Does Ant HAVE to be traded?

[SharpesTriumph]

but in the NBA that's a huge weakness that significantly impacts his value. It doesn't matter how pretty a shooting form is. What matters is the points/shot:

Dame 1.55 points/shot
Eubanks 1.55
Watford 1.42
Grant 1.41
Nurk 1.38
Hart 1.34
Ant 1.25
Reddish 1.25
Sharpe 1.22
Thybulle 1.19
Little 1.18
Knox 1.16

Desmond Bane 1.33
Jordan Poole 1.31
Malik Monk 1.31
Keegan Murray 1.25

he's not out of place compared to other role players. He just has the CJ problem and that't his style of offense just won't draw whistles and generate critical points from the line



that's all true, and that has value as well as offering some hope for more upside. But right now, and FT Rate is part of this, he's at 3rd-4th-option/role-player/6th-man level by impact and temperament.

Points per shot isn't everything on offense; usage and minutes matter a lot too. Eubanks is tied with Dame on your list, but he doesn't space the floor, doesn't create offense, only converts from other or from easy putbacks.

Ant had to be the second guard option behind Dame, doesn't shoot the team Techs as Dame gets to, had Dame injured (thus didn't have a skilled cocreator as Dame always did), and was on a lottery team that had less efficient teammates to open the floor for himself.

Ant certainly needs to improve to be a legit average starting caliber player in the NBA. He is young and may improve. But not all young players improve.

Dumping Ant for a poor talent return could end up as a Jermaine O'Neal 2.0 situation. The Blazers shouldn't dump him for crap as they did with Norman Powell. If the Blazers can get a legit starting frontcourt player then yes they should consider it.

But just looking at all of Ants stats and shortcomings the last 2 years isn't a fair way to judge his long term worth.

 

[wizenheimer]

I'm merely pointing out that TS% isn't a good judge whether a guy is a "shooter" or not.

and I was pointing out that being a scorer is a lot more important than being a shooter

 

[RR7]

and I was pointing out that being a scorer is a lot more important than being a shooter

But you're using a stat that is going to highly favor guys who are put in place to score by other guys. Rim runner types. Eubanks being tied with Dame doesn't make him an equal scorer. And you know this. Nic Claxton isn't a "scorer", he's set up for easy buckets. But will have a higher P/FGA than Dame will. Looking at TS%, simiarly, is going to give you a good amount of Cs near the top because they hardly score, and when they do, it's a dunk.

 

[wizenheimer]

Ant had to be the second guard option behind Dame, doesn't shoot the team Techs as Dame gets to

Dame shot 510 FT's this season. How many do you imagine were on T's? 30? 25? 35? 40? How many did Ant shoot? 10? 15? I suppose it would have made a little difference but it has to be negligible.

Dumping Ant for a poor talent return could end up as a Jermaine O'Neal 2.0 situation.

you and I disagree on the Powell trade and the aftermath, but I sure can't recall ever arguing for Portland to dump Ant for a poor return.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Ant is 23 years old
Shot 38% 3pt on 9 attempts
53% on 2pt
89% FT
Over 21ppg

It's insane how some posters on this board get their pitchforks out for a new player every few years.

 

[wizenheimer]

But you're using a stat that is going to highly favor guys who are put in place to score by other guys. Rim runner types. Eubanks being tied with Dame doesn't make him an equal scorer. And you know this. Nic Claxton isn't a "scorer", he's set up for easy buckets. But will have a higher P/FGA than Dame will. Looking at TS%, simiarly, is going to give you a good amount of Cs near the top because they hardly score, and when they do, it's a dunk.

I chimed in after somebody else said there were 36 SG's in the league with better TS%. I'd wonder where Ant would rank in TS% is all the perimeter players were compared.

my pps list was probably a poor representation because of Nurk and Drew. Ant averaged 12.5 more shots than Drew but that doesn't mean Portland would have been any better giving 4 of Ant's shots to Drew

 

[illmatic99]

and I was pointing out that being a scorer is a lot more important than being a shooter

The comment i responded to was about his "shooting."

 

[RR7]

I chimed in after somebody else said there were 36 SG's in the league with better TS%. I'd wonder where Ant would rank in TS% is all the perimeter players were compared.

my pps list was probably a poor representation because of Nurk and Drew. Ant averaged 12.5 more shots than Drew but that doesn't mean Portland would have been any better giving 4 of Ant's shots to Drew

Yes, and you chimed in saying a scorer was better than a shooter, and were replying to someone specifically discussing his shooting. Making a blanket statement, and having a stat that would be dominated by Cs, none of whom anyone would consider a scorer is a little weak. You look at stats all the time on here. You know that.

 

[wizenheimer]

Ant is 23 years old
Shot 38% 3pt on 9 attempts
53% on 2pt
89% FT
Over 21ppg

It's insane how some posters on this board get their pitchforks out for a new player every few years.

where are the pitchforks and who pulled them out? You should consider taking your straw man to the beach or the mountains.

he's a good shooter, a less good scorer, and just isolating on shooting stats is not a full view of Ant's value. The average NBA PER is 15.0; Ant's was 14.8. The average winshare/48 is .100; Ant's was .054. The average BPM was 0.0; Ant's was -1.1. He had the worst rebounding rate on the team. And we know how bad his defense is

so yes, he can shoot well and that has value. How much of the rest of his game adds to that value, and how much subtracts?

 

[wizenheimer]

The comment i responded to was about his "shooting."

yes...and I expanded the discussion

 

[wizenheimer]

Yes, and you chimed in saying a scorer was better than a shooter, and were replying to someone specifically discussing his shooting. Making a blanket statement, and having a stat that would be dominated by Cs, none of whom anyone would consider a scorer is a little weak. You look at stats all the time on here. You know that.

that's true, but do you really believe it changes the argument a lot if we isolate on perimeter players?

I've said several times that Ant is a good shooter and that has value. But that's not the complete picture on Ant's value is it?