Daishen Nix

[Carlos Danger]

Wolf, the problem is RD hasn't shown he can shoot and Nix is shooting better in SL. Nix shot really well in the preseason last year. He shot well in the GLeague before coming to our dysfunctional Iowa team. He's 22. 4 guys in SL are shooting worse: RD, and two bigs (Josh and Edwards) and Jaylen Clark.

Nix is doing a lot of do shit stuff in SL. He rebounds well, he gets assists, he gets steals and he gets to the free throw line and he looks composed. All, I'm saying if you look at our current roster, Nix and RD are the only point guards behind Conley and I prefer Nix over RD right now but that may change if RD can start making his shot. I've advocated for TC to sign a veteran point guard to backup Conley (Tyus, Fultz and Dennis Smith are all available), but he hasn't. Maybe TC is fine running with Nix and RD, but TC probably knows that if both guys can't handle backup he has options. Heck, John Wall is so desperate to get get back to the NBA, he'd be back on a minimum deal in a heartbeat and could mentor our young point guards too if need be. If TC is confident in Nix and RD backing up Conley, I am too.

Great post, KG. You captures my thoughts perfectly.

Like you, I’ve wanted TC to sign a vet to rely on as Conley’s main backup PG. That hasn’t happened and I’m sure that’s because the vet PGs TC wanted weren’t interested in coming here for the vet minimum based on other options they had or were pursing. I like all three of the available vet PGs you mentioned. Tyus would be FANTASTIC, but we’re obviously not going to get him for the vet minimum. I would think Fultz and Smith are at least possibilities that I would explore if I were TC. I sort of like the idea of John Wall. I saw his SL interview and it was clear he’d love to play another year in a backup mentoring role and then move into coaching.

Otherwise, we’ll have to rely on the guys we have and right now Nix looks like the best candidate to take on the primary backup role at least initially. Of course, the Wolves could rely on Edwards, NAW and possibly Dozier to run the point when Conley’s on the bench. That could work, but it’s not ideal and becomes highly problematic if Conley is out for an extended period with an injury.

I'm with both you guys on signing a vet PG for insurance. But I feel like that changed after TC moved up big to get Dilly. I've seen it too many times. Unfortunately, once you make a splash move like that, Dilly is going to be play - ready or not. That's my thoughts on it anyway. He's going to have to be Wendell Moore Jr. bad to lose minutes to Nix. It's the same reasoning I've used as to why Rudy isn't going anywhere. These are TC signature moves and he's going to want to show everyone he's right.

[FNG]

Lip. I'm also taking a closer look at Nix, and am not ruling him out as a backup at PG. But I'm confused about your post. When you cite his rebounding stats as a soph, junior, and senior, are you talking about his high school stats? I thought he bypassed college and went directly to the G League.

I liked this article about Nix that named him the best PG in the country as he was considering college options.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... a-mystery/

You’re right, FNG. lol. I thought I was looking at the stats of Daishen Nix at Tennessee. Turns out I was looking at the stats of Dyron Nix from back in the 1980s. Now I’m wondering what happened to Dyron Nix. .

To the best of my knowledge, Dyron is still unsigned...go get him, TC!!!

[60WinTim]

Another factor on the PG front is ANT. Point-ANT is much more a thing now than it was at the beginning of last season. And it is only growing stronger with Team USA.

[Leado01]

I'm hoping we play 10 this year and reduce our starters minutes by 2-4/game.

Nix on the floor with NAW or Dillingham or Shannon or Ingles is fine because you have 4 ball handlers all of whom can initiate the offense...2 of whom would be better initiating the offense.

Nix is thick and strong and seems to be able to guard bigger players. He is a get stuff done player, but he's kind of a wreck offensively so he'd need to be paired with others to initiate offense

[WildWolf2813]

Wolf, the problem is RD hasn't shown he can shoot and Nix is shooting better in SL. Nix shot really well in the preseason last year. He shot well in the GLeague before coming to our dysfunctional Iowa team. He's 22. 4 guys in SL are shooting worse: RD, and two bigs (Josh and Edwards) and Jaylen Clark.

Nix is doing a lot of do shit stuff in SL. He rebounds well, he gets assists, he gets steals and he gets to the free throw line and he looks composed. All, I'm saying if you look at our current roster, Nix and RD are the only point guards behind Conley and I prefer Nix over RD right now but that may change if RD can start making his shot. I've advocated for TC to sign a veteran point guard to backup Conley (Tyus, Fultz and Dennis Smith are all available), but he hasn't. Maybe TC is fine running with Nix and RD, but TC probably knows that if both guys can't handle backup he has options. Heck, John Wall is so desperate to get get back to the NBA, he'd be back on a minimum deal in a heartbeat and could mentor our young point guards too if need be. If TC is confident in Nix and RD backing up Conley, I am too.

I'm not gonna weigh 3 games of summer league and a handful of preseason games over 3 years of production.

If the idea is to essentially relegate someone we drafted 8th overall to Iowa, then Connelly is a liability when it comes addressing young cheap production. If we're in a position where we're treating the 27th pick as a valuable commodity than the 8th, then perhaps he shouldn't be trading for the 8th pick for a win now team. If the idea is to sign a vet backup PG, so be it, but then it's obvious Connelly has no interest in addressing PG of the future. This isn't baseball where you draft someone, stash him in the minors and then pray he's ready to handle everything once he's called up. I'm not against mentors, but if I need Conley and Smith or Fultz or Wall just to mentor a guy who in theory should be on the fast track, that's a problem.

[WildWolf2813]

Another factor on the PG front is ANT. Point-ANT is much more a thing now than it was at the beginning of last season. And it is only growing stronger with Team USA.

Point Ant will undo the team if it's a primary option. Point Ant would be a product of TC cutting corners, not some steadfast belief that he can be our Luka Doncic.

[Monster]

Lip. I'm also taking a closer look at Nix, and am not ruling him out as a backup at PG. But I'm confused about your post. When you cite his rebounding stats as a soph, junior, and senior, are you talking about his high school stats? I thought he bypassed college and went directly to the G League.

I liked this article about Nix that named him the best PG in the country as he was considering college options.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... a-mystery/

You’re right, FNG. lol. I thought I was looking at the stats of Daishen Nix at Tennessee. Turns out I was looking at the stats of Dyron Nix from back in the 1980s. Now I’m wondering what happened to Dyron Nix. .

To the best of my knowledge, Dyron is still unsigned...go get him, TC!!!

Lol

[Monster]

Another factor on the PG front is ANT. Point-ANT is much more a thing now than it was at the beginning of last season. And it is only growing stronger with Team USA.

Point Ant will undo the team if it's a primary option. Point Ant would be a product of TC cutting corners, not some steadfast belief that he can be our Luka Doncic.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that Ant is anywhere near Luka's level in terms of playmaking but he made a legit jump last year and that's something we hoped for but it wasn't certain. NAW is also more of an option to help at PG now than going I to last season. Again that was something a number of us were hoping for but he looked like a guy that can play that spot (as a caretaker 3 and D PG) for a few minutes depending on who is around him.

[Coolbreeze44]

Point Ant can only be effective for short stretches

[Lipoli390]

Wolf, the problem is RD hasn't shown he can shoot and Nix is shooting better in SL. Nix shot really well in the preseason last year. He shot well in the GLeague before coming to our dysfunctional Iowa team. He's 22. 4 guys in SL are shooting worse: RD, and two bigs (Josh and Edwards) and Jaylen Clark.

Nix is doing a lot of do shit stuff in SL. He rebounds well, he gets assists, he gets steals and he gets to the free throw line and he looks composed. All, I'm saying if you look at our current roster, Nix and RD are the only point guards behind Conley and I prefer Nix over RD right now but that may change if RD can start making his shot. I've advocated for TC to sign a veteran point guard to backup Conley (Tyus, Fultz and Dennis Smith are all available), but he hasn't. Maybe TC is fine running with Nix and RD, but TC probably knows that if both guys can't handle backup he has options. Heck, John Wall is so desperate to get get back to the NBA, he'd be back on a minimum deal in a heartbeat and could mentor our young point guards too if need be. If TC is confident in Nix and RD backing up Conley, I am too.

I'm not gonna weigh 3 games of summer league and a handful of preseason games over 3 years of production.

If the idea is to essentially relegate someone we drafted 8th overall to Iowa, then Connelly is a liability when it comes addressing young cheap production. If we're in a position where we're treating the 27th pick as a valuable commodity than the 8th, then perhaps he shouldn't be trading for the 8th pick for a win now team. If the idea is to sign a vet backup PG, so be it, but then it's obvious Connelly has no interest in addressing PG of the future. This isn't baseball where you draft someone, stash him in the minors and then pray he's ready to handle everything once he's called up. I'm not against mentors, but if I need Conley and Smith or Fultz or Wall just to mentor a guy who in theory should be on the fast track, that's a problem.

I don’t think any of us are advocating that Dilly spend the season stashed in Iowa. And we know there more summer league and and entire training camp ahead of Dilly before we can make any final judgments. But based on what we know now about Dilly - his young age, limited experience (1 year of college), extremely slight frame by NBA standards (164 lbs), and there summer league games (not NBA level), there is reason to doubt Dilly will be ready to serve as the main backup PG beyond a 37 year old starter on a team with championship aspirations. Therefore, may of us believe it behooves the organization to have a plan B for Mike Conley’s main backup at least for the first part of the season if Dilly isn’t ready to assume that role effectively.