Jamal Murray. 79/100 threes

[PickNRoll]

All due respect to Kevin, but isn't he just a blogger?  One of us, more or less?  I don't know his background, but I'm really down on a lot of the evaluations I see from the patrons of this blog, lol.  That's just how blogs work.  You've got some excited pre-teens and a slew of casual fans. All part of the fun.

Kevin obviously puts a lot of work into his draft guide and provides a lot of solid analysis, but I don't think that's what sets him apart.

What he does well is breaking down plays / players, then using video to explain what worked, what didn't, and what can be improved upon. This is especially helpful to most fans who watch games, but don't notice the intricacies of why a player like AB (for example) should be successful shooting threes instead of long twos off of the hand-off. It's almost as if Stevens saw this article by Kevin, because AB started getting the ball a little deeper off of screens and double screens and became a very effective three-point shooter.

That's fine.  I have nothing against Kevin.  He puts in work.  I just didn't know if he's a "scout" or what his background is.  I assumed he was just another blogger.  No disrespect though.  Plenty of legit bloggers out there.

[Celtics4ever]

If he was European, enigmatic, and playing in an obscure overseas league he'd be the consensus top pick in the draft.

So true, TP.

[biggs]

I've always liked Murray as a second tier player, but the more I watch of him.. I'm starting to think that he has the most potential to be a star of anyone in this draft.

He's definitely passed Hield in my book. I still really like Jaylen Brown, but again, it feels like Murray could be the true gem of the draft.

Would be amazing if we drafted him at 3, and he ended up the far superior player to picks 1 and 2.

Happened with MJ.

Just saying 

[Bobshot]

I don't think they see any of these kids as "now" players. I think they'll draft the player they see with the best upside. The "now" players they figure they'll get thru trades or free agents.

So the question is who has the most upside? That's subjective, and something only Danny can answer, with input from Stevens.

I think Ainge will take the player he thinks has the most upside. I don't think it will depend on position (i.e, need).

Tough question. The consensus on the Twitter vote I just saw (about 1500 responses) is Bender with about 53%. Nobody else got more than 12-14%.

What Bender has going for him is Porzingis' success in his first year. He has a similar skill set, or at least that's the perception. I think it's a strong consideration for Danny. Most have been surprised at Porzingis' success so soon.

[csfansince60s]

Coach Cal thinks he should be #1 .... go figure.

http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2016/story/_/id/16052499/kentucky-head-coach-john-calipari-says-philadelphia-76ers-take-wildcats-guard-jamal-murray-no1-pick-nba-draft

In regards to Calipari, this is the same guy who said that Boston 'would love' James Young .

"He's got a ways to go," said Calipari, according to CSNNE.

"He's 19. [He's] as fast as anyone in the Draft, as long and athletic as anyone in the Draft and can really shoot. The people in Boston are going to love him."

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/basketball/boston-celtics/news/youngs-old-coach-says-boston-will-love-him_172373.html

TP..... Thinking the exact same thing.

[loco_91]

I love how a thread that is explicitly about Jamal Murray inevitably just turns into another Bender bash fest.

Anyway, I like Jamal Murray. His stats and tools compare favorably with Devin Booker, who had an outstanding year and might become a star, but until now I thought that he was certainly not as good a shooter as Booker. 79/100 suggests that Murray might be an elite shooter. If this is the case, then he could be worth the #3 pick. Based on his college stats, it appears that he is a very good shooter but not an elite shooter; he was 41% from the college 3 on very good but not exceptional volume, and he shot 78% from the line. Taking into account Murray's pedestrian tools for an NBA SG, these numbers suggest that he can shoot in the mid to high 30's from 3 on above average volume in the NBA. They don't suggest that he can shoot >40% on high volume. Murray's upside lies in the possibility that he becomes a Klay Thompson-level shooter, giving him gravitational pull and buoying an entire offense. This 79/100 mark significantly increases, in my mind, the likelihood that he reaches that level. Still, it is more likely that he tops out as a good rotation player whose offense isn't great enough to fully make up for his mediocre defense.

[crimson_stallion]

Shame he is a guard.

If he was European, enigmatic, and playing in an obscure overseas league he'd be the consensus top pick in the draft.

TP! But you forgot non-athletic!

Well, there is not "if" on the non-athletic part for Murray so it seems it was left out.

He's average. As a minimum, considerably better than Hield. Given his age and production, I'd love to have him at 3.

Are you talking athleticism?  Because there is no way in hell Murray is more athletic then Hield.  His athleticism is below average by NBA standards, Hield's is average at least, probably a bit above average.

Murray is the size of a PG and moves like a small forward.

[PhoSita]

If he was European, enigmatic, and playing in an obscure overseas league he'd be the consensus top pick in the draft.

So true, TP.

And half of this forum would be dismissing all of his accomplishments, along with everything the scouts wrote about his game and potential, and writing scathingly about his terrible defense.

[ederson]

and we all know that the scouts are always right evaluating European talent.......

[CoachBo]

I think you want to be very careful about elevating bloggers to scout status.

They most assuredly are not.

[BDeCosta26]

I think you want to be very careful about elevating bloggers to scout status.

They most assuredly are not.

Kevin O'Conner is very well respected as a talent evaluator in NBA circles.

Certainly much more credible than CoachBo

[The One]

Kevin O'Conner-

On a related note -- who is Kevin O'Connor and all those other names I can't recognize that started contributing to the front page?

Jeff has brought on a number of smart and articulate people to contribute to the front page.  Kevin is one of them.

And by the way, Kevin is writing and contributing to roughly half a million different sites and podcasts.  Dude is working it to get his stuff out there.

Got to appreciate that hustle and grind!

[The One]

I like Murray...79 out of 100 is very nice.

But, right now, he's my third choice for the #3

1. Bender
2. Brown
3. Murray

[Kuberski33]

Coach Cal continues to promote his guys and his program, can't blame him for that.  However he has coached elite NBA talent and the game today is all about the 3, which is obviously a weakness right now for the Celtics.  They have to be taking a long, hard look at this guy and it looks like they are.

I'm fine with there being a log jam at guard for the time being.  With the trend of small ball right now, talent trumps position.  And it won't be hard for a great shooter to get lots of minutes on this team. (I can't get the Atlanta series out of my head obviously...)

[Evantime34]

Coach Cal continues to promote his guys and his program, can't blame him for that.  However he has coached elite NBA talent and the game today is all about the 3, which is obviously a weakness right now for the Celtics.  They have to be taking a long, hard look at this guy and it looks like they are.

I'm fine with there being a log jam at guard for the time being.  With the trend of small ball right now, talent trumps position.  And it won't be hard for a great shooter to get lots of minutes on this team. (I can't get the Atlanta series out of my head obviously...)

Having a second unit featuring Rozier, Murray and Smart would be a whole lot of fun. We could replace Turner's minutes with a combination of Rozier and Murray and the log jam wouldn't even be that bad. Smart would have to defend 3's in that lineup, but I think he can handle back up 3's.