Wise to Keep Bill Walker?

[shiggins]

This is ridiculous overreaction on pretty much everyone's part.  Bill Walker, while I'm happy we drafted him and was actually angry when we passed on him with the Giddens pick, has played in 1 quarter in pure garbage time.  Hes had 1 dunk on Mutombo in preseason and scored 3 baskets last nights on super scrubs.  He has good rebounding instincts and defensive ability?  Where is anyone getting any of that? 

I havent watched much DLeague this year and if you guys have I apologize, but it seems fairly ridiculous to be saying he's 100% better than Tony at this point.  Tony was feeling good earlier this year and everyone was singing his praises.  He gets hurt and goes through a few rough patches, which by the way, Eddie has gone through and probably played even worse than Tony, and now everyone wants to run him out of town.  He's going to come back have 3 good games and everyone will act like they loved him the whole time.  He doesnt make the greatest decisions all the time, but on a stagnant second unit, you need somebody slashing to the hoop.  Tony does that as well as anybody else we have.

I am all for giving Bill some more minutes, but based on ridiculous garbage time sample, he's not the second coming of Joe Johnson.  If healthy Tony was out there he would have torched them as well.  DLeague is pretty much the same as Summer League and Tony ripped that up as well.  Hell, Marcus Banks dropped like 45 in Summer League.  Although I was a huge Marcus Banks guy for a while Thats a different story

[Marco Vincent]

I have to disagree... I have seen more promise in the (limited) time Walker has put it than I have with Tony Allen.  Watching him off the ball last night, as well as on the defensive end, he plays very very poised for such a young guy.  Not to mention his ridiculous ball handle on that dude in the corner last night.  He looks like he may be able to pull together a lot of dangerous skills, and become a serious contributor.  He definately needs more pt though.  Tony Allen is known for his lockdown D, but his (low) BBIQ continues to hinder him.

And I agreed with Donny Marshall that this should be a wake up call to TA.  If he doesn't start contributing like we have always wanted him too, he could be one of the targets for a trade.

[moiso]

So far so good, but until he does something in a meaningful game, I'm going to agree with shiggins.  He's a good rebounder?  I don't think so.  He's a good shooter?  It doesn't matter what he did in a small d-league sample.  Has the guy even hit a jumper in the NBA yet?
And yes, its much easier in garbage time.  Eddie House NEVER seems to miss when the game is already decided.  And even POB has nice spurts.  So while I'm pleased so far, all that we really know is that Walker is an aggresive player with great leaping ability.

[guava_wrench]

Walker is an infinitely smarter basketball player than Tony Allen.

Infinity is really large.

[lon3lytoaster]

So far so good, but until he does something in a meaningful game, I'm going to agree with shiggins.  He's a good rebounder?  I don't think so.  He's a good shooter?  It doesn't matter what he did in a small d-league sample.  Has the guy even hit a jumper in the NBA yet?
And yes, its much easier in garbage time.  Eddie House NEVER seems to miss when the game is already decided.  And even POB has nice spurts.  So while I'm pleased so far, all that we really know is that Walker is an aggresive player with great leaping ability.

Yes, Billiam HAS hit a mid range jumper in the NBA already. I remember that specifically.

[moiso]

I thought that was preseason.  OK then, he's one for one.

[Marco Vincent]

Yes infinity is a large amount.. that's why i used in terms of tony allen.

All I'm saying is that up until his ACL injury Walker was a top prospect.  So far, everything I have seen (I know, garbage time, preseason and NBDL) he has shown that he was worthy of that hype/praise.  And to be honest, I don't care if he's playing in garbage time or not... you can see if someone is talented and Bill Walker is. 

[EJPLAYA]

There is no question that the guy has amazing athletic ability, but I think we are making too much of his performance last night. #1 that baseline drive from the replay looked like a charge. I was amazed they didn't call it. The other play was absolutely amazing, but we knew he was athletic. It was uncontested BTW.

The rest of the time all I saw was a lost player on the offensive end. he went over to the sideline and just kind of stood there watching everyone. Sure he won't be as comfortable as the rest of them right off the bat, but to say he's ready to step in and be a big contributor doesn't seem likely. He has upside and I think he will turn out to be solid, but I thought last night showed why he has been down in the D league. He'll get there though. If a trade happens I'd rather keep him than Giddens.

[crownsy]

There is no question that the guy has amazing athletic ability, but I think we are making too much of his performance last night. #1 that baseline drive from the replay looked like a charge. I was amazed they didn't call it. The other play was absolutely amazing, but we knew he was athletic. It was uncontested BTW.

The rest of the time all I saw was a lost player on the offensive end. he went over to the sideline and just kind of stood there watching everyone. Sure he won't be as comfortable as the rest of them right off the bat, but to say he's ready to step in and be a big contributor doesn't seem likely. He has upside and I think he will turn out to be solid, but I thought last night showed why he has been down in the D league. He'll get there though. If a trade happens I'd rather keep him than Giddens.

I agree, he's not ready to b a big contributor, but i think they should give him 2-6 minutes here and there in non-garbage time, just to push TA.

One thing i saw last night, and again, i know it was against scrubs, but that kid busted his butt on defense. he shut his man down, and was in his jersey all night long.

Thats good to see in garbage time from a rook. alot of rooks would have tried to impress on the offensive end. Bill tried to do it on the other end, which is key to the way we play.

[cordobes]

Keep him in what sense? It wouldn't be wise to waive him for nothing - there are other player in the roster who should go first, if that move needs to be done -, but I think he's not reached the status of untouchable yet. If sending him out was the way to get a good 6th man for the next couple of years, I'd do it without thinking twice. But the trade value he had a couple of months ago was some dollars and I don't think that has changed yet.

There is no question that the guy has amazing athletic ability, but I think we are making too much of his performance last night.

We always do that. But in that baseline drive, wasn't the Nets player in the restricted area? If not, I agree it was a charge.

[crownsy]

Keep him in what sense? It wouldn't be wise to waive him for nothing - there are other player in the roster who should go first, if that move needs to be done -, but I think he's not reached the status of untouchable yet. If sending him out was the way to get a good 6th man for the next couple of years, I'd do it without thinking twice. But the trade value he had a couple of months ago was some dollars and I don't think that has changed yet.

There is no question that the guy has amazing athletic ability, but I think we are making too much of his performance last night.

We always do that. But in that baseline drive, wasn't the Nets player in the restricted area? If not, I agree it was a charge.

it was close, my impression was bill  got the benifit of the doubt because he was pulling away in the air and under control, rather than just running the man over with his shoulder.

[shiggins]

There is no question that the guy has amazing athletic ability, but I think we are making too much of his performance last night. #1 that baseline drive from the replay looked like a charge. I was amazed they didn't call it. The other play was absolutely amazing, but we knew he was athletic. It was uncontested BTW.

The rest of the time all I saw was a lost player on the offensive end. he went over to the sideline and just kind of stood there watching everyone. Sure he won't be as comfortable as the rest of them right off the bat, but to say he's ready to step in and be a big contributor doesn't seem likely. He has upside and I think he will turn out to be solid, but I thought last night showed why he has been down in the D league. He'll get there though. If a trade happens I'd rather keep him than Giddens.

I agree, he's not ready to b a big contributor, but i think they should give him 2-6 minutes here and there in non-garbage time, just to push TA.

One thing i saw last night, and again, i know it was against scrubs, but that kid busted his butt on defense. he shut his man down, and was in his jersey all night long.

Thats good to see in garbage time from a rook. alot of rooks would have tried to impress on the offensive end. Bill tried to do it on the other end, which is key to the way we play.

True but how hard is it to play defense on Trenton Hassel?  He basically stops himself.

[crownsy]

There is no question that the guy has amazing athletic ability, but I think we are making too much of his performance last night. #1 that baseline drive from the replay looked like a charge. I was amazed they didn't call it. The other play was absolutely amazing, but we knew he was athletic. It was uncontested BTW.

The rest of the time all I saw was a lost player on the offensive end. he went over to the sideline and just kind of stood there watching everyone. Sure he won't be as comfortable as the rest of them right off the bat, but to say he's ready to step in and be a big contributor doesn't seem likely. He has upside and I think he will turn out to be solid, but I thought last night showed why he has been down in the D league. He'll get there though. If a trade happens I'd rather keep him than Giddens.

I agree, he's not ready to b a big contributor, but i think they should give him 2-6 minutes here and there in non-garbage time, just to push TA.

One thing i saw last night, and again, i know it was against scrubs, but that kid busted his butt on defense. he shut his man down, and was in his jersey all night long.

Thats good to see in garbage time from a rook. alot of rooks would have tried to impress on the offensive end. Bill tried to do it on the other end, which is key to the way we play.

True but how hard is it to play defense on Trenton Hassel?  He basically stops himself.

thats in fact why i clearly stated;

and again, i know it was against scrubs

but that doesn't mean its not nice to see him play lock down defense out on the court. as i said, alot of recently called up rookies who were known for thier offense in college more than thier defense would have played "meh" defense and focoused on proving the could score in bunches.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'm pretty sure Hassell moved a bit. Hassell never planted his feet completely, he got there just about when Bill was going in to the air, but Bill jumped dianogally and Hassell moved a bit. It could've really gone either way.

[CelticfaninArk]

I just love his intensity. He does not back down from anyone. Rare for a rookie. Not saying play him 20 minutes a night, but I would like to see him in the game before garbage time.