Pro Shockers?

[Ashockalypse]

I think a couple of things are true:

- The Knicks are not a good organization. Dolan and Jackson have made some head-scratching decisions, and while picking Cle may have been a reasonable risk to take, it hasn't worked out well. Aside from that move, they're trying to run the triangle, which A) they don't have the personnel for and B) is somewhat outdated even if you do have the right personnel for it.

- Cle's game, as tough of a matchup as it made him in the college game, just does not translate well to the NBA. He isn't quick/athletic enough to guard most 3s, and isn't big/physical enough to guard most 4s. And in the limited time he's seen on the court, his offensive performance has not been good (26.3% from 3, 40% from 2, 15% Turnover percentage). And the incident after he left the club this winter certainly raises questions for clubs about whether he has his head screwed on right enough for them to take a risk on him.

I do hope, for his sake, that he surrounds himself with the right people and looks at all options going forward, including Europe. He can make a LOT of money there if he so desires and do what he loves.

How do you make the determination that CLE was a "risk" relative to anyone else in the draft? As I remember, it was projected that he could have gone 10 or 11 spaces higher. Also, did you work in the NBA? What are your qualifications as a talent scout.

[Ashockalypse]

Phil Jackson gives some praise for Cle. Unfortunately, it's while saying Cle happened to be a part of his biggest mistake he made since being with the Knicks. http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles...ng-jae-crowder


I think if that were really his biggest mistake, the Knicks wouldn't have been one of the worst teams in the NBA for several years running.

. CLE barely got a chance. To lay off any of their troubles on him is a joke.

[Kel Varnsen]

How do you make the determination that CLE was a "risk" relative to anyone else in the draft? As I remember, it was projected that he could have gone 10 or 11 spaces higher. Also, did you work in the NBA? What are your qualifications as a talent scout.

Well, due to the fact that an organization invests time and money in to draft picks, every player selected is a "risk". Regardless, there were questions raised about how his game would translate to the NBA while he was in college, including his size, ability to defend, decision-making, and consistency. And since when do I have to be an NBA scout to offer my opinion?

The Knicks were the second-worst team he could have gone to, only to the Lakers. Bad culture, no clear direction, out-of-touch management and coaching staff.

Some excerpts from evaluation sites:

From NBADraft.net:

Strengths: Early is a versatile combo forward with a natural inclination for scoring (16 PPG) ... He’s a terrific athlete at 6’8 with clean movements, good quickness and explosive vertical bounce ... An active mover without the ball, he uses that athleticism to slash & finish around the bucket ... While offensive rebound output is down (2.3 to 1.4), it’s unquestionably an area he can impose his presence ... Early is comfortable receiving the ball with his back to the basket where he can elevate over defenders (high release) or utilize a quick spin baseline ... He’s advanced his shooting range – 1.7 makes and 3.5% jump in accuracy – but still a mid-range weapon first and foremost ... 85% free throw shooter. No apparent fundamental flaws in his release, but does bring the ball from low to high ... Most effective off catch & shoot, can serve as floor stretcher off pick and roll ... He’s playing with improved confidence and game in, game out consistency as a senior (two single-digit efforts, both in blowouts) ... Possesses all the tools to be a solid perimeter defender when fully engaged; moves well laterally and doesn’t gamble ... Product of a winning program and coached up right by Gregg Marshall ... Early raised his game under the bright lights of the Final Four, posting a 24/10 (zero turnover) line against Louisville’s elite frontcourt.

Weaknesses: To occupy the 3-spot at the next level, Early needs to beef up his off-the-dribble dimension ... Ball handling and willingness to attack are on the incline, but he’s far from secure ... He avoids dribbling into tight quarters and creativity is lacking ... Not the best decision maker with ball in hand (2 TO); lacks a feel for passing. Range shooting is steadier at 35%, but he shouldn't be attempting 5 three's per game in college. At 220 pounds (tops) with a 6’9 wingspan, defending against NBA 4’s is a bit of a pipedream ... He’s bulked up some since arriving from JC – particularly core and lower body strength. More hard yards are required in order to stand firm in post defense ... Tendency to get caught watching the action (when not the primary defender) is disconcerting. Awareness and focus can be suspect. Early has a plethora of skills, but a few major limitations have earned him the label of tweener ... He’ll turn 23 in April putting a cap on his physical upside. Nevertheless, as Wichita keep winning, Early keeps climbing draft boards.

From DraftExpress:

Early has good physical tools for a NBA small forward, but only average ones if he's projected to play the only position he's ever played in college, power forward. He's listed at 6-8 by Wichita State, but was measured 6-7 in shoes at the Kevin Durant Skills Academy in the summer of 2013. His wingspan was measured 6-9 there, which is average for a NBA small forward and well below average for a power forward.

He has a strong frame (219 pounds) and very good athleticism to compensate for that, though, with really nice quickness and leaping ability which he regularly takes advantage of from different spots on the floor.

Early was one of the best scorers in college basketball, averaging 24.5 points per-40 minutes pace adjusted, the fifth best rate among prospects in our Top-100 Prospects rankings. He's a fairly versatile scorer who Wichita State utilized in many different ways this season, be it in transition, posting up, shooting from the perimeter, as a cutter, and attacking the basket in a straight line. Not only did he score prolifically, he was also extremely efficient (58% 2P%, 38% 3P%, 84% FT%). His 64% True Shooting percentage ranks seventh among Top-100 Prospects.

Early is a solid shooter with his feet set, making 39% of his catch and shoot attempts on the season, up from 31% last season. He's done a good job of working on his previously very poor shooting mechanics to make this a real weapon in his game, but there are still some question marks about how this might translate to the NBA 3-point line.

Early shoots a very flat jumper, almost a line-drive, which doesn't give him a great deal of room for error. His mechanics can get a little sloppy at times as he doesn't always shoot it the same way, contorting his body sideways and displaying somewhat of a hitch at the end sometimes, so he'll have to continue to polish this part of his game, particularly in terms of expanding his range. Early is almost exclusively a catch and shoot jump-shooter, as he almost never shoots off the dribble (only 12 times this season, down from 20 the previous year), which is part of the reason his 2P% is so high.

Early is also capable of taking advantage of mismatches that are presented to him. If a weaker player is guarding him, he will go into the post and use his strong frame to make deep catches and either finish or draw a foul. If a slower power forward is guarding him, he can attack the rim with a quick first step and bully through opponents in a straight line. He shows nice toughness and does a great job of finishing aggressively through contact, and gets to the free throw line over 7 times per-40 minutes pace adjusted. He's also very effective in transition, sprinting the lanes hard and beating opponents down the floor.

On the downside, Early's skill-level is still very much a work in progress, which is a little disconcerting considering he's one of the older players projected to be drafted. Under 8% of his offense came in one on one situations, as his ball-handling skills are rudimentary at best, particularly with his left hand, and he's an extremely poor passer with a questionable feel for the game.

Early's 6.1% assist percentage is shockingly low for a player who is projected to see some time playing on the perimeter. The only small forwards drafted with a lower assist percentage in our database spanning back to 2001 (who played over 20 minutes per game in that college season) are Lazar Hayward, Al Thornton, Shabazz Muhammad, Dahntay Jones, Deshaun Thomas, Bobby Jones, Damion James and Maurice Ager. Even for a power forward that's a fairly low rate. In two seasons of college basketball he dished out 50 assists in 1966 minutes, which is about one for every 40 minutes he plays.

Starting his college career playing against lower-level division three junior college competition probably didn't do him many favors with his development, as he forces up tough shots in traffic and leaves a lot to be desired with the awareness and decision making skills he shows.

Defensively, Early will have an adjustment to make at the NBA level as well. Even though he can bend his knees and gets into an active stance, he struggles to stay in front of opposing players on the perimeter, getting blown by off the dribble far more often than you'd hope. While he has some nice moments on occasion, using his athleticism to make plays at the rim (1.2 blocks per-40) and in the passing lanes (1.2 steals per-40), he plays on his heels and loses his focus too easily, losing track of his man and struggling off the ball.

Early's status as the best player on one of the top teams in college basketball this season speaks for itself, as does the incredible improvement he made from the absolute lowest levels of organized college basketball to today.

While he's one of the oldest players projected to get drafted (he turns 23 on April 17th), the unique route he took and the progress he's made in the last two seasons will be encouraging to some NBA teams. While there is plenty to be skeptical about, it certainly won't hurt him that he played the best and last game of his career in a very memorable match-up against a future lottery pick in Julius Randle, posting 31 points on 12-17 shooting (4-6 3P). Wichita State's strength of schedule left a lot to be desired, so that outing could validate the season he had in the eyes of some NBA decision makers.

One thing this does tell me: Coaching, especially at the college level, REALLY matters. Marshall was able to hide some of his weaknesses due to strategy and the good personnel we had alongside Early. But also, some guys' games just don't translate to the next level, even though they're incredible college players.

[AZ Shocker]

I still believe Cle in a NBA'er and has a lot more game to offer the league. Just not with the Knicks.

[mjbaker84]

Is he getting any interest in the nba right now?

[chitown_shocker]

http://www.kake.com/story/32831561/r...h-timberwolves

"The Timberwolves have signed Murry to bring him to camp and give him a shot at a roster spot,"

"You could possibly catch Murry in action as the T-Wolves play a preseason game Saturday, Oct. 8 against Miami at the Sprint Center in Kansas City."

Thibs is a great match four Toure. I'm not sure what the TWolves roster looks like so far, but Murrys D will help his case.

[Wurdaddy]

A little bit on Cle.

http://theoneandonlysportsblog.sportsblog.com/posts/25470506/knicks-giving-up-on-cleanthony-early-.html

[Dan]

It would probably be in his best interest to be on a team that could use his skillset

[shockerfan34]

Tekele is headed back to Germany for a second year with MHP Riesen. Wes Washpun is also on their roster this season.

[MadaboutWu]

Tekele is headed back to Germany for a second year with MHP Riesen. Wes Washpun is also on their roster this season.

That will make a pretty salty backcourt!

[shock]

That will make a pretty salty backcourt!

Nah, I hear that pineapple is a staple in Germany.

[ShockdaWorld]

I read last night that the Knicks have gone ahead and filled out their 15 player roster with guaranteed contracts, which by all appearances leaves Ron on the outside looking in before training camp even starts. I hope that's not the case, but when you consider it's the Knicks, would anyone be surprised to see them doing something that leaves everyone else scratching their head?

[WUpigsooie]

I read last night that the Knicks have gone ahead and filled out their 15 player roster with guaranteed contracts, which by all appearances leaves Ron on the outside looking in before training camp even starts. I hope that's not the case, but when you consider it's the Knicks, would anyone be surprised to see them doing something that leaves everyone else scratching their head?

I refuse to believe that there isn't a place for Ron Baker in a league where Matthew Dellavedova is apparently worth 10mil a year.

[wu_shizzle]

I refuse to believe that there isn't a place for Ron Baker in a league where Matthew Dellavedova is apparently worth 10mil a year.

Preach.

[XManCometh]

I read last night that the Knicks have gone ahead and filled out their 15 player roster with guaranteed contracts, which by all appearances leaves Ron on the outside looking in before training camp even starts. I hope that's not the case, but when you consider it's the Knicks, would anyone be surprised to see them doing something that leaves everyone else scratching their head?

He was probably going to the NBDL no matter what. But the Knicks have so many old and terrible perimeter players that he'll most likely get a taste of the NBA a few times this year. Showing he can play a good point guard in the D-League is what's going to set him apart from everyone else. A 6'3" PG who can defend like Baker is valuable in the NBA.