Dukies in the NBA 2020-21

[yancem]

What a scumbag! Now I see why everyone here hates him.

Can you not be a good person off the court and still a bad teammate? I've never thought that KI was a bad person. By all accounts he is a very thoughtful and considerate human being. But I think whatever he is doing currently is detrimental to his teammates and the organization that pays him the kind of money that allows him to buy Floyd's family a house. The rest of the world can't pause their career to do whatever it is he is doing and still get paid, let alone get paid like he's being paid. I know that a lot of people were troubled by what transpired in DC last week (I live up here so I get it) but as far as I know, he didn't have any relatives or close friends that were negatively impacted (more so than the rest of us I mean) by those events, so why does he need to take a week off from work? If he wants to quit and become a full time activist, then more power to him but the Nets are paying him millions of dollars to play basketball and right now, he can but is refusing to do so. I personally think that makes him a bad teammate and employee, not to mention a prima donna. I'm sure there are thousands of basketball players that would kill to work their butts off in practice, ride the pine and make the league minimum. He's taking a roster spot from someone who wants and is willing to work for one. That is kind of scumbagish in my book.

[kshepinthehouse]

The discussion has been all over the place. Your points are definitely valid.

The main issue of contention seems to be whether Duke fans "like" him, which is very subjective and fluid.

Kyrie has done/said some dumb, selfish things over the years. While noteworthy, donating to charity does not change this.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Can you not be a good person off the court and still a bad teammate? I've never thought that KI was a bad person. By all accounts he is a very thoughtful and considerate human being. But I think whatever he is doing currently is detrimental to his teammates and the organization that pays him the kind of money that allows him to buy Floyd's family a house. The rest of the world can't pause their career to do whatever it is he is doing and still get paid, let alone get paid like he's being paid. I know that a lot of people were troubled by what transpired in DC last week (I live up here so I get it) but as far as I know, he didn't have any relatives or close friends that were negatively impacted (more so than the rest of us I mean) by those events, so why does he need to take a week off from work? If he wants to quit and become a full time activist, then more power to him but the Nets are paying him millions of dollars to play basketball and right now, he can but is refusing to do so. I personally think that makes him a bad teammate and employee, not to mention a prima donna. I'm sure there are thousands of basketball players that would kill to work their butts off in practice, ride the pine and make the league minimum. He's taking a roster spot from someone who wants and is willing to work for one. That is kind of scumbagish in my book.

Well, if the Nets didn't see him as an asset, they'd trade/cut/discipline him, right?

I certainly won't defend him maskless partying - though I see a family birthday party differently than a visit to the strip club myself. And he has certainly made some ill-advised comments. I just feel he takes an unfair amount of abuse on this board. Is there any other former Duke player that is so roundly attacked so regularly?

[phaedrus]

JJ had a terrible stretch there for a bit, but has had 2 or 3 good to excellent games in a row. His role has definitely changed, but if he can start hitting roughly 40% from 3 he'll probably move back into pretty much the same role he's had most of his career.

JJ now needs 95 threes (about a half-season's worth) to become the 10th player to hit 2000. From there, he'll probably need another season to climb past Paul Pierce for 9th (2183) and Jamal Crawford for 8th (2221).

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Is there any other former Duke player that is so roundly attacked so regularly?

I just remembered Jay Bilas...

[mkirsh]

The one where he faked left then zapped right and slammed got me out of my chair.

Here are the highlights. Spectacular game for him. That play is at 55 seconds, and he had another nice behind the back dribble for a dunk at around 2:30. There is also a bonus of Harrison Barnes dribbling the ball of his foot which made me smile (yes I’m that petty).

https://youtu.be/bFx542olDpw

[duke74]

Nice article on RJ in the NY Post.

https://nypost.com/2021/01/18/rj-bar...pasteboard_app

[robed deity]

I feel like I'm watching the 2015 title game watching Tyus and Grayson make plays down the stretch of this Grizz Suns game.

[MChambers]

I feel like I'm watching the 2015 title game watching Tyus and Grayson make plays down the stretch of this Grizz Suns game.

Yes, that was fun. Both of them played well during crunch time.

[brlftz]

Must have been the sight of Kaminsky on the other bench

[Indoor66]

I just remembered Jay Bilas...

But Jay deserves it.

[SouthernDukie]

But Jay deserves it.

I'm sure you are trying to be funny, but I actually agree. Jay hate and Kyrie hate on this board shouldn't even be close. Yet it seems to me both men are disliked at about an equal level. That's insane! Jay's "sins" are obvious and well-known by all. I can get behind people here complaining about his work in the booth and many of his takes on the college bb in general. With Kyrie the list isn't nearly so long, yet he gets more grief for fewer issues. Of course that's only my opinion, but I'd stand by it till my final breath if nothing changes going forward.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I'm sure you are trying to be funny, but I actually agree. Jay hate and Kyrie hate on this board shouldn't even be close. Yet it seems to me both men are disliked at about an equal level. That's insane! Jay's "sins" are obvious and well-known by all. I can get behind people here complaining about his work in the booth and many of his takes on the college bb in general. With Kyrie the list isn't nearly so long, yet he gets more grief for fewer issues. Of course that's only my opinion, but I'd stand by it till my final breath if nothing changes going forward.

I, for one, like Bilas a lot more than Kyrie.

I, for one, don't understand the Bilas hate but completely understand the Kyrie complaints.

I, for one, believe Kyrie's list to be very long with lots of issues.

[SouthernDukie]

I, for one, like Bilas a lot more than Kyrie.

I, for one, don't understand the Bilas hate but completely understand the Kyrie complaints.

I, for one, believe Kyrie's list to be very long with lots of issues.

Completely different issues from the two men to be sure. And while I do understand, in an academic sense, where you are coming from I still disagree.

Kyrie gets way too much hate on this - a Duke board - than he should. I stand by that 110%.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Completely different issues from the two men to be sure. And while I do understand, in an academic sense, where you are coming from I still disagree.

Kyrie gets way too much hate on this - a Duke board - than he should. I stand by that 110%.

Maybe we should break off a Kyrie thread. I know I've been spearheading a pro-Kyrie campaign, but I suspect that those who just wanna talk NBA are miffed to have to scroll through these posts about board impressions of Kyrie.

[DukieInBrasil]

Maybe we should break off a Kyrie thread. I know I've been spearheading a pro-Kyrie campaign, but I suspect that those who just wanna talk NBA are miffed to have to scroll through these posts about board impressions of Kyrie.

YES!!!!! Please!!!

[flyingdutchdevil]

YES!!!!! Please!!!

Absolutely fair.

On another Dukie note, RJ Barrett is, in the NY Post words, 'blossoming before our eyes'. While kinda true, RJ Barrett is an interesting "unicorn" in today's NBA. He is amazing - arguably elite - at getting to the rim. He's a beast in transition. He's a solid playmaker and incredible rebounder. His FT rate is respectable. But he's a horrific 3pt shooter (32% last year and 22% this year). While a small sample size, it's safe to say RJ will never be a great 3pt shooter. He may before a good one, but he's likely to be <38% for the rest of his career.

And that's okay. Because RJ can become the next Dwyane Wade (elite scorer who can't hit a 3 and provides all the intangtibles). RJ still needs to learn better defense and hopefully will become a better playmaker (but with Randle, it's not necessary at this point). I'd love to see RJ prove that you don't need a 3pt shot to be an All-Star (okay, so Simmons and the Freak have already proved that...but still).

Outside of Zion, Ingram, Tatum, and Kyrie, RJ has the highest ceiling.

[SouthernDukie]

YES!!!!! Please!!!

OK, I'm all for keeping this thread on topic. I'll stop defending Kyrie here. If it really heats up, one of us can start a new thread on the subject.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Great article on Ingram. Lots of stuff there I had no idea about, including his drive, his shot mechanics, his strength, and his coachability.

Unfortunately, you gotta be an Insider to access it.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/sto...ential-matters

[DukieInBrasil]

Absolutely fair.

On another Dukie note, RJ Barrett is, in the NY Post words, 'blossoming before our eyes'. While kinda true, RJ Barrett is an interesting "unicorn" in today's NBA. He is amazing - arguably elite - at getting to the rim. He's a beast in transition. He's a solid playmaker and incredible rebounder. His FT rate is respectable. But he's a horrific 3pt shooter (32% last year and 22% this year). While a small sample size, it's safe to say RJ will never be a great 3pt shooter. He may before a good one, but he's likely to be <38% for the rest of his career.

And that's okay. Because RJ can become the next Dwyane Wade (elite scorer who can't hit a 3 and provides all the intangtibles). RJ still needs to learn better defense and hopefully will become a better playmaker (but with Randle, it's not necessary at this point). I'd love to see RJ prove that you don't need a 3pt shot to be an All-Star (okay, so Simmons and the Freak have already proved that...but still).

Outside of Zion, Ingram, Tatum, and Kyrie, RJ has the highest ceiling.

His FT% however is very poor for a guy whose game should get him to the FT line quite often. Everyone says FT% is a good predictor of 3FG%, so you're probably right that he'll never become a good FT shooter. OTOH, Zion shot poorly from the FT line at Duke and in the NBA so far, and he shot over 40% from 3 at Duke and in his rookie year. He has been such a low volume 3pt shooter that impeccable shot selection from 3 might explain the divergence for him.
As for his ceiling, i don't know why his ceiling should be considered lower than Ingram's. They are not exactly analogous players: RJ has considerably higher rebounding and "beefy" potential, whereas BI is a better shooter and has more finesse potential.