D'Angelo Russell Discussion: Adopting A Professional Attitude

I think you're right...

it seems like 17-18 ppg is realistic. And at least 4-5 boards and assists...he only played 27 mpg last year.

 

Man those numbers really jump off the page. I'm not really sure how successful we can be if D'Angelo is averaging that much. Not that we can't be successful, but literally I don't know what to think about that. I mean he CAN do that, but how many games can we win if that much is asked of him?

I like thinking: 16/5/5 with 47% and 37% would be very good growth for him. He wouldn't be scoring a lot more, but he'd be assisting and rebounding more and taking better shots. Then in the following seasons his game can jump up from there, but I'm not going to ask more than 16/5/5 of him next season as long as his efficiency improves.

 

We were absolutely abysmal last season. We will be better, and that is going to help quite a few players. They surely didn't play up to their talents last season. DA and Julius should be two players to benefit most.

 

I disagree with that. Last season 35 players scored 18 or more ppg. Of those 35 players only TWO were rookies or sophomores: Towns and Wiggins who were the last two #1 picks.

Only TWELVE players in the last 10 years have averaged 18 or more in their second season. The people on that list: Durant, Irving, Davis, Rose, Lillard, Griffin, Wiggins, Gay, Roy, Lopez, Curry, and Cousins. That's a heck of a lineup.

I would love for D'Angelo to get up to 18 ppg on more efficient shooting, but I won't say I'm disappointed in a projection less than 18 months before the season with no idea how well the team is doing. If the team wins 40 games and he scores 16 compared to 25 games he scores 19 points, what determines if that's wrong or not?

 

That's fine, we'll have to agree to disagree. What I expect is for our team to improve and to do that, he'll have to improve his decision making, shot making, and defense. Those things likely take away from the total number of points he could average, but still give him a solid number: thus 16 points per game. I expect Randle to score more, Jordan to score more, Ingram to get some, and whatever FAs we get need the ball. What will open us up is his ability to stretch the floor which means efficiency more than total.

Like I said: I'd be extremely happy with 16/5/5 on 47% and 37%. That's rare form! Only five players in the NBA did that last year! Curry being one of them, the others: Durant, Westbrook, LeBron, and Harden.

That would be his company putting up ^ those numbers. You want something like 18 points and 7 assists you're looking at only four players: John Wall, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Chris Paul.

Only four people put up 15/5/5 on 45% and 35%: Curry, Durant, Bledsoe, and Paul.
Only one person put up 18/7 with 45% from the field and 35% from deep: Chris Paul.


Our expectations are quite high.

 

...Russell just might get to 18 ppg. For what it's worth, he's already peppered Walton about Curry's habits and preps. I get the inkling he'll start hoisting more shots next season. Russell is looking to model his game after Curry. I still believe he'll get about 8 dimes per game. If Russell shows some efficiency scoring, defenses will pull on him then he can hit his teammates for scores.

 

Yes he did...then the season happened [rolls eyes]. Grit ain't fun...

 

Their headache.

 

ESPN keeps telling me D'Angelo is the odd man out on the team now