He disappeared tonight. Couldn't hit a shot. Go figure. Probably explains a lot of the DNP/Coach's decisions.
Dean Wade can start on a title contender for his defense alone….
Wade could be a regular rotation backup. His defense and shooting are pretty valuable. He’s not really supposed to score for us.I was listening to Van Gundy call the Warriors\Nets game. He said every good NBA team has to have a low shot ball-mover. It’s pretty clear that that is the role he’s been given with the Cavs. His job is to play defense, make sure the ball isn’t sticking, get the ball to the scorers, and shoot when open - in that order.
He's done this a couple times now ...
He did not disappear last night. He was great on the defensive end. On the offensive end, the Cavs played one-on-one ball for nearly the entire game. That is what took him out on that end. Cavs have been great at sharing the ball nearly all season. But not last night. Probably because Garland did not play. Both point guards last night dribbled much of the shot clock away, and what they didn't Osman did. That's not Dean's style of play. Never has been.
In 19 minutes he was 0 for 5 from 3 point range and that hurt the team. He did his usual good stuff in other areas but he couldn't hit a shot, and we needed some guys to hit some shots. He only got one rebound, not his best outing on the boards either.
Everyone was cold from deep. There was no flow to the game because of the one-on-one play. It happens. As far as missing shots. That happens too. Not everyone makes every single shot they shoot. Not even Curry. He averages a respectable percentage. Over the long haul, the percentages pretty well even out. He had just came off of a very hot streak. No player is gonna make all of them. As much as we want them too.
If our team was healthy Wade wouldn’t get minutes. I see him as a 10th man on a good team, and we’re a good team currently banged up. He’s an occasional starter and can provide some good minutes off the bench but against certain teams he doesn’t do well. He certainly worth keeping around like Stevens but unlike Windler and Pangos.
Being able to come through when the team needs a bucket is what separates the heavy rotation players from the ones who are injury insurance and depth role players. I think in time Wade will become a more reliable shooter and when that happens he'll move up the ladder into becoming a regular rotation piece. It's disappointing when all our outside shooters go cold at the same time, Wade needs to be a little more consistent contributing some scoring when we need it.
Yep. I see some people defending his lack of scoring. But you can't defend 1 rebound in 19 minutes, especially as much as we were killed on the boards last night. Wade is a team player, and a good defender. But he's a negative in many other important aspects. A power forward who's a tentative and inconsistent scorer, and a weak rebounder, isn't starter material.
He’s 10 & 6 per 36 this season. That may be good enough when Sugarcreek meets Lancaster in the Amish Finals but it’s not good enough for a rotation player in the NBA.