When is Anthony Davis going to wake up

[retaxis]

Quite the contrary in my opinion star player bigs typically dominate more defensively when they are young as opposed to offensively. Offence is learned and perfected over time e.g hakeem, dwight. Defence in basketball is just hustle

[SwishSquared]

I don't think many people expected AD to be DPoY. His offensive game is more advanced than his defensive game at this point. It's very rare for a player to dominate on defense in his young 20's. Star players develop slower defensively than offensively usually, there hasn't been that many players who have won DPOY while under 25 years of age.

I think there were a few media guys pushing the DPoY talk. I don't think he's not a game-changed on D, but the overall team needs to be good on D for a guy to be named the best defensive player. Or his defensive stats have to jump off the page. They didn't last season (if memory serves correct) and I wouldn't expect them to this year.

I'd be shocked if AD doesn't win both an MVP and DPoY (in separate seasons most likely) in his career but I don't think this is the season he gets either.

[warriorfan]

I think there were a few media guys pushing the DPoY talk. I don't think he's not a game-changed on D, but the overall team needs to be good on D for a guy to be named the best defensive player. Or his defensive stats have to jump off the page. They didn't last season (if memory serves correct) and I wouldn't expect them to this year.

I'd be shocked if AD doesn't win both an MVP and DPoY (in separate seasons most likely) in his career but I don't think this is the season he gets either.

Agreed on all your points. I don't think it's smart for media guys pushing the DPoY talk this early for AD though. He has the potential but he just hasn't shown it to us yet, but I believe he will get there eventually. (Which is understandable because like I said, bigs don't usually walk into the league dominating on defense, it takes them a few years.)

[SwishSquared]

I do agree with this. His inability to create his own offense is a big reason why I think people were too quick to crown him the next big thing.

I have no problem crowning him the next big thing but people need to realize he still has flaws. You clearly get that and others in this thread see it. The good news is his obvious abilities clearly outweigh his few flaws the majority of the time.

People forget this guy needs a real team around him, especially since he relies on a playmaker to set him up for most of his looks.

I'm also a bit salty that the Pelicans didn't rebuild properly and traded 3 first rounders, Vasquez (who was traded for a first round pick this offseason), and RoLo to acquire Jrue, Tyreke, and Asik. This team otherwise would be swimming in young talent and cap space in the coming years.

[outbreak]

I have no problem crowning him the next big thing but people need to realize he still has flaws. You clearly get that and others in this thread see it. The good news is his obvious abilities clearly outweigh his few flaws the majority of the time.

People forget this guy needs a real team around him, especially since he relies on a playmaker to set him up for most of his looks.

I'm also a bit salty that the Pelicans didn't rebuild properly and traded 3 first rounders, Vasquez (who was traded for a first round pick this offseason), and RoLo to acquire Jrue, Tyreke, and Asik. This team otherwise would be swimming in young talent and cap space in the coming years.

Agree. It's frustrating they tried to rush the rebuild by taking mediocre players. Would have rather they built a solid young core for Davis even if it meant missing the play offs for a few years.

[Jameerthefear]

davis isn't really an impactful defender yet. he'll never be that "dwight" super level defender imo

[SwishSquared]

Agreed on all your points. I don't think it's smart for media guys pushing the DPoY talk this early for AD though. He has the potential but he just hasn't shown it to us yet, but I believe he will get there eventually. (Which is understandable because like I said, bigs don't usually walk into the league dominating on defense, it takes them a few years.)

I don't disagree with it taking some bigs time to develop into dominant defensive players. There are exceptions, such as Gobert (in his second year broke out), Nerlens Noel (had a great defensive season as a rookie). I just think it depends on what your specialty is, I guess, as you enter the league.

Also, AD was #2 amongst PFs last year in DPM, if you put stock into that stat. He's good at defense, if not great, already. But New Orleans wasn't that great defensively last season, mostly due to missing Jrue and not having a real wing defender until they traded for Q-Pon.

[warriorfan]

davis isn't really an impactful defender yet. he'll never be that "dwight" super level defender imo

Well it's not going that far out on a limb to say that he wont be as good as one of the best defenders of all time.

Davis shouldn't strive to emulate Dwight, he should strive to emulate Garnett. He might not be the leaper that Dwight is but Davis has better lateral movement. He should aim to master defending the pick and roll rather than trying to be an old fashioned rim protector. It not only suits his abilities better but it is the better overall option in defending against modern day offenses.

[Jameerthefear]

Well it's not going that far out on a limb to say that he wont be as good as one of the best defenders of all time.

Davis shouldn't strive to emulate Dwight, he should strive to emulate Garnett. He might not be the leaper that Dwight is but Davis has better lateral movement. He should aim to master defending the pick and roll rather than trying to be an old fashioned rim protector. It not only suits his abilities better but it is the better overall option in defending against modern day offenses.

Well Dwight was the best PnR defender in the L for several years but I see where you're coming from. He's still doing well now, blocking a ton of shots

[warriorfan]

I don't disagree with it taking some bigs time to develop into dominant defensive players. There are exceptions, such as Gobert (in his second year broke out), Nerlens Noel (had a great defensive season as a rookie). I just think it depends on what your specialty is, I guess, as you enter the league.

Also, AD was #2 amongst PFs last year in DPM, if you put stock into that stat. He's good at defense, if not great, already. But New Orleans wasn't that great defensively last season, mostly due to missing Jrue and not having a real wing defender until they traded for Q-Pon.

You are right, they did have a shaky make up defensively if you remove Jrue and Pondexter who were their best wing defenders. While I respect the DPM metrics, I would like to see AD lead his squad to a legit defense before he gets touted as an elite defensive player.

[SwishSquared]

Agree. It's frustrating they tried to rush the rebuild by taking mediocre players. Would have rather they built a solid young core for Davis even if it meant missing the play offs for a few years.

They did so many things wrong. It's literally what Cleveland did the first time they had LBJ. They traded picks and acquired vets on multi-year deals and handicapped flexibility. Like you said, it would have required patience, but this team would be so much better off for it.

That same summer that they got Jrue & Tyreke they could have taken GSW's garbage in the Iggy S&T. Utah got 2 firsts and 2 second rounders out of that. Rodney Hood was one of those picks and is already a contributor. If Exum didn't tear his ACL, he would have been starting at SG over Burks (just starting a $11M/yr extension fwiw). He's still starting, but I think Burks is too out of necessity.

They could have nabbed Dudley + a future Clippers first when Doc dumped him last summer. They could have traded Dudley to a contender midyear.

They obviously blew trading the Noel pick + future first for Jrue. They wouldn't have needed Asik then (and would have likely had a lotto pick this past draft).

If they didn't get Tyreke, I think they finish with worse than the 9th worst record or w/e in 2013-2014. Their draft position likely wouldn't have been 10th. If they didn't get Tyrke, they could have gotten better value for RoLo and Vasquez.

This team should have had room for 2 max deals next summer and should have had Noel + 2 more lotto picks. All because an owner mandated they make a playoff push

[warriorfan]

Well Dwight was the best PnR defender in the L for several years but I see where you're coming from. He's still doing well now, blocking a ton of shots

Yeah, if anything he could aim to be a Dwight/Garnett hybrid and change the game. The potential is there. A lot of the time we try to pigeon hole players into certain categories based on their prior peers when no two players are exactly alike when it's all said and done.

[warriorfan]

They did so many things wrong. It's literally what Cleveland did the first time they had LBJ. They traded picks and acquired vets on multi-year deals and handicapped flexibility. Like you said, it would have required patience, but this team would be so much better off for it.

That same summer that they got Jrue & Tyreke they could have taken GSW's garbage in the Iggy S&T. Utah got 2 firsts and 2 second rounders out of that. Rodney Hood was one of those picks and is already a contributor. If Exum didn't tear his ACL, he would have been starting at SG over Burks (just starting a $11M/yr extension fwiw). He's still starting, but I think Burks is too out of necessity.

They could have nabbed Dudley + a future Clippers first when Doc dumped him last summer. They could have traded Dudley to a contender midyear.

They obviously blew trading the Noel pick + future first for Jrue. They wouldn't have needed Asik then (and would have likely had a lotto pick this past draft).

If they didn't get Tyreke, I think they finish with worse than the 9th worst record or w/e in 2013-2014. Their draft position likely wouldn't have been 10th. If they didn't get Tyrke, they could have gotten better value for RoLo and Vasquez.

This team should have had room for 2 max deals next summer and should have had Noel + 2 more lotto picks. All because an owner mandated they make a playoff push

Good things come to those who wait. And also to those whom are not Pelican fans.

[SwishSquared]

Good things come to those who wait. And also to those whom are not Pelican fans.

New Orleans bball fans have been shafted by ownership for the most part for years now. Even during the CP3 era.

Stern arranged for the rebuild at least. Who knows where this team would be if he didn't do that.

Also agree with you in regards to AD showing he can lead a defense before anybody crowns him DPoY.

[Marchesk]

Remember last season at some point when AD was sporting something like a 38 PER and all the ISH talk was how he was going to blow Wilt's PER record out of the water?