09-03-2007, 04:45 PM
|
 | Retired from Forum | | Last Online: 02-22-2008 10:45 AM Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 5,363
| |
 Re: stuckey vs nick young now
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dlev59  Not to highjack this thread, however, I would have picked DJ Strawberry over both Stuckey and Affalo.......... 
I believe he will have a very good year with the Suns........ | Quote: DraftExpress All-Summer League: First Team
July 23, 2007
Showing impressive poise for a rookie at both guard positions, Rodney Stuckey got a great run in at the Vegas Summer League and looks well ahead of schedule relative to what we expected from him.
A combo guard from a low-major school who was expected to be Mr. Everything for Eastern Washington, it was quite surprising to see the patience he showed running Detroit’s offense at the point guard spot.
Stuckey made good decisions for the most part in the half-court set, looking to execute the plays relayed to him from the sidelines and not having any problem at all feeding his teammates--particularly Jason Maxiell in the post. He took what the defenses gave him on pick and roll plays and did not get flustered when trapped/double-teamed at the top of the key. Stuckey didn’t get caught up in the type of stubborn over-dribbling that we typically see from mid-major combo guards, which is a great sign as far as his future development within Detroit’s offense is concerned.
Stuckey’s fantastic first step (going both left and right) combined with his fearlessness and excellent strength give him immediate solutions to almost anything thrown his way—he’d often for example just split the traps right through the middle and make his way straight to the basket. He turns the corner incredibly well and got into the paint repeatedly in the games we saw, doing a great job finishing in traffic with contact, thanks in large part to his excellent body control.
Stuckey’s ball-handling skills aren’t polished enough at this point for him to make these type of forays into the paint with any kind of consistency at the NBA level, but as he continues to work on his game, this could become a major weapon that the Pistons are sorely lacking at the moment. Showing the raw ability to lower his shoulder and use his body to create space from his defender at such a young age (not a common thing) has to get the Pistons coaching staff excited about what they see from him.
Playing off the ball, Stuckey showed some nice potential as well in some of the moves he made. He doesn’t seem to have a problem moving without the basketball, and was rewarded on a number of occasions with an easy basket after a strong cut to the hoop.
He likes to pull-up off the dribble for a very smooth looking mid-range jumper (with range out to the college 3-point line), and is also capable of finishing in the paint with a pretty high-arcing floater. It will take time and repetition to increase the range of his jump-shot out to the NBA 3-point line, but based on his touch and shooting mechanics, that doesn’t look like an impossible task.
but he’ll look pretty clueless at times getting caught underneath screen Defensively, Stuckey has great physical tools and competes pretty hard on top of that, but he’ll look pretty clueless at times getting caught underneath screens for example or gambling for a steal. His learning curve on this end of the floor could very well be the deciding factor in how much he ends up playing in his rookie season under the defensive-minded Flip Saunders.
| DraftExpress Profile: Rodney Stuckey Quote: DraftExpress All-Summer League: Second Team
July 24, 2007
D.J. Strawberry was far from the most polished offensive player in this year’s Summer League, but he showed immense potential and was one of the best players on the defensive end. The things that Strawberry lacks in offensive skills he makes up for in intensity. What makes Strawberry’s Summer League numbers so impressive is that he still managed to score almost 16 points per contest with no remnants of a jump shot. Defensively, Strawberry was one of the most well rounded players in attendance, and easily the most impressive.
The first thing Strawberry needs is a shooting coach, which is something that has always been known about him. His stroke isn’t consistent enough for him to be a good shooter, but his shots fall when it looks smooth. This is indicative of a need for extra practice and game reps. Outside of Strawberry’s lack of consistency from mid and long range, he showed some nice tools this week. Strawberry doesn’t have the most refined handle, but he is big enough that he can blow by most point guards due to his length and athleticism. The moves he utilizes around the rim are predictable, but they got the job done for the most part. The only player to really cause Strawberry problems around the basket was another player on this list, Louis Amundson, who blocked him repeatedly due to Strawberry not being able to explode to the rim around the quicker Louis Williams.
As a point guard, Strawberry looked surprisingly crisp, moving the ball well and getting his teammates open looks. He did a spectacular job creating offense in transition, and wound up leaving Vegas as its 2007 assist leader. Unfortunately, he committed quite a few turnovers because he isn’t a threat from the outside. There were numerous situations where Strawberry was forced to drive or hesitate when he had ample time and space to shoot a jump shot. Once Strawberry gets comfortable with his range, he will no longer have to force the ball into the paint, or pull up for a mid-range shot he really doesn’t want to take.
Strawberry lands this high on this list due to his defense, since no one stood out more in this aspect of the game than he did. Strawberry gets in a low defensive stance on every play, and doesn’t give his man any space. He hawks the ball from the opening horn to the final buzzer, and generally makes things miserable for his opposition. His hands are tremendous, and he started using them much more intelligently after recording 8 fouls in his first contest. Strawberry’s ability to guard three positions, rotate effective from the weakside, and help out on the glass make him significantly more valuable than his numbers indicate.
As Strawberry embarks on his first NBA season, he should look to teammate Raja Bell for guidance. Early in his career, Bell found himself in much the same situation as Strawberry is in now. He was a great defender who didn’t have a good enough jump shot to garner minutes. Strawberry is in a little bit different of a situation considering he is more athletic and versatile than Bell was, but he desperately needs to transform his shooting ability the way Bell did. Strawberry could play some spot minutes this year for Phoenix, but won’t make a legitimate impact on the NBA level offensively until defenders have to respect his jump shot.
DraftExpress Profile: D.J. Strawberry |   |
Similar Threads 
