The Point-Fourward: Old Guys Need Days Off

Four points I’m thinking about the NBA and a bonus Rose…

1. Considering all the hoopla surrounding Lonzo Ball‘s footwear, it was fitting that he collected his Summer League MVP in street clothes. One might be confused into thinking that the thin young man is a Zoolander protégé. Though, considering his ability to pass with either hand, I suppose he is more of a Hansel.

On the court, count me as one of many who is more than a little concerned with Ball’s funky shot mechanics. It has been well documented that Ball’s shooting percentages suffer when he drives to his right. That cross-faced release is very difficult to get off with the defender automatically on his release side. He is much more accurate with his step-back jumper going left.

It is true that most right-handed players are more comfortable using the right foot as their step-back foot. It keeps the right shoulder in line with the target, thus mitigating a lot of left/right body lean problems. LeBron is a prime example. His natural fall to the left becomes a straight fall away when he shoots from the left wing. A fall away is always better than a lean.

That is why so many people are skeptical of Ball’s unorthodox stroke. It isn’t such a problem that his shot is nontraditional. The problem is that his kinetic chain is too easily disturbed. He may drill some beautifully high arching bombs, but when he misses, he misses horribly.

It’s not difficult to make him miss. Any good defender can pick up on release point consistencies, but it’s often more important to check landing points.

Most great shooters go straight up and down on their jumpshot. Still, many other fantastic shooters get that slight hip momentum going forward causing them to land a bit closer to the target. There are a slew of streaky shooters who rely too heavily on that hip momentum. Think Chandler Parsons pre-injury.

What great shooters all have in common is that they don’t move laterally. The Sports Science video doesn’t talk about his right to left body fade. The weight transfer isn’t quite as important as the release point, but it is still hugely relevant. Lonzo Ball jumps forward and left on every shot. His landing point is predictable for the defender and since his release isn’t super quick and is in front of him, he is particularly easy to defend. NBA players will closeout hard to the left side of his body and trust that his funky kinetic chain will do the work for them if Ball evades them to the right.

2. Sometimes one’s greatest talent hinders skill acquisition. Lonzo Ball has the softest passing touch on the rock that I have seen from a rookie in years. His otherworldly ability to flick the ball with appropriate velocity over great distances must have made it almost unnecessary for him to construct a normal shot. When the ball rockets effortlessly from one’s fingertips, hip-angle discussions must seem a bit superfluous.

Since Ball has yet to show any defensive ability or high-level Pick and Roll play in the half-court, I have a hard time anointing him as anything other than an exciting rookie with things to learn.

He is nowhere near the athlete or defender that Jason Kidd was early in his career. Honestly, he reminds me more of a tall Brandon Jennings than the Bucks’ head coach. I do expect Ball to be substantially more effective than Jennings, but he has a long way to go before he can be a crunchtime player on a Finals team.

3. As the Cavaliers look around the scrapheap for guys that could make an impact come Finals time, it is important to remember that some of those very same players will not be assets during the regular season. For all the very nice macro data we have for regular season play, much of it is rendered completely useless once the real season rolls around.

We have seen first hand how differently Kyrie Irving plays defensive in December versus June. While it is true that effective regular seasons by role players would help to keep LeBron James fresh for the silly season, it is more important for the Cavaliers to surround the King with guys that he can trust in big moments.

For as much as I have detested Jeff Green‘s game over the years, he did show up against LeBron’s Heat teams on more than one occasion. If there is any chance for the veteran to turn his career around, it would be with James in his ear. If nothing else, the Cavs have not seen a lot of lazy playoff play from role players during the LeBron 2.0 era. An engaged Green might make me not want to calmly close my computer. Again, I am NOT discussing the regular season.

With that in mind, Jose Calderon also has had the confidence to deliver in big situations throughout his NBA and International career. I don’t expect the Spaniard to be particularly useful for the 82 game slate, but he is the type of player LeBron can trust to nail a big three. And he does still get fiery at times.

4. Since youth doesn’t seem to particular interest the Cavs’ brass (whoever that may be at this point), it might be wise to look at another old man with supreme basketball IQ.

Boris Diaw has been a favorite player of mine for over a decade. His unique combination of skill and intelligence often hides his still incredibly quick feet. Utah recently waived the French point-forward after signing Thabo Sefolosha. He too might not be the most locked in regular season player, but Diaw has been consistently effective in the playoffs, often playing crunch-time minutes against the other teams’ wing superstar.

Diaw was crucial to the Spurs’ success in their destruction of LeBron’s last Heat squad. If LeBron likes Green because of his play as an opposing player, he should love Diaw. Boris may have lost another half step to age and wine, but he was still able to shut down Kevin Durant as recently as this spring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwnbA1IyHhY

Green has never shown himself to be a particularly high IQ player, but Calderon and Diaw are both basketball geniuses with wine ice water in their veins. The Cavs haven’t always played the most intelligent basketball and they have had the tendency to get too uptight in the regular season. It’s possible that free spirits like Calderon and Diaw and a spirit free guy like Green could end up moving the needle by moving the rock. If nothing else, LeBron could get wine recs from his one time nemesis, Boris.

BONUS RANT:

For the second straight week, I have been putting the finishing touches on an article as Cavaliers news has broken. Last week, I was pleased to find that Cedi was to officially join the Cavs.

This week, I am in a mild state of shock, awe, and utter annoyance at the report that Derrick Rose may be coming to Cleveland. I am not going to pull any punches. Signing Derrick Rose would be a mistake. He is a high usage, low efficiency player on offense and a total disaster on the defensive end. Even before injuries sapped his explosion, Rose was a minus defender that struggled to grasp team defensive principles. Post-injuries, his diminished lateral quickness has made it all but impossible for him to guard opposing point guards.

But, he is DERRICK ROSE?! Yes, and that is a huge problem. It is helpful that he no longer has to live up to a large contract, but he has still yet to grasp his current place as an NBA role player. He provides limited play-making, zero floor-spacing and low IQ shots from the mid-range. Jeff Green doesn’t care enough to hi-jack an offense. Jose Calderon is too smart to do so. Derrick Rose will think he is the final part of a SuperTeam. Iman Shumpert‘s offensive forays in transition will seem pragmatic in comparison.

Rose can provide the occasional highlight leading less casual fans to conclude for the 14th time that “He’s baaack!” He’s not. And truth be told, he was never really that great to begin with.

Until now, I was quietly optimistic that the Cavs’ quiet off-season was a sign of patience and competency. If this signing goes through, the off-season looks more like it has been run by a dude who won his Fantasy League in 2011.