Dante Cunningham: Diamond in the rough? (MERGED)

[alex42083]

Re: Dante Cunningham: Diamond in the rough?

A young Joe Smith

Nice comparison. I was trying to think of who Dante reminded me of, and he plays exactly like Joe Smith.

 

[Schilly]

Re: DANTE: Our best SF?

Like I said in another post. Dante is already what we have always hoped Travis would someday learn to be. He's heady athletic and plays within himself.

 

[STOMP]

What do you think of this...

http://www.realgm.com/src_checktrade.php?tradeid=5258842

We become...

Miller\Blake(2)
Roy(3)\Rudy\Bayless(1)
Batum\Cunningham(4)
Aldridge\Okafor(5)\Howard
Oden\Armstrong

I like it. 3 solid big men. Young guys in the mix. Veterans. A player at each position that can play another position.

works for me, but I sure wouldn't want this if I were a Hornets fan. Okafor is easily the best player in that hypothetical plus you have them giving up their backup 5??? Doesn't seem a very even exchange.

STOMP

 

[STOMP]

A young Joe Smith

I'm assuming you mean because he has a good jumper, decent athleticism and doesn't try to force matters, but just for reference JS measured 2.5" taller (6'9.5 barefoot) way back at his predraft. That extra size really helps a PF when defensive switches have them guarding 5s. DC's offensive game may be similar to Joe's, but I suspect if he were a size larger with those skills he wouldn't have lasted well into the 2nd round.

STOMP

 

[alex42083]

Re: DANTE: Our best SF?

Dante's offensive game is fine right now, the guy can shoot and seems pretty heady. Defensively, though, is where he might struggle against stronger and more veteran-type players. He's got some good potential though to be a rotation player. I like his game. He just needs to learn the NBA game right now. Nicolas and Martell are still better than him at this time.

 

[Shooter]

Re: Dante Cunningham: Diamond in the rough?

Dante's game is NOT power.

Neither is Aldridge's, for that matter.

 

[RR7]

His game isn't pwoer on the offensive end, but he at least has the strength to not get bullied bad by opposing backup PFs.

 

[hasoos]

Re: Dante Cunningham: Diamond in the rough?

Dante has gotten burn mostly in garbage time so I'm not really sure how you can project out his preseason performances to the regular season, but one wonders if it could be any worse than the current level of play Outlaw has provided?

Here is the thing I would stress: Cunningham already understands how to play defense and how to rebound. He also has more than one offensive move in his arsenal. If you are wondering, "Are all of these comments aimed at Travis Outlaw", the answer is yes. Cunningham is a mature player. He was a major reason Villanova made it very far in the tournament last year. They were a very good defensive team. He is also the type of player that will endear himself to Nate. He works hard. That is why him and Pendergraph were drafted this year. They are blue collar players.

 

[hasoos]

Re: DANTE: Our best SF?

Dante's offensive game is fine right now, the guy can shoot and seems pretty heady. Defensively, though, is where he might struggle against stronger and more veteran-type players. He's got some good potential though to be a rotation player. I like his game. He just needs to learn the NBA game right now. Nicolas and Martell are still better than him at this time.

It is early and we can't say much. All I can say is that Batum has shown me nothing on the improvement front this year so far. Nada. He is still just a defensive body out there. Webster is just like Webster from 2 years ago with more agressive attitude. Cunningham rolled in and pretty much scored as many points and rebounds as those two have together for the whole pre season, in one half of a game. You can't say "well it was against scrubs" either, because Martell was out there during that period of time, and he wasn't producing at that level, against the same scrubs.

 

[maxiep]

He's a tweener. He's not quick enough to guard threes and not long or strong enough to handle fours. I don't particularly like tweeners, but I'm sure he'll be an okay bench player for us.

 

[hasoos]

He's a tweener. He's not quick enough to guard threes and not long or strong enough to handle fours. I don't particularly like tweeners, but I'm sure he'll be an okay bench player for us.

I don't agree, because a Tweener is not good at either position they play. A versatile player is good at all the positions they play. You are labelling him a tweener because of his size, alone, when it is truly the talent they bring to the position that determines if they are a tweener or a versatile player. Let him get some run before labelling him one or the other.

 

[Shooter]

Re: DANTE: Our best SF?

All I can say is that Batum has shown me nothing on the improvement front this year so far. Nada. He is still just a defensive body out there. Webster is just like Webster from 2 years ago with more agressive attitude. Cunningham rolled in and pretty much scored as many points and rebounds as those two have together for the whole pre season, in one half of a game. You can't say "well it was against scrubs" either, because Martell was out there during that period of time, and he wasn't producing at that level, against the same scrubs.

Very good points. I'm a little tired of waiting for Webster and Outlaw and Batum to "develop," especially when you see a guy like Cunnigham playing this well in his rookie pre-season. It seems like an eternity since we drafted Webster, and yet the guy is still just as inconsistent from the field as ever.

Give me some guys that can PLAY. I'm tired of hearing about "potential."

 

[BenDavis503]

works for me, but I sure wouldn't want this if I were a Hornets fan. Okafor is easily the best player in that hypothetical plus you have them giving up their backup 5??? Doesn't seem a very even exchange.

STOMP

True. I had a couple beers in me when I thought that idea lol

I like it a lot but they wouldn't do it. Maybe if we throw Bayless at them and they throw back Collison.

 

[crandc]

When I saw him in Sacramento he looked awful. Either that was just a bad game or he's an incredibly fast learner.