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Aaron Gordon 4th on Jazz Big Board behind Wiggins, Parker, Exum

I'm not a big fan of Gordon, but lately I find myself trying to pump up Gordon in my own mind because I'm resigned to the fact their is a very good chance the Jazz will be taking him.

In regard to his shooting...His best NBA comparison seems to be Shawn Marion. Marion shot 29% from 3 in college, while Gordon shot 35%(?). Yes, Marion was a better FT shooter. In Marion's first two years in the league he shot 18% and 25% respectively. In his third year, that shot up to 39%. Impossible to know how/if a guy's shooting will improve. So much so that when evaluating draft prospects, shooting is probably one of the least of my concerns. Can he do other things to help teams? Can he score even if he isn't the greatest shooter? Can he defend? Those are probably more important questions to ask than whether a guy could shoot in college.
 
jazzfan1971 said:
42%...

I'm curious how well he's going to improve. I mean, this isn't he first year playing basketball I'm guessing. I'm guessing he's worked on it for oh...7 or 8 years now.

How many of us couldn't dedicate 3 months to practice and shoot more than 42%?? I'm a terrible athlete with no touch, and I'm pretty sure I could top 42% with 3 months to practice. It's not like there is a bit 7ft guy knocking my shots out of the air on free throws or anything. This is why I find it so worrisome. If it was going to be so easy for him to change, why hasn't he done so all ready????
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I play a lot of basketball. I can hit between 80-90 percent of my free throws when I am shooting around. When you get in a game... especially an NBA game it is different. This is likely partly mental, but finding consistent rythym and good mechanics can help calm your mind. Malone had to go to a sports psychologist who helped him if I remember right.

Gordon seems like the type of guy that will go to whatever lengths he has to to improve.
 
Handlogten's Heros said:
I play a lot of basketball. I can hit between 80-90 percent of my free throws when I am shooting around. When you get in a game... especially an NBA game it is different. This is likely partly mental, but finding consistent rythym and good mechanics can help calm your mind. Malone had to go to a sports psychologist who helped him if I remember right.

Gordon seems like the type of guy that will go to whatever lengths he has to to improve.
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True. I read Dwight Howard shoots 80% in practice. In front of 20k+ people yelling it is a different thing. Some people actually shoot better under pressure (Red Bulls stress test says Exum shoots better under pressure with lots of noise-take it for what it is worth). Free throw shooting is very mental.

Gordon has changed his stance since college. He has better posture and positioning. No idea if it will translate to a better percentage, but if we draft him we can hope.
 
Thee jazz fan said:
There are plenty of other 18 yr olds that shoot it much better can he improve.. Yes. Is it a given that he will.. No. This is said to be the jazz most important draft selection ever. Let's not play it completely safe, but lets for sure get an impact player.


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Its almost a given that he will improve, I mean 42 %, Ben Wallace shot 42 %, no way he doesn't do at least a little better than Wallace.
 
JAZZGASM said:
True. I read Dwight Howard shoots 80% in practice. In front of 20k+ people yelling it is a different thing. Some people actually shoot better under pressure (Red Bulls stress test says Exum shoots better under pressure with lots of noise-take it for what it is worth). Free throw shooting is very mental.

Gordon has changed his stance since college. He has better posture and positioning. No idea if it will translate to a better percentage, but if we draft him we can hope.
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Making it more mechanical with proper mechanics may help him relax and rely on the process. Reps will help. If he was way off with his shot like Drummond or Jordan I would worry a little more.

You're right on the stress thing as well. I actually shoot better in games than in practice. The stress helps me focus... although there aren't a billion people screaming and watching.

I think it is like when certain people are good test takers... stuff just affects people differently.
 
sgjazzfan said:
Its almost a given that he will improve, I mean 42 %, Ben Wallace shot 42 %, no way he doesn't do at least a little better than Wallace.
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A huge jump for him would be 60%. Few ever make that kind of jump, and even Favors shoots better then that. As a wing, Gordon needs to make a mind blowing improvements that seem reserved for the greats like Malone. Love how people just brush this aside for Gordon and blast others for it.


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Givony just updated DX's mock 3 minutes ago with the latest he's hearing.

Still has Vonleh at 5. Still has Aaron Gordon 10th.

PJ Hairston at 23 and Cleanthony Early at 35.

Hes moved Damien Inglis into the 1st round to the Thunder at 29.
 
PointGod_AlecBurks said:
Givony just updated DX's mock 3 minutes ago with the latest he's hearing.

Still has Vonleh at 5. Still has Aaron Gordon 10th.

PJ Hairston at 23 and Cleanthony Early at 35.

Hes moved Damien Inglis into the 1st round to the Thunder at 29.
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Cleanthony Early at 35 would be excellent. He would have been top 20 last year. Unfortunately the Spurs will take him with their 1st rounder and he'll turn into the current Kawai Leonard.
 
I could get down with this. I'm liking Gordon better than Vonleh and slightly more than Randle at this point.

I'd still probably take a chance on Embiid doe, just cuz.
 
On Gordon's free throw shooting- Locke had his interview with Gordon yesterday. Gordon said his poor free throw shooting started in his Junior year of high school- previously he had shot much better. Also he said 'it is totally a mental thing.'

If we draft him we need to retain a hypontist to relax him. On related note Doug McDermont does that before every game.
 
Thee jazz fan said:
A huge jump for him would be 60%. Few ever make that kind of jump, and even Favors shoots better then that. As a wing, Gordon needs to make a mind blowing improvements that seem reserved for the greats like Malone. Love how people just brush this aside for Gordon and blast others for it.


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Yeah, but every player needs to improve something. I have as much confidence in Gordon improving FT's as I do in Wiggins becoming a great shooter (to justify trading Favors, Burks, and #5 for him), Parker being an adequate defender at SF (or PF for that matter), Embiid being healthy, and Exums game translating from HS in Australia to the NBA!
 
Here's the thing about Gordon and why I feel he's valuable at #5: he does everything but shoot well because he's gotten by on his athleticism vs. anything else. That won't happen at this level if you want to draw a paycheck.

If you draft Gordon, maybe he never develops much of an offensive game and is a 10-12 PPG guy. However, what you will have will be a potential perennial 1st All-NBA Defense player who will create havoc, grab boards, hustle, etc. which is something he already prides himself on and is the hardest thing to try and teach.

People seem to forget how unique AK was prior to his max contract. AK isn't a 25 PPG guy. However, if you take the pressure off of him to fill up the scoreboard, he will help your team win.

I think Gordon is the 2014 version of AK/Matrix; someone who can have a long career in the NBA doing all the little things well to help your team reach the next level. If he doesn't develop an offensive game, he's still a defensive stalwart. If he can develop a jumper, you suddenly have something a little more special and your true #1 guy.
 
Thee jazz fan said:
A huge jump for him would be 60%. Few ever make that kind of jump, and even Favors shoots better then that. As a wing, Gordon needs to make a mind blowing improvements that seem reserved for the greats like Malone. Love how people just brush this aside for Gordon and blast others for it.


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Bah, it is much easier to get from 42% to 65% than from 70% to 80%. Nobody is ever expecting Gordon to get to 85%, just to 70%. That is entirely doable and it sounds like he knows that it is important and is getting advice from the right people. The best thing that will happen for him is actually getting a defined role within an offense. At Arizona he filled in whatever was needed. He won't do that in the NBA. As for his midrange, I'm not sure we want him working on that part of his game just yet. Extend his three point shooting to the left hand part of the court, work on free throws, and developing one post up move would make him a huge success as a rookie and well worth a top 5 pick. Those are easier action items than: completely develop a three point shot, improve defensive intensity, and improve court vision. Other than Smart, I just cant see how picking anybody else at 5 is justified.
 
Avery said:
Here's the thing about Gordon and why I feel he's valuable at #5: he does everything but shoot well because he's gotten by on his athleticism vs. anything else. That won't happen at this level if you want to draw a paycheck.

If you draft Gordon, maybe he never develops much of an offensive game and is a 10-12 PPG guy. However, what you will have will be a potential perennial 1st All-NBA Defense player who will create havoc, grab boards, hustle, etc. which is something he already prides himself on and is the hardest thing to try and teach.

People seem to forget how unique AK was prior to his max contract. AK isn't a 25 PPG guy. However, if you take the pressure off of him to fill up the scoreboard, he will help your team win.

I think Gordon is the 2014 version of AK/Matrix; someone who can have a long career in the NBA doing all the little things well to help your team reach the next level. If he doesn't develop an offensive game, he's still a defensive stalwart. If he can develop a jumper, you suddenly have something a little more special and your true #1 guy.
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I agree although he'll never be a #1 go to option to get a score at the end of the game (I happen to think that is really overated... just run your flippin offense). AK was disruptive and when motivated was special. The frustration was he was sensitive, wanted to be a jump shooter, and I never got the impression he loved basketball. I liked AK... Imagine if AK was a world class a**-kicker. I think Gordon will be that.

Vonleh may be Bosh. I don't hate him. I wish he had a good coach and I wish he had shot twice as many jumpers so we had a decent sample size to project him. I'll be happy with either one.
 
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