Alpha1971 wrote:Lazy white guy comparison but whose better DDV or Austin Reeves ?

I'd say Austin is more complete offensive player in terms of playmaking and shootings. Donte is a better defender and rebounder. He's a better athlete, but I think Austin has better craft around the rim.

If we get into the stats, they are very similar last year from 1000 feet up. Before last year, neither had very impressive stats - Reaves in his rookie year and DDV in his 4 prior years.

DDV shot mostly 3s last year and shot about 39%.

Reaves takes a lot more shots from the floor. Reaves shot 39% from 3 and a whopping 63% from 2 last year. Those numbers are pretty astronomical particularly when shooting from all over the floor. That 63% from two is not just from 0-3 feet. That's Kris Middleton type efficiency.

I think he benefits from being with James and Davis, for sure. But he is making the most of that opportunity. Wouldn't surprise me if both of their stats dropped from last year's career highs. I can't imagine Reaves is sustainable at 63% from 2 and 39% from 3. DDV probably benefited from Kerr's offensive sets and floor spacing, something that may not be as likely here.

At 24, I think an objective observer would pick Reaves over DDV. He probably is getting a Rondo like boost from being on the floor with HOF caliber players, but he is highly efficient in his minutes and that is valuable.

ESOMKnicks wrote:I am also wondering how DDV compares to Yuta Watanabe, and why we went after the former and not the latter? If we were going for a shooter, Yuta fit the bill great with his high percentage from three. Plus he is a good defender, has more size, and would have come at a fraction of the cost of DDV.

Objectively, Yuta's 3point shooting doesn't have the right indicators to support it as "real". It may be. It may not. 1) His lifetime 39% is on relatively low volume. 2) His FT percentage at 73% is relatively low. FT and 3pt shooting are generally correlated, so that I would expect to see Yuta's 3 point percentage to decrease with volume (or conversely, I would expect to see his FT% increase with volume!).

This is similar to Hartenstein who looked like a 40% shooter on paper. With volume, that number regressed.

I won't knock Yuta much though, haven't seen enough of him to make any real judgments. I don't think he has the same experience as DDV though.

ESOMKnicks wrote:I am also wondering how DDV compares to Yuta Watanabe, and why we went after the former and not the latter? If we were going for a shooter, Yuta fit the bill great with his high percentage from three. Plus he is a good defender, has more size, and would have come at a fraction of the cost of DDV.

Wata might be a higher-upside player and better positional fit IMO. DDV is much more proven, Brunson's boy, and a contract that more easily aggregates it into a trade if it comes to that. I don't know if Yuta would have had interest in coming here without some guarantee of minutes. He is running out of time. Regardless I don't we had an interest. Going for the sure thing/culture fit is on brand

Knixkik wrote:

ESOMKnicks wrote:I am also wondering how DDV compares to Yuta Watanabe, and why we went after the former and not the latter? If we were going for a shooter, Yuta fit the bill great with his high percentage from three. Plus he is a good defender, has more size, and would have come at a fraction of the cost of DDV.

DDV has been a starter or high level rotation player on championship teams and contenders. Yuta is a fringe rotation player on any team at best. This isn’t a good comp at all. The DDV vs Reave Comp is close but I’ll say Reaves.

It is not close.

GustavBahler wrote:As others have pointed out, Reeves has great finishing skills. More in line with a high draft pick, not an undrafted player.

DDV isnt a finisher like Reeves. But DDV looks more like a two-way player. Both have something to offer a contender.

I am sorry I think Reaves is a better more versatile defender as well. DDV is a good player. He is a fringe starter or solid bench piece IMO. A little small but a Courtney Lee type. Reeves looks every bit of an impact player.

martin wrote:The best part of all of this is that it'll play out in real time in full in a few short months.

Can't get better than that, and it can't come soon enough.

What you tired of talking about Nathan Knight, Evan Fournier, Isiah Robey,, ..

EwingPSD wrote:

EwingsGlass wrote:

ESOMKnicks wrote:I am also wondering how DDV compares to Yuta Watanabe, and why we went after the former and not the latter? If we were going for a shooter, Yuta fit the bill great with his high percentage from three. Plus he is a good defender, has more size, and would have come at a fraction of the cost of DDV.

Objectively, Yuta's 3point shooting doesn't have the right indicators to support it as "real". It may be. It may not. 1) His lifetime 39% is on relatively low volume. 2) His FT percentage at 73% is relatively low. FT and 3pt shooting are generally correlated, so that I would expect to see Yuta's 3 point percentage to decrease with volume (or conversely, I would expect to see his FT% increase with volume!).

This is similar to Hartenstein who looked like a 40% shooter on paper. With volume, that number regressed.

I won't knock Yuta much though, haven't seen enough of him to make any real judgments. I don't think he has the same experience as DDV though.

He was at 5.4 per 36 last year and shot over 130 3s. His volume is limited by his lack of playing time. It is a small sample size but not comparable to IH who took 1 three per 36 his last year in LA and only 30 total. He also shot the 3 pretty well coming into last season. He might not be a 44% shooter but he isn't I-Heart. I'd be as concerned about Donte's shooting regressing as Yuta's. He shot 40% last year but NY isn't GS (far from) and he's been up and down his whole career.

You cannot use per36 to validate percentages. The actual number of attempts is relevant if we are discussing if it is a small sample set or not. He established that percentage on 2.3 shots per game. Not 5.4. You can only use per36 to compare similar players with different minutes totals on volume stats. It creates uniform per minute comparison that will be more incorrect depending on the multiple needed to get to 36. If one guy is at 34 and the other at 33, it will be more realistic than if one guy is at 34 and the other is at 14 minutes. Converting his shot attempts to per 36 doesn't validate his shooting percentage in any way. He might be a good signing for Phoenix. For 2.5mm, I probably would have taken a flyer on him. But I don't think we missed out much regardless.

We can agree that a DDV regression is possible. Maybe even likely. I said as much in one of the other posts.

EwingPSD wrote:

GustavBahler wrote:As others have pointed out, Reeves has great finishing skills. More in line with a high draft pick, not an undrafted player.

DDV isnt a finisher like Reeves. But DDV looks more like a two-way player. Both have something to offer a contender.

I am sorry I think Reaves is a better more versatile defender as well. DDV is a good player. He is a fringe starter or solid bench piece IMO. A little small but a Courtney Lee type. Reeves looks every bit of an impact player.

You might be right. I havent seen enough to say its clear cut. Hoping DDV and his old teammates can help get us to the next round. Got to be more than a class reunion.