Ron Baker was a Knick, and now is a Wizard!

[proshox]

He needs to make open threes. Do that and he plays for big money.

[Aargh]

The Knicks are a guaranteed player over their roster limit. The Knicks have too many guards and may be looking for another post player.

Baker has a tendency to always do the right thing on the floor. He's also a pretty solid defender. The downside is that his 3 isn't falling. He's been a fan favorite and a locker room plus, but the NYC fans could turn on him in a heartbeat if he has another season below 35% from 3.

Hornacek seemed willing to give Baker a chance to get his shot falling. With Hornacek gone, Baker becomes a borderline roster player. Borderline roster payers who get injured in their second season don't have much of a history of sticking around the NBA.

[ArtVandalay]

NBA salary cap rules makes it easy for teams to love young guys. They are cheap ways to fill back end roster spots. The more years you accrue, the more teams have to pay you.

It's no coincidence guys like Toure and Cle were able to find roster spots for 1-3 years but then haven't been heard from since. You better prove yourself early or teams will move on to cheaper talent. The NBA is by far the hardest sport to stick around. Roster sizes of just 15 and 60 draftees a year leads to a lot of turnover at the end of the bench.

If Ron doesn't prove himself this year, his NBA career is likely over, however, he'll have done pretty dang well for himself and could still make a good living over seas playing ball or whatever else he decides to do.

[jdshock]

NBA salary cap rules makes it easy for teams to love young guys. They are cheap ways to fill back end roster spots. The more years you accrue, the more teams have to pay you.

It's no coincidence guys like Toure and Cle were able to find roster spots for 1-3 years but then haven't been heard from since. You better prove yourself early or teams will move on to cheaper talent. The NBA is by far the hardest sport to stick around. Roster sizes of just 15 and 60 draftees a year leads to a lot of turnover at the end of the bench.

If Ron doesn't prove himself this year, his NBA career is likely over, however, he'll have done pretty dang well for himself and could still make a good living over seas playing ball or whatever else he decides to do.

Yeah, Ron is going to have to show a lot of promise this year. Ultimately, he knows that though, which is probably partly why he's focused so much on promoting his personal brand. Even if he doesn't get picked up by an NBA team, he's going to be in a great position to get into media, coaching, or just play overseas.

I do think the stats for NFL players are actually slightly worse, though. The average career length in the NBA is around 5 years, depending on the source, but NFL careers are just a little over 3 years. Plus the NFL players are likely to have much more serious injuries and they made significantly less than the comparable NBA player. After 3 years in the NBA, you also get a $60k pension. It's not going to be make or break if Ron plays his cards right elsewhere, but it's certainly a nice added benefit.

[ArtVandalay]

I do think the stats for NFL players are actually slightly worse, though. The average career length in the NBA is around 5 years, depending on the source, but NFL careers are just a little over 3 years. Plus the NFL players are likely to have much more serious injuries and they made significantly less than the comparable NBA player. After 3 years in the NBA, you also get a $60k pension. It's not going to be make or break if Ron plays his cards right elsewhere, but it's certainly a nice added benefit.

I get what you're saying, but average career length isn't a good measure. My point was just that the numbers just dictate 15 roster spots for an NBA team vs 60 for NFL means fewer guys in the NBA and lessl of a chance to make it. Occasionally, you have a Brady or Manning ywho plays forever in the NFL, but NBA has guys like Dirk, Parker, Wade, Melo, LeBron etc who commonly play 15+ years in the league that drives that average career number up.

Regardless, I agree that whether or not Ron sticks beyond this season, he's done incredibly well for himself, and he seems very intelligent and capable in making decisions to insure he'll be fine moving forward. His camps and his book were great examples.

[C0|dB|00ded]

It's kind of sad what happened to Ron's shot. When he arrived at WSU he was one of the best pure shooters you've ever seen. All the lifting, physical play, and injuries may have taken a toll. Ron was a natural born sharp-shooter. It's a misuse of his talents to funnel all his energy to defense. But that is how HCGM teaches 'em. In a place like BloJay U, he'd have put up a couple dozen a night. No NCAA wins and probably no NBA though...


T


...:cool:

[pie n eye]

I’m not buying this at all. Klay Thompson, Heinrich, Danny Green, Avery Bradly - there are plenty of examples of guys who are above average shooters who also play tough D.

Ron is/was a good player because he is a hard worker, smart, and solid at pretty much every aspect of the game but he was never what I would call an above average shooter like Landry or Austin for example.

[C0|dB|00ded]

Klay Thompson is 6'7 and half black.

The fact that high energy expenditures are counterproductive to accurate shooting is undeniable. Of course you will find a few supremely athletic specimens who are exceptions to the rule playing in systems that accommodate them looking like they are giving 110% when they are merely cruising at 95. But in Gregg Marshall's world, defense is the first, second, and third option in the playbook.

Ron was exceptional in many ways for a white guy - big hands, long arms - but he wasn't lightning quick by any means. He had to bust his ass to keep his man in front of him. That ball starts feeling like a million pounds when you're trying to guard a brutha with jets for feet...

And LOL to the Austin comparisons. Austin Reeves couldn't carry Ron Baker's jock strap. SMMFH for even uttering the two names in the same sentence.

Ron Baker also played way better defense than Landry and it wasn't because he was as athletically gifted, it was because he just
worked harder... all to the detriment of his silky smooth jump shot he came to WSU with.


T


...:cool:

[pie n eye]

No question he was a better defender than both of those guys but I’m talking specifically about the idea that he came in as “one of the best pure shooters ever”. I just don’t think that’s true. He wasn’t a bad shooter but nowhere near the most pure shooter I’ve ever seen and definitely not as good a shooter as Austin Reaves.

They both played in Marshall’s system. Reaves gave just as much effort as Baker yet wasn’t as athletic and was nowhere near as strong. Yet Reaves managed to shoot 45+% from three in his Shocker career so I don’t buy the “he played harder than everyone else and it affected his shot to the point he went from an elite shooter to below average.”

[WstateU]

“The guy is Rambo”

“If he’s not first- or second-team All-American, I don’t know basketball,” Fraschilla said Sunday after providing analysis in Toronto for ESPN’s broadcasts.

Read more here: https://www.kansas.com/sports/colleg...#storylink=cpy

first-blood.jpg

[WstateU]

Ron Baker starring in Rambo VI...

i?img=%2Fmedia%2Fmotion%2F2018%2F0103%2Fdm_180103_NBA_One%2DPlay_Baker_broken_face%2Fdm_180103_NBA_One%2DPlay_Baker_broken_face.jpg

[C0|dB|00ded]

I'm sure equipment like that does wonders for Scott City's king's outside shot...

Now his shoulder is shot. Poor bastard.

Not that poor though...


T


...:cool:

[Mr. Obvious]

It's kind of sad what happened to Ron's shot. When he arrived at WSU he was one of the best pure shooters you've ever seen. All the lifting, physical play, and injuries may have taken a toll. Ron was a natural born sharp-shooter. It's a misuse of his talents to funnel all his energy to defense. But that is how HCGM teaches 'em. In a place like BloJay U, he'd have put up a couple dozen a night. No NCAA wins and probably no NBA though...


T


...:cool:

correct on no NCAA but Blojay U shooters flourish in the NBA. 5 of them on playing rosters.

[C0|dB|00ded]

That can't be true.


T


...:cool:

[Horn28Clem30]

Knicks cut Troy Williams today, appears RB's spot is safe.

[choida]

https://twitter.com/tayloreldridge/status/1020440770095001600?s=21

[Dave from Tulsa]

I happen to be up in town for business on Friday, as I usually try to do local site visits on Friday morning and catch some action in the afternoon. After my customary stop at the Doo-Dah, I meandered over to campus to see the court and caught a glance of Ron & Fred shooting. Worked my way down into the lower bowl and watched for awhile; I’m amazed by the range these gentlemen have! They were knocking down shots they could never could hit, with ridiculous consistency, while they wore Yellow & Black. I suppose when you play against the world’s best, your game will have to improve. I don’t think Ron’s shoulder is bothering him anymore because he’s dribbling and shooting like nothing ever happened. While I’ve watched them on the big screen plenty of time but I was amazed at how smaller they both are in person. I guess the camera really does add 10lbs pounds. Then again, 82 game seasons have to wear on someone and it looks like it definitely leaned both of these boys out. Good luck next year to both!

[C0|dB|00ded]

Gregg Marshall held practice Friday afternoon. Did you just meander into that too?


T


...:cool:

[wufan]

Shockers look like giants to the opposing fans, no doubt.

[Dave from Tulsa]

No I couldn’t make it. I approached a young coach with a Shocker polo on and asked what was going on today and he said the guys got a lift at 12:30 and had practice at 2:30. Said they’ve improved a lot over the course of the summer. 4-5 practices a week along with 2 a day weight training all summer.

[ShockerFever]

I happen to be up in town for business on Friday, as I usually try to do local site visits on Friday morning and catch some action in the afternoon. After my customary stop at the Doo-Dah, I meandered over to campus to see the court and caught a glance of Ron & Fred shooting. Worked my way down into the lower bowl and watched for awhile; I’m amazed by the range these gentlemen have! They were knocking down shots they could never could hit, with ridiculous consistency, while they wore Yellow & Black. I suppose when you play against the world’s best, your game will have to improve. I don’t think Ron’s shoulder is bothering him anymore because he’s dribbling and shooting like nothing ever happened. While I’ve watched them on the big screen plenty of time but I was amazed at how smaller they both are in person. I guess the camera really does add 10lbs pounds. Then again, 82 game seasons have to wear on someone and it looks like it definitely leaned both of these boys out. Good luck next year to both!

You’ll never be able to see NBA talent in Tulsa EVER.

Oh and GFY.

[Dave from Tulsa]

Differences aside, your right! Thus why I was so excited to see some future NBA stars hooping it up. I’m convinced that a team led by Ron & Fred in CKA could easily take on any former Tulsa 66ers team. Heck, if it wasn’t for Taylor posting something online, I wouldn’t have ever knew this was going on.

I wish our own coaches would post more “behind the schemes” action like many of the other basketball coaches do in our league. It’s almost like getting a chalk talk from some of these universities; almost like watching that Netflix Last Chance U show. Speaking of that, did the university ever air that documentary they were doing on our team?

[Dave from Tulsa]

Both of these guys would have had a great amount of film time when they were recording the documentary. It’d be a great experience if they were to release the tapes “Grass Roots U” about our 30-0 season and deep run in the tournament.

Did they ever announce it?