Around the NBA:2025-6

[rapsuperstar31]

This won't help those of us depressed about our bench. So Trae Young is back in the starting lineup for Atlanta, kicking NAW back to the bench. And what does NAW do but score 28 points on 11-18 from the field. He was a +23, yet the Hawks still lost! Trae Young was a -3 in 20 minutes.

I recently dug more into the Hawks. Forget about Trae Young and NAW... Holy Jalen Johnson!!!

Last 8 games:

43/11/9
12/10/12
19/11/12
30/12/12
21/18/16
29/13/7
41/14/7
29/12/12

28/13/11 over that span.

He's still flying under the radar. He's also one of those guys who is making leaps EVERY season... something to look for in young stars. Only he's making HUGE leaps from season to season.

I can't do it justice here by posting the stats. They just keep going up significantly in virtually every category year after years. Volume, efficiency, everything.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... sja05.html

Getting paid a flat 30 million this year and the next 4 years as well. Some big advantages when a young player doesn't start to really turn it on until after he signs the 2nd contract.

[FNG]

This won't help those of us depressed about our bench. So Trae Young is back in the starting lineup for Atlanta, kicking NAW back to the bench. And what does NAW do but score 28 points on 11-18 from the field. He was a +23, yet the Hawks still lost! Trae Young was a -3 in 20 minutes.

I recently dug more into the Hawks. Forget about Trae Young and NAW... Holy Jalen Johnson!!!

Last 8 games:

43/11/9
12/10/12
19/11/12
30/12/12
21/18/16
29/13/7
41/14/7
29/12/12

28/13/11 over that span.

He's still flying under the radar. He's also one of those guys who is making leaps EVERY season... something to look for in young stars. Only he's making HUGE leaps from season to season.

I can't do it justice here by posting the stats. They just keep going up significantly in virtually every category year after years. Volume, efficiency, everything.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... sja05.html

I never thought an 11PPG scorer in college would become as good as he is, but he is the man in Atlanta. They're 12-7 when Johnson plays, 1-4 when Trae plays. How badly do you think they'd love to find a sucker to take Trae off their hands?

[Q-is-here]

This won't help those of us depressed about our bench. So Trae Young is back in the starting lineup for Atlanta, kicking NAW back to the bench. And what does NAW do but score 28 points on 11-18 from the field. He was a +23, yet the Hawks still lost! Trae Young was a -3 in 20 minutes.

I recently dug more into the Hawks. Forget about Trae Young and NAW... Holy Jalen Johnson!!!

Last 8 games:

43/11/9
12/10/12
19/11/12
30/12/12
21/18/16
29/13/7
41/14/7
29/12/12

28/13/11 over that span.

He's still flying under the radar. He's also one of those guys who is making leaps EVERY season... something to look for in young stars. Only he's making HUGE leaps from season to season.

I can't do it justice here by posting the stats. They just keep going up significantly in virtually every category year after years. Volume, efficiency, everything.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... sja05.html

I never thought an 11PPG scorer in college would become as good as he is, but he is the man in Atlanta. They're 12-7 when Johnson plays, 1-4 when Trae plays. How badly do you think they'd love to find a sucker to take Trae off their hands?

And look at his first two seasons in the NBA; nothing to write home about there either. He did play 20+ games in the G-League his rookie year and when you see those stats it hints at what's to come, but that's the G-League and not everyone that kicks ass down there can translate that to the NBA (Mac McClung being the poster child for this. Practically a G-League legend at this point, but can't crack an NBA rotation to save his life).

One nit-pick on Jalen is that he's considered a somewhat mediocre defender. But he certainly fills the box score up and getting lots of rebounds and steals is part of playing defense.

Yeah, I put Trae, Darius Garland, and Ja Morant on the DO NOT TRADE FOR list!

[60WinTim]

This won't help those of us depressed about our bench. So Trae Young is back in the starting lineup for Atlanta, kicking NAW back to the bench. And what does NAW do but score 28 points on 11-18 from the field. He was a +23, yet the Hawks still lost! Trae Young was a -3 in 20 minutes.

I recently dug more into the Hawks. Forget about Trae Young and NAW... Holy Jalen Johnson!!!

Last 8 games:

43/11/9
12/10/12
19/11/12
30/12/12
21/18/16
29/13/7
41/14/7
29/12/12

28/13/11 over that span.

He's still flying under the radar. He's also one of those guys who is making leaps EVERY season... something to look for in young stars. Only he's making HUGE leaps from season to season.

I can't do it justice here by posting the stats. They just keep going up significantly in virtually every category year after years. Volume, efficiency, everything.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... sja05.html

I never thought an 11PPG scorer in college would become as good as he is, but he is the man in Atlanta. They're 12-7 when Johnson plays, 1-4 when Trae plays. How badly do you think they'd love to find a sucker to take Trae off their hands?

THAT'S BAD JUJU!!!

That was the first thought that crossed my mind. You can't see TC negotiating an extension at a lower salary as part of a trade for Trae?!? Maybe I'm being paranoid, but your comment has flashing red lights all around it for me!

[Phenom]

Andre Drummond is the greatest shooting big man of all time!

[Q-is-here]

Phoenix loses, putting the Wolves back up 3 games over the 7th seed/play in mess.

[60WinTim]

Phoenix loses, putting the Wolves back up 3 games over the 7th seed/play in mess.

Yup! And the Rockets go into Denver and win -- which does not help us overtake the 5th seed, yet, but pulls the 2nd seed a half game closer! And the Clippers get the unlikely win against the Lakers. Keep chipping away!

[Lipoli390]

This won't help those of us depressed about our bench. So Trae Young is back in the starting lineup for Atlanta, kicking NAW back to the bench. And what does NAW do but score 28 points on 11-18 from the field. He was a +23, yet the Hawks still lost! Trae Young was a -3 in 20 minutes.

I recently dug more into the Hawks. Forget about Trae Young and NAW... Holy Jalen Johnson!!!

Last 8 games:

43/11/9
12/10/12
19/11/12
30/12/12
21/18/16
29/13/7
41/14/7
29/12/12

28/13/11 over that span.

He's still flying under the radar. He's also one of those guys who is making leaps EVERY season... something to look for in young stars. Only he's making HUGE leaps from season to season.

I can't do it justice here by posting the stats. They just keep going up significantly in virtually every category year after years. Volume, efficiency, everything.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... sja05.html

I never thought an 11PPG scorer in college would become as good as he is, but he is the man in Atlanta. They're 12-7 when Johnson plays, 1-4 when Trae plays. How badly do you think they'd love to find a sucker to take Trae off their hands?

Let’s hope the Wolves aren’t one of those suckers!

[Lipoli390]

This won't help those of us depressed about our bench. So Trae Young is back in the starting lineup for Atlanta, kicking NAW back to the bench. And what does NAW do but score 28 points on 11-18 from the field. He was a +23, yet the Hawks still lost! Trae Young was a -3 in 20 minutes.

I recently dug more into the Hawks. Forget about Trae Young and NAW... Holy Jalen Johnson!!!

Last 8 games:

43/11/9
12/10/12
19/11/12
30/12/12
21/18/16
29/13/7
41/14/7
29/12/12

28/13/11 over that span.

He's still flying under the radar. He's also one of those guys who is making leaps EVERY season... something to look for in young stars. Only he's making HUGE leaps from season to season.

I can't do it justice here by posting the stats. They just keep going up significantly in virtually every category year after years. Volume, efficiency, everything.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... sja05.html

The main take-away from the ascendence of Jalen Johnson is the critical importance of patience and playing time. It’s simple. P+P=PD. Playing time + patience = player development. With patience comes another P, pain. There is no getting around the growing pains that come with watching young players develop in game situations but it’s essential.

Johnson averaged 5.5 minutes per game as an 20 year old rookie and 15 minutes at age 21 in his second season, averaging 2.4 and 5.6 points respectively in each of those seasons. His minutes increased dramatically his third season and accordingly he ended up averaging 16 points per game. His 3-point percentage jumped from 28.8% to 35.5% that season. I don’t know if we have the equivalent of a Jalen Johnson on the Wolves roster in Rob, TJ, Clark or Miller, but the point is this: We won’t know the answer if the Wolves organization doesn’t have the fortitude, vision and patience to give all or at least some of them substantial consistent minutes while allowing them to play through mistakes and dry spells. Maybe it’s not this season for Rob given his age and where he’s at developmentally. Johnson averaged 15.5 minutes per game his second season. Maybe 12-15 minutes is all Rob should get for now and then we hand him the reins early next season but one way or another he needs far more minutes than he’s been getting to see if he’s the player our brain trust thought he’d be when they traded what little future draft capital they had left to move up and get him at #8.

Given the Wolves stark lack of draft capital, the team’s recent draft picks have to play more than they’ve been playing for the long-term good of the franchise. Jalen Johnson is one of many examples of caution for those who forget the critical importance of patience and playing time when considering the development of young NBA players.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Sure. Young, promising players need playing time to get better.

But they have to do their part, too. Young players should show improvement from season to season early in their career. Jalen Johnson has done that. Every season. It's also not a sure thing that playing time = better player. I can share a few dozen examples if anybody wants them.

It's fair to say that a couple of the young* Wolves players have not improved, limited minutes or not.



* Shannon aint all that young anymore.