Oubre or Mikal Bridges as starting small forward?

[Shabazz]

So it's Oubre this season, huh? There's always one guy who the board is split on.

Nope. It's gonna be Ayton. He's going to be maddening this year.

[ShelC]

Yea I'm not 100% clear on the extension stuff with Bogdan but one of the Knicks beatwriters mentioned the same extension number for Mitch Robinson when he's due. I think Split is more accurate with why the extension is what it is.

[Indy]

So it's Oubre this season, huh? There's always one guy who the board is split on.

Nope. It's gonna be Ayton. He's going to be maddening this year.

This. Aggressiveness was his biggest issue last year, and he didn't show any improvement in preseason. Let's hope that is an aberration.

[ShelC]

Yea we need to chill on Oubre. He'll be fine. Ayton can't keep yapping and then sleepwalk thru games.

[O_Gardino]

So it's Oubre this season, huh? There's always one guy who the board is split on.

Nope. It's gonna be Ayton. He's going to be maddening this year.

Good point. We've been split on Ayton since before we drafted him.

[Split T]

Yea I'm not 100% clear on the extension stuff with Bogdan but one of the Knicks beatwriters mentioned the same extension number for Mitch Robinson when he's due. I think Split is more accurate with why the extension is what it is.

Robinson was a 2nd round pick, right? So that makes sense, he’s only in year 2, so he can’t sign a Booker type max until year 4, I believe.

[Nodack]

So it's Oubre this season, huh? There's always one guy who the board is split on.

Nope. It's gonna be Ayton. He's going to be maddening this year.

This. Aggressiveness was his biggest issue last year, and he didn't show any improvement in preseason. Let's hope that is an aberration.

I remember a couple of games last year where Ayton got pissed off and became very aggressive and it was great. We just need to piss him off before every game.

[Indy]

So it's Oubre this season, huh? There's always one guy who the board is split on.

Nope. It's gonna be Ayton. He's going to be maddening this year.

This. Aggressiveness was his biggest issue last year, and he didn't show any improvement in preseason. Let's hope that is an aberration.

I remember a couple of games last year where Ayton got pissed off and became very aggressive and it was great. We just need to piss him off before every game.

OK, I am going to get shot for saying this... but how many times did we say the same thing about Bender?


I know they are nothing alike, but aggressiveness is not something that typically gets better the longer you wait.

I will stay positive because he says all the right things--he just needs to show them now.

On a completely separate topic, how many really good basketball players have you heard of that "didn't even pick up a ball until XX years old" around the league? It is a story narrative you hear every once in a while, and I always see it as a flag. The other side of the argument is "you don't know how good they can really be because they have only been trying/coached for YY number of years" but man that passion for a game that goes back to when you were 9 years old on the playground can't be coached/taught.

[Superbone]

So it's Oubre this season, huh? There's always one guy who the board is split on.

Nope. It's gonna be Ayton. He's going to be maddening this year.

This. Aggressiveness was his biggest issue last year, and he didn't show any improvement in preseason. Let's hope that is an aberration.

I remember a couple of games last year where Ayton got pissed off and became very aggressive and it was great. We just need to piss him off before every game.

OK, I am going to get shot for saying this... but how many times did we say the same thing about Bender?


I know they are nothing alike, but aggressiveness is not something that typically gets better the longer you wait.

I will stay positive because he says all the right things--he just needs to show them now.

On a completely separate topic, how many really good basketball players have you heard of that "didn't even pick up a ball until XX years old" around the league? It is a story narrative you hear every once in a while, and I always see it as a flag. The other side of the argument is "you don't know how good they can really be because they have only been trying/coached for YY number of years" but man that passion for a game that goes back to when you were 9 years old on the playground can't be coached/taught.

I agree and it is very concerning. He's got all the physical skills and size in the world but you can't teach heart. Let's hope he's a late bloomer in that department. Might need some tough love.

[Indy]

Bone--you are the eternal optimist. It worries me when you agree with me about worrying about Ayton not worrying enough about basketball.

[O_Gardino]

I get the Bender comp.

Another possible comp is Dwight Howard. A little bit socially awkward, and he needs a strong coach to get the most out of him.

But I'll root for him every night even though I worry about that stuff because there are a few positive examples.

Remeber when Barbosa had was getting special attention from the coaching staff? He would get a note in his locker simplifying the game plan for him with 3 things to work on, including aggressiveness. I don't remember the details, but I do remember some on the board being disgusted the Leandro would need that kind of coaching. But I think he did get the most out of his potential. So I hope Ayton will too.

[Superbone]

I get the Bender comp.

Another possible comp is Dwight Howard. A little bit socially awkward, and he needs a strong coach to get the most out of him.

But I'll root for him every night even though I worry about that stuff because there are a few positive examples.

Remeber when Barbosa had was getting special attention from the coaching staff? He would get a note in his locker simplifying the game plan for him with 3 things to work on, including aggressiveness. I don't remember the details, but I do remember some on the board being disgusted the Leandro would need that kind of coaching. But I think he did get the most out of his potential. So I hope Ayton will too.

The thing that we have going for us is what I think is a great coaching staff. Let's see what they can do with him.

[O_Gardino]

I get the Bender comp.

Another possible comp is Dwight Howard. A little bit socially awkward, and he needs a strong coach to get the most out of him.

But I'll root for him every night even though I worry about that stuff because there are a few positive examples.

Remeber when Barbosa had was getting special attention from the coaching staff? He would get a note in his locker simplifying the game plan for him with 3 things to work on, including aggressiveness. I don't remember the details, but I do remember some on the board being disgusted the Leandro would need that kind of coaching. But I think he did get the most out of his potential. So I hope Ayton will too.

The thing that we have going for us is what I think is a great coaching staff. Let's see what they can do with him.

Fingers crossed. The coaches just need to simplify the game for him, and I think Monty is capable of doing that. Monty and DeAndre are saying the right things, so I think this will be a fun season to watch the big guy's development.

[Superbone]

I get the Bender comp.

Another possible comp is Dwight Howard. A little bit socially awkward, and he needs a strong coach to get the most out of him.

But I'll root for him every night even though I worry about that stuff because there are a few positive examples.

Remeber when Barbosa had was getting special attention from the coaching staff? He would get a note in his locker simplifying the game plan for him with 3 things to work on, including aggressiveness. I don't remember the details, but I do remember some on the board being disgusted the Leandro would need that kind of coaching. But I think he did get the most out of his potential. So I hope Ayton will too.

The thing that we have going for us is what I think is a great coaching staff. Let's see what they can do with him.

Fingers crossed. The coaches just need to simplify the game for him, and I think Monty is capable of doing that. Monty and DeAndre are saying the right things, so I think this will be a fun season to watch the big guy's development.

Speaking of which:

[pickle]

There are examples of guys not playing ball until later and improving tremendously. But none of that has to do with desire and so I'm also in the worry camp. Hope he does well.

[Wally_West]

I just think this Ayton criticism so overblown. He has only been in the league 1 year and preseason with a whole new cast of characters, where he played limited minutes with key players missing every game. I get wanting Ayton to be super aggressive but that just may never be him. Is that really the end of the world though? He probably would have average 20pts last year if that team was just mediocre at passing. The dude is so gifted offensively already, if his defense can just be mediocre then the dude is gonna be a regular at the all-star game. If he getting 20-25pts consistently then does it really matter if it’s by mid-range shots and lay-ups instead of monstrous dunks? As long as he is efficient and effective, I don’t care what he says before or after games.

[SunsRIt]

I just think this Ayton criticism so overblown. He has only been in the league 1 year and preseason with a whole new cast of characters, where he played limited minutes with key players missing every game. I get wanting Ayton to be super aggressive but that just may never be him. Is that really the end of the world though? He probably would have average 20pts last year if that team was just mediocre at passing. The dude is so gifted offensively already, if his defense can just be mediocre then the dude is gonna be a regular at the all-star game. If he getting 20-25pts consistently then does it really matter if it’s by mid-range shots and lay-ups instead of monstrous dunks? As long as he is efficient and effective, I don’t care what he says before or after games.

THIS!

[Indy]

I just think this Ayton criticism so overblown. He has only been in the league 1 year and preseason with a whole new cast of characters, where he played limited minutes with key players missing every game. I get wanting Ayton to be super aggressive but that just may never be him. Is that really the end of the world though? He probably would have average 20pts last year if that team was just mediocre at passing. The dude is so gifted offensively already, if his defense can just be mediocre then the dude is gonna be a regular at the all-star game. If he getting 20-25pts consistently then does it really matter if it’s by mid-range shots and lay-ups instead of monstrous dunks? As long as he is efficient and effective, I don’t care what he says before or after games.

Well TJ Warren was averaging 20 points per game for us before and it didn't impact the game at all. That is what I am worried about with Ayton. Getting 20 and 12 but having no impact would not be a good outcome. I hope that changes and see ways it certainly can, but not without him being aggressive. You see it in his FTA numbers, too. He only shot 2.7 free throws per game last year, even though he took over 12 shots a game. Other bigs on our team last year were much higher per FGA and per minute. On a per-minute basis, he shot 11th most FTA per game, while he was third highest in minutes and 2nd highest in FGAs.

[Split T]

I’ve started looking at Ayton as a LaMarcus Aldridge type player. It’s easier to envision him having that type of career than turning into KAT/Embiid. Now if he becomes KAT/Embiid, I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

[Indy]

I’ve started looking at Ayton as a LaMarcus Aldridge type player. It’s easier to envision him having that type of career than turning into KAT/Embiid. Now if he becomes KAT/Embiid, I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

That is probably a fair comparison. But nobody is scared of LMA. You might game-plan around him a bit, but if he is the best player on the other team, you like you chances. I am hoping he comes in and proves me completely wrong. I want him to show he can change a game on both ends of the floor.