I loved his aggression, but it was evident that passing wasn’t even on his mind throughout the game… I guess in the end he has to respect the people he is playing with and against. He had a “I’m the best player in this building” swag going…and know one proved him wrong.
I like that parker comparison, but Bayless’ J has never been in question. I was impressed by his conditioning above all. He was non stop and even was showing some toughness on D.
He is a good look. Let’s hope for Portland’s sake Brandon Roy, Oden, Webster, and all are not looking to score this year…Not saying dude is selfish, but passing is clearly a 3rd/4th option…Coach Nate did say he was letting him cut loose though…
whyyyyyy didnt the knicks take him…hes worked with steve nash b4 and had a sit down wit the pringles can man and i think he wooda been a perfect fit i was praying for the sonics not to take him..hes gunna make 13 teams look really stupid for passin on him
Maybe he wasn’t looking to pass as much because its summer league or because he was the best player on his team. Against some quicker, smaller teams I can see the blazers playing bayless at the two and Roy at the three and Blake if he’s still there facilitating the offense. That could work better than using bayless at point guard. Unlike many DIME readers prior to the draft I was high on bayless. I think he could thrive in the right situation but I’m not sure being a full time point is one of them. One thing is for sure though he will get buckets.
OK - sure Bayless scored but anyone can score in summer league (Anthony Robertson - 22pts? Bellinelli 30pts).
I’m holding off judgement until Bayless proves to be more than an undersized shooting guard. Until then I’m thinking he is a younger version of Ben Gordon.
Let me just add that luckily enough for the blazers they have ego less, high character guys (oden, Roy, aldridge, Webster) who do not totally care about scoring. So as long as bayless isn’t being a complete ball hog ala mo Williams they should be fine with him scoring. The blazers could very well be the most selfless young team in the league.
larry bird is an idiot. his trades are the worst in the league.
about the selfish thing. with a coach like nate mcmillan, there won’t be any ballhogging. otherwise they just won’t play.
1. I think Bayless is more Ben Gordon than Parker, but if he’s a consistent version of BG than that’s gonna be a problem for teams playing Portland.
2. Even if you believe that “anyone” can score in summer league, that doesn’t mean a 28-point outing in your first (kinda) pro game is meaningless. If he’d gone 1-for-15 would anyone be saying, “It’s just summer league. Anyone can defend.”
I like bayless a lot, but kobeef is correct. Scoring in summer really doesn’t mean anything, my man Marcus Banks scored 42 in a game last summer.
However, Bayless is the truth. P town is looking at a 4 or 5 seed in the west. Take it to the bank
@Spliff
It is harder to rank all guards than to rank the PG and SG prospects so I’ll go with two lists of my best pro propsects (not sure about the star label yet)
PG’s
1. Wesbrook - better shooter than Rose and a very under-rated floor general (led the conference in assists while Collision was out). Plus he’s in a great position to get lots of PT in OKC.
2. Rose - Great leader but there are real concerns about his shot which is important for a PG.
3. Mario Chalmers - this guy just seems like a solid, all around pro. Nice shooter, great playmaker and a better athlete than expected.
SG’s
1. OJ Mayo - Mayo plays like a star. An outside bet for Rookie of the Year.
2. Brandon Rush - second coming of Eddie Jones. I like the Pacers trade to get him. He is a prototype 2 guard with a great shot, length, athleticism and plays great d.
3. J.R. Giddens - Lottery talent with 2nd round personality issues. KG will show him the way. Amare fell in the draft for the same reason and we know how that turned out.
I too am very impressed with Westbrook, I too think he’s going to be very good, maybe a future superstar. But to put him above Derrick Rose? Come one man, that’s just an ‘edgy’ choice to be different and offbeat. If Chicago had even entertained choosing him over Rose, about 99% of the sports community would brand them insane…
To be a little more especific, I actually think Rose has greater skills all around than Westbrook, but that’s not even the point. Don’t undervalue leadership. To a certain extent, leadership is everything. The will to win will almost always surpass the skill to play.
Bayless is going to be great for the blazers. He will fill the aggressive, hard nosed scorer role off the bench for the blazers that JJ did last year. And I can tell you right now, BAYLESS is much better than JJ.
As for scoring not meaning anything in summer league, ya’ll are absolutely correct. Every year there are a handful of dudes that kill in summer league and then don’t do ish in the regular season. Summer league is useful, however, for looking at HOW a player gets his, not what he gets. What we can learn from Bayless so far is that he is an aggressive player who can get to the rim and draw fouls. He doesn’t settle for jump shots (at least not yet, even I have to admit it’s only been one game). So, regardless of the 28 pts or how meaningless scoring is in summer league, Bayless proved a lot last night. He’s gonna be a baller, count on it.
I’m not saying Wesbrook looks better just to piss people off.
What I’m really saying is that I don’t think there will be much difference between Westbrook and Rose. To me they are pretty much equal in every area except shooting where Wesbrook seems better and that pushes him ahead.
I think Clay Bennet is a scumbag but the Thunderbirds have done a nice job with the draft the past 2 years (that’s my bet on the OKC team name)
2008 - Westbrook, Ibaka, White, Hardin
2007 - Durant, Green
I guess his “short arms” didn’t have too much to do with his ability to get to the basket. I want to see him get more separation on his shots before we make Ben Gordon comparisons. He just keep attacking off the dribble yesterday. Ben gets buckets from all over the place when he is dialed in.
Well ok, I respect your opinion, of course. I still think the ‘X-factor’, the ‘winner’s mentality’ aspect is much, much stronger in Rose and that sets them world’s apart. But hey, to each his own. I’m just glad there are places when people can have a discussion without idiotic insults…
July 15th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Luigi says:
im tellin you. Agent Zero 2.0
Jerryd Bayless
July 15th, 2008 at 10:11 am
dj ho says:
Looks like Indiana really stuffed up with the Rush trade.
Could they have played TJ Ford and Bayless together in the backcourt?
July 15th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Ninja cool says:
I see the 2nd coming of Tony Parker. That teardrop is wicked!
July 15th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Kudabeen says:
I loved his aggression, but it was evident that passing wasn’t even on his mind throughout the game… I guess in the end he has to respect the people he is playing with and against. He had a “I’m the best player in this building” swag going…and know one proved him wrong.
I like that parker comparison, but Bayless’ J has never been in question. I was impressed by his conditioning above all. He was non stop and even was showing some toughness on D.
He is a good look. Let’s hope for Portland’s sake Brandon Roy, Oden, Webster, and all are not looking to score this year…Not saying dude is selfish, but passing is clearly a 3rd/4th option…Coach Nate did say he was letting him cut loose though…
July 15th, 2008 at 10:54 am
s.bucketz says:
whyyyyyy didnt the knicks take him…hes worked with steve nash b4 and had a sit down wit the pringles can man and i think he wooda been a perfect fit i was praying for the sonics not to take him..hes gunna make 13 teams look really stupid for passin on him
July 15th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Maybe he wasn’t looking to pass as much because its summer league or because he was the best player on his team. Against some quicker, smaller teams I can see the blazers playing bayless at the two and Roy at the three and Blake if he’s still there facilitating the offense. That could work better than using bayless at point guard. Unlike many DIME readers prior to the draft I was high on bayless. I think he could thrive in the right situation but I’m not sure being a full time point is one of them. One thing is for sure though he will get buckets.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Kobeef says:
Wow - you guys are in love with this guy.
OK - sure Bayless scored but anyone can score in summer league (Anthony Robertson - 22pts? Bellinelli 30pts).
I’m holding off judgement until Bayless proves to be more than an undersized shooting guard. Until then I’m thinking he is a younger version of Ben Gordon.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Let me just add that luckily enough for the blazers they have ego less, high character guys (oden, Roy, aldridge, Webster) who do not totally care about scoring. So as long as bayless isn’t being a complete ball hog ala mo Williams they should be fine with him scoring. The blazers could very well be the most selfless young team in the league.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
@kobeef
Who would you consider the best of the guards drafted this year? Or who is the most likely to be the future star at that position?
July 15th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Damon says:
larry bird is an idiot. his trades are the worst in the league.
about the selfish thing. with a coach like nate mcmillan, there won’t be any ballhogging. otherwise they just won’t play.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Austin Burton says:
1. I think Bayless is more Ben Gordon than Parker, but if he’s a consistent version of BG than that’s gonna be a problem for teams playing Portland.
2. Even if you believe that “anyone” can score in summer league, that doesn’t mean a 28-point outing in your first (kinda) pro game is meaningless. If he’d gone 1-for-15 would anyone be saying, “It’s just summer league. Anyone can defend.”
3. Did the studio host call him “Gerald”?
July 15th, 2008 at 11:46 am
MoxWestCoastRep says:
I like bayless a lot, but kobeef is correct. Scoring in summer really doesn’t mean anything, my man Marcus Banks scored 42 in a game last summer.
However, Bayless is the truth. P town is looking at a 4 or 5 seed in the west. Take it to the bank
July 15th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Kobeef says:
@Spliff
It is harder to rank all guards than to rank the PG and SG prospects so I’ll go with two lists of my best pro propsects (not sure about the star label yet)
PG’s
1. Wesbrook - better shooter than Rose and a very under-rated floor general (led the conference in assists while Collision was out). Plus he’s in a great position to get lots of PT in OKC.
2. Rose - Great leader but there are real concerns about his shot which is important for a PG.
3. Mario Chalmers - this guy just seems like a solid, all around pro. Nice shooter, great playmaker and a better athlete than expected.
SG’s
1. OJ Mayo - Mayo plays like a star. An outside bet for Rookie of the Year.
2. Brandon Rush - second coming of Eddie Jones. I like the Pacers trade to get him. He is a prototype 2 guard with a great shot, length, athleticism and plays great d.
3. J.R. Giddens - Lottery talent with 2nd round personality issues. KG will show him the way. Amare fell in the draft for the same reason and we know how that turned out.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Quedas says:
@Kobeef
I too am very impressed with Westbrook, I too think he’s going to be very good, maybe a future superstar. But to put him above Derrick Rose? Come one man, that’s just an ‘edgy’ choice to be different and offbeat. If Chicago had even entertained choosing him over Rose, about 99% of the sports community would brand them insane…
To be a little more especific, I actually think Rose has greater skills all around than Westbrook, but that’s not even the point. Don’t undervalue leadership. To a certain extent, leadership is everything. The will to win will almost always surpass the skill to play.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
ejay225 says:
Bayless is going to be great for the blazers. He will fill the aggressive, hard nosed scorer role off the bench for the blazers that JJ did last year. And I can tell you right now, BAYLESS is much better than JJ.
As for scoring not meaning anything in summer league, ya’ll are absolutely correct. Every year there are a handful of dudes that kill in summer league and then don’t do ish in the regular season. Summer league is useful, however, for looking at HOW a player gets his, not what he gets. What we can learn from Bayless so far is that he is an aggressive player who can get to the rim and draw fouls. He doesn’t settle for jump shots (at least not yet, even I have to admit it’s only been one game). So, regardless of the 28 pts or how meaningless scoring is in summer league, Bayless proved a lot last night. He’s gonna be a baller, count on it.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Kobeef says:
@Quedas
I’m not saying Wesbrook looks better just to piss people off.
What I’m really saying is that I don’t think there will be much difference between Westbrook and Rose. To me they are pretty much equal in every area except shooting where Wesbrook seems better and that pushes him ahead.
I think Clay Bennet is a scumbag but the Thunderbirds have done a nice job with the draft the past 2 years (that’s my bet on the OKC team name)
2008 - Westbrook, Ibaka, White, Hardin
2007 - Durant, Green
July 15th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Kudabeen says:
I guess his “short arms” didn’t have too much to do with his ability to get to the basket. I want to see him get more separation on his shots before we make Ben Gordon comparisons. He just keep attacking off the dribble yesterday. Ben gets buckets from all over the place when he is dialed in.
July 15th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Quedas says:
@Kobeef
Well ok, I respect your opinion, of course. I still think the ‘X-factor’, the ‘winner’s mentality’ aspect is much, much stronger in Rose and that sets them world’s apart. But hey, to each his own. I’m just glad there are places when people can have a discussion without idiotic insults…