Kanter:
- Great touch, will develop a 3pt range
- NBA ready body size-wise
- very quick & athletic
- very solid post game potential
- average length
- average hustle
- health red-flags (possibly due to body/knees not handling excessive muscle mass)
- unproven leadership quality
JV:
- Great touch, will develop a steady long-jumper, possibly a 3pt range at some point in his career (MAYBE)
- body not yet ready for NBA, needs to get stronger
- average quickness & athleticism
- very sound fundamentals
- solid post game potential
- great length
- great hustle
- great personality
- proven great leadership quality
So you decide. I personally much more prefer JV, maybe because I'm Lithuanian myself.
I was high on Kanter in the 2011 draft, and hoped the Raptors drafted 3rd so they could select him. He hasn't gotten much time in Utah, and when he has he's done remarkably well. If Kanter was given time to develop I could see him doing better than JV, but since he's in Utah where they have so many bigs (although that's up in the air with AJ/Milsap now free agents) then I see JV doing better.
Long story short, I am all about JV now since he's with the Raptors. No point looking back now. JV for the win!
I think this is definitely a legitimate question, Kanter was putting up some good stat lines near the end of the season when he was actually getting some playing time.
I think it'll be interesting seeing how they move going forward, especially since Kanter and JV both look to feature a lot more next season.
I wonder how many of us actually watched a bunch of Utah Jazz games this season? It is interesting that Bill Simmons had the pair ranked together at numbers 46 and 45 in his 13th annual ranking of the NBA's top 50 most valuable assets.
I think this is definitely a legitimate question, Kanter was putting up some good stat lines near the end of the season when he was actually getting some playing time.
I think it'll be interesting seeing how they move going forward, especially since Kanter and JV both look to feature a lot more next season.
The question was which one is better, currently. And which fits on the Raps better currently.
First of all, let's not forget that Kanter played his second season in the NBA, he's not rookie. Being a good player isn't all about stats, I haven't seen Kanter playing, but it's enough to see Valanciunas hustle and energy to say that he fits the Raptors really well... On the other hand, during these two years Kanter wasn't given a real chance in Utah to show that he can consistently play the highest level basketball.
I'm a big Jazz fan; I grew up on Malone and Stockton, before the Raptors existed. So I still catch ~20-30 Jazz games per year.
1. If this were the 90s, Kanter wins hands down. He's really strong, he's a great rebounder (much better than JV), and he's got a bull-in-a-china-shop style post game.
2. JV is a much better player for the modern NBA. He moves his feet better, he's longer, and he's a better shooter. He can erase his teammates (and his own) defensive mistakes.
3. Kanter is much more limited on the defensive end. I like him paired with Favors on D, with Kanter guarding the primary post threat. That's something he's quite good at, because of his strength. But he's not yet able to provide quality help D without fouling.
So yeah, Kanter has his advantages. But I'd say JV's a slightly better player right now for today's game, and by next season will be significantly better.
Valanciunas is bigger and is in the mold of a traditional, back to the basket, center. Hid reach and height make him a good rim protector and he has good touch around the rim.
Kanter is a little shorter (an inch with 3" shoter wingspan), a little thicker, and maybe more athletic. I see him as being a power forward/center hybrid.
For the Raps JV is better. I'd prefer him on most team since finding that true center is very difficult to do in the NBA.
"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."
Comment