Don't worry too much. He exists in the Hotttnickkk caste of posters here.
How good is Burks really?
- Thread starter Qman
- Start date
One thing to consider. Lance was somewhat of a child prodigy. HUGE things were expected form his freshman HS season on.. then he was viewed as a complete and total dumbass. He went from the top of the mountain to getting ONE scholarship offer. It's not like what Lance has done is entirely unexpected.
What's my point? I have no ****ing idea.
Game6Conley
Well-Known Member
Stephenson was a full blown prodigy!! as someone who was groundlevel in NY i can tell you he had a massive following, played for the same HS as Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair. i knew a sports writer who had to cover him and said hes dumb as bricks and hated going to the games lol, i still cant believe the knicks took SG's consecutively in the 2nd round of the 2010 draft, and left Stephenson on the board for the pacers @40
Thanks for clearing up my sub-hyperbolic historical accounts.
jazzfan1971
Well-Known Member
Last year in Summer League Burks looked like an All-Star to me. Was scoring at will and his shot was falling from everywhere. I think he's definitely a better scorer than Miles ever was. Better than Stevenson. Better than Almond. Better than Brewer. Better than Giricek. Better than Bell. Better than Pavlovic.
Some of those guys look better on defense. But, I think Burks is the best scorer we've had since Hornacek. Unfortunately, he seems to need the ball in his hands a lot to score. He's not as much as an off the ball player as the Jazz like to have.
And to me that's his biggest problem. And one that is addressed by letting him run at the PG position.
He's not a catch and shoot guy, and I don't think it's right to try and force him into that. He's a guy that needs to attack the rim. It's not something that the Jazz cater to much. The perfect guard for the Jazz offense was Wesley Matthews. And we let him walk.
So, I really don't know what the Jazz are doing. And I'm sure Burks is plenty confused as well. But, he's trying. You can tell when he plays PG that he's trying to do what the coaches are asking him to do. And I think that is to his credit.
Some of those guys look better on defense. But, I think Burks is the best scorer we've had since Hornacek. Unfortunately, he seems to need the ball in his hands a lot to score. He's not as much as an off the ball player as the Jazz like to have.
And to me that's his biggest problem. And one that is addressed by letting him run at the PG position.
He's not a catch and shoot guy, and I don't think it's right to try and force him into that. He's a guy that needs to attack the rim. It's not something that the Jazz cater to much. The perfect guard for the Jazz offense was Wesley Matthews. And we let him walk.
So, I really don't know what the Jazz are doing. And I'm sure Burks is plenty confused as well. But, he's trying. You can tell when he plays PG that he's trying to do what the coaches are asking him to do. And I think that is to his credit.
Which is why in my opinion he needs to be a big-time game changing scorer off of the bench. In a Ginobili type role but in a different style of play. I am really worried that his turnover levels and efficiency will go way down the more he plays and the more team scout him.
The strength comments are spot on too. He was strong his slashing style would be far more efficient. On the Maggette comparision- Maggette is a built like a tank. I don't see Burks ever becoming that strong.
Perhaps with a new coach or letting him focus on scoring off the bench (like Hayward last season) will let him find his place in the NBA.
Game6Conley
Well-Known Member
ya know at somepoint last year, some jazzfanz were cool with trading Burks for Ridnour for the playoff push
alec burks looks skinny like me in this pic, look at his arms.
hes just starting to add to his frame, i love how hes a major late bloomer and some think hes done getting better, once he adds strength he should be able to finish some of those acrobatic plays he makes and convert spectacular and 1's, stop hating on this kid, how many more hoops of fire must he jump thru???
hes clearly just doing what hes told, i like the way this kid handles himself, plus obviously hes surprisingly fast with the ball, end-to-end a la Lance Stephenson
alec burks looks skinny like me in this pic, look at his arms.
hes just starting to add to his frame, i love how hes a major late bloomer and some think hes done getting better, once he adds strength he should be able to finish some of those acrobatic plays he makes and convert spectacular and 1's, stop hating on this kid, how many more hoops of fire must he jump thru???
hes clearly just doing what hes told, i like the way this kid handles himself, plus obviously hes surprisingly fast with the ball, end-to-end a la Lance Stephenson
Game6Conley
Well-Known Member
what about the thought that burks best position is
Jack of all Trades
Oversized, ultra-atheletic PG/ Slashing + Spot-up SG/ Fastbreak initiating SF
thats what id do with him at least for next season til he clearly shines in a niche
well actually if it was me id tell him to prepare for back-up PG duties, and to work on his handle religiously
and of course he should be working on dribbling into that 17 footer that westbrook has mastered, that would make a world of difference for young alec
Jack of all Trades
Oversized, ultra-atheletic PG/ Slashing + Spot-up SG/ Fastbreak initiating SF
thats what id do with him at least for next season til he clearly shines in a niche
well actually if it was me id tell him to prepare for back-up PG duties, and to work on his handle religiously
and of course he should be working on dribbling into that 17 footer that westbrook has mastered, that would make a world of difference for young alec
jimmy eat jazz
Well-Known Member
I predict that Burks will be traded as part of a deal for the Jazz to move up in the draft. Reading the tea leaves, I don't think the FO is sold on Burks, or at least sold enough not to use him as trade bait to get the PG it wants.
Mark it down.
Mark it down.
Game6Conley
Well-Known Member
you maybe right. if burks goes, i hope its for Shabazz, Len, Bennett, Noel, Porter Jr or
Batman
Well-Known Member
Can't agree with this. Sorry Zulu.
Hitman
Well-Known Member
I haven't voted, because we don't have enough information due to his lack of playing time, plus a lot of that time this past season was spent at PG, when he's really a SG.
There are good signs. He has the physical tools. He was a poor decision-maker his first season, this has improved - he still occasionally lapses, but it's now once every few games, not a few times every game. His passing is better, with an improved assist/minute rate this season - note that his assist/minute rate in his first season was worse than Al Jefferson's. His shooting has improved, he was a good jump shooter with his feet set, but with a slow release so he could only shoot when wide open. He was also a poor shooter off the dribble. His release is now quicker and he can also shoot passably off the dribble. His defence is improving, he doesn't get wiped out by screens as easily and the effort is certainly there.
The bad part of his game remains - FT%. If he improves nothing else this off-season but his FT%, he will become a far more effective player. Finishing with contact would be even better, ideally he can turn his foul drawing into and-ones instead of one-of-twos.
It is interesting comparing his shooting stats from season to season. His 2-PT% (i.e. excluding 3-PT attempts) and FT% were practically unchanged, being roughly 44% and 72% respectively, but his 3-PT% jumped from 31.8% to 35.9%. His 3-Pt attempts rose as well, he made 14-44 his first year but made 33-92 last season in roughly the same number of games (58 v 64) and playing only an extra 2.5 minutes per game. His FT rate, however, remained almost the same: 99-138 to 92-129.
There are good signs. He has the physical tools. He was a poor decision-maker his first season, this has improved - he still occasionally lapses, but it's now once every few games, not a few times every game. His passing is better, with an improved assist/minute rate this season - note that his assist/minute rate in his first season was worse than Al Jefferson's. His shooting has improved, he was a good jump shooter with his feet set, but with a slow release so he could only shoot when wide open. He was also a poor shooter off the dribble. His release is now quicker and he can also shoot passably off the dribble. His defence is improving, he doesn't get wiped out by screens as easily and the effort is certainly there.
The bad part of his game remains - FT%. If he improves nothing else this off-season but his FT%, he will become a far more effective player. Finishing with contact would be even better, ideally he can turn his foul drawing into and-ones instead of one-of-twos.
It is interesting comparing his shooting stats from season to season. His 2-PT% (i.e. excluding 3-PT attempts) and FT% were practically unchanged, being roughly 44% and 72% respectively, but his 3-PT% jumped from 31.8% to 35.9%. His 3-Pt attempts rose as well, he made 14-44 his first year but made 33-92 last season in roughly the same number of games (58 v 64) and playing only an extra 2.5 minutes per game. His FT rate, however, remained almost the same: 99-138 to 92-129.
Game6Conley
Well-Known Member
i really like the inbounds passes he throws specifically to kanter, i notice they work well together
this was most apparent during the gave vs the kings when burks scored all those points in few minutes, when he wasent scoring he was throwing kanter nice passes, and he finished the game going coast to coast in like 4 seconds and laying the ball in, that was an awesome game. Isaiah Thomas was killing the jazz' other guards, Burks blocked him first time he d'd him up in the 3rd quarter
this was most apparent during the gave vs the kings when burks scored all those points in few minutes, when he wasent scoring he was throwing kanter nice passes, and he finished the game going coast to coast in like 4 seconds and laying the ball in, that was an awesome game. Isaiah Thomas was killing the jazz' other guards, Burks blocked him first time he d'd him up in the 3rd quarter
TheSilencer1313
Well-Known Member
Burks has almost identical numbers to O.J. Mayo per 36 minutes.
OJ Mayo 15.5 pts, 3.4 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.1 spg, .4 bpg on 44.9% shooting
Alec Burks 14.3 pts, 4.4 rpg, 3,6 apg, 1.1 spg, .4 bpg on 43.2% shooting
Where as the Jazz never run specific plays for Burks, I see that as a huge credit to him.
The kid still needs a lot of work, and I don't think he'll end up on many all-star teams (because of the politics of all-star weekend only), but he is a solid starting shooting guard or terrific 6 man off the bench.
If he improves his decision making just a tad, he can be a Wes Matthews 2:0 for the Jazz.
That being said, we still don't know if the Jazz end up trading him come draft time
OJ Mayo 15.5 pts, 3.4 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.1 spg, .4 bpg on 44.9% shooting
Alec Burks 14.3 pts, 4.4 rpg, 3,6 apg, 1.1 spg, .4 bpg on 43.2% shooting
Where as the Jazz never run specific plays for Burks, I see that as a huge credit to him.
The kid still needs a lot of work, and I don't think he'll end up on many all-star teams (because of the politics of all-star weekend only), but he is a solid starting shooting guard or terrific 6 man off the bench.
If he improves his decision making just a tad, he can be a Wes Matthews 2:0 for the Jazz.
That being said, we still don't know if the Jazz end up trading him come draft time
candrew
Well-Known Member
Burks has almost identical numbers to O.J. Mayo per 36 minutes.
OJ Mayo 15.5 pts, 3.4 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.1 spg, .4 bpg on 44.9% shooting
Alec Burks 14.3 pts, 4.4 rpg, 3,6 apg, 1.1 spg, .4 bpg on 43.2% shooting
Where as the Jazz never run specific plays for Burks, I see that as a huge credit to him.
The kid still needs a lot of work, and I don't think he'll end up on many all-star teams (because of the politics of all-star weekend only), but he is a solid starting shooting guard or terrific 6 man off the bench.
If he improves his decision making just a tad, he can be a Wes Matthews 2:0 for the Jazz.
That being said, we still don't know if the Jazz end up trading him come draft time
Some good points but Burks will never be another Wes Matthews. Matthews is a high IQ, system guy. Burks was born and bred to be "the man". Whether or not he has that much talent we'll have to wait (and wait) to see.
TheSilencer1313
Well-Known Member
Not saying I disagree with your evaluation of Wes Matthews.... but at the same time I've seen Burk's body language change since he's been drafted.
It doesn't seem to me that he thinks he's the man, as he seems to take instruction well and even creates for himself considering Corbin doesn't run a specific offense.
JGolds
Well-Known Member
Burks is a 6th man. 6th men can be allstars.. look at genosbleed.... Burks needs to become more consistant (this will come with playing time). I think that now that Hayward as earned is starting spot it will be Burks turn to be the first off the bench. and i think he will make the most of it! he can go up against opposing benches increase his confidence and his handles.. and be a boss,
