Things that scare me about Deron Williams......

[emeans]

While all players have weakness. His weaknesses as reported by nbadraft.net scares me to the point I would be scared to pass up on getting one of the top 2 players (Marvin and Bogut) in this draft, whose superstadum is not really questioned.

Now don't get me wrong, I thought Deron played a hell of a year and tournament, but keep in mind this is not the NCAA, this is the NBA.

Quote:

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Weaknesses: Speed is an issue as he’s not the quickest player on the court … His thick body type can be much a weakness as a plus as it limits his mobility ... Lacks great open court speed and a quick first step ... Relies on strength and overall body size too much… Defending quicker players will be a problem… A good defender, but will has lateral foot speed be an issue? ... Can get caught trying to do too much at times and fires up shots instead of getting his teammates involved…

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You can't compare him to a Jason Kidd, because Jason in his prime was fast and quick. Deron is not. His defense might not be as good as it was in college. NBA players are much quicker and his lateral foot speed may be a problem.

I don't care about his trying to do to much. I kind of like that about him and the Hawks do need some of that mentality, so I have no problem with that.

While I wouldn't be mad if we acquired him, I do think I would be upset to pass on a superstar to get him. I say stay where you are and get one of the best 2 players in the draft. After these two there is a dropoff!!!

[Diesel]

I Don't compare him to Kidd.

I think Deron Williams is Mark Jackson with a Jump Shot. Moreover, I think he's faster than these guys give him credit for being...

AND

The report is that he's been working with a personal trainer and has lost 20 lbs and has a tone to his body... I don't know if it increased his speed, but his positives are already things you can't get from most PGs.

1. He's a great defender. Totally shut down Paul, Stoudamire, Garcia, and any other guy who thinks he has a perimeter game. He just gets out there, hounds them, overpowers them, and keeps a hand in their face.

2. He's a great floor general. Makes the guys around him Better.

3. He can shoot. His game has been transformed from a shoot first PG to a pass first PG but when Head is not on, Williams was on.

4. He's a winner. Some guys just have it... He does.

He will be a star and maybe a superstar in this league.

[Packfill]

Deron was one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball last year. He shut down NBA caliber talents/athletes S. Stoudamire, D. Garcia, C. Paul and all comers in the Big 10.

By comparison no one questions Jason Terry's foot speed but he is a crappy defender. John Stockton was not fleet of foot but was still an excellent defender. Same with Dennis Johnson, Terry Porter, and Fat Lever.

Every player in the draft has huge question marks - is Bogut athletic enough? Does Marvin have a position? Is Chris Paul tall enough? Can Gerald Green put on weight? Is Chris Taft lazy, stupid or both?

[gohawks11]

raymond felton is way better. i thought dee brown played pg for illinois anyways, and i thot dwill was a sg.

[Diesel]

Raymond Felton's defense is not in the same class as Deron's. Felton never stopped anybody. Paul had his best games against UNC. In fact, when they matched up (Felton/Deron) Felton would have fouled out if they had left him man to man with Deron. UNC switched to a 1/3/1 Zone that they had never played before to protect Felton.

Offensively, Felton plays fast break basketball. It looks good, but it doesn't translate well into the NBA. JT, Bibby, and B. Diddy were fast break PGs. In the pros, each guy needed a surrogate in the halfcourt set. That's why JT couldn't fit here. He didn't have that person to defer to in the half court set. JT used to get eaten alive in the halfcourt. I don't know if Felton's BB IQ is that much higher.

[PhillyDC]

B. Diddy did pretty well when Mash was out in NO and had the Warriors playing pretty well when they were trash before he got there. As for JT and Bibby, neither of them is a true PG, but i do think they were placed in bad situations when they arrived in the league which hurt their development.

Felton is good, he worked on his shot, and is a leader (team won the title; helped distribute ball on a loaded team). his D may not be as good as Williams, but I think he is will be a good NBA PG also.

[Diesel]

Bibby and JT now play for teams with good passers... Bibby has always played for a good passing team except when he was with Reef... But offense was very simple... Drop down low.

B-Diddy has had: Wesley, Mash... and in GS... he's been playing but hasn't some of the duties of ball handling gone to Fish?

[AHF]

One other difference between Baron and Felton: Felton has never scored 13 ppg since graduating from high school. Baron Davis is a scoring machine, taller and more athletic. I have the same misgivings about Felton as Diesel and would much rather have Deron.

[PhillyDC]

do you watch the warriors play? baron had the ball. even when he played with D.Fish, Fish was a '2' and baron had the ball. D. Williams may never make it to the level of Baron Davis. I hope he does, b/c i like him, but baron is pretty good. And in NO Wesley was a two, baron had the ball. he had to share when mash was in there, but baron had the ball a lot.

i agree with JT, only somewhat with Bibby. Sacremento ran a lot of pick and rolls with him and CWebb, so he handled more, but he did benefit a lot from the system. i think bibby is overpaid. i mean he had that 1 great playoff run, but a great deal of that is due to cwebb and vlade. check out his %s since CWebb (and vlade) left.

[PhillyDC]

you guys should take williams, b/c he is a better defender and shooter than felton. i was just defending felton b/c i think he will make a good pro also.

[MoonKnight]

I would not be upset if we selected D. Williams with our 1st rounder at all. I generally agree with Dolfan's earlier post on Williams and I have been advocating for him since before March Madness. I think that DW would improve our win total immediately. The guy makes his teammates much better players. His D is probably the best of the backcourt members in this draft class. I have been blasted for this point on this board in the past but IMO Jason Kidd has never been a fast player only a quick player with an incredible basketball IQ and great handles. To me that description sums up Williams except his jumper is better at this stage of his career. I doubt DW will be available at the 5th pick but I would love to select him there and still have a shot at Tiago/Petro/May.

[PhillyDC]

deron williams is not jason kidd. jason kidd is much quicker than him and a better rebounder and finisher. the best comparison is andre miller with a better J.

[Diesel]

I have to side with...

I think you guys give too much credit to Kidd.

Kidd isn't that fast. Like Williams, he has basketball Speed. Not quick, but high BB IQ.

[PhillyDC]

too much credit???!!! Kidd is the best PG since Magic, period. can dominate a game without hitting a shot. you cant say that about many guys in league history. HOF material and we are giving him too much credit. wow.

[chillzatl]

Kidd is not quick or fast, by any stretch of the imagination. But he's a great player and a very good defender.

As a side note, it shows that good defense is about more than quickness. (see also, Boguts lateral quickness).

[hotboyj]

http://nbadraft.net/deronwilliamsinterview001.asp

Basically an article saying how he isn't a slow, unorthodox, fat @ss.

If he slims down to around 185 we should draft him. He would still overpower most guards, but with his added decline in weight he could become as fast or even faster than felton no questions asked.

[PhillyDC]

kidd is very quick with the ball. i mean i guess it depends on how you define 'quick' is he AI, raymond felton, tony parker quick no, but he's quicker than most PGs. i just dont think thats a good comparison (D. Williams : Kidd) Only thing I see is the lighter complexion, and size.

LOL. you dont have to convince me on Bogut. I think Hawks should take him if Bucks dont. No trading down or anything. If he is there, get him. Put an athletic PF next to him and Hawks would be on to something. His passing and shooting will open the court for other players. and you are right quickness is not everything on D, look at Eric Snow and Aaron Mckie, neither are very quick, but both are (at least were) very good defenders.

[PhillyDC]

i dont know, felton is pretty fast man. and would williams lose some of his physical-ness (is that a word??) on D is he loses too much, just a thought. (that is he how he did defend some of those bigger guards and keep people out the lane)

[chillzatl]

of speed. People say that Deron won't be good because he's not quick. but look at J.kidd. He's not quick at all and he's one of the greatest PG's ever.

[PhillyDC]

if they say so...i still think the comparison to dre miller is a better one. williams doesnt attack the glass as kidd does, and he doesnt get from point a to point b with the ball as quick as kidd does. that said i believe that williams should be a good nba player. i think of the top 3 PGs he fits hawks the best.