Mamadi Diakite - The real Brobley

[All4One1ForAll]

I don't get why people say he's not a three for us. Can he guard the wing? Yup. Can he camp in the corner and take threes? Yup. Does he rebound well? Yup. For the cavs those are three thing we could do with. He's not going to dribble, so what?

What are you basing all of this on?

He’s 1/13 from three in his NBA career. 33.7% from 3 on less than an attempt per game in college. But because he went 4/7 from three in the preseason on open jumpers, you’re now confident he’s some sharpshooting wing? There’s a difference between being a big who can somewhat space the floor and keep defenses honest, and a wing who is expected to make threes and at a higher volume against tight perimeter defenders. You do know that right?

He also has never guarded the perimeter extensively. Just because you’re mobile for a big and occasionally switchable doesn’t mean you can play the 3 full time on defense. Diakite himself even said playing the 4 in the pros has been an adjustment for him. All he’s played throughout his career has been the 4/5 and he’s always been a drop coverage guy not a switch big. But now you want him fighting over screens and defending guys like Tatum, Durant, Butler, Kawhi, LeBron, and Doncic in space for whole games?

I’m astonished I even have to explain this to be honest. People here seriously want to mitigate his best and proven strengths, which are help rim protection and defense in the PnR, and instead make him as uncomfortable as possible by forcing him to have to create more than he should, rely on him more for shooting than we would have to at the big positions, and have him defend perimeter guys all game. It’s just absurd.

 

[Adam]

What are you basing all of this on?

He’s 1/13 from three in his NBA career. 33.7% from 3 on less than an attempt per game in college. But because he went 4/7 from three in the preseason on open jumpers, you’re now confident he’s some sharpshooting wing? There’s a difference between being a big who can somewhat space the floor and keep defenses honest, and a wing who is expected to make threes and at a higher volume against tight perimeter defenders. You do know that right?

He also has never guarded the perimeter extensively. Just because you’re mobile for a big and occasionally switchable doesn’t mean you can play the 3 full time on defense. Diakite himself even said playing the 4 in the pros has been an adjustment for him. All he’s played throughout his career has been the 4/5 and he’s always been a drop coverage guy not a switch big. But now you want him fighting over screens and defending guys like Tatum, Durant, Butler, Kawhi, LeBron, and Doncic in space for whole games?

I’m astonished I even have to explain this to be honest. People here seriously want to mitigate his best and proven strengths, which are help rim protection and defense in the PnR, and instead make him as uncomfortable as possible by forcing him to have to create more than he should, rely on him more for shooting than we would have to at the big positions, and have him defend perimeter guys all game. It’s just absurd.

Time will tell non believer! Seriously I get what you are saying but I think his jumper improvement is for reals

 

[JayP146]

I think a not insignificant portion of the posters on this thread realize a lot of enthusiasm for this dude is in jest ...

 

[cavsfever]

My man he doesn’t have the ball handling or play making skills to play the position.

He is solidly a PF.

In fact, I am not sure where at all you are getting he is a SF when all of his pre season minutes have come with him playing the 4.

We don’t need ball handlers or playmakers next to Garland and Mitchell. We need guys who can 1) guard SFs on D and 2) make three pointers. You got those two qualities you’re a potential SF on this team

 

[World B ThAreee]

I think a not insignificant portion of the posters on this thread realize a lot of enthusiasm for this dude is in jest ...

Is now a bad time to share a pic of my new Mamadi Diakite jersey?

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

What are you basing all of this on?

He’s 1/13 from three in his NBA career. 33.7% from 3 on less than an attempt per game in college. But because he went 4/7 from three in the preseason on open jumpers, you’re now confident he’s some sharpshooting wing? There’s a difference between being a big who can somewhat space the floor and keep defenses honest, and a wing who is expected to make threes and at a higher volume against tight perimeter defenders. You do know that right?

He also has never guarded the perimeter extensively. Just because you’re mobile for a big and occasionally switchable doesn’t mean you can play the 3 full time on defense. Diakite himself even said playing the 4 in the pros has been an adjustment for him. All he’s played throughout his career has been the 4/5 and he’s always been a drop coverage guy not a switch big. But now you want him fighting over screens and defending guys like Tatum, Durant, Butler, Kawhi, LeBron, and Doncic in space for whole games?

I’m astonished I even have to explain this to be honest. People here seriously want to mitigate his best and proven strengths, which are help rim protection and defense in the PnR, and instead make him as uncomfortable as possible by forcing him to have to create more than he should, rely on him more for shooting than we would have to at the big positions, and have him defend perimeter guys all game. It’s just absurd.

I think his skillset, body/frame, athleticism, speed etc is absolutely usable at the 3 for legitimate minutes.

And here’s another secret I’ll let you in on…big 3s and agile, long small ball 4s are basically interchangeable in this league 9 times out of 10.

I don’t really care what he’s traditionally played, maybe he’s used to drop coverage but if he’s 6’9 with a 7’3 wingspan and can cover half the court in two strides and move his feet well on the perimeter, then he’s a viable defensive option for every small forward in this league in 2022. I’m most intrigued by him as a small ball 4 next to Mobley but with the defensive responsibilities mostly on wing creation forwards.

His history doesn’t fit. Fine. But his body and skillset sure do. Maybe converting him into a 3/4 hybrid wing like the Morris twins, or whoever you wanna bring up as an example is what makes him valuable enough to get a real shot in this league.

Weirder things have happened. But he fits a defenisive profile physically that honestly does not exist elsewhere on the roster and I think not exploring it would be a disservice to the team long term.

Cavs are at the point in roster building where hitting on guys like that and finding them important areas to contribute is how you build a roster with a long shelf life, hitting on cheap undersold players and building them into assets…that’s how you develop title teams. He’s too agile/long/versatile/freakish to pigeonhole him into a backup big man role and leave it at that.

Will his shooting hold up on volume, etc or develop into a weapon? Maybe, maybe not. But I think he’s got potential as a shooter and I think he showed off that again, itz worth exploring

 

[macbdog]

 

[Cavatt]

He does a lot of nice things.

 

[mAo_mAo]

If Okoro is having a bad game as our small ball 4 off the bench, Diakite should be given some minutes.

 

[kevincleveland]

has he played for the Charge yet?

 

[Kuiper]

has he played for the Charge yet?

He's only played two games for the Charge thus far, but he's averaging 22.5 ppg, 8.5 rebounds, and 3 assists in those games.

Mamadi Diakite - The NBA G League

Mamadi Diakite (born January 21, 1997) is a forward for the Cleveland Charge. He played college basketball at Virginia.

gleague.nba.com

He scored 22 to lead the Charge in a victory a few nights ago

Mamadi Diakite leads the Cleveland Charge past the Motor City Cruise 120-100

Diakite scores 22 points in the win on Black Panther night.

www.fearthesword.com

 

[kevincleveland]

He's only played two games for the Charge thus far, but he's averaging 22.5 ppg, 8.5 rebounds, and 3 assists in those games.

Mamadi Diakite - The NBA G League

Mamadi Diakite (born January 21, 1997) is a forward for the Cleveland Charge. He played college basketball at Virginia.

gleague.nba.com

He scored 22 to lead the Charge in a victory a few nights ago

Mamadi Diakite leads the Cleveland Charge past the Motor City Cruise 120-100

Diakite scores 22 points in the win on Black Panther night.

www.fearthesword.com

looking good, decent prospect and no more nembhard

 

[Lee]

Suprised this thread isnt more active. Diakite looked good in his 14 minutes, couple of rebounds and a couple of blocks, made some easy baskets and didnt take a bad shot with solid defense.

He was brought in for Lopez basically who was just to slow to stay in the game.

 

[CleveRocks]

We will see more of him as we go..

 

[buzzdog]

Great night for Diakite, nice to see him get some burn.