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Following potential 2012 draftees

PKM said:
He is an elite athlete, trust that for now. He can create off the dribble, trust that for now. He makes the effort on everything except being 'the man.' Also, as someone else said, with MKG, Jones, and Davis, it just didn't make any sense for him to crash the boards as well. UK led the nation in rebounding margin and he wasn't needed for that. When he would play PF or, rarely, center .. he would block out and pull down the boards .. but he played mostly on the perimeter.
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A couple of years from now PKM will either look like a prophet, or a complete homer.
 
Hantlers said:
On a side note, I'd like to reply to what I have bolded. We've been hearing a ton of this, how Miller is willing to take the side role. I actually have a problem with this. According to PKM, Miller is one of the most, if not the most skilled player on Kentucky's team. Clearly this was a team stocked with NBA talent. Yet with all those skills, he's ok with taking the side role. To me, that's a sign of somebody who doesn't want to be great. Maybe I'm being way off base, but I actually do see this as a concern.
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Let me just say that on senior night coach cal told miller to take over I remember he dropped 26 points that night. Pkm could give the specifics but when asked to he can really light it up. I'll do more research and get the team and his stats,
 
PKM said:
He is an elite athlete, trust that for now. He can create off the dribble, trust that for now. He makes the effort on everything except being 'the man.' Also, as someone else said, with MKG, Jones, and Davis, it just didn't make any sense for him to crash the boards as well. UK led the nation in rebounding margin and he wasn't needed for that. When he would play PF or, rarely, center .. he would block out and pull down the boards .. but he played mostly on the perimeter.
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It was me that mentioned the rebounding thing. I will take credit and positive reps for this. TIA
 
idiot said:
For PKM and anybody else who's seen enough of these players to provide a comparison:

I'm having a tough time finding good info/video (esp. on D Miller). Here's what I seem to be able to distill from the reports I've seen:

J Taylor: excellent lateral quickness, may be able to play Sefalosha-type defense, shines at on-ball defense, fair SF size but is more of a quickness guy than a strength guy, could guard SGs as well as SFs and can even perform admirably on switches onto PGs, may struggle against powerful forwards, very improved long-range shot, fair (at best) rebounder, very good athleticism, can take advantage of open drives to hoop but not very creative with dribble, probably will never be a good scorer but may do enough to keep defenses honest, may try (or has been asked) to do too much offensively and thus a bit turnover prone, OK at getting to foul line (but needs to improve FT%), some signs of ability to improve over time, hard worker but may be prone to discouragement

D Miller: very reliable shooter from a variety of ranges, very little creativity off the dribble though can take advantage of clear opportunities, not particularly assertive but good at blending into system, a bit better size (esp. strength) than Taylor, terrible rebounder, good but not elite defender, will probably do well on switches as a defender but is really a true SF defensively, struggles a bit with on-ball defense, good but not great NBA athleticism, rarely goes to FT line but shoots well when there, understands strengths and limitations and thus turns ball over rarely, hard worker but hasn't shown clear trends of improvement over time

I'd appreciate anyone who can tell me what's wrong (or right) about these summaries. If Jazz had a chance to trade to pick one or the other (recognizing that Taylor's cost would be a bit higher), who would you target? Why?

(Apologies if this comparison has been hashed out somewhere previously among the 8000 posts.)
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Great post I am a huge Jeff Taylor fan. I think he is just what we need. Have Taylor guard the harder assignments and give Hayward the chance to tear it up more on offense.
 
PKM said:
Not so sure about that. I have said he has elite stuff, but no fire..

GREAT kid, character, personality, work ethic, though ..
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If he has all that ability, tools, and work ethic, but only wants to be a 5th option starter, then I really don't want him that badly.

I think you can understand why I'm not buying all of this?
 
Xthren said:
Let me just say that on senior night coach cal told miller to take over I remember he dropped 26 points that night. Pkm could give the specifics but when asked to he can really light it up. I'll do more research and get the team and his stats,
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Yep .. he did that several times when a fire was lit under him. Again, he's not lazy, he just loves his teammates and wants to spread the wealth .. and, again, that's not a positive, necessarily.
 
Xthren said:
Great post I am a huge Jeff Taylor fan. I think he is just what we need. Have Taylor guard the harder assignments and give Hayward the chance to tear it up more on offense.
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This is a good point. If Hayward has a lesser assignment on defense (like what Kobe and CP3 do) that could help his offensive game.
 
Cyrone Torbin said:
If he has all that ability, tools, and work ethic, but only wants to be a 5th option starter, then I really don't want him that badly.

I think you can understand why I'm not buying all of this?
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I get that .. and respect it. But, again, we're talking 30's here.
 
PKM said:
I get that .. and respect it. But, again, we're talking 30's here.
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Yeah yeah, I'm fine in the 30's (though I don't picture us getting an additional 2nd rounder). I don't think teams want to give those picks away because they are non guaranteed and awesome picks to have.
 
When I feel like typing more, I'll share a story that reminds me of Miller a bit .. but involves the LV summer league, Kelenna Azubuike, and Doc Rivers. (Somehow I see Verlin making quite a joke out of that.)
 
Are the UK boys going to participate in the athletic and measurement testing at the combine?

I want to believe you about Miller being an elite athlete, but I never really saw anything from him that would make me think that. He seems to be about as athletic as Harrison Barnes for the most part.
 
Cyrone Torbin said:
Are the UK boys going to participate in the athletic and measurement testing at the combine?

I want to believe you about Miller being an elite athlete, but I never really saw anything from him that would make me think that. He seems to be about as athletic as Harrison Barnes for the most part.
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Yikes. Yes, Miller, Teague, Jones, and Lamb are definites and Davis / MKG have said they're going to as well.
 
Me not wanting to draft Miller in the 1st isn't really a knock against him more as it is I think there are more talented players (potentially) available. I wouldn't be irate with anger if we took over Royce White,etc. I would just be disappointed.
 
Cyrone Torbin said:
Me not wanting to draft Miller in the 1st isn't really a knock against him more as it is I think there are more talented players (potentially) available. I wouldn't be irate with anger if we took over Royce White,etc. I would just be disappointed.
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I have ignored 1st round conversation completely. I am just 'sure' he's a 32/33 guy .. and really like him there.
 
I don't see what the problem with Miller not wanting to be "the man" is. Granted, on some teams where that might be needed, it is a negative, and it might prevent him from ever being an allstar. The reason so many players don't pan out in the NBA is they don't know how to not be "the man". Some players are not as good at being role players. If you draft someone in the late first round, you are just happy if he ends up making any contribution.

The Jazz have 4 players that are under 22 that were drafted in the top 11 to potentially be "the man". I see Miller, or whoever is drafted this year, as being a role player, 4th-5th option starter or 6th man. Why is it a problem that the Jazz draft a player who's biggest "weakness" might actually be exactly what the Jazz need?

Now if there is a player that would be better in this role, I don't know. But it seems ridiculous to me that the reason you don't want to draft a future role player is that he is too much of a role player.
 
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