Start Keyonte George

[Saint Cy of JFC]

He is 24 year old who was a 50/39/82 efficiency scorer last year who has handles and John Wall type of speed.

Yet he gets 4th most minutes in the worst backcourt in the NBA because he cannot play team basketball.

That has early career coaching failure written all over it.

Or he is just bad at most basketball things but is hyper skilled at small aspects.

 

[HermanG]

So less minutes equals better player? Not sure there is any possible way that can be quantified.

Not universally. It depends on the player and how mature he and his game is. More minutes is better if the player is ready for it.

 

[str8line]

I’m curious if anyone has an example where someone’s career was harmed by playing too soon. We could easily see “hey, this person isn’t ready,” but is there actually any specific case examples that can be referenced of how something like that had a negative effect on career trajectory, aside from people who just weren’t cut for it to begin with? Not saying that’s exactly what you’re saying, but it’s taken as a given in the basketball word of playing guys too soon is this harmful idea of playing with fire but I really don’t think there’s any case where you can say some guy didn’t reach their potential because they were thrown out there “too soon” and it compromised their development.

In Hendricks’ case, the only thing we have to lose is having a guy on the floor that hurts us because he’s not ready. But that really doesn’t seem to matter.

I think letting him feast in G-league for a bit with a lot of minutes is probably the quicker way to develop him. Something like we did with Rudy who played eight games averaging 27 minutes. How many minutes did Tayor have yesterday you ask? 27 minutes.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Or he is just bad at most basketball things but is hyper skilled at small aspects.

He doesn't process the game quickly. Guys can improve but only so much. Its more likely he is successful as you simplify decision making for him.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

He doesn't process the game quickly. Guys can improve but only so much. Its more likely he is successful as you simplify decision making for him.

They've done that and he still gets in the way all the time by being in the wrong spots or running the plays incorrectly.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

They've done that and he still gets in the way all the time by being in the wrong spots or running the plays incorrectly.

I mean he's had as much individual success as any guard we've had this year... I understand the bar is low but he's still doing something right. I mean it more as - if you make him a pg you are likely to come away frustrated. If you just have him be a bench bucket getter but give him a few simple actions he runs... that might be how he functions best.

 

[HermanG]

Its not at all... passing and playmaking may be one of the most unteachable things there is. Has he improved with that work ethic now? Is it because he didn't work on it in Cleveland?

His problems are mostly being small and being a low BBall IQ guy. I don't think that is the fault of his early development. There is only so much improvement that can be made on things. Like if he only gets 15 minutes a night while watching some mid vet he would be CP3?

He has improved some, but he should have started to work on that stuff when he first game into the league.

From Sextons scouting report in NBADraft.Net
"While not a pass first point guard, he has the prerequisite vision and playmaking ability needed to be an NBA floor general … He is a great facilitator in transition, and his ability to get into the lane in the half court allows him to collapse the defense and find open teammates all over the floor"

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

He has improved some, but he should have started to work on that stuff when he first game into the league.

From Sextons scouting report in NBADraft.Net
"While not a pass first point guard, he has the prerequisite vision and playmaking ability needed to be an NBA floor general … He is a great facilitator in transition, and his ability to get into the lane in the half court allows him to collapse the defense and find open teammates all over the floor"

How do you know he wasn't? Really man... NBADraft.net?

He's not full-time pg material. Nothing about the "programming" people think he got in Cleveland is the reason. He has tried to improve here but it runs against his natural basketball DNA. He can improve but this isn't like a player going from non-shooter to 40% 3 pt shooter. That is one skill and there are mechanics to fix and its much simpler. Playmaking and reading both sides of the court is one of the hardest things to develop.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Keyonte is a better natural playmaker and passer than any of the guards on the roster. He will improve but its one of the things that has me most excited about him because its not something that can be easily developed.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

He has improved some, but he should have started to work on that stuff when he first game into the league.

From Sextons scouting report in NBADraft.Net
"While not a pass first point guard, he has the prerequisite vision and playmaking ability needed to be an NBA floor general … He is a great facilitator in transition, and his ability to get into the lane in the half court allows him to collapse the defense and find open teammates all over the floor"

That's just your basic NBADraft.Net hyperbole. Sexton was never a "floor general" even at Alabama. He just hogged, I mean dominated the ball and was quicker than everyone else.

He has literally never shown any NBA level playmaking skill.

Back when he was running wild at Cleveland as their tank commander, playing with him was such an ordeal that it almost drove Kevin Love insane. Literally.

 

[underdog]

How do you know he wasn't? Really man... NBADraft.net?

He's not full-time pg material. Nothing about the "programming" people think he got in Cleveland is the reason. He has tried to improve here but it runs against his natural basketball DNA. He can improve but this isn't like a player going from non-shooter to 40% 3 pt shooter. That is one skill and there are mechanics to fix and its much simpler. Playmaking and reading both sides of the court is one of the hardest things to develop.

I agree. Sexton has always played the same way. A high-energy bucket-getter. As you said, it’s his DNA. He can try to change it, but he really can't.

 

[underdog]

That's just your basic NBADraft.Net hyperbole. Sexton was never a "floor general" even at Alabama. He just hogged, I mean dominated the ball and was quicker than everyone else.

He has literally never shown any NBA level playmaking skill.

Back when he was running wild at Cleveland as their tank commander, playing with him was such an ordeal that it almost drove Kevin Love insane. Literally.

Yes here is the funny play where Love just couldn’t take it any more:

Kevin Love gets mad at Collin Sexton for holding the ball for way too long - YouTube

 

[underdog]

Besides his fiery character, I like Sexton for his efficiency. As many have said here, he can do well as a 6th man.

 

[KqWIN]

Keyonte is a better natural playmaker and passer than any of the guards on the roster. He will improve but its one of the things that has me most excited about him because its not something that can be easily developed.

I know people are afraid of giving him too much too soon….but I actually think the reverse is true and he’s kind of playing underwater. He won’t be Baylor Keyonte who was shooting every shot with a glimmer of space….but I think he needs to be more than a 16% usage guy. He’s holding back and hesitating. I think he needs to let loose at be a much higher usage guy. Just give him the ball and let him run a million PnR’s. Let him shoot a bunch of off the dribble threes. Can’t be worse than whatever JC is vomiting out.

If he stinks and someone else is playing better, whatever, let them have more PT for the night. But I think the problem I’m seeing with Key’s development isn’t necessarily his minutes. It’s his role in those minutes.

 

[One Brow]

I read today that George is 6th among rookies in minutes played. Playing off the bench is probably better for him.

 

[str8line]

I know people are afraid of giving him too much too soon….but I actually think the reverse is true and he’s kind of playing underwater. He won’t be Baylor Keyonte who was shooting every shot with a glimmer of space….but I think he needs to be more than a 16% usage guy. He’s holding back and hesitating. I think he needs to let loose at be a much higher usage guy. Just give him the ball and let him run a million PnR’s. Let him shoot a bunch of off the dribble threes. Can’t be worse than whatever JC is vomiting out.

If he stinks and someone else is playing better, whatever, let them have more PT for the night. But I think the problem I’m seeing with Key’s development isn’t necessarily his minutes. It’s his role in those minutes.

Good post. He's going to continue to make mistakes, but he's already shown he won't hurt us as much as our other guards through turnovers or poor shooting or trying to do too much.. He has more patience than the others. You'd think in limited minutes he'd try and impress and end up forcing things but besides the occasional rookie turnovers he has remained pretty damn calm. I could see him making big improvements with a starting role and as you said becoming a bigger part of the offense.

Unless we're trying to tank.

 

[perkinsfor3]

An example I can think of is Chandler Hutchison who is now out of the league. He was a first round pick selected right after Grayson Allen. He was thrust into a rotation role and quickly lost confidence.

Pat Williams
Tyreke Evans
Anthony Randolph
Eddie Griffin
Shaun Livingston

All for different reasons probably should have been brought along somewhat slower.

 

[TheGoldStandard]

I know people are afraid of giving him too much too soon….but I actually think the reverse is true and he’s kind of playing underwater. He won’t be Baylor Keyonte who was shooting every shot with a glimmer of space….but I think he needs to be more than a 16% usage guy. He’s holding back and hesitating. I think he needs to let loose at be a much higher usage guy. Just give him the ball and let him run a million PnR’s. Let him shoot a bunch of off the dribble threes. Can’t be worse than whatever JC is vomiting out.

If he stinks and someone else is playing better, whatever, let them have more PT for the night. But I think the problem I’m seeing with Key’s development isn’t necessarily his minutes. It’s his role in those minutes.

WAs thinking the same thing. He's deferring far too much to other perimeter players.

 

[HermanG]

How do you know he wasn't? Really man... NBADraft.net?

He's not full-time pg material. Nothing about the "programming" people think he got in Cleveland is the reason. He has tried to improve here but it runs against his natural basketball DNA. He can improve but this isn't like a player going from non-shooter to 40% 3 pt shooter. That is one skill and there are mechanics to fix and its much simpler. Playmaking and reading both sides of the court is one of the hardest things to develop.

You know I'm not a draft/college guy so my source criticism here is lacking. Btw which sites are usually good for reasonable analysis?

I'm not gonna claim to know what is easy to develop and what is hard. I would guess thats also something that depends on the person and what comes natural to them. A case in point: Wasnt Tyrese Maxey seen as a off-ball/combo guard prospect when coming out of college? He has done a pretty smooth transition to lead guard and learned to playmake and make reads in the NBA.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

View: https://twitter.com/andyblarsen/status/1722382073795678470


And the Keyonte era has begun.