Who is the more effective player? Ant or Nowell?

[Q-is-here]

I'm *not* asking who has more potential or which asset has more value to the franchise. I am asking - at this very second in time - who is the more effective basketball player?

[Phenom]

Ant if we are talking about both sides of the ball and also considering how teams guard/game plan for Ant. It will be fantastic if Nowell can be another pick your poison piece for this team though.

[FNG]

Nowell was fabulous tonight and had a lot to do with this win, but I still say Ant is more effective by a large margin. Ant really impressed me with his on-ball defense tonight (the Knicks announcers noticed it too) while I still see Nowell a little shaky on that end. Ant's a better 3-point shooter too.

Q, tell us where you're coming from with this question.

[rapsuperstar31]

Ant can certainly learn from Nowell about finishing near the rim, he is very effective driving and making those shots. It's a great run by Nowell, and if he keeps it up he might price us out of keeping him in the future. We may have to make the decision in two years of giving Nowell a huge contract and getting rid of DLO or extending DLO and trading Nowell. Of course that is a problem for another day. I hope Nowell keeps it up and improves his 3's over the years, I like what I see out of him.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Give me Tyus Jones over either. /s

Edit: Anthony Edwards is better. He's more effective. He's more entertaining. All of that.

[thedoper]

Ant

[Q-is-here]

Nowell was fabulous tonight and had a lot to do with this win, but I still say Ant is more effective by a large margin. Ant really impressed me with his on-ball defense tonight (the Knicks announcers noticed it too) while I still see Nowell a little shaky on that end. Ant's a better 3-point shooter too.

Q, tell us where you're coming from with this question.

I give the nod to Ant as well, but honestly, it's close for me. Ant gets the nod primarily because of defense - you simply can't pick on the guy in one-on-one matchups. He still has lapses as an overall team defender, but he is a very switchable defensive presence one on one and teams rarely seek him out. Not the case with Nowell.

On offense however.....This is where it's really close to me. I think the ability to handle the ball, create shots, and generate assists while keeping turnovers down is a really undervalued skill, but it's a big deal to me. Nowell does that. Ant doesn't. For all of Ant's explosiveness, he still has too loose of a handle and makes some ill-timed/advised passes. He's going to get better at it, but I trust Nowell more, even though he doesn't take my breath away like Ant can over stretches. And Nowell is not THAT far away from Ant as a shot-maker/creator. He is sooooo good in that close mid-range area and he's increasingly getting himself to the line too.

[Monster]

Nowell was fabulous tonight and had a lot to do with this win, but I still say Ant is more effective by a large margin. Ant really impressed me with his on-ball defense tonight (the Knicks announcers noticed it too) while I still see Nowell a little shaky on that end. Ant's a better 3-point shooter too.

Q, tell us where you're coming from with this question.

I give the nod to Ant as well, but honestly, it's close for me. Ant gets the nod primarily because of defense - you simply can't pick on the guy in one-on-one matchups. He still has lapses as an overall team defender, but he is a very switchable defensive presence one on one and teams rarely seek him out. Not the case with Nowell.

On offense however.....This is where it's really close to me. I think the ability to handle the ball, create shots, and generate assists while keeping turnovers down is a really undervalued skill, but it's a big deal to me. Nowell does that. Ant doesn't. For all of Ant's explosiveness, he still has too loose of a handle and makes some ill-timed/advised passes. He's going to get better at it, but I trust Nowell more, even though he doesn't take my breath away like Ant can over stretches. And Nowell is not THAT far away from Ant as a shot-maker/creator. He is sooooo good in that close mid-range area and he's increasingly getting himself to the line too.

Calm down Q.

Ok in all seriousness this is an interesting discussion. I may need to start actually watching a game here and there to join in on this.

Before I do that I will add a couple thoughts:

1. Edwards has played over 3600 minutes in the NBA. Nowell has played over 1300 minutes. Edwards has almost 3x as many minutes as Nowell. I think that's an important distinction when looking where they are right now.

2. Physical abilities:

When it comes to defense in the past I have seen Nowell as a guy that looks capable enough out there. Obviously he isn't the physical freak Edwards is but IF...Nowell can play minutes as a legit backup PG type then he would have some very nice physical gifts at that spot. I think he is also a smooth guy that is probably a little more athletic than he gets credit for. Edwards is probably a little less smooth at times because he has ability to just take off. Nowell is shorter and doesn't have a massive wingspan so that probably helps to some extent with him being a smoother ball handler.

I've always thought he had a really nice base of skills that he could become a nice player. I've often wondered if he would have put it together earlier if given the opportunity. There was at times some players that deserved a chance in front of him. Sometimes he had a minor injury at just the wrong time when he may have broken through. It's too bad he didn't get more of a look over Culver at times last season though. Or...maybe now is the right time and he is ready. It would be fantastic if he could become a really high quality versatile rotation guard. There are plenty of guys over the years that became that or more from being a 2nd round pick that had this or that that was supposed to keep them from being successful.

[Jester1534]

I think there both great and both play there roles well. I think it's very hard compare the two as monster said because of there different physical abilities .

Also everyone remember when Jake Layman was role player last year. Man this team has come so far in a year. But God damn those Baby blues.

[Monster]

I'd be interested to hear from people who have watched the games. I was noticing looking at the stats that Nowell really doesn't take a big volume of 3's it's the lowest amount per 36 although we all realize his NBA career is kind of a small sample size overall. He is shooting more 2 point shots and while he isn't taking the dreaded long 2's he is taking more shots this season from 3 feet out to 16 feet. The percentages aren't amazing in some of those zones (he also won't keep shooting almost 85% at the rim) but they are solid enough. Has Finch and his staff been more willing to let guys do their thing more than just do the supposed modern at the rim shots and 3's?