Clayton to start at PG

Hey - don't talk about @GatorPlanet like that.

 

And the good news is that we have other options. I personally don't think Klavzar is ready to step right in and take over the job being so new to the system and the collegiate game, but he is older, experienced, and has a very good skill set of shooting, scoring, handling, and passing. Aberdeen has been competing for that spot, knows the system and competition level well, and can defend and run the pick and roll at a high level. And you still have Kujas, who was pretty comparable to Klavzar in their head-to-head this summer. There is a ton of depth, maturity, and experience at the one. Hopefully someone takes the reins and runs with the job.

 

I agree with this. Everybody else setting screens and cutting expend more energy. But if you also include having to advance the ball full court under heavy pressure it will be taxing. I hope that task can be shared.

 

Walter Clayton Announced As Starting Point Guard | GatorCountry.comis Eric's take on Clayton as starting point guard:

 

Think he will do a good job. We know he can score just add in 5-6 asst a game, 3 steals and good D.
Not asking much.

 

This was pretty good. Eric always does a terrific job breaking down the analytics and applying them. My takeaway from what he says is that the offense does just fine with Clayton at the one, but he struggles with turnovers trying to create for others out of the pick and roll.

Well, that requires a little more digging. Exactly why did he struggle with turnovers passing out of ball screen actions? Could be that he had trouble reading coverages or knowing where his teammates would be. Could be that he isn't particularly good having to make the decision as to when he should pass, shoot, or drive, and did much better when he had his mind set on getting his own offense. Or it could possibly have to do with those around him. Richard and Kugel both struggled mightily last year with the uptick in minutes and pace, and neither was particularly active off the ball. Pullin didn't have that problem as much because half of his time was spent on the court with Clayton to pass to. Of course, none of that is surprising when you are adapting to a new position in a new system with new teammates against new opponents, even later in the season.

Ultimately, the point guard I most compare Clayton to is Anthony Roberson. Like Clayton, Roberson was a combo guard with good athleticism who was explosive in the open court or getting downhill to the rim, elite shooting and driving off the pick and roll, aces at the free throw line, but didn't create much offense for others and was average to poor defensively. He mostly played the two as a freshman, was full-time at the one as a sophomore, and then split point guard minutes with Green as a junior. Roberson never had more than 3.6 assists a game (his sophomore year at 31+ mpg). Yet that offense did not suffer one bit.

I see no reason Clayton can't lead a productive offense averaging something like 18-3-3 as our starting one, especially with Klavzar and/or Aberdeen splitting the minutes there with him. Is it possible that his struggles making the right reads on passes in the halfcourt leads to key turnovers that might cost us a game? Well, of course. Then again, the same could probably be said of 2/3 of the point guards in the country, most of which do not have near Clayton's ability to shoot or score in the halfcourt. Everyone has a weakness.

 

We've got a couple of pretty good former scoring point guards on the staff that can coach him up. Both have the initials "TG".

 

Walt should just watch film of Stephen Curry all day every day and try his best to copy his style of play. Obviously, he’s not at Curry’s level, but what I’m saying is constant movement, mastering screens, give up the ball early in the possession, run his defender through a maze of teammates, and tire them out. He’s not a Magic Johnson, CP3 ball-dominant type of PG. Let Alijah, Richard, or Denzel handle the rock when Walt’s defender is playing tough on-ball defense behind the half court line.

 

Roberson was a complete ball hog.

I think the Clayton move was a promise to him to encourage him to come back.

It won't work. He doesn't see his teammates well and is a mediocre defender. Golden has to do what is in the best interest of the team.

 

We may find it works out great with Clayton at PG, if he's asked to get into the lane and he improves his ballhandling a little. He's one of the best free-throwers in the nation.

 

I e always been a fan of Walt at PG, to the point of having to eat crow for suggesting before last season that he would start at PG over Zyon. Obviously, I was completely wrong about that. I think he was very good those first three games with the exception of the end of the UVA game. His struggles that game have been way overblown, IMO.

 

PG is his job to lose.

 

I know I said it above, but we have to look past comparing/contrasting with last year. This offense is going to be very different. We will filter stuff through Condon in the high post more than we did last year with our Princeton stuff (similar to what we did with CC). We will run more in the open court because we have a better transition team (good defensive rebounders in Condon, Alexis, Johnson; good open court shot creators in Clayton, Martin, Aberdeen, Klavzar; good open court finishers in Martin, Haugh, Aberdeen). I also think Golden has stumbled on a formula for playing with tempo efficiently: defensive rebounding > early offense > more shots > more offensive rebounds > easy putbacks. And our ball continuity offense will be a lot more aggressive since we have four guys who can execute it well out high in Clayton, Martin, Klavzar, and Aberdeen. Last year, it was basically just Pullin and Clayton. Kugel probably turned down twice as many screens as he took.

If we were replicating last year's offense, I couldn't see Clayton pulling it off. But Golden has emphasized repeatedly how different the offense will be.

 

Todd is a smart coach. He's molding the scheme to fit the talent. He's not going to tell Clayton, "Why can't you just be Zyon?"
I also believe we'll get plenty more transition baskets out of improved defense. Martin will be a huge part of that. Could this be the year we experiment with full-court press? We have the length and the speed and the depth and the rim-protectors to do it, I think. So we may see how it works in some early games and make the decision after that.

 

My understanding is that Golden doesn't love to press, kinda like Oates.

 

What I like about a Clayton and Martin backcourt is the explosiveness of both players. Zyon was cerebral and wise, but both Clayton and Martin will dunk in your face. Zyon was a a great floor general but had less hops than @tilly.

 

That's my understanding as well. My point was that if he ever wanted to experiment with it, this might be the time.

 

At the NBA G League Combine, Walter Clayton had a 28.5 standing vertical and a max vertical of 37.5, Zyon Pullin had a 27 standing vertical and a max vertical of 34, and Tilly had zeroes across the board.

 

I stand corrected on Zyon’s vertical, but he definitely plays below the rim. Clayton flashes his above the rim capability in almost every game, whether it’s a spectacular blocked shot or an unexpected dunk. I don’t remember seeing Zyon dunk at all. Maybe once, but definitely not soaring.

 

Zyon’s game is 100% below the rim, but it’s intentional and effective. I also love his outside shooting form which is pretty much the same as mine was, and what I advocate for practically every hoopster. There is a reason he shot 45% from 3 last season. His big push with his legs and early release of his shot results in a soft and accurate shot.