[TRC1991Participant]

Clearly it’s a bit early to hammer Russell for how bad he’s been but it struck me as odd from Day 1 that LA felt the need to take an athletic, young combo guard like Russell when they have a guy painfully similar player already with Jordan Clarkson (who has looked very good so far). 

Anyways, them passing on Okafor will haunt their dreams for years to come, but I still think Russell can be a good pro.

Needs to cut down on his turnovers, makes a lot of careless passes, tries to do too much, telegraphs the pass, drives into traffic and forces bad shots – the potential is certainly there, and he’s still super young, but it hasn’t been pretty so far.

side notes: Emmanuel Mudiay looks like a future superstar and might be the best player in this draft class when it’s all over.

 

 

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

 I don’t think passing on Okafor will haunt them for years. Their roster is terrible. If the best center in the league in Demarcus Cousins can’t carry a terrible into the playoffs let alone any playoff success, what makes you think Jahlil can? And Jahlil is much worse on defense than Cousins is.

He has struggled with efficiency but he has still shown flashes of what they took him for. He’s got great vision and if you watched the 8 turnover game you can see that 4 of those TO’s were passes that his bigs flat out didn’t catch. He will still be a high level guard in this league, he’s a fantastic passer and a great shooter. Everyone always rides him for "not being quick enough", when guys like James Harden, Steph Curry, Tyreke Evans have all succeeded whilst still being labelled as not great athletes. You don’t have to be an elite sprinter or jumper if you know how to get to places on the court using your handle, and Russell can do that. He needs to adjust to NBA size and speed, and learn how to create the space he was creating at a college level against bigger, quicker opponents, but to act like he is already a regrettable pick because he’s struggled in Summer League? C’mon man. 

If they take Okafor people would be saying the same thing about him and Randle not being compatable that they are saying about Clarkson and Russell. LA aren’t in a position to worry about need, their biggest need is talent, and they felt Russell was the most talented player. Let him play some regular season games before declaring Jahlil as an objective better choice

 

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

 I don’t think passing on Okafor will haunt them for years. Their roster is terrible. If the best center in the league in Demarcus Cousins can’t carry a terrible into the playoffs let alone any playoff success, what makes you think Jahlil can? And Jahlil is much worse on defense than Cousins is.

He has struggled with efficiency but he has still shown flashes of what they took him for. He’s got great vision and if you watched the 8 turnover game you can see that 4 of those TO’s were passes that his bigs flat out didn’t catch. He will still be a high level guard in this league, he’s a fantastic passer and a great shooter. Everyone always rides him for "not being quick enough", when guys like James Harden, Steph Curry, Tyreke Evans have all succeeded whilst still being labelled as not great athletes. You don’t have to be an elite sprinter or jumper if you know how to get to places on the court using your handle, and Russell can do that. He needs to adjust to NBA size and speed, and learn how to create the space he was creating at a college level against bigger, quicker opponents, but to act like he is already a regrettable pick because he’s struggled in Summer League? C’mon man. 

If they take Okafor people would be saying the same thing about him and Randle not being compatable that they are saying about Clarkson and Russell. LA aren’t in a position to worry about need, their biggest need is talent, and they felt Russell was the most talented player. Let him play some regular season games before declaring Jahlil as an objective better choice

 

[chrispaulwallParticipant]

 well yeah but, Steph and especially Harden are clearly better athletes. Both are extremely quick off the dribble, and Russell, although he has time, clearly isnt on that level.

[chrispaulwallParticipant]

 well yeah but, Steph and especially Harden are clearly better athletes. Both are extremely quick off the dribble, and Russell, although he has time, clearly isnt on that level.

[Memphisboy14Participant]

I probably would’ve listed Kyrie Irving alongside James Harden and Stephen Curry instead of Tyreke Evans. But one thing Russell seems to lack is quickness off the ball and with the ball in his hands. He can’t get past defenders and he seems to always be taking contested jumpshots. Those guys I listed before aren’t spectacular athletes but know how to get defenders with ease and are pretty quick.

[Memphisboy14Participant]

I probably would’ve listed Kyrie Irving alongside James Harden and Stephen Curry instead of Tyreke Evans. But one thing Russell seems to lack is quickness off the ball and with the ball in his hands. He can’t get past defenders and he seems to always be taking contested jumpshots. Those guys I listed before aren’t spectacular athletes but know how to get defenders with ease and are pretty quick.

[rich.homie.mitchParticipant]

 Harden is a good athlete…. Tyreke is too….

[rich.homie.mitchParticipant]

 Harden is a good athlete…. Tyreke is too….

[Memphisboy14Participant]

I wouldn’t classify those guys as un-athletic by any means. But neither of those guys are very explosive. They have great ball handling ability which helps them but they aren’t the most explosive. That’s the point the poster was trying to make.

[Memphisboy14Participant]

I wouldn’t classify those guys as un-athletic by any means. But neither of those guys are very explosive. They have great ball handling ability which helps them but they aren’t the most explosive. That’s the point the poster was trying to make.

[Robb_CParticipant]

I was unmercifully negged when I said Russell was overrated, and the reason for his stellar production was the fact he was majority of the offense for OSU much like Turner.. Now both are having identical summer leagues for the simple fact they’re both use to playing and creating offense at a slower pace in college, add a faster tempo of basketball and a shorter shot clock and its obvious why Russell is struggling…

[Robb_CParticipant]

I was unmercifully negged when I said Russell was overrated, and the reason for his stellar production was the fact he was majority of the offense for OSU much like Turner.. Now both are having identical summer leagues for the simple fact they’re both use to playing and creating offense at a slower pace in college, add a faster tempo of basketball and a shorter shot clock and its obvious why Russell is struggling…

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

Turner and Russell play completely different games. Russell is a shooter, he scores from mid range and 3, he will adapt much better to the pace than Turner, who relied on getting to the rack and floaters from the paint area, which you need to be a great athlete to live off in the NBA. Russell is a much better, and more willing passer as well.

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

Turner and Russell play completely different games. Russell is a shooter, he scores from mid range and 3, he will adapt much better to the pace than Turner, who relied on getting to the rack and floaters from the paint area, which you need to be a great athlete to live off in the NBA. Russell is a much better, and more willing passer as well.

[Robb_CParticipant]

They do have different approaches I agree.. But I said nothing about them playing the same, like I said both had success at OSU because they had the ball in their hands majority of plays.. Russell is overrated

[Robb_CParticipant]

They do have different approaches I agree.. But I said nothing about them playing the same, like I said both had success at OSU because they had the ball in their hands majority of plays.. Russell is overrated

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

You were insinuating that he would fail in a similar fashion to Turner by saying they both only had success due to slow pace and high usage at OSU. As I pointed out above, this is not true in the least, as Turner has failed to live up to expectations due to him not having the athleticism to utilise his skillset, whereas Russell’s skillset doesn’t require elite athleticism- he is a great shooter and passer, and with or without elite speed he will be able to do those things at the next level once he adjusts to the pace of the game.

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

You were insinuating that he would fail in a similar fashion to Turner by saying they both only had success due to slow pace and high usage at OSU. As I pointed out above, this is not true in the least, as Turner has failed to live up to expectations due to him not having the athleticism to utilise his skillset, whereas Russell’s skillset doesn’t require elite athleticism- he is a great shooter and passer, and with or without elite speed he will be able to do those things at the next level once he adjusts to the pace of the game.

[sheltwon3Participant]

 Turners has played well in Philly and Boston and he still can’t shoot but it took him a while to adjust.  Russell will fine.  I think what is hurting Russell is Clarkson can do a lot of what he does.  A lot of guys on other teams look good because they are the best players and take a ton of shots which help them get their rhythym.  Russell is trying to be effiecient of fewer shots.  A lot of his passes the big men are just missing.  There are tons of players playing well in NBA that had so so Summer league games.

[sheltwon3Participant]

 Turners has played well in Philly and Boston and he still can’t shoot but it took him a while to adjust.  Russell will fine.  I think what is hurting Russell is Clarkson can do a lot of what he does.  A lot of guys on other teams look good because they are the best players and take a ton of shots which help them get their rhythym.  Russell is trying to be effiecient of fewer shots.  A lot of his passes the big men are just missing.  There are tons of players playing well in NBA that had so so Summer league games.

[Robb_CParticipant]

Not saying the kid will be a bust.. But he’s overvalued much like Turner was coming out of OSU.. I think Russell is talented.. But I dont think Russell is worth a 2nd pick, the amount of usage he had at OSU inflated his overall value.

[Robb_CParticipant]

Not saying the kid will be a bust.. But he’s overvalued much like Turner was coming out of OSU.. I think Russell is talented.. But I dont think Russell is worth a 2nd pick, the amount of usage he had at OSU inflated his overall value.

[BallGawd01Participant]

First off….ITS SUMMER LEAGUE!!! I watched the majority of OSU games last season, and I’ve watched all the Lakers summer league games so far. Russell is the type of player that excels in a structured offense, which summer league is not. Summer League is essentially glorifed pick-up games, where the players who do the best are usually the most athletic or are just chuckers, neither of which describes Russell’s game. Which is the reason why Mudiay is playing well and why guys like Westbrook and John Wall have played well in the summer league prior the arrival in the league. Russell is like a pocket passing QB in the NFL, if you give him a good offensive line and some solid playmakers he will PICK YOU APART. When the regualr season starts and Russell is involved in a structured NBA offense, that is where he will excel.

 

 Also, the reason why Turner had so much success at OSU was because he was a senior playing against predominately against freshman and sophomores and less talented jr’s and sr’s. He had no translatable skill to the NBA level, in terms of the fact that he was not a great jump shooter nor was he this uber athletic player who would stand out among NBA caliber athletes. Turner was basically a man playing against boys, and when he came to the NBA to play against real men he has struggled. 

[BallGawd01Participant]

First off….ITS SUMMER LEAGUE!!! I watched the majority of OSU games last season, and I’ve watched all the Lakers summer league games so far. Russell is the type of player that excels in a structured offense, which summer league is not. Summer League is essentially glorifed pick-up games, where the players who do the best are usually the most athletic or are just chuckers, neither of which describes Russell’s game. Which is the reason why Mudiay is playing well and why guys like Westbrook and John Wall have played well in the summer league prior the arrival in the league. Russell is like a pocket passing QB in the NFL, if you give him a good offensive line and some solid playmakers he will PICK YOU APART. When the regualr season starts and Russell is involved in a structured NBA offense, that is where he will excel.

 

 Also, the reason why Turner had so much success at OSU was because he was a senior playing against predominately against freshman and sophomores and less talented jr’s and sr’s. He had no translatable skill to the NBA level, in terms of the fact that he was not a great jump shooter nor was he this uber athletic player who would stand out among NBA caliber athletes. Turner was basically a man playing against boys, and when he came to the NBA to play against real men he has struggled. 

[Memphisboy14Participant]

 Mudiay is definitely not a chucker.

[Memphisboy14Participant]

 Mudiay is definitely not a chucker.

[Laker007Participant]

Watched every minute of Laker summer league and his struggles go beyond turnovers. He is NOT a great shooter like others keep mentioning but a solid shooter. And not a NBA athlete when u compare him to any starting PG in the west. I have yet to see him break down his defender and finish with a layup. I totally agree with ROBB C. Unless he becomes super great with fundamentals like Steve Nash and Curry than he will be a bust given the selection of the number two pick. 

[Laker007Participant]

Watched every minute of Laker summer league and his struggles go beyond turnovers. He is NOT a great shooter like others keep mentioning but a solid shooter. And not a NBA athlete when u compare him to any starting PG in the west. I have yet to see him break down his defender and finish with a layup. I totally agree with ROBB C. Unless he becomes super great with fundamentals like Steve Nash and Curry than he will be a bust given the selection of the number two pick. 

[220Participant]

 Yeah I’d compare Russell’s athleticism to Andre Miller’s. There really isn’t much to him athletically so he needs to be one of the smartest and most skilled players on the court to succeed at the highest level.  I don’t put a lot of stock in how guys perform in summer league because I’ve seen my fair share of summer league studs be NBA duds and vice versa, but his low athleticism is concerning.

[220Participant]

 Yeah I’d compare Russell’s athleticism to Andre Miller’s. There really isn’t much to him athletically so he needs to be one of the smartest and most skilled players on the court to succeed at the highest level.  I don’t put a lot of stock in how guys perform in summer league because I’ve seen my fair share of summer league studs be NBA duds and vice versa, but his low athleticism is concerning.

[Toronto16Participant]

I wouldn’t look too much into it. I remember Derrick Rose struggling in summer league as well.

[Toronto16Participant]

I wouldn’t look too much into it. I remember Derrick Rose struggling in summer league as well.

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 Going to the next level is an adjustment and there are clearly some things he needs to work on. I always said that I thought okafor would be better right away, but I like Russell’s long-term potential a lot more. The on-court chemistry with Clarkson hasn’t been as good as I’d hoped so far, and he is going to have to get better moving and playing without the ball. As far as the turnovers, I think it comes mostly just from adjusting to the speed of the NBA game. Passing lanes that were there in college are just closing up a lot quicker now. I’m sure he is pressing a little bit too, which is natural considering the expectations that go along with being the second overall pick for an organization like the Lakers. Nevertheless, you can still see the court vision and bball iq he has is off the charts.

I think the biggest areas for improvement with him are in both his upper and lower body strength. Right now he is kind of hesitant to attack the basket consistently, as he has never dealt with the length and athleticism of NBA defenders. As a result, he is settling for a lot of low percentage shots off the pick and roll and forcing some awkward kick outs instead of attacking the basket. I think a summer or two of intense weight training would do him wonders, as far as giving him confidence to attack the rim more consistently.

 

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 Going to the next level is an adjustment and there are clearly some things he needs to work on. I always said that I thought okafor would be better right away, but I like Russell’s long-term potential a lot more. The on-court chemistry with Clarkson hasn’t been as good as I’d hoped so far, and he is going to have to get better moving and playing without the ball. As far as the turnovers, I think it comes mostly just from adjusting to the speed of the NBA game. Passing lanes that were there in college are just closing up a lot quicker now. I’m sure he is pressing a little bit too, which is natural considering the expectations that go along with being the second overall pick for an organization like the Lakers. Nevertheless, you can still see the court vision and bball iq he has is off the charts.

I think the biggest areas for improvement with him are in both his upper and lower body strength. Right now he is kind of hesitant to attack the basket consistently, as he has never dealt with the length and athleticism of NBA defenders. As a result, he is settling for a lot of low percentage shots off the pick and roll and forcing some awkward kick outs instead of attacking the basket. I think a summer or two of intense weight training would do him wonders, as far as giving him confidence to attack the rim more consistently.

 

[reanimatorParticipant]

 D-Lo’s game is hitting cutters, roll men, catch and shoot 3s, and pull ups/floaters off ball screens. He will do better with more structure. He won’t ever be as strong as Harden or Roy nor can he handle/shoot like Nash or Curry but why can’t he be Manu?

Derrick Rose struggled to score but he didn’t struggle to get the step on defenders or create space. He was simply weak and could not shoot at 19. 

That said, Manny should have went ahead of Russell. He doesn’t shoot the 3 well but he looks better than Russell in PnR and doesn’t need a ball screen to get to the rim, plus he has the strength to finish.

 

 

 

 

[reanimatorParticipant]

 D-Lo’s game is hitting cutters, roll men, catch and shoot 3s, and pull ups/floaters off ball screens. He will do better with more structure. He won’t ever be as strong as Harden or Roy nor can he handle/shoot like Nash or Curry but why can’t he be Manu?

Derrick Rose struggled to score but he didn’t struggle to get the step on defenders or create space. He was simply weak and could not shoot at 19. 

That said, Manny should have went ahead of Russell. He doesn’t shoot the 3 well but he looks better than Russell in PnR and doesn’t need a ball screen to get to the rim, plus he has the strength to finish.

 

 

 

 

[T Rex]

 Maybe old Manu, without the athleticicism that Manu had when he was younger.

I guess Russell fills that Nick Young role long-term.

 

 

[T Rex]

 Maybe old Manu, without the athleticicism that Manu had when he was younger.

I guess Russell fills that Nick Young role long-term.

 

 

[HobbyOGParticipant]

 He’s struggling but he’s playing with some bums. Clarkston the only stud out there. Randle is playing terrible. D-Russ is a passer and he has no one to pass the ball to. 

[HobbyOGParticipant]

 He’s struggling but he’s playing with some bums. Clarkston the only stud out there. Randle is playing terrible. D-Russ is a passer and he has no one to pass the ball to. 

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

 Russell is not. He can be a system player but who will they double team in the post to get Russell his shots? He is less athletic than Clarkson. Question who will be the better player Russell or Clarkson? Either way neither will be better than Oak and you can hype Russell passing as much as you want but Mudiay is a better passer. Russell should be ok as he becomes more familiar with the NBA game but clearly he wont score near the hoop much. Not basing it off sukmerbleague play but Oak was clearly a better choice and if you need PG in that draft or even a 2 I go Mudiay in this draft. The year Curry came out I said on here if you have the 2nd pick and need a guard period Steph is where you should go after Blake. Felt the same coming into this draft. Oak was a number 1 pick to me and Mudiay was clearly a top 3 talent. If he goes to college teams would have taken him sooner. Lakers have 3 guards who all need the ball. Actually Russell does not need it. His a $$ is a catch and shoot player, plain and simple.

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

 Russell is not. He can be a system player but who will they double team in the post to get Russell his shots? He is less athletic than Clarkson. Question who will be the better player Russell or Clarkson? Either way neither will be better than Oak and you can hype Russell passing as much as you want but Mudiay is a better passer. Russell should be ok as he becomes more familiar with the NBA game but clearly he wont score near the hoop much. Not basing it off sukmerbleague play but Oak was clearly a better choice and if you need PG in that draft or even a 2 I go Mudiay in this draft. The year Curry came out I said on here if you have the 2nd pick and need a guard period Steph is where you should go after Blake. Felt the same coming into this draft. Oak was a number 1 pick to me and Mudiay was clearly a top 3 talent. If he goes to college teams would have taken him sooner. Lakers have 3 guards who all need the ball. Actually Russell does not need it. His a $$ is a catch and shoot player, plain and simple.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

 I have no idea what they are doing offensively. There is no spacing and no clear plan for how the Lakers want to function offensively. They appear still in between the triangle and princeton systems. Also; in my view 3 or 4 of his turnovers are from recipients not being aware the pass is coming. With that said; he is a cerebral player. He has to take some of the "cute" out of his game and be more purposeful. I believe he will adjust. He is a player who likes to play at his own pace and not be sped up. Watching him adjust will be an interesting thing. From the end of summer league to the beginning of the season he will need to address these things.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

 I have no idea what they are doing offensively. There is no spacing and no clear plan for how the Lakers want to function offensively. They appear still in between the triangle and princeton systems. Also; in my view 3 or 4 of his turnovers are from recipients not being aware the pass is coming. With that said; he is a cerebral player. He has to take some of the "cute" out of his game and be more purposeful. I believe he will adjust. He is a player who likes to play at his own pace and not be sped up. Watching him adjust will be an interesting thing. From the end of summer league to the beginning of the season he will need to address these things.

[bdiddy5115Participant]

Overreaction.

The guards that shine in SL are the ones who can force the issue — or, use their size/athleticism to get to penetrate and either finish or dump it off to bigs who lack any discernable offensive skill. It’s not unlike AAU ball, but these guys have never played together before in their lives.

Guys like Clarkson and Mudiay are going to drop 24/7 type games because their ability to get to the rim is the best offense in helter-skelter games with no offensive sets and poor passing.

Meanwhile, Russell plays at his best within an offense, where he can play chess to the other team’s checkers. A player who relies on smarts isn’t going to shine like he normally would when the other four guys on his team are playing pickup ball. That said, I’m surprised his perimeter shots aren’t dropping.

 

 

 

 

[T Rex]

 The over-reaction was when everybody rushed to put Russell in the top 5 of their mocks when he put up stats against mid-majors and lower quality teams, despite his pedestrian athleticism and lack of production against conference and other legit competition.

 

 

[BallGawd01Participant]

Please inform me of what would happen if Russell never went to Ohio State? You don’t have to I will…They would have been one of the worst teams in the big ten. That team had absolutely no talent! He had one of the highest usage rates in the country, but he still managed to have very good efficiency while being the focal point of every teams defense. Russell’s main skill, and the most important skill any franchise-type player can possess, is that he made his teammates better. Yes he struggled against teams like Arizona and Wisconsin, but they were two of 5 best teams in the country all season. What would happen if Stephen Curry or any other point guard for that matter was being defended by a guy who was 3 inches and about 20-25 pounds heavier and more athletic than them? Which was the case when he played against Zona, being defended by RHJ, who literally ONLY got drafted because he’s a special defensive player. He literally had a bad game against one of/if not THE best defender in the draft. The mark of a truly special player is when he is able to affect the game in ways other than scoring. Even if he had games in which he did not shoot well, Russell affected other areas of the game such as rebounding and steals. Just his mere PRESENCE on the floor allowed his team to compete in games, and that is a skill that will not be seen in box scores. 

[T Rex]

 Wrong, TJ McConell was the guy who guared Russell most of the game.

And being good against all but the best college teams is a trait shared by every American bust since the age minimum went into effect.

 

 

[T Rex]

 Wrong, TJ McConell was the guy who guared Russell most of the game.

And being good against all but the best college teams is a trait shared by every American bust since the age minimum went into effect.

 

 

[BallGawd01Participant]

Please inform me of what would happen if Russell never went to Ohio State? You don’t have to I will…They would have been one of the worst teams in the big ten. That team had absolutely no talent! He had one of the highest usage rates in the country, but he still managed to have very good efficiency while being the focal point of every teams defense. Russell’s main skill, and the most important skill any franchise-type player can possess, is that he made his teammates better. Yes he struggled against teams like Arizona and Wisconsin, but they were two of 5 best teams in the country all season. What would happen if Stephen Curry or any other point guard for that matter was being defended by a guy who was 3 inches and about 20-25 pounds heavier and more athletic than them? Which was the case when he played against Zona, being defended by RHJ, who literally ONLY got drafted because he’s a special defensive player. He literally had a bad game against one of/if not THE best defender in the draft. The mark of a truly special player is when he is able to affect the game in ways other than scoring. Even if he had games in which he did not shoot well, Russell affected other areas of the game such as rebounding and steals. Just his mere PRESENCE on the floor allowed his team to compete in games, and that is a skill that will not be seen in box scores. 

[T Rex]

 The over-reaction was when everybody rushed to put Russell in the top 5 of their mocks when he put up stats against mid-majors and lower quality teams, despite his pedestrian athleticism and lack of production against conference and other legit competition.

 

 

[reanimatorParticipant]

Mudiay looks better than Russell in PnR. He isn’t simply penetrating and kicking. Russell will look better in a screen heavy system but his passing needs to be adjusted regardless.

[reanimatorParticipant]

Mudiay looks better than Russell in PnR. He isn’t simply penetrating and kicking. Russell will look better in a screen heavy system but his passing needs to be adjusted regardless.

[bdiddy5115Participant]

Overreaction.

The guards that shine in SL are the ones who can force the issue — or, use their size/athleticism to get to penetrate and either finish or dump it off to bigs who lack any discernable offensive skill. It’s not unlike AAU ball, but these guys have never played together before in their lives.

Guys like Clarkson and Mudiay are going to drop 24/7 type games because their ability to get to the rim is the best offense in helter-skelter games with no offensive sets and poor passing.

Meanwhile, Russell plays at his best within an offense, where he can play chess to the other team’s checkers. A player who relies on smarts isn’t going to shine like he normally would when the other four guys on his team are playing pickup ball. That said, I’m surprised his perimeter shots aren’t dropping.

 

 

 

 

[DolanCareParticipant]

 It’s summer league people. Let’s not forget all of the great stars that had horrific summer league performances. Derrick Rose comes to mind, but there are others. The main issue is that Russell’s shots aren’t falling. This will change. 

[DolanCareParticipant]

 It’s summer league people. Let’s not forget all of the great stars that had horrific summer league performances. Derrick Rose comes to mind, but there are others. The main issue is that Russell’s shots aren’t falling. This will change. 

[holefillers1Participant]

Laker fan says what

[holefillers1Participant]

Laker fan says what

[Pro-21Participant]

 Russell’s complete lack of athleticism. When people said that he was unathletic, I was thinking something the lines of a Steph. Curry, being quick enough to get to the rim regularly. Russell hasn’t blown by a defender for an easy score once in all of his game, and I feel like the ability to get to where you want with the dribble is the most important trait for a point guard in today’s league.

Derrick Rose struggled in summer league and so did Curry, but they both passed the eyeball test. Neither of them really struggled getting by people or creating space, they were just not used to the competition. I was wary of drafting mudiay because i thought "ohh another big athletic lead guard with no jumpshot — no thanks." That was a bit of a trap, because i stereotyped mudiay and didn’t realize that you need to be an extraordinarily skilled bball player if you’re not athletic. Russell is terrific passer, but he’s probably just a "good shooter," in the NBA, and he won’t be able to get a shot anytime he wants because he’s heavy-footed.

I think he’ll do better during the regular season, but my expectations for him have dropped dramatically. Mudiay put up terrific numbers in China against terrific competition, maybe that should have been a sign. 

Okafor looks good. Towns looks like what I thought he would … big and versatile with the ability to do a bunch of intriguing stuff, but unable to turn it into consistent production. We’ll see how that leads into the regular season, but I doubt he’ll be taking/making a bunch of threes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pro-21Participant]

 Russell’s complete lack of athleticism. When people said that he was unathletic, I was thinking something the lines of a Steph. Curry, being quick enough to get to the rim regularly. Russell hasn’t blown by a defender for an easy score once in all of his game, and I feel like the ability to get to where you want with the dribble is the most important trait for a point guard in today’s league.

Derrick Rose struggled in summer league and so did Curry, but they both passed the eyeball test. Neither of them really struggled getting by people or creating space, they were just not used to the competition. I was wary of drafting mudiay because i thought "ohh another big athletic lead guard with no jumpshot — no thanks." That was a bit of a trap, because i stereotyped mudiay and didn’t realize that you need to be an extraordinarily skilled bball player if you’re not athletic. Russell is terrific passer, but he’s probably just a "good shooter," in the NBA, and he won’t be able to get a shot anytime he wants because he’s heavy-footed.

I think he’ll do better during the regular season, but my expectations for him have dropped dramatically. Mudiay put up terrific numbers in China against terrific competition, maybe that should have been a sign. 

Okafor looks good. Towns looks like what I thought he would … big and versatile with the ability to do a bunch of intriguing stuff, but unable to turn it into consistent production. We’ll see how that leads into the regular season, but I doubt he’ll be taking/making a bunch of threes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 One of the things with D’Angelo Russell is who to compare him to?  If his skill set is 6’5, not that athletic or fast, but a good shooter, passer, and ball handler at either guard spot, your comparisons are limited.

I have him compared to Brian Shaw.  Shaw was an effective player but not a superstar.  I mainly followed him when he was older though.

Now, is the ball going to be in Clarkson’s hands or Russell’s?  I think they should give the keys to Clarkson and let Russell try to get open for 3’s.  

He probably needs the Triangle, so if they run a true Triangle in LA he could be good.  The triangle favors guys who can shoot, pass, and create some offense at multiple positions.

With Towns I am going with a baseline comparison of Sam Perkins to Derrick Coleman on the high side.

I need to watch Mudiay.  But if either he or Will Barton could make a shot they will be really fun to watch in Denver — well, they STILL will be, but maybe not as effective.

If I am the Denver brass I tell Mudiay and Will Barton to just go out there and play.  Get to the rim, make the pass.  Then find some shooters on the cheap or in the next draft.  Roll the ball out there and get out and run…

 

 

 

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 One of the things with D’Angelo Russell is who to compare him to?  If his skill set is 6’5, not that athletic or fast, but a good shooter, passer, and ball handler at either guard spot, your comparisons are limited.

I have him compared to Brian Shaw.  Shaw was an effective player but not a superstar.  I mainly followed him when he was older though.

Now, is the ball going to be in Clarkson’s hands or Russell’s?  I think they should give the keys to Clarkson and let Russell try to get open for 3’s.  

He probably needs the Triangle, so if they run a true Triangle in LA he could be good.  The triangle favors guys who can shoot, pass, and create some offense at multiple positions.

With Towns I am going with a baseline comparison of Sam Perkins to Derrick Coleman on the high side.

I need to watch Mudiay.  But if either he or Will Barton could make a shot they will be really fun to watch in Denver — well, they STILL will be, but maybe not as effective.

If I am the Denver brass I tell Mudiay and Will Barton to just go out there and play.  Get to the rim, make the pass.  Then find some shooters on the cheap or in the next draft.  Roll the ball out there and get out and run…

 

 

 

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

i wouldnt put too much emphasis on a player’s future based on summer league..alot of all stars have struggled in sl..lebron shot 7-30 in his final 2 sl games…d rose was outplayed by beasly in their 2 head to head games ..durant made one-3rd of his shots,but did a great job of drawing fouls and getting to the line,which boosted his average..

to me russell is trying to live up to expectations and playing to please the crowd…when preseason rolls around we’ll see the guy scouts fall in love with..becuz he’ll have an understanding of what the coaching staff expects from him..and he’ll be playing with better players…you can see his potential now with his passing and court vision.. he just needs to settle down and let the game come to him…

 

 

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

i wouldnt put too much emphasis on a player’s future based on summer league..alot of all stars have struggled in sl..lebron shot 7-30 in his final 2 sl games…d rose was outplayed by beasly in their 2 head to head games ..durant made one-3rd of his shots,but did a great job of drawing fouls and getting to the line,which boosted his average..

to me russell is trying to live up to expectations and playing to please the crowd…when preseason rolls around we’ll see the guy scouts fall in love with..becuz he’ll have an understanding of what the coaching staff expects from him..and he’ll be playing with better players…you can see his potential now with his passing and court vision.. he just needs to settle down and let the game come to him…

 

 

[MopgrassParticipant]

 What will people say if he plays well in his 4th game? 

[MopgrassParticipant]

 What will people say if he plays well in his 4th game? 

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

clarkson has played well ,but he still havent shown he can be a full time point guard,becuz most of his assists come from driving & dishing….there’s been rumors of kobe might be their small forward this year..a move he did years ago when they signed jr rider…..

in some games next season whenever they go to a 4 guard lineup of kobe,russell,clarkson and williams thats going to be scary…

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

clarkson has played well ,but he still havent shown he can be a full time point guard,becuz most of his assists come from driving & dishing….there’s been rumors of kobe might be their small forward this year..a move he did years ago when they signed jr rider…..

in some games next season whenever they go to a 4 guard lineup of kobe,russell,clarkson and williams thats going to be scary…

[Magic JordanParticipant]

 I obviously want Russell to succeed being that I am a Lakers fan, I was also in the draft Okafor camp.  With this being the only basketball action we get to see of these rookies until preseason it’s hard not to have a knee jerk reaction to the way Russell has been playing.  It’s also interesting how quick the narrative can change.  Prior to the draft Mudiay was getting blasted for his lack of shooting, while Russell was being hailed for his skills.  Now a few summer league games in people have flip flopped, I guess that’s what happens when Mudiay has had one stellar game??  Premature to assess Russell’s potential based off of these games but that is just what hoops heads do during this time of year.

So with that being said, he has definitely been less than impressive.  Above posters have said that they haven’t seen him beat anyone off the dribble, but I did watching these summer league games.  Against the Knicks he turned the corner on someone and scored on the length of Porzingis.  However the majority of the time he does indeed look slow out there.  I don’t think it will be his athleticism that holds him back though, because even though he looks slow, he still shows good burst and quickness.  He just doesn’t play at a reckless speed, he is under control… or tries to be.  I think if there is any speed that is hurting him it is that of the other players which he will get used to in time.  Likewise, playing more physical minutes and being responsible on defense seems to have been having an impact on his shot because everything he misses is short. 

He hasn’t forced the issue on offense as far as shooting is concerened, but he does dribble into traffic and gets trapped, people reach a lot and have been knocking the ball out of his hands with ease.  This is one of the reason his turnovers have been so high.  

Another reason is the fact that nobody can, or is ready to catch his passes.  While he may technically be charged with the turnover, they aren’t really his fault that his teammates aren’t ready to catch the ball.  After one play against the Knicks Russell made a great pass to Black who just wasn’t ready for it.  After the turnover Randle walked over to Russell and seemingly said, that was a good pass that wasn’t your fault which was obvious.  Adjusting to a player that can pass the way Russell can probably isn’t easy.  As they gain more comfort with eachother I don’t think it will be a problem.

Nothing about his sub par performance makes me worry…. yet.  Now if this type of play carries over into the mid regular season, then we can start to derive things about his game that maybe won’t translate how we originally thought.  

The offense that the Lakers are running is just awful and doesn’t fit with anybody on this team, or the regular season team for that matter.  The Lakers have a bunch of guys that like to create… for themselves, which I am not saying is a good thing… but it’s the truth.  Clarkson, Randle and Russell all need the ball in their hands to be effective.  This princeton they are running in summer league is awful.

My final point is benching Russell almost the entire 4th quarter.  That is just ridiculous.  It’s a freaking summer league game and you are going to try to send a message, or teach him a lesson?  I’m sure he knew he was playing poorly, benching your franchise, or potential franchise cornerstones for the sake of getting a win or teaching a lesson in summer league is such a stupid idea.  Another stupid idea by one of the worst coaching staffs in the league.  Let him play through his mistakes, seeing how it’s only you know… fucking summer league.  

More than anything I can’t wait until their is a competent coach in LA again.  It seems like it’s been so long.  The irony is, imagine this squad with D’Antoni… it almost seems like a tailor made team for him.  And he is a coach that would surely help Russell alot.

One more little tidbit is Russells on ball defense has been better than I thought.  His off ball defense has been boarderline attrocious.  He does a good job when his man has the ball… but if he is off the ball, he isn’t paying attention to back cuts or where his man is.  This will be corrected over time but his on ball defense I would say is the one plus thus far of summer league, even though I know I am in the minority in thinking that… however I actually watch the games which I doubt most commenters do.

I would like to see Russell have one big game before summer league is over, it would at least put me a little bit more at ease… but again, it won’t be an indictment of him either way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sheltwon3Participant]

 nice assessment

[sheltwon3Participant]

 nice assessment

[Magic JordanParticipant]

 I obviously want Russell to succeed being that I am a Lakers fan, I was also in the draft Okafor camp.  With this being the only basketball action we get to see of these rookies until preseason it’s hard not to have a knee jerk reaction to the way Russell has been playing.  It’s also interesting how quick the narrative can change.  Prior to the draft Mudiay was getting blasted for his lack of shooting, while Russell was being hailed for his skills.  Now a few summer league games in people have flip flopped, I guess that’s what happens when Mudiay has had one stellar game??  Premature to assess Russell’s potential based off of these games but that is just what hoops heads do during this time of year.

So with that being said, he has definitely been less than impressive.  Above posters have said that they haven’t seen him beat anyone off the dribble, but I did watching these summer league games.  Against the Knicks he turned the corner on someone and scored on the length of Porzingis.  However the majority of the time he does indeed look slow out there.  I don’t think it will be his athleticism that holds him back though, because even though he looks slow, he still shows good burst and quickness.  He just doesn’t play at a reckless speed, he is under control… or tries to be.  I think if there is any speed that is hurting him it is that of the other players which he will get used to in time.  Likewise, playing more physical minutes and being responsible on defense seems to have been having an impact on his shot because everything he misses is short. 

He hasn’t forced the issue on offense as far as shooting is concerened, but he does dribble into traffic and gets trapped, people reach a lot and have been knocking the ball out of his hands with ease.  This is one of the reason his turnovers have been so high.  

Another reason is the fact that nobody can, or is ready to catch his passes.  While he may technically be charged with the turnover, they aren’t really his fault that his teammates aren’t ready to catch the ball.  After one play against the Knicks Russell made a great pass to Black who just wasn’t ready for it.  After the turnover Randle walked over to Russell and seemingly said, that was a good pass that wasn’t your fault which was obvious.  Adjusting to a player that can pass the way Russell can probably isn’t easy.  As they gain more comfort with eachother I don’t think it will be a problem.

Nothing about his sub par performance makes me worry…. yet.  Now if this type of play carries over into the mid regular season, then we can start to derive things about his game that maybe won’t translate how we originally thought.  

The offense that the Lakers are running is just awful and doesn’t fit with anybody on this team, or the regular season team for that matter.  The Lakers have a bunch of guys that like to create… for themselves, which I am not saying is a good thing… but it’s the truth.  Clarkson, Randle and Russell all need the ball in their hands to be effective.  This princeton they are running in summer league is awful.

My final point is benching Russell almost the entire 4th quarter.  That is just ridiculous.  It’s a freaking summer league game and you are going to try to send a message, or teach him a lesson?  I’m sure he knew he was playing poorly, benching your franchise, or potential franchise cornerstones for the sake of getting a win or teaching a lesson in summer league is such a stupid idea.  Another stupid idea by one of the worst coaching staffs in the league.  Let him play through his mistakes, seeing how it’s only you know… fucking summer league.  

More than anything I can’t wait until their is a competent coach in LA again.  It seems like it’s been so long.  The irony is, imagine this squad with D’Antoni… it almost seems like a tailor made team for him.  And he is a coach that would surely help Russell alot.

One more little tidbit is Russells on ball defense has been better than I thought.  His off ball defense has been boarderline attrocious.  He does a good job when his man has the ball… but if he is off the ball, he isn’t paying attention to back cuts or where his man is.  This will be corrected over time but his on ball defense I would say is the one plus thus far of summer league, even though I know I am in the minority in thinking that… however I actually watch the games which I doubt most commenters do.

I would like to see Russell have one big game before summer league is over, it would at least put me a little bit more at ease… but again, it won’t be an indictment of him either way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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