Russell to the Wolves?

[Monster]

It my opinion a large number of decision makers in the NBA would take Dunn over Russell at this point.

I agree with that.

Unless it was based on off the court concerns with Russell I would strongly disagree with them but that's my opinion.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Oh, man. I'll just say this. The vast majority of rookie point guards are trash their first year in the NBA. And Russell's numbers stack up well to some of the game's best when they were rookies.

You make some very ridiculous statements and don't put forth any facts to support your assertions. He was voted 10th for Rookie of Year. Obviously he didn't fare well given that he was taken 2nd overall. RPM which you claim you think is a good stat portrays him as a poor player. His True Shooting Percentage is not very good either. He had a lousy year, just admit it.

I fail to see how a popularity contest is a valid measurement of his performance in any capacity and using one stat as an all covering metric to player performance is bad as well. Here's another stat. He was second among all rookie guards in PER and was within 2 points of a league average player which is ahead of a majority of rookie performances every year. His efficiency was within 1 point of our own Andrew Wiggins' rookie year and was a full 2 points better than our own Zach Lavine. You seem to have no realistic barometer for rookie performance given that all you can come up with is he was the number two pick and he didn't finish his rookie year voted the second best player. You're judging a players career arc based on their rookie performance.

[Hicks123 [enjin:6700838]]

TeamRicky.....for someone that dislikes a guy (Russell) because of the way he behaves, and how he talks....you certainly carry yourself in a similar manner. You have become rude, condescending, and frankly....a complete jackass. Just thought you may want to know. Sometimes awareness isn't a strength for some folks. I think your PER for jack-ass-edness is somewhere well above league average.

[60WinTim]

Good thing Sauce this... We were running out of stuff to talk about! ;-)

I with LST - on the fence. But I also doubt there is much truth to the story, or at least accuracy.

[kekgeek]

Just in my opinion but I think it is terrible that in our society that a person that exposes infidelity is the one who gets in trouble and the one actually committing the act gets off easy. Just my opinion though

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

Oh, man. I'll just say this. The vast majority of rookie point guards are trash their first year in the NBA. And Russell's numbers stack up well to some of the game's best when they were rookies.

You make some very ridiculous statements and don't put forth any facts to support your assertions. He was voted 10th for Rookie of Year. Obviously he didn't fare well given that he was taken 2nd overall. RPM which you claim you think is a good stat portrays him as a poor player. His True Shooting Percentage is not very good either. He had a lousy year, just admit it.

I fail to see how a popularity contest is a valid measurement of his performance in any capacity and using one stat as an all covering metric to player performance is bad as well. Here's another stat. He was second among all rookie guards in PER and was within 2 points of a league average player which is ahead of a majority of rookie performances every year. His efficiency was within 1 point of our own Andrew Wiggins' rookie year and was a full 2 points better than our own Zach Lavine. You seem to have no realistic barometer for rookie performance given that all you can come up with is he was the number two pick and he didn't finish his rookie year voted the second best player. You're judging a players career arc based on their rookie performance.

Sportswriters vote for Rookie of the Year. I already quoted some stats-Real Plus Minus, Shooting Percentage and True Shooting Percentage that don't portray Russell very well. He hasn't been that impressive in his first year. A year ago I said he was very overrated and wasn't worthy of being our pick. I think we can find a player at 5 that has better upside and doesn't have the personal baggage that Russell has. Pass!

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I've already posted this before when it pertained to Russell, but since there's a new discussion about him, I'll re-post. I will state that I'm not super high on Per-36, but it's useful at times in the right context (starter/starter comparisons; not usually starter/bench player comparisons). We're looking at rookie seasons here because that's what's relevant.

D. Russell's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
16.8 points, 4.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 3.1 turnovers, 41.0 percent FG%, 35.1 percent 3P%

R. Westbrook's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
16.9 points, 5.9 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 3.7 turnovers, 39.8 percent FG%, 27.1 percent 3P%

Irving's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
21.8 points, 6.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 3.7 turnovers, 46.9 FG%, 39.9 3P%

Paul's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
16.1 points, 7.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 steals, 2.3 turnovers, 43.0 FG%, 28.2 3P

Harden's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
15.6 points, 2.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 2.2 turnovers, 40.3 FG%, 37.5 3P%

P. Hardaway's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
15.7 points, 6.5 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 3.5 turnovers, 46.6 FG%, 26.7 3P%

So, no, I don't see how Russell's rookie season was garbage. He also improved throughout the season. His talent level is still high and knocks on his character over one mistake is jumping the gun, IMO. Can we please remember that Russell got more flack than Young for that. You know, the guy who admittedly cheated on his fiancé, or whatever he was with that girl.

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

Just in my opinion but I think it is terrible that in our society that a person that exposes infidelity is the one who gets in trouble and the one actually committing the act gets off easy. Just my opinion though

I don't condone infidelity either, but betrayal of trust seems at least as, if not more, evil to me. If you confided in someone you considered a friend that you had done something you didn't want revealed and that person secretly taped it and allowed it to be fodder for the whole world, how would you feel?

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

TeamRicky.....for someone that dislikes a guy (Russell) because of the way he behaves, and how he talks....you certainly carry yourself in a similar manner. You have become rude, condescending, and frankly....a complete jackass. Just thought you may want to know. Sometimes awareness isn't a strength for some folks. I think your PER for jack-ass-edness is somewhere well above league average.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the last line. "PER for jack-ass-edness." Oh, man.

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

I've already posted this before when it pertained to Russell, but since there's a new discussion about him, I'll re-post. I will state that I'm not super high on Per-36, but it's useful at times in the right context (starter/starter comparisons; not usually starter/bench player comparisons). We're looking at rookie seasons here because that's what's relevant.

D. Russell's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
16.8 points, 4.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 3.1 turnovers, 41.0 percent FG%, 35.1 percent 3P%

R. Westbrook's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
16.9 points, 5.9 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 3.7 turnovers, 39.8 percent FG%, 27.1 percent 3P%

Irving's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
21.8 points, 6.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 3.7 turnovers, 46.9 FG%, 39.9 3P%

Paul's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
16.1 points, 7.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 steals, 2.3 turnovers, 43.0 FG%, 28.2 3P

Harden's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
15.6 points, 2.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 2.2 turnovers, 40.3 FG%, 37.5 3P%

P. Hardaway's Per-36 Minutes Averages:
15.7 points, 6.5 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 3.5 turnovers, 46.6 FG%, 26.7 3P%

So, no, I don't see how Russell's rookie season was garbage. He also improved throughout the season. His talent level is still high and knocks on his character over one mistake is jumping the gun, IMO. Can we please remember that Russell got more flack than Young for that. You know, the guy who admittedly cheated on his fiancé, or whatever he was with that girl.

All you showed me is that Westbrook's first year wasn't so great, but I'm still not impressed with Russell. I could find a collection of mediocre players and list their per 36 stats and compare Russell to them. Guys like Randy Foye and Rashad McCants arguably had better stats their first year. Ty Lawson had much better stats his first year. Brandon Jennings had a better first year. You also didn't address Russell's poor RPM.