[Lotto StudParticipant]

I am totally aware that it takes guys at least 2-3 years in the league to come around before we should throw around the bust label on them, but I couldn’t help but notice how much Thon Maker is underachieving badly in his second season. Last year, was excusable for the numbers he put up on his rookie campaign (4.0 PPG/2.0 RPG/0.4 APG), but this year I will not give him a pass at all for almost having identical numbers for his skill-set to be where it is. As a 7’1” 225 lb. player that can play the 3-5 and handle the ball fairly well, there is no way he should be averaging 4.3 PPG 3.3 RPG 0.7 APG, especially when he was placed in the lineup as a starter early on. Just to point out how he hasn’t transitioned yet, his season high in points are 16 vs Phoenix, back in November. Like we all have said in the past, Maker has all the physical tools in the world to be a better player than what he displays on a nightly basis because he’s a walking mismatch. As much as some of the other two and three year players are being called out on their poor performances, he should be at the top of the list.

[Celtics3178Participant]

 He’s still so raw. He trains with KG and kG recently went on record saying he could be a MVP one day. Take that at what you will but don’t give up on the big man yet 

[Lotto StudParticipant]

 I haven’t given up on him, but it’s clear that Jason Kidd has, which is why he’s not in the starting lineup anymore, due to the lack of production with those minutes.

[GBeeParticipant]

 I’m not gonna say that he lacks talent bc he is long and mobile but he never struck me as a natural basketball player.  He tries hard, but he has no idea what he’s doing.  I’ve seen him at multiple levels and I was never impressed.  I thought his coordination was goofy and his feel for the game was really poor.  He plays like a chicken with its head cut off.  It doesn’t matter how hard a player plays if he consistently makes poor decisions.  Maybe the game will eventually slow down for him and he’ll calm down, but he’s not exactly in a good environment to learn to at least be a solid defensive big bc MIL’s defensive schemes and concepts are so gimmicky.

To me he was a product of careful management and hype.  IMO, if he went to college he would’ve been exposed, so it was probably the best choice for him to declare when he did, but I was never a believer.  Coming out of prep school I thought he was more closer to a 2nd round pick than a lotto pick bc of how undeveloped physically and raw he was skills-wise.  I’m also a believer that he was much older than his reported age (with evidence of him repeating the entirety of HS), so being that raw at an older age was a huge red flag for me.

I think an even bigger waste of talent is Hezonja.  He has all the physical tools for a wing and a good looking shot, but he has made very little progress in 3 years.  I’m not sure what his deal is, maybe he doesn’t even like basketball, but he’s been one of the bigger disappointments for me bc I at least thought he could be a good shooter, who could create his own shot with the ability to athletically attack closeouts.

 

 

[EspressoParticipant]

 Having a conversation about Aaron Gordon with a friend, i brought up Hezonja very recently, like 2 days ago…. What under achiever he has been!

 

 

[MopgrassParticipant]

 Giannis gets all the love on offense. If Maker was more of a 6th man, he’d get more opportunities. God knows they’re not making plays for him today. He needs offensive development time on the court and the Bucks wanting a playoff seed puts development on the back burner. 

[GBeeParticipant]

 Offensive opportunities to do what? The only thing he can really do is shoot the occasional spot up jumper with a ton of space, of which he often turns down bc he has no spatial awareness or shot recognition.  His touch around the paint sucks and he can’t even be a used as a simple roll/dump off man bc he has hands of stone.

[Lotto StudParticipant]

 Let’s not forget to mention that he doesn’t effect the game defensively either as a shot blocker. He’s basically, just another body with length that looks good on paper to alter other team’s lineups.

[Jr. ROXASParticipant]

Trust me, if you give this guy any opportunity on offense other than spotting up, he will stink it up. If you give him a driving lane, he will either get pushed out rythym or throw up a wild shot. He has no game sense at all. Also, he may have the worst upper/lower body strength in the league as one little nudge pushes him back so many spaces. 

[OhCanada-Participant]

 Mike Beasley is a big time underachiever in my books. He had all the skill to be a superstar scorer and the way the NBA has adapted really fit his skillset.

 Is Anthony Bennett still hanging around. That guys such an underachiever he doesnt even make the top bust’s lists. Hes just forgotten. I remember out in the West end Toronto people were talking big about him when he got drafted now everythings quiet.

[holefillers1Participant]

 Thon is like a Marresse Speights.  He was spatially unaware until he started spotting up from the same area on the court.  Now he shoots 3’s…still can’t do anything else but he spaces the floor a bit.

[HitsterParticipant]

Beasley blew his chances virtually from day one as he had a lot of natural talent where as say a Marvin Williams was just drafted too high. I’d be tempted to put Nerlens Noel in this bracket too.

Maker is very much a work in progress, his trajectory has been similar to the higher drafted Bender at the Suns. Maker was a true draft wildcard as we had him going from near where he was picked down to late first round.

If Jason Kidd has got KG working with Maker then that is great for Thon.

[cominup7Participant]

 I’ve been really underwhelmed by Thon Maker too. I was probably higher on him than most coming into the draft because he could seemingly do so many things

 

But now I’m realizing that he may be more like a Jermaine Oneal than KG. It took JO at least 3 yrs before he even entered the Blazers rotation, but eventually he put it all together.

 

 

[thedeathtouchParticipant]

I am underwhelmed by Lonzo Ball big time. The hype was huge, especially after the summer league, and then he just didn’t deliver. It really sucks that the Lakers don’t have a better point guard.

I do not blame Thon Maker for not playing well. Kidd doesn’t play him as much as he should. In my opinion he would be much better than John Henson if Maker played more. I think he has a very bright future ahead of him.

[Author]

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