[AderitoParticipant]

I just don’t understand Flip Saunders. I really don’t. Andrew Wiggins is the #1 pick. He has shown flashes of brilliance along with inevitable rookie mistakes, but the kid is only 19 years old. 23 minutes??? 6 shot attempts??? Meanwhile, you’re playing Brewer more minutes and watching him go 5-14 from the floor. I’m sorry but how can you expect Andrew to grow into his role as the lead dog unless you allow him the opportunity? Seattle (now OKC) made it a point to put the offensive burden on the shoulders of KD and Jeff Green in their rookie seasons, and then gave Westbrook the proverbial keys to the car as a rookie PG. They made their mistakes. They struggled through a 23-59 season. But then something amazing happened: they…got better! And they became adjusted to their roles as star players. And they started to find consistency. And they started to win games. I’m concerned because Saunders almost derailed the development of John Wall in Washington due to his favoring veteran players over rookies. It’s no coincidence that after he got fired and Wittman took over, that Wall started to blossom. If I were coaching Minnesota, Wiggins is getting 35 minutes a game and 15-20 shot attempts. Idc if he shoots a low percentage or if he turns it over. He will learn to succeed by overcoming failure…

[Memphisboy14Participant]

I don’t think it’s all his fault. I just think that Andrew Wiggins isn’t ready for a role like that just yet. If anything he’s doing the right thing by bringing him along slowly. He has some guys like Kevin Martin and Thad Young teaching him the things about the game to help make him a great player in the NBA. Also just because he’s insanely talented does not mean he has the right to take horrible jumpshots and do whatever he wants in the offense. He’s not good enough nor has he earned the right to do that yet. Also I’ve seen some of his games and there are plenty of times where he just doesn’t look confident or he’s passive. 

Also you should know that Flip coached Kevin Garnett for 10 years. KG struggled during the first half of his rookie year but once Flip took over he blossomed. I think your argument is flawed.

 

[Memphisboy14Participant]

I don’t think it’s all his fault. I just think that Andrew Wiggins isn’t ready for a role like that just yet. If anything he’s doing the right thing by bringing him along slowly. He has some guys like Kevin Martin and Thad Young teaching him the things about the game to help make him a great player in the NBA. Also just because he’s insanely talented does not mean he has the right to take horrible jumpshots and do whatever he wants in the offense. He’s not good enough nor has he earned the right to do that yet. Also I’ve seen some of his games and there are plenty of times where he just doesn’t look confident or he’s passive. 

Also you should know that Flip coached Kevin Garnett for 10 years. KG struggled during the first half of his rookie year but once Flip took over he blossomed. I think your argument is flawed.

 

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 Yeah KD and Russ were given the keys to the car and had to go through growing pains but Paul George was a roll player his first two years which lead to gradual growth into a star. There isn’t one formula that works for every player. I’m not saying Flip is right, but who’s to say easing into it isn’t better than just throwing them right into the deep end? 

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 Yeah KD and Russ were given the keys to the car and had to go through growing pains but Paul George was a roll player his first two years which lead to gradual growth into a star. There isn’t one formula that works for every player. I’m not saying Flip is right, but who’s to say easing into it isn’t better than just throwing them right into the deep end? 

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

So you want Wiggins to learn to take bad shots? Because I don’t see how he can regulary get 15 to 20 shot attempts up at this stage of his career without some of them being very mediocre shots based on isolation plays. What is he going to learn from that?

Also most of the learning is supposed to come in practice. How much will he learn from his teammates in practice if on the court they all have to bow down to him and force feed him shot attempts and minutes no matter how bad he plays?

Don’t over react to the first ten games of the season. Also don’t by into the hype too much on Wiggins. The guy still doesn’t have a good handle and without dribbling skills there are fairly limited opportunities for a wing player to create. He needs to opportunistic and let the game come to him at this stage. Besides, the team has a pass first point guard already. I don’t see why you want to take the ball out of Rubio’s hands all that much. 

 

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

So you want Wiggins to learn to take bad shots? Because I don’t see how he can regulary get 15 to 20 shot attempts up at this stage of his career without some of them being very mediocre shots based on isolation plays. What is he going to learn from that?

Also most of the learning is supposed to come in practice. How much will he learn from his teammates in practice if on the court they all have to bow down to him and force feed him shot attempts and minutes no matter how bad he plays?

Don’t over react to the first ten games of the season. Also don’t by into the hype too much on Wiggins. The guy still doesn’t have a good handle and without dribbling skills there are fairly limited opportunities for a wing player to create. He needs to opportunistic and let the game come to him at this stage. Besides, the team has a pass first point guard already. I don’t see why you want to take the ball out of Rubio’s hands all that much. 

 

[JoeWolf1]

 Wiggins is off to a very encouraging start, and I think Saunders is doing an okay job. 

He played 23 minutes last night, and scored 5 points in a blowout, but he played the exact same amount of minutes in another blowout the previous night and dropped 20. No one cared then, but when he plays the same amount of minutes and drops 5, then it’s Saunders fault.

Over Wiggins’ last 5 games he’s getting 11.2 ppg on 477% FG / 60% 3PT / 733% FT

You seem to be really high on what Westbrook did as a rookie, but Wiggins’ 1st 20 point output came about 3 weeks quicker into his rookie year than it took Russell to get his.

[JoeWolf1]

 Wiggins is off to a very encouraging start, and I think Saunders is doing an okay job. 

He played 23 minutes last night, and scored 5 points in a blowout, but he played the exact same amount of minutes in another blowout the previous night and dropped 20. No one cared then, but when he plays the same amount of minutes and drops 5, then it’s Saunders fault.

Over Wiggins’ last 5 games he’s getting 11.2 ppg on 477% FG / 60% 3PT / 733% FT

You seem to be really high on what Westbrook did as a rookie, but Wiggins’ 1st 20 point output came about 3 weeks quicker into his rookie year than it took Russell to get his.

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

 Flip Saunders says he has been taking Wiggins out because he tends to do some rookie floating, and either gets lost or gets down on himself, but I agree with you, I’m from the camp of letting the young guys play. The same thing I was stating on my Jabari Parker post 2 days ago.

 

But most people on this site, seem to think that the only way you can teach accountability is by benching a player. As Chilbert Arenas said, there is more than one formula to groom players.

 

I will say this about Wiggins, he has 2 go to moves that seem to be amazing. His stepback and his spin move. He used that stepback about 4 times against my Pelicans the other night. It’s amazing. The only thing is with his 2 go to moves there are faults, he still isn’t a knockdown shooter/scorer and he’s still frail when he goes inside, he can’t always just rise above people, but if he works on that, I think he’ll be fine offensively. That’s outside of his other progression, example: ball handling. 

 

Flip has also been putting him on the other teams best perimter player, the other night he guarded James Harden. That’s going to be good for him. One other thing is Mo Williams was saying how they always have to tell him to be more aggressive. We all spoke of that in the last 2 years, I hope he can break out of it. He’s talented.

 

 

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

 Flip Saunders says he has been taking Wiggins out because he tends to do some rookie floating, and either gets lost or gets down on himself, but I agree with you, I’m from the camp of letting the young guys play. The same thing I was stating on my Jabari Parker post 2 days ago.

 

But most people on this site, seem to think that the only way you can teach accountability is by benching a player. As Chilbert Arenas said, there is more than one formula to groom players.

 

I will say this about Wiggins, he has 2 go to moves that seem to be amazing. His stepback and his spin move. He used that stepback about 4 times against my Pelicans the other night. It’s amazing. The only thing is with his 2 go to moves there are faults, he still isn’t a knockdown shooter/scorer and he’s still frail when he goes inside, he can’t always just rise above people, but if he works on that, I think he’ll be fine offensively. That’s outside of his other progression, example: ball handling. 

 

Flip has also been putting him on the other teams best perimter player, the other night he guarded James Harden. That’s going to be good for him. One other thing is Mo Williams was saying how they always have to tell him to be more aggressive. We all spoke of that in the last 2 years, I hope he can break out of it. He’s talented.

 

 

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Its not about benching a player. Its about allowing that player to watch and learn from experienced players who are assuming the role or roles Flip wants his inexperienced players to eventually assume. 

Naturally Wiggins has all the tools to be a number one option, that gaurds a number one option.  Wiggins is very lucky to be able to watch K-Mart and Thad who are two well respected veterans with very different and complimenting games and boarderline stars in the league. Also to be able to learn from Corey Brewer another respected veteran and one of the leagues top 3 and D guys.

The kid is going to be great but at this point he is a work in progress. Im sure he will turn up this season and have a consistant stretch of games where he drops 15-20 ppg. Probally sometime after the ASG or trade deadline. He is a quick learner and is adapting fast to the NBA.

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Its not about benching a player. Its about allowing that player to watch and learn from experienced players who are assuming the role or roles Flip wants his inexperienced players to eventually assume. 

Naturally Wiggins has all the tools to be a number one option, that gaurds a number one option.  Wiggins is very lucky to be able to watch K-Mart and Thad who are two well respected veterans with very different and complimenting games and boarderline stars in the league. Also to be able to learn from Corey Brewer another respected veteran and one of the leagues top 3 and D guys.

The kid is going to be great but at this point he is a work in progress. Im sure he will turn up this season and have a consistant stretch of games where he drops 15-20 ppg. Probally sometime after the ASG or trade deadline. He is a quick learner and is adapting fast to the NBA.

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