08-03-2023, 02:23 PM
(08-02-2023, 01:31 PM)Chicagojk Wrote: So a player I have been way off so far in the draft a few years ago, who also hasn't been a very good NBA player yet is Marvin Bagley. I never thought he would be a good defender, but I thought he would score and rebound right away and be a guy who put up 20 and 10 year in, year out. I sort of thought he would be a Julius Randle level player. It hasn't worked out and he hasn't been good when I have seen him play. He is still only 24.
One of the things on the Mavs that I am worried about is a big guy who can get easy baskets for himself. So how about a gamble on Bagley. Hardaway for Bagley. Mavs clear up their guard depth and Detroit removes a big from all their young depth.
Bagley is your scoring big off the bench. Paired with Maxi or Grant when one of Luka or Kyrie is resting. I am guessing most are going to say no, but I do wonder if Bagley ever figures it out, or is this who he is.
Lot’s of people missed on Bagley…no shame there. All of the negatives he has shown in the NBA we’re highlighted before the draft. What’s interesting is that he hasn’t seemed to improve in any of those areas.
Here is a pre draft article I read some time back. I don’t know anything about the writer other than he seems to have nailed the worst case scenario of how his deficiencies might manifest in the NBA. FWIW, he also missed on his Bagley/NBA success projection.
https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/nba-d...vin-bagley
There is a part of me that wonders if Bagley can still be developed. He has value on the offensive end now, it’s the defense that is the big issue. When you consider how he was developed in his younger years, including his fathers role, coupled with going to a Duke team that had to play zone due to poor team defense, and then being stuck on crappy Sac. & Det teams, I wonder, as the writer suggests, if he never learned good defense.
If you could just make him an average or slightly above defender, I think he could be a solid 4 and situational 5. I’m not sure the Mav’s are best prepared for that based on recent history but unless it’s an issue between the ears, he has the tools. I don’t see why his weaknesses can’t be coached up with heavy repetition and some specialized attention if in fact his deficiencies are heavily influenced by his poor early development.