Welcome Derrick Williams

[Surge]

LeBron's behind the back pass to Williams for the dunk was so smooth.

 

[Cassity14]

Maybe he was just used wrong and being on awful teams certainly never helped. I like how we are using him. We are using his athleticism to his advantage.

He actually has the skills, size, and athleticism to be a good defender. I think he's going to be the one asked to guard Kevin Durant. And I like it.

I disagree with the bolded. Williams is playing as many minutes on the wing as he is in the post, and on the wing, he's standing behind the 3 point line and shooting it every time he has a sliver of room.

That's fine and dandy when they're going in, but they won't go in at this rate much longer if his career is any sort of indication.

They have him playing a lot of Kevin Love's role in the offense right now, and I don't like that one bit. Here's hoping it changes.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Maybe he was just used wrong and being on awful teams certainly never helped. I like how we are using him. We are using his athleticism to his advantage.

He actually has the skills, size, and athleticism to be a good defender. I think he's going to be the one asked to guard Kevin Durant. And I like it.

When you shoulder 0 load offensively, this is when you improve as a player in other facets.

This was what I was saying the day we initially signed him...that we should be willing to see what he does with little to no scoring burden, and playing a role off of LeBron, instead of trying to make things happen himself, like he's tried to do everywhere else.

Some guys come into the league highly drafted and highly touted, and just can't handle the burden of carrying a lot of the load while attempting to improve their weaknesses in game settings. That's what has happened here with Williams.

With us, we're making it simple for him...run the floor, cut hard to the basket, defend who is in front of you, and shoot the 3 when you are open...anything other than that and you're doing too much.

2 of those are perceived weaknesses of his...but they are 2 of the few things we want him doing, so he is being forced to improve in those areas during actual game play.

And he is inconsistent with his pacing on running the floor...really wish he would use his athleticism more and bust his ass in the open court consistently, but he floats a bit too much. Hope he breaks out of that habit sooner or later.

Really hope they give him a multi-year deal in the summer...think he can grow into being a really good role player on a good team, which may be the perfect role for him as an NBA player, as opposed to the #2 pick being asked to carry a lot of his teams production.

 

[Cavatt]

He is not a shot creator at all. He was expected to be #1 option and now he can focus on other areas. He has never had motivation this way, and maybe no one has ever asked him to play this way. He is definitely playing to his strengths.

I want to see more driving over shooting 3's, but if he can hit these wide open shots, it is the only weakness in that unit. If he is hitting the opposing defense is absolutely screwed.

I am about to start saying use the MLE on this guy for next year. He could be a really important signing. The way he is allowing LBJ to get rest is invaluable to extending Lebrons effectiveness.

 

[Adam]

Lebron is just so good at making the game easy for role players. It mist be so nice to play with him knowing hes going to find you if you're open and carry the team in the crunch

 

[godfather]

I disagree with the bolded. Williams is playing as many minutes on the wing as he is in the post, and on the wing, he's standing behind the 3 point line and shooting it every time he has a sliver of room.

That's fine and dandy when they're going in, but they won't go in at this rate much longer if his career is any sort of indication.

They have him playing a lot of Kevin Love's role in the offense right now, and I don't like that one bit. Here's hoping it changes.

I am speaking more at a defensively standpoint. They're allowing to check players like Derrick Rose. Williams has the speed to keep guys like him honest.

And what role do you expect him to play offensively? When he has open shots, he's got to take them.

He's playing a lot of minutes with LeBron. Everyone not named Kyrie Irving is going to have the Kevin Love role.

But at least Williams knows how to cut to the hoop off back door picks, and LB does a good job finding him. Everyone in the second unit has to play off LeBron, and sometimes that results in having to take open shots. Williams has to take them.

And when has Williams ever had this many open looks in his career, either? I don't expect him to turn into Korver, but it's not unrealistic to think he can be a decent 30% three point shooter either.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

And when has Williams ever had this many open looks in his career, either? I don't expect him to turn into Korver, but it's not unrealistic to think he can be a decent 30% three point shooter either.

Maybe not, but on a team with this many people who shoot the three much better, there's not much point in him taking a three if he's only a 30% shooter.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

I watched this guy play all of last season. At no point was he even a remotely competent outside shooter. Now he's swishing threes.

Well, he's only hit five, so it's not exactly like there's a worthwhile sample size.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Maybe not, but on a team with this many people who shoot the three much better, there's not much point in him taking a three if he's only a 30% shooter.

On this team, how our offense works, especially our 2nd unit right now, it is worse not to take the 3s where he is just wide open than it is to take them as a 30% shooter.

He has to take those shots.

Nice thing about yesterdays game was he found himself in the corners more...he's a much better shooter from the corners than he is from anywhere else from 3.

 

[Pioneer10]

If we get Deron Williams, just for shits and giggles I'd like to see a DWill squared, Irving, Lebron, and Love lineup. 4 guys who are given the green light to go dribble and initiate the offense. Team defense are not designed to handle defending a team who basically anyone can bring up the call up.

This is an under-rated aspect of GSW offensive dominance: they're comfortable with 4 or 5 guys picking up the pace and they get a lot of easy buckets doing this. I liked Derrick Williams coming out of college, but didn't realize this was a strength of his

 

[Cassity14]

I am speaking more at a defensively standpoint. They're allowing to check players like Derrick Rose. Williams has the speed to keep guys like him honest.

And what role do you expect him to play offensively? When he has open shots, he's got to take them.

He's playing a lot of minutes with LeBron. Everyone not named Kyrie Irving is going to have the Kevin Love role.

But at least Williams knows how to cut to the hoop off back door picks, and LB does a good job finding him. Everyone in the second unit has to play off LeBron, and sometimes that results in having to take open shots. Williams has to take them.

And when has Williams ever had this many open looks in his career, either? I don't expect him to turn into Korver, but it's not unrealistic to think he can be a decent 30% three point shooter either.

I totally agree about his defensive versatility. He's not a standout anywhere, but he appears to be a competent defender across multiple positions which allows switching which is great for the Cavs historically.

My comment about his shooting isn't necessarily the wiiiide open shots. I agree, he needs to take those, especially from the corner. My issue is that he rarely makes the extra pass from a decent shot to getting a great one, he doesn't cut off the ball enough when the play isn't designed for it, and he seems to have a JR level conscience from out there.

I don't expect him to morph into a 35% 3 point shooter. 30% isn't good enough to be attempting 4-6 per game out there.

It's not all on him either. Like I said, it's pretty clear that he's playing the Love role in a multiple sets out there. He needs to be playing the Tristan role.

At least a couple times last night I saw Frye rolling to the rim with Williams standing outside. There's no reason for that.

 

[Athaloc]

http://www.fearthesword.com/2017/2/24/14733024/quinn-cook-10-day-contract-dallas-mavericks

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

If Williams continues to basically shoot, for the most part, open corner threes, there's a real chance he's going to remain around 35-40% from 3.

He's never been that bad from the corners, and he's never been this open, or had this type of confidence(well, not since he was making everything at Arizona).

I do want to see him roll more though, but it's good to switch up the look sometimes. If you make Williams roll everytime and Channing stay out, teams are going to adjust to it and guard it easier. But let's say out of 15 possessions, if you have Williams as the roll man 9-11 times and Frye as the roll man, 4-6 times, you're going to be even harder to guard. Williams can hit the corner three ! That's always been his one spot that wasn't a total train-wreck since college.

I don't have any problems with how the second unit is playing because the numbers have been posted and they are murdering the league.

 

[davedugan43]

Get Deron Williams
Waive Jordan McRae
Sign Larry Sanders or Andrew Bogut
Sign Derrick Williams for the rest of the season

That is the deepest team in the league.

Kyrie Irving; Deron Williams; Kay Felder
JR Smith; Kyle Korver; Iman Shumpert DeAndre Liggins
LeBron James; Derrick Williams; Richard Jefferson
Kevin Love; Channing Frye; James Jones
Tristan Thompson; Andrew Bogut

Seriously, I know Durant/Curry/Thompson/Green won't be easy. But, bring on June.

 

[MrHoops]

I don't think Bogut will be able to stay on the court against the Warriors. The Warriors will run all day with Bogut on the court or Frye.