Somebody explain Derrick Williams love to a Jazz Fan
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GVC
Well-Known Member
Just did look. At least were on the same page on his summer being very important. We're not going to see his season performance (especially the second half) the same way, which is fine.
If the dude comes back as soft and slow as ever, he shouldn't be part of the Jazz's longterm rebuild.
And, recall, I only started down this line because of all the ridiculous trades being proposed to dump Millsap for nothing, compounded with strange statements about how much more important/better Big Al is than Millsap. You don't seem to have a problem with all the folks looking to dump Millsap for garbage, strangely.
As for this thread, DWill would be a great pick for the Jazz, and if the Jazz go to a 2 guard front, and Al/Favors hold their own down low (on O, I'm talking), it would be awfully hard to defend lineups that include both Millsap and Williams moving around on the perimeter, at the short corners and in the high post. If neither can play the 3 well enough, you look to make a move.
So, I don't think the Jazz should be looking to do anything too drastic this offseason (unless some no-brainer falls in their lap), instead taking a wait-and-see approach, especially since so much could change for so many players over this particular offseason (Big Al's toughness/BBIQ, Millsap's ability to play the 3, Harris's integration, etc.).
GVC
Well-Known Member
IF he is a 3, of course. His relatively low usage rate, given his efficiency, is a bit of a red flag to me, actually. Is he this year's Wesley Johnson (I rode his jock a la KEK before last season's draft)?
But 8.7 FTA per game on 10 FGA per game is ridiculous.
I'm trying not to get sucked in by the articles about how hard a worker and good guy he is, as they seem to paint the same picture that was painted about Evan Turner last year (another disappointing rookie). We'll see.
billyshelby
Well-Known Member
I have never supported a trade of Sap (outside the 'everybody is available in the right deal' philosophy.) I'm actually in the small minority that thinks Sap and Al can play much better alongside each other than they have. I don't think Sap is going to work as a 3. He might be better off the bench. But next season I expect Al and Sap to start, Favors and Okur to back them up, and for that rotation to possibly change depending on how the season progresses.
As for Williams, I would draft him if he's sitting there at 3. I'd be worried about it, but the upside of his putting up numbers from the 3 position is too high not to gamble on it.
As for Williams, I would draft him if he's sitting there at 3. I'd be worried about it, but the upside of his putting up numbers from the 3 position is too high not to gamble on it.
Their general trend upward as the year progressed and not being top high school recruits can draw a lot of similarities. However, their game's and what they demand from a team offensively couldn't really be more different. Drafting Turner, you had to suppose that he'd basically do on your NBA team what he did at OSU, in addition to playing off the ball better than he did in college (even though his physical profile is underwhelming). His usage rate was massive and he wasn't a great 3-point shooter and wasn't great off-the-ball in general either. In retrospect, it's clear as day that if he wasn't given the keys off-the-bat that he would struggle to transition since he doesn't really seem to fit in. Besides all of that, calling him a dud after his rookie year isn't quite fair... yet.
Williams on the other hand, can be a stretch 4 at absolute worst. The fact that he scores on a low usage rate just tells me that he can at the very least fit in somewhere and make good decisions. I don't know if he's a primary scorer, but paired with a great playmaker and passer he could be a terrific 1B option or the best 3rd option in the entire league.
I am an Arizona alumni and follow the program well. I have seen every game of Derrick Williams at Arizona. He has heart and work ethic which is why I laugh a bit at all of these comparisons going on. Derrick Williams is Derrick Williams, period. His biggest asset is his heart. https://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/baske...williams-played-two-months-with-broken-finger
He was a great team player, confident on the court yet not a punk off of it, and a pure gym rat. He loves the game.
The other thing is that Arizona does not play sets that would use a true 4. He played his role as a 4 in college but could have been a 3 with ease at that level.
Something else that is well known in Arizona media is that the coaching staff there refers to him as a 'gamer'. He shot the 3 ball well in games, but in practice he did not shoot it nearly as well. The coaching staff were never sure why, but in practice he was the 4th or 5th best three point shooter on the team. Once the game began, everything changed.
The other thing is that Williams plays defense. He won two of our biggest games this year with blocks. He plays solid defense all the time. You can see him get a bit upset when his man scores. He still makes mental mistakes, but all young players do.
It would be a dream come true if the Jazz could get him, but he most likely will be gone by then.
He was a great team player, confident on the court yet not a punk off of it, and a pure gym rat. He loves the game.
The other thing is that Arizona does not play sets that would use a true 4. He played his role as a 4 in college but could have been a 3 with ease at that level.
Something else that is well known in Arizona media is that the coaching staff there refers to him as a 'gamer'. He shot the 3 ball well in games, but in practice he did not shoot it nearly as well. The coaching staff were never sure why, but in practice he was the 4th or 5th best three point shooter on the team. Once the game began, everything changed.
The other thing is that Williams plays defense. He won two of our biggest games this year with blocks. He plays solid defense all the time. You can see him get a bit upset when his man scores. He still makes mental mistakes, but all young players do.
It would be a dream come true if the Jazz could get him, but he most likely will be gone by then.
billyshelby
Well-Known Member
Most people already lose their minds about Sap defending the 4. He's better defensively than people think, but Williams is going to cause the same uproar if he winds up as a 4. You have to believe he's a 3 to draft him 3. Additionally, you have to believe he can get his own shot as a 3 to be worth it. That's the part of his tape that should be most heavily scrutinized.
Teams that look hard are going to have to be convinced that he could be a 4 to take him for that role. He is much more fluid on the floor than most people give him credit for. He is a natural 3. He is as quick on the floor as Sean Elliott was. He played 4 because it was college and the team needed him to, not because he was exceptional at playing the 4. He is exceptional at playing basketball.
SojoDave
Well-Known Member
DWill had a 9' standing reach at the combine. That's only 2" lower than Big Al. They didn't announce jumping measurements, but he looked like he jumped out of the gym on the combine jump measurement. He also had over 10% body fat and he looked like he gained weight since the college season was over. I hope he lowers his body fat before the season starts. I think DWill is the only sure thing in the draft. Maybe when he is making the big NBA bucks, he can get his teeth fixed.
Jazz4ever
Well-Known Member
Judging by some of his dunks I fully expect his vertical to be off the charts, and unfortunately the nail in the coffin for us having any hope of getting him.
Sneakers
Well-Known Member
To Dwill_Pwnszzsers,
No I'm not seriously comparing the game of these too. I was simply (albeit goofily) thinking about how his face kinda looked like Evan Turner's, that they (are) were both "can't miss" elite prospects, and then I started to wonder how Evan Turner could be hyped up and picked so high when he really looks just like a normal, none-special player, and if that means the Jazz could be in danger of drafting someone who has managed to undeservedly climb to the top of the pack.