I would say Mikal Bridges. He certainly took a huge step when Monty cane aboard. Bridges had a good defensive pedigree coning in but finally made an all defensive team in 2022. Cameron Johnson would be in that group as well. I’m not sure how much impact he had on Jalen Smith but he was getting better in Phoenix before he got traded.
Wasn’t Mikael Bridges’ big step with Jacques Vaughn, lol
I mean, turning top 6 picks into good NBA players is better than not, but it’s the job.
Before we get too far afield I don’t think Monty is bad at developing talent, I think he’s totally fine! I just don’t think his track record says “guru”.
He also rather famously came to complete loggerheads with Ayton doing a very similar thing as with Ivey (I think he was in the right there).
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I don’t think Monty is a good or bad developer but we do have a clear 1:1 example of him holding a personal grudge against DeAndre Ayton (who was a good starter for a Finals team at age 22) and essentially running him out of town finger-pointing at him without breaking through and getting him to buy in or develop.
Ivey seems like 2.0 version of that.
Aren’t the issues with Ivey on D were the same concerns when he was drafted? I think Monty is holding him accountable because Casey didn’t last year and now has to play catch up.
Again
Why is Ivey’s defense (which has not tangibly effected team defensive performance) something that needs to be held to account
And not Hayes’ offense (which absolutely tangibly effects team offensive performance)
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Because there’s a belief that defense is proportional to effort while offense is proportional to talent. Hayes can’t help that he’s bad at offense while Ivey should be able to fix his defense with effort. To some extent that is probably true…but probably not to the extent it is being punished/rewarded by the coach.
For Michigan football it is akin to the Joe Bolden linebacker situation. That guy worked hard, did what the coaches wanted, and just wasn’t very talented to get the amount of playing time he did. Other guys who ended up in the NFL were behind him because they made some of those mistakes that coaches hate.
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Outside of the first game, Killian has shot it pretty well. He provides no rim pressure (I think that’s a bigger problem than his shooting.)
Ivey is a pretty bad defender. His effor has been better but most of it is that he’s just very wiry. CJ McCollum just old manned him.
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We can harp on Ivey but it’s important he’s out on the court and tonight will be his 3rd straight game missed.
Oh, I’m not down on him. And would much rather see him (or Monte Morris) next to Cade.
Things that are certain in life:
- Death
- Taxes
- @mgl’s opinion of Killian, Bagley, Ayton, skepticism of Troy and Monty not caring about 2023 style of basketball, etc.
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James Edwards, beat writer for the Athletic that generally has good scoops, said on his podcast that the Pistons might eventually trade Ivey and were very close to doing so on his draft night.
Also, the Pistons are very high on Ausar. He probably has the highest upside on the team.
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That would be interesting
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Benching a top 5 pick in his second year for the worst rotation regular in the NBA and telling everyone he stinks at defense is an interesting way of enhancing trade value
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Giannis ejected
Sasser looking good up 10 with 7 left
Sasser is unbelievable
What a collapse
This blows my mind away after seeing how strong Ivey finished last season. Everyone but Hayes fanboys knows that Hayes blows yet Monty keeps trotting him out bc he played the “right” way. That’s coaching malpractice even though Hayes has shot the ball better, he always has been a negative value on offense this season and in his entire career.
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