this deal with Washington is over blown. He came in ice cold off the bench, in crunch time (or close to it) and took a 3 with time left on the shot clock. He was pulled. This gets blown into "OMG Washington isn't allowed to shoot 3's !". It was not a good shot given time/score/situation.

Should have read this response before posting first...

 

[iommi]

Not all player are recruited to shoot. I wouldn't want Craig Forth shooting wide open threes that doesn't mean he shouldn't have been recruited. There are countess others. Moyer is not a 3 pt shooter unless the shot clock is 5 seconds or less IMO.

Also I think this deal with Washington is over blown. He came in ice cold off the bench, in crunch time (or close to it) and took a 3 with time left on the shot clock. He was pulled. This gets blown into "OMG Washington isn't allowed to shoot 3's !". It was not a good shot given time/score/situation.

True but because HW has become JB's whipping boy, he's become tentative. Now people are using that to say HW can't play.

 

[iommi]

My rebuttle to that is, why bother recruiting them.

Others answered this already...I'll add that HW and MM can shoot. Both have obviously struggled in that department but they can shoot. Matt is not a deep ball shooter at this level yet. HW will find success there if he's ever given a legit shot in the rotation.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

True but because HW has become JB's whipping boy, he's become tentative. Now people are using that to say HW can't play.

Remember when basketball was about getting the best shot? That play still bugs me because it was about the cleanest look we had gotten all day. But he still got yanked for taking it. I wish he had knocked it down just to see if JB would pull him anyway for taking an early 3.

 

[iommi]

Remember when basketball was about getting the best shot? That play still bugs me because it was about the cleanest look we had gotten all day. But he still got yanked for taking it. I wish he had knocked it down just to see if JB would pull him anyway for taking an early 3.

JB wouldn't have yanked him IMO. I do think he'd have made a joke about it in the postgame with his typical dry humor if anyone asked him about it.