Corey Brewer, one of the best pick-pockets in the league

[markkbu [enjin:6588958]]

Over the past 4 seasons he has been one of the league leaders is steals per 48. That is pretty impressive. If we put him as SG with Rubio. WOW, that is going to be one sticky defense. Last year they averaged over 6.5 steals per 48 combined.

With the 2 of them in the backcourt together, is there a better defensive backcourt? Not that I can think of.

Plus, imagine them in transition.

I'm glad that we brought him to the team. .

[shahidi124 [enjin:6591729]]

Brewer definitely racks up steals, but they come at the cost of high risk gambles. He often really puts himself out of position to get those steals and when he doesn't get them the defense is really out of whack.

I never considered him to be a great man defender, a majority of his impact comes on help D and getting in passing lanes. I remember him getting torn up by the good shooting guards ans SFs of the league when he was with us.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I initiated a thread about what makes for a good defense and certainly forcing turnovers is a key ingredient. Rubio and Brewer will be very good at this. In fact, we need to count on this big time, because I don't see our defensive eFG% being very good. We're going to need to rely on forcing turnovers and limiting second chance points in order to be even average defensively.

To shahidi's point, I would hardly call Brewer a stout man on man defender. His lack of wingspan and strength makes it difficult for him to impact plays in the paint, so bigger wings can pretty easily take advantage of him. Plus he does gamble and often leaves guys open for easy 3's as a result. Don't get me wrong, he's better than Budinger or Martin defending the wing, but he's not elite.

[markkbu [enjin:6588958]]

Shadidi, i think that it is fair to assume that Brewer has improved as a player over the past 3 years. He has spent much of the past 3 years playing on legitimately good teams, with good coaches. That is something that he didn't have the luxury of doing in MN.

The stat evidence that I have been able to find suggests that offensively he outplayed his opponent that he guarded (except when he played PF). If Brewer played offensively better than his opponent, then his opponent did not have a good game.

Should Brewer be able to continue to do so, he will benefit the Wolves. Is Brewer going to be a super star, all-star, or an elite defender? I would say probably not. Does he have the skills and hustle to make this team (that has been terrible over the past ???? years) better. Of course.

[chalk_ [enjin:6694543]]

The eFG% against will likely be below average, so forcing turnovers at a high rate will be important if we want to have an average defense next season (just as it was last season). Brewer helps us in that aspect.

Defending without fouling, and rebounding the basketball at a top rate on the defensive end will need to be strengths if the Wolves were to ever crack the elite ranks of defensive efficiency. I think in time, this group could get to that level if they're coached well enough - but next season? Nope. Not yet.

[KiwiMatt]

I for one am very excited about watching Rubio and Brewer harrass the passing lanes. Defense starts with effort and both these guys show that game in game out.

Another thing Brewer brings is passion, in the same boat as KG and Rubio. Great team player, good defender, good transitional player, and athletic. All things we sorely lacked last year. He also led the league in corner 3's made last year I believe.

I still think Brewer needs to start ahead of Budinger in terms of balance, but competition is a healthy thing. In Adelmans corner offense there is really no 2 or 3, just two wing players and Brewer and Martin compliment each other nicely. They also compliment Rubio nicely.

[Monster]

I think the idea that Brewer gets his steals mostly on playing passing lanes is something that is unfortunate people believe. Brewer is one of the best at gettong steals because of his hands. The guy can take the ball away from any player if they expose it to him. I've seen him pick Steve Nash clean before and that was a few years ago. The guy is elite in getting his hands on the ball. Does he gamble? Yes. Should he gamble some? Yes that's one of the strengths of his game is anticipation, but that's not how he gets all his steals. He and Rubio both have those hands that just take the ball away from people.

[markkbu [enjin:6588958]]

Excellent point Matty.....Brewer compliments both Martin and Rubio well.

[Lipoli390]

He doesn't complement Martin and Rubio very well on the defensive end. Brewer is about 185 pounds and Martin isn't much bigger. If those two start together, we have no one with the size to guard opposing SFs.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Which comes back to my point about how DWill should be the starting SF.

1) He has the size and athleticism to guard SFs, especially if his body is right coming into camp.

2) He has the best chemistry with Rubio out of the players battling for the spot. That and DWill needs to be set up to score in most cases, making the need for him to play with Rubio a bigger deal.

3) Sota needs to find out once and for all if DWill can hold the SF job down. How is he able to prove that he can or cannot hack it if he isn't given substantial playing time to prove so? He has what, two more years here? Adelman needs to push DWill into becoming the a 3 that can play with Love as opposed to behind Love.

4) Brewer and Bud are proven bench players. While I'm not saying that they couldn't be contributors in the starting lineup, they are better bench players than DWill. My point being that I think DWill has more value to the team in the starting lineup than he does coming off the bench. Does that make sense or am I wording it terribly?