Confirm/Deny Lavine is now our #1 wing prospect

[BloopOracle]

Confirm

Lavine is just as good defensively, a better shooter, and at least just as clutch. He is a better passer and more consistent as well.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Deny.

Once LaVine is consistently guarded by the opposing team's best wing defender and then also has to guard the other team's best wing, I'll confirm.

You can't look at these guys in a vacuum. Wiggins has been a focal point on both ends for going on three years now. Has he been good? For the most part, no. But has the attention he's drawn enabled LaVine to be more successful than otherwise? I think that is a valid thing.

[bleedspeed]

Confirm

I first called it before his and Wiggins rookie year. He has the mindset to be an alpha dog to Wiggins Pippen.

[Coolbreeze44]

Why does it matter? This need to have a pecking order on our own players confuses me. I hope they all become great.

[BloopOracle]

Why does it matter? This need to have a pecking order on our own players confuses me. I hope they all become great.

it's fun to debate that's all, don't read that much into it lol

[AbeVigodaLive]

Why does it matter? This need to have a pecking order on our own players confuses me. I hope they all become great.

While I get your point... every team needs a pecking order on the court.

There is too much money. Too many egos. It's derailed many teams.



[Note: The Wolves are a loooooonnnnnnggggg ways from really worrying about that now though. And usually it works out on its own.]

[TAFKASP]

First thought: who the hell is Deny Lavine?

Second thought: I lean deny, but IMO Zach has shown more growth than has Wig so the gap appears to my uneducated eye to be closing.

[AbeVigodaLive]

First thought: who the hell is Deny Lavine?

Second thought: I lean deny, but IMO Zach has shown more growth than has Wig so the gap appears to my uneducated eye to be closing.

Your second point is a good one. All anybody can ask of super young talented players is for them to get better. The VERY BEST ones improve every season... often for several straight seasons.

In the past, we hunted and sorted through stats to show Rubio's growth. And we can do the same for Wiggins. For example, his three point shooting has improved. But look at some other stats (per 36):

Year 1. 16.8 ppg / 4.5 reb / 2.1 ast / 43.7% fg / 31.0% (3) / 76.0 ft% / 2.1 TO / 13.9 PER
Year 2. 21.2 ppg / 3.7 reb / 2.1 ast / 45.9% fg / 30.0% (3) / 76.1% ft / 2.3 TO / 16.5 PER
Year 3. 22.0 ppg / 4.0 reb / 2.3 ast / 43.7% fg / 37.6% (3) / 76.3% / 2.6 TO / 15.5 PER

I don't care about age. Not if we're considering Wiggins to be among the very best players in the league. And cant it be argue that the super young players have more obvious growth? It's not unprecedented, but it's unlikely that many of the top players in the game had this slow of an improvement path just to reach such a mediocre level.

Now, it's still early. There are 60 games left and Wiggins is on his 3rd coach and still very young. But I think IF he stays the course this season, it's ok for us to start looking at his ceiling in a much different light than we've done in the past. How many years did the Bucks give Glenn Robinson to make the leap?

Now, look at LaVine:

Year 1. 14.7 ppg / 4.1 reb / 5.2 ast / 42.2% fg / 34.1% (3) / 84.2 ft% / 3.7 TO / 11.3 PER
Year 2. 18.0 ppg / 3.6 reb / 3.9 ast / 45.2% fg / 38.9% (3) / 78.9% ft / 2.4 TO / 14.3 PER
Year 3. 19.8 ppg / 2.7 reb / 2.9 ast / 47.2% fg / 37.5% (3) / 89.2% / 1.7 TO / 16.7 PER

There is context here, too. He moved to SG exclusively midway through last season. But there is more areas of growth with less of a plateau. Now that's not to say his ceiling is ultimately higher. I don't know. But I think the trend of past incremental growth gives credence to future growth in young players. And a player with minimal growth might not make a huge leap out of the blue regardless of how much we want him to.

The other thing to look at is that they both are wings who play poor D and don't fill the boxscore as a "do-shit player" (thanks q). How much redundancy is there?

[thedoper]

I pity anyone who becomes our top wing prospect. Doesn't this just mean Lavine will now be the guy we shit on after every loss?

[Monster]

Abe there was a tweet about Wiggins percentages Wiggins is shooting on pull-ups this year that shows some healthy improvement. You can look up that stuff on NBA.com. It's no big deal but you mentioned improvements don i thought I would mention it.

Lavine of the Young 3 has been most consistant and looks the most solid but Like Q said he isn't the guy teams are focusing on. On the flip side he has generally speaking played his role paying off others well. His ability to get into the lane and finish right now is pretty good. He still has some bad stuff but at his age and other things he does you take it. that jumper is so nice. He needs to improve in a lot of areas but man he has come so far it feels like he can keep improving and even become worthwhile defensively.