Everything Jerryd Bayless

[mcHAPPY]

I know I have been very critical of Bayless but that is as a starting PG.

If he would embrace the 6th man role, I'd be ecstatic with him. Unfortunately, he seems to be 2 different players when he starts versus comes off the bench. Dwane Casey on JB:

On free agent Jerryd Bayless: “His gift is getting to the basket, body hunting and shooting the three-ball. That’s his gift. He’s got a niche in this league where you can look at James Harden in Oklahoma City and Jason Terry. Guys don’t like to be compared to other players, but those guys make a nice living at doing that. That’s the next step in his game, seeing his teammates, making the right decisions with the ball because as I say all of the time, when you have the ball in your hands you have the whole team in your hand. You have great responsibility. You’ve got to cherish that responsibility.”

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/...ronto-raptors/

[Raptorsss]

I think we're pretty much in agreement Matt, except that im still very high on the guy.

[mcHAPPY]

I think we're pretty much in agreement Matt, except that im still very high on the guy.

Right you are.

I went back and read the comment with all the teams and saw "within the realm of possibility." My apologies. I thought you said he would start there. I need to read better!

[Bendit]

Bottom line...Bayless is an asset and I think Casey's view of him long term is correct. Now if he could embrace the Terry/Harden model rather than the Billups one (ironically Billups was selected by Pitino/Boston as a PG but they gave up on him in the first year! because they found him to be a SG). Billups before getting injured with LAC had reverted to SG mostly. Keep Bayless for the next year and let Casey try and "work" him. If he agrees and does the job he could be worth MLE money. He is still young. What I like about him most is he plays with an edge in crunchtime and the Raps dont have too many like him.

[Joey]

Bottom line...Bayless is an asset and I think Casey's view of him long term is correct. Now if he could embrace the Terry/Harden model rather than the Billups one (ironically Billups was selected by Pitino/Boston as a PG but they gave up on him in the first year! because they found him to be a SG). Billups before getting injured with LAC had reverted to SG mostly. Keep Bayless for the next year and let Casey try and "work" him. If he agrees and does the job he could be worth MLE money. He is still young. What I like about him most is he plays with an edge in crunchtime and the Raps dont have too many like him.

The Clippers picked up Billups as a Point Guard. When they traded for Paul, (and gave up their starting SG) it made sense to slide him over to the 2.
That said, I don't think there is anyone that could/would contend Billups has been anything but a PG through out the Prime of his career.

Just because Bayless likes (read: capable of) creating his own shot, I don't think that automatically makes him a SG by trade.

[Bendit]

The Clippers picked up Billups as a Point Guard. When they traded for Paul, (and gave up their starting SG) it made sense to slide him over to the 2.
That said, I don't think there is anyone that could/would contend Billups has been anything but a PG through out the Prime of his career.

Just because Bayless likes (read: capable of) creating his own shot, I don't think that automatically makes him a SG by trade.

The Billups and Paul transactions occurred within a day of each other (2 at most). I believe that LAL already knew they were going to acquire Paul. Billups was a good body to have and cheap as well as could be used either as a backup to CP or as a SG.

No dispute that Billups made his bones in the league as a PG. What I was saying was that he was really a SG who made himself into a PG but it took him about 5 years (at least no team of 4 thought he was ready to play that position until Detroit). So there are similarities to Bayless in a way. Like Billups I think Bayless believes that being a PG is his only way to being a starter...he does not have the size to defend other SGs on most nights. And he is right.

Re your last sentence, I dont know that I wrote anything to dispute that. It's definitely an asset to have at any position really and is a must for an elite SG.

[Joey]

The Billups and Paul transactions occurred within a day of each other (2 at most). I believe that LAL already knew they were going to acquire Paul. Billups was a good body to have and cheap as well as could be used either as a backup to CP or as a SG.

Fair point. I remember reading that they were trying to convince him to play SG as a way of prolonging his Career.

No dispute that Billups made his bones in the league as a PG. What I was saying was that he was really a SG who made himself into a PG but it took him about 5 years (at least no team of 4 thought he was ready to play that position until Detroit). So there are similarities to Bayless in a way. Like Billups I think Bayless believes that being a PG is his only way to being a starter...he does not have the size to defend other SGs on most nights. And he is right.

Dig it. Nice post.

Re your last sentence, I dont know that I wrote anything to dispute that. It's definitely an asset to have at any position really and is a must for an elite SG.

You didn't. Sorry, should have clarified.
That was more just a summarization of my viewpoint.

Overall, I think we agree with eachother. Haha
Bayless has a chance to be something very good; If he goes about it the right way.

[Bendit]

Overall, I think we agree with eachother. Haha

Good. Wouldn't want to get on your bad side!