MCW #14 on the latest SI NBA Draft Big Board

[Gabjon]

Dion is the 3rd best rookie in the league this year. Damian Lillard is the best rookie in the league and he is shooting 41.8% and 35.9% from 3. Dion is doing very well in the NBA now Wes is another story...

 

[Melancer46]

Dion is the 3rd best rookie in the league this year. Damian Lillard is the best rookie in the league and he is shooting 41.8% and 35.9% from 3. Dion is doing very well in the NBA now Wes is another story...

1. He's still lightyears behind the other 2.
2. I'd put him below a couple other guys too, and the only reason he's even remotely close is because of his minutes. He isn't really playing well in those minutes.

 

[Gabjon]

1. He's still lightyears behind the other 2.
2. I'd put him below a couple other guys too, and the only reason he's even remotely close is because of his minutes. He isn't really playing well in those minutes.

But that is the issue with just looking at metrics is he has been starting for a bad team, forced to try and do more than other rookies are so if you want to compare him you should do it with similar guys is a similar position. When you do this you get Lillard, Rivers, Dion, and Beal all in very similar positions in minutes play and responsibility on the team and he is solidly in second out of that group.

 

[orangefan13]

James needs to show the toughness factor to get drafted. He lacks Consistancy.
Love him but I have never seen a potential 20 ppg scorer lack it as bad as him.
Agree on his release being quicker then wes and maybe Dnics though.

Great shooters are not riled when they go around screens, when a defender gets a hand in their face, or nearly blocks their shot. Someone like Ray Allen off a screen is a great example of that. They bury those reguardless.

Southerland, Triche, and Cooney could really use the confidence builder shooting threes off of screens while not worrying about being blocked(even if they are). They find the coldheartedness doing that and this team will be nearly unbeatable. Of course if Triche can make his threes like he did against Rutgers he won't even need the screens. Guys like Wes, Gerry, Rautins weren't rattled by it and defenders had to play them extra tight. You should know your shot is going in when you release it. Even if it doesn't thats the only right mindset for a good miss.

 

[Gabjon]

James probably shoots 60% in those walk-in 3s in transition and he is already shooting it from NBA range now. That alone will get him drafted because the NBA is all about transition offense. Again "role player" not star or future hall of famer. Ray Allen is one of the greatest shooter to ever play the game James will never be that.

 

[orangefan13]

Agree but Ray Allen is 6'5 James is 6'8 they both have a instant catch and shoot release. Have someone wide like Dajuan set him a screen. If Dajuans man tries to cover James aroudn the screen then Dajuan has instant inside position.

 

[Gabjon]

Ray Allen is a catch shoot guy in his old age. He was an elite player who carried his teams in Seattle and Milwaukee for years and is the second best SG of his era there are no comparisons between Ray Allen and James. Google some of Ray Allens highlight on Youtube please.

 

[realorange]

The only way you have Ray Allen and JS in the same sentence is if you are saying they both play basketball.

 

[orangefan13]

We could use some work on this.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Dion is falling down the rookie ladder in a bg way... They are calling him "chuck" on clev sports radio now

 

[Gabjon]

As long as they are talking about him...look the team sucks so the press isn't going to be nice. They are at the point of the season where rookies hit the wall they have played 35games already so from here on out its all new territory.