Chris
Well-Known Member
If moving up is actually a realistic option (which, who knows if it is?), but it requires that we give up the farm in order to do so, here's some food for thought about intentionally staying at #5, keeping our current roster intact (I think Derrick Favors is worth holding on to), and drafting Aaron Gordon at the number 5 spot.
Aaron Gordon's one area of concern is shooting. Though his three-point shot is quite good, it still can get better. He hasn't yet been much of a jump shooter and is just turrible from the free throw line. We all know that. But consider this: he hasn't needed to develop a shot until now because of his athletic ability, and so he hasn't developed one. He can pretty much do everything else very well; that and being 6'9" will get you into the NBA Draft at 18 years old -- and it has.
All I see on this board from year to year is people complaining about the Jazz's defense, or lack thereof. Instead of focusing on what Aaron Gordon cannot do (yet), let's focus on the fact that he can guard almost every position. How many times have many Jazz teams in the past had that one elite opponent (usually a 1, 2, of 3) who just takes them to the hole all game and/or kills them from downtown? If we had just one elite defender who could've stopped the bleeding, the Jazz would've stood a chance in those games. Hence the comparisons to Kawhi Leonard, who just earned the Finals MVP basically for his elite defense on the greatest player in the game. And I think Aaron Gordon is going to be much better than Kawhi Leonard.
Should Aaron end up playing the 3 most of the time, he will have a size advantage over almost everyone at his position. Shooting is his issue, but he is an athletic freak, a defensive gem, and a very good passer. He doesn't turn the ball over and cost his team games. He doesn't get in foul trouble. His coach at Arizona, Sean Miller, (among many other commendations) praised his "first in the gym, last to leave" work ethic.
If I am right in my hunch about Aaron Gordon's potential and character, he's already working on his jump shot and free throws. Pair him with a developmental coaching staff, who puts him on a regimen of 300 free throws after practice every single day from this summer-on, there's no reason that he can't be a 60% FT shooter by this time next year. And a 65% FT shooter the following year and 70% the year after that. That will also help his regular jumper, which he'll also be coached up to improve. And then what will we have to complain about?
The people who don't think Aaron Gordon is a steal at 5 haven't placed enough emphasis on the things which he has in spades, which are much more difficult to coach than shooting. Aaron Gordon is basically the anti-Jimmer, in terms of his innate skill set. When it comes to Jimmer, he will never have the height advantage at his position, he clearly has not improved his defense since he came into the league, and he certainly has not become more athletic. His elite jump shooting, three-point shooting, and free throw shooting have not been able to save him from fetching nothing for the Sacramento Kings in return for him last season. And so that lottery pick, that national player of the year, was cut, less than three years into his career.
As a person who has liked Jimmer since his days at BYU, his NBA career has thus far been very disappointing. And I would imagine it isn't for lack of effort. Like Aaron Gordon, Jimmer strikes me as a hard worker, who is acutely aware of the problems in his game. I don't know for sure whether he has worked on these aspects of his game, but I imagine he has, if only to stay in the league for a while and actually see some time on the floor. And none of us would ever know it.
I guess my point is that the things that have made Jimmer an NBA disaster are the exact same things that Aaron Gordon has all day. Gordon only has one (albeit an important one) issue to work on. And he can. And he will.
Whether the Jazz draft him or not, Aaron Gordon will be one of the three best players from this draft in five years. So, in the words of the Human Torch: "Flame on!"
Aaron Gordon's one area of concern is shooting. Though his three-point shot is quite good, it still can get better. He hasn't yet been much of a jump shooter and is just turrible from the free throw line. We all know that. But consider this: he hasn't needed to develop a shot until now because of his athletic ability, and so he hasn't developed one. He can pretty much do everything else very well; that and being 6'9" will get you into the NBA Draft at 18 years old -- and it has.
All I see on this board from year to year is people complaining about the Jazz's defense, or lack thereof. Instead of focusing on what Aaron Gordon cannot do (yet), let's focus on the fact that he can guard almost every position. How many times have many Jazz teams in the past had that one elite opponent (usually a 1, 2, of 3) who just takes them to the hole all game and/or kills them from downtown? If we had just one elite defender who could've stopped the bleeding, the Jazz would've stood a chance in those games. Hence the comparisons to Kawhi Leonard, who just earned the Finals MVP basically for his elite defense on the greatest player in the game. And I think Aaron Gordon is going to be much better than Kawhi Leonard.
Should Aaron end up playing the 3 most of the time, he will have a size advantage over almost everyone at his position. Shooting is his issue, but he is an athletic freak, a defensive gem, and a very good passer. He doesn't turn the ball over and cost his team games. He doesn't get in foul trouble. His coach at Arizona, Sean Miller, (among many other commendations) praised his "first in the gym, last to leave" work ethic.
If I am right in my hunch about Aaron Gordon's potential and character, he's already working on his jump shot and free throws. Pair him with a developmental coaching staff, who puts him on a regimen of 300 free throws after practice every single day from this summer-on, there's no reason that he can't be a 60% FT shooter by this time next year. And a 65% FT shooter the following year and 70% the year after that. That will also help his regular jumper, which he'll also be coached up to improve. And then what will we have to complain about?
The people who don't think Aaron Gordon is a steal at 5 haven't placed enough emphasis on the things which he has in spades, which are much more difficult to coach than shooting. Aaron Gordon is basically the anti-Jimmer, in terms of his innate skill set. When it comes to Jimmer, he will never have the height advantage at his position, he clearly has not improved his defense since he came into the league, and he certainly has not become more athletic. His elite jump shooting, three-point shooting, and free throw shooting have not been able to save him from fetching nothing for the Sacramento Kings in return for him last season. And so that lottery pick, that national player of the year, was cut, less than three years into his career.
As a person who has liked Jimmer since his days at BYU, his NBA career has thus far been very disappointing. And I would imagine it isn't for lack of effort. Like Aaron Gordon, Jimmer strikes me as a hard worker, who is acutely aware of the problems in his game. I don't know for sure whether he has worked on these aspects of his game, but I imagine he has, if only to stay in the league for a while and actually see some time on the floor. And none of us would ever know it.
I guess my point is that the things that have made Jimmer an NBA disaster are the exact same things that Aaron Gordon has all day. Gordon only has one (albeit an important one) issue to work on. And he can. And he will.
Whether the Jazz draft him or not, Aaron Gordon will be one of the three best players from this draft in five years. So, in the words of the Human Torch: "Flame on!"
