Chandler Parsons

[Derek]

I'd offer Parsons a lot of money if the Cavs drafted Embiid. He's the type of proven commodity I'd be willing to overpay for if it starts winning this team games. He's a lights out shooter, very good passer, and quality defender. He's young enough that there may still be some improvement there as well. He's the type of veteran who you pay a lot of money to in order to help your team turn it around.

Al Jefferson and Trevor Ariza are examples of guys who were thought to be overpaid when they were acquired yet turned out to be very important moves in their respective organizations. There are other examples as well. I think Parsons could be that in Cleveland.

I don't think anybody thought that the Bobcats overpaid for Jefferson, just that it wasn't worth locking him up for a few year just to be mediocre. It was more an indictment of the rest of our roster than it was of Al Jefferson. Ariza, on the other hand, was a definite overpay. There's a reason he was on 3 different teams during his contract. Just because he figured it out in his contract year (shocker) doesn't justify his original contract.

 

[Jack Brickman]

I'm not really understanding what you mean there..

James Harden is easily the best shooting guard in the NBA - by far. He's a solid defender at his position, and he's putting up absolutely insane numbers.

Gouri finally jumps the shark.

 

[gourimoko]

Gouri finally jumps the shark.

:chuckles:

"At his position" is meant to say, his man-to-man defense isn't bad.. I have said his defense within a system isn't good. And I've also said that he is capable of playing good defense, as he did in OKC, but since going to Houston and being tasked with the responsibility of being the #1 option on offense, he's probably not conditioned well enough to play the same quality of defense as he did when coming off the bench.

But Harden can play defense, often does, and he's not a net negative on defense. On average over the season, the man he defends doesn't go apeshit like Kevin Love's opponents do.

I also assert that among all guards, Harden's defense is probably right around average. I maintain that as well, and would be interested to hear if this first-order approximation holds true.

 

[Nathan S]

According to Synergy, Harden's allowing 1.06 points per play in isolation (52% shooting, 50% from 3). I knew it was going to be bad...but damn...that's probably the worst figure I've ever seen in that department. Out of his main competitors for top SG honors, Dragic is allowing 0.79 points per play in isolation, Manu 0.83, and Wade 0.70. Of course, this is only one small piece of the puzzle and I won't deny that Harden has an edge over those guys in the big picture, but he really struggles in 1-on-1 situations, even when he has D12 backing him up in the paint.

 

[Jack Brickman]

I knew if I waited long enough Nathan would prove Harden was a minus defender with stats so I didn't have to waste time looking it up. :chuckles: