No love for DJ from ESPN

[playoffs...PLAYOFFS?]

There's been plenty of discussions about DJ being a great pick for us and the game he played against Rose last time the Bulls where in town..and how DJ should be the starting PG

But...outside the Bobcats world, things are a bit different.

Here are Hollinger's predictions for 2009 from ESPN. You'll need insider access, so I've copied paste sections that are relevant

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=Predictions-090107


Are we just plain dillusional about DJ's merits? Or is ESPN really not in tune with the Bobcats?

1. This season's best rookie guard will not be Mayo or Rose

Since everyone sees this rookie of the year race as a two-man chase between Derrick Rose (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3456) and O.J. Mayo (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3450), let me steal a page from Rob Neyer and present this comparison:
Player A: 37.3 min., 16.3 pts., 6.2 ast., 45.9 FG%, 13.58 PER
Player B: 36.4 min., 17.7 pts., 3.8 ast., 43.8 FG%, 14.03 PER
Player C: 33.1 min., 15.5 pts., 5.1 ast., 46.2 FG%, 16.23 PER
Player A is Rose in the month of December. Player B is Mayo in the month of December.
And Player C, who has more combined points and assists per minute than either Rose or Mayo, a better shooting percentage and a higher Player Efficiency Rating? That would be Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3468) in the month of December.
He's getting zero attention because he had a dreadful November and his team has won only five games. But Westbrook has been spectacular over the past month -- he shot 34.5 percent in November but 46.2 percent in December and hung 22 points, nine assists and six rebounds on the Knicks on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Rose and Mayo have cooled off from their hot starts.
Westbrook also is the youngest of the three, the best defender and the only one who had to change positions upon arriving in the NBA. All of which suggests he's only scratching the surface of his potential -- as does the fact that he has a higher turnover ratio than the other two, which, in a paradoxical twist of logic, is actually a good thing for a rookie. Historically, those with high turnover rates have had much higher rates of improvement in subsequent seasons.
So 12 months from now, don't be surprised if we're calling Westbrook the top guard from this rookie class.

3. The rookies will beat the sophs at All-Star Weekend

Although it might not match the awesome individual talents of the 2003 draft, this has been perhaps the deepest rookie class in memory, and we'll get to see why next month in Phoenix.
The sophomores usually dominate this event, but this is the first time in a while that the matchup looks fair on paper. In fact, the biggest problem for the rookies might be narrowing their ranks to a nine-man roster -- 12 rookies have PERs greater than 13 while playing more than 20 minute a game, and that doesn't include defensive ace Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3451) in Milwaukee.
The likely roster will be Greg Oden (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3225), Brook Lopez (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3448), Marc Gasol (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3206) and Michael Beasley (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3418) up front, Rose, Mayo, Rudy Fernandez (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3204) and Westbrook in the backcourt and Mbah a Moute on the wing. Compare that lineup to the sophomores'. They will be giving up size with Al Horford (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3213) as the lone center -- Carl Landry (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3217) and Luis Scola (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=1781) are his likely cohorts on the front line -- and will have only one real guard, Rodney Stuckey (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3235). The rest of the roster figures to be forwards Kevin Durant (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3202), Jeff Green (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3209), Thaddeus Young (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3244), Al Thornton (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3237) and Wilson Chandler (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3194).
On paper, it seems like the rookies should be able to make quite a game of it. And since these usually are guard-dominated affairs and the sophs basically have no guards, the game might be even more in the rookies' favor.

[DanielWheeler]

Who cares what ESPN has to say?

[ammofan]

i hate espn......

[playoffs...PLAYOFFS?]

i care to the extent to check and see if my perception is objective or not. it's good to see other people's opininions

[Felton for Prez]

Most rookie lists have him ranked in the high single digits or low double digits. I didn't have the heart to break it to the DJ worshipers.

My view is that DJ isn't going to get enough PT to top anyones list this year. If Ray gets traded soon, perhaps he will, but not until them.

[dnbman]

Most rookie lists have him ranked in the high single digits or low double digits. I didn't have the heart to break it to the DJ worshipers.

My view is that DJ isn't going to get enough PT to top anyones list this year. If Ray gets traded soon, perhaps he will, but not until them.

Agree. To put it into perspective, Chalmers has better stats than DJ (or, at least, did a week ago), and we're not making the same case that ESPN is stiffing him.

[110oldeast]

Small market, inconsistent winning syndrome, not the same initial hype all play a role. Although I will say the Bobcats folks have done their share to try to market for him. It just is difficult here.

Keep in mind that Felton had the most Rookie of the Month awards outside of Chris Paul, didn't make the rookie sophomore all-star game and wasn't even first team all-rookie.

[TattoodCats4life]

We'll teach ESPN at the end of the season when DJ is ROTY :).

[coordinator0]

I have to agree with the others about ESPN, it's mostly entertainment IMO. The only guys I respect on there are the baseball analysts, they seem to know what they are doing. The fantasy games on ESPN are the best also lol.

[ohara831]

Chalmers and DJ have pretty comperable numbers. As of tonight:

Chalmers: 32 min/gm 10 pts 4.6 ast 2.8 reb 1.9 TO 1.9 stls

DJ: 29.3 min/gm 12.6 pts 4.3 asts 1.9 reb 2 TO 0.6 stls

Good argument to either talk about them both or leave them both out of the equation.

[dnbman]

Chalmers and DJ have pretty comperable numbers. As of tonight:

Chalmers: 32 min/gm 10 pts 4.6 ast 2.8 reb 1.9 TO 1.9 stls

DJ: 29.3 min/gm 12.6 pts 4.3 asts 1.9 reb 2 TO 0.6 stls

Good argument to either talk about them both or leave them both out of the equation.

Yeah, I guess I just stopped paying too much attention to all-star events.

Just remember, you put a guy in, you have to take a guy out. If they're putting Mayo and Westbrook at pg, who do you take out of Rose, Mayo, and Westbrook to make room for DJ?

[ohara831]

dnbman: I agree with you. I dont think Chalmers or DJ are yet in consideration for ROY honors or All-Star balloting. Rose, Mayo and Westbrook clearly are the 3 Guards who should be in there.

[TheBeagle]

Chalmers and DJ have pretty comperable numbers. As of tonight:

Chalmers: 32 min/gm 10 pts 4.6 ast 2.8 reb 1.9 TO 1.9 stls

DJ: 29.3 min/gm 12.6 pts 4.3 asts 1.9 reb 2 TO 0.6 stls

Good argument to either talk about them both or leave them both out of the equation. You left out the statistical category "Number of times caught smoking weed with skanks while at rookie camp"; damn that Chalmers, he is a better "all-around player" than DJ :p

[timang]

You left out the statistical category "Number of times caught smoking weed with skanks while at rookie camp"; damn that Chalmers, he is a better "all-around player" than DJ :p

LOL. nice one :biggrin:

[JamieMcNeill]

You left out the statistical category "Number of times caught smoking weed with skanks while at rookie camp"; damn that Chalmers, he is a better "all-around player" than DJ :p

haha love it.
Love the Saint as much as the next guy but he is only ROTY if and only if Felts is traded soon and DJ puts up colossal numbers after.
Not winning ROTY doesnt make you a bad player and alot of the time its a popularity contest anyway

[MattD]

We'll teach ESPN at the end of the season when DJ is ROTY :).

unless felton is gone that aint happenin

[JamieMcNeill]

I got new lack of love from espn...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime

800 word article about rookie guards and DJ gets all of two sentences?!?

God ESPN has a serious mancrush on Russel Westbrook.
If DJ were the starter and #2 or 3 option on offense his numbers would be way better than Westbrooks

[Slam]

I got new lack of love from espn...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime

800 word article about rookie guards and DJ gets all of two sentences?!?

God ESPN has a serious mancrush on Russel Westbrook.
If DJ were the starter and #2 or 3 option on offense his numbers would be way better than Westbrooks
Westbrook is going to be a total stud in the NBA.

That's why so many of us where so high on him going into the draft.

[docend24]

:rock:
Westbrook is going to be a total stud in the NBA.

That's why so many of us where so high on him going into the draft.oh yeah and those ten letters.