D'Angelo Russell Discussion: Adopting A Professional Attitude

I've got to ask you this: If we aren't getting assists from our best player in Russell, where do you expect the assists to come from? Multiple playmakers are undoubtedly linked to team success, as witnessed from the past 5 champions.

2012 Finals: Lebron 7.4, Wade 5.2, Chalmers 4.0
2013 Finals: Lebron 7.0, Wade 4.6
2014 Finals: Parker 4.6, Diaw 5.8, Ginobili 4.4
2015 Finals: Curry 6.5, Draymond 5.0, Iguodala 4.0
2016 Finals: Lebron 8.9, Kyrie 3.9

When your best player and primary ball-handler (in our case, our PG) racks "lots of assists," it helps a ton. So I wouldn't disregard Russell's low assist as a non-issue.

 

If he doesn't score 81 points in game during his prime or drop 60 in his career finale....

 

He's in his second season and hasn't even really started it. Not to mention D'Lo is playing in a brand new system after having to essentially play street ball his rookie season. It's gonna take some time to adjust and it's way too early to hit the panick button. Also Kobe was always our best playmaker and he only averaged about five for his career. As long as you have some other guys who can make the extra pass and find the open man this team will be fine. Ingram has already shown he can do that. Randle looks a bit better as a playmaker. Clarkson and Russell are capable. Obviously still have Huertas and Calderon.

 

When this team gets to that point of contention, then you start comparing numbers.

You're talking about teams that have played together for 5-6 years with multiple all-stars.

Russell could easily average 5apg, Randle could pitch in 3-4, Ingram was shown to make plays. Once the offense becomes a well oiled machine, the players are a little more experience, the assist numbers will jump up.

 

I think we should just be glad we have at least one young guy in Russell who looks like he has a chance to be something special in the NBA. Ingram down the road is another one who could fit that mold if he can develop. It's something a lot of teams who are stuck as treadmills would kill to have. Not to mention the rest of the kids at least look like solid NBA players.

This is a far cry from a year ago when a lot of people were very concerned and rightfully so with what the beginning of D'Angelo's rookie season looked like. He looked like he didn't belong and was completely overmatched and there were serious concerns about what he would be in the NBA. Now at the very least looks like a really good point guard in the NBA and perhaps a franchise one. We shall see. Needs to be more consistent, but for the most part he has looked terrific and if he can just continue to work on his defense, get more familiar with Luke's system, continue to get chemistry with his teammates, and find the balance between scoring and facilitating I think D'Lo has a bright, bright future ahead.

 

How about adding Kwame's hands?



Y'know, to be fair.

 

Not panicking at all. It'll take time but the sooner the grooming starts the better.

Well I was referencing to a prior post linking assist numbers to team success. I don't know what your definition of success is, but mine is championships. It's never too soon to set goals.

 

Well, you can look at the 20/10 player in Chris Paul and see what kind of your definition of success is. Or you can take a team like Phoenix who had some of the highest assist numbers under the D'Antoni/Nash era, or Stockon/Malone...where is their "success"?

Yes, assists are nice, but there's a lot more that goes into a championship formula than a few padded stats.

 

i don't really understand your argument. look at regular season stats for teams like SA. here's one year for example:

http://www.espn.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/sa/year/2015/seasontype/2

is the point that you need a high assist guy, or that you need multiple guys getting a few? i think the latter has more support, and i think russell can easily average 4-6 assists starting this year. since this is a discussion of russell's assist numbers and what those have to do with winning, i kind of feel like the data support the notion that they don't have to be high. perhaps they even support the notion that they shouldn't be high.


maybe i'm misunderstanding?

 

Your examples are teams that are too dependant on one playmaker. It has little relevance to my argument of having multiple playmakers, led by a primary ball-handler.

 

The Lakers already have multiple playmakers. You're using the pre-season as basis for the why they don't when the real games haven't began, they're all this still NBA puppies, and are playing in a completely different season.

 

Last year, Blake Griffin averaged 4.0 apg with Chris Paul at 7.3. That's close enough to your "2013 Finals: Lebron 7.0, Wade 4.6" example.

The 06-07 Phoenix Suns had Nash at 11.6 apg with Diaw and Barbosa chipping in another 5apg and 4apg respectively. That's more than any of trio you mentioned above.

The 1997 Jazz had Stockon at 10apg, Malone at 4.5, and Hornacek at 4.4. Again, more than the trios you mentioned above.

 

My argument is that it helps immensely if the primary ball-handler, whether that player is a PG or SF or PF, is a high assist (6-8) guy. You also need other playmakers (more the better) that can create for others. This is especially true when the game gets tight, (or deep into the playoffs), defensive intensity increases, the offense slows down and is no longer free-flowing.

 

I doubt you'd be able to come up with any sort of statistical evidence for that claim. That, of course, after we quantified "immensely".

 

Well the Clips have no bench, D'Antoni teams play no defense, and the Jazz were undeniably great and would have won a chip or two if it wasn't for the GOAT.

 

Well this is getting a bit out of hand so I'll check out but I'm surprised alot of you are content with a score first, low assist PG.

I guess I'm in the minority but I have high hopes for Russell to eventually become a high assist guy. That's what I was excited about when we drafted him. Maybe I should just be happy that we probably have a #1 scoring option with Russell, but I'm quite certain he has a gift in passing that hasn't been fully exploited.

 

And all of that has nothing to do with assists.

Just sayin.

 

What??? You expected this guy below? No no no ..... that was a bait and switch operation to keep the dagger out of our stomachs after FO not taking Okafor. :Mitchthumbs: