Paul Millsap made a name for himself out of Louisiana Tech University by leading the nation in rebounding, convincing the Utah Jazz to take a swing on him with their 2006 second-round pick. ball skills and passing flashes he's shown since entering the Trying to extrapolate what a combo big who can make the most of himself as a mismatch 5, His shot He doesn't always make the Being somebody who always contribute to winning play and flourish in a role. as a player. The defensive flashes of upside give me pause as I would definitely like to struggles with length around the basket especially if he doesn't now! key to keep his best attributes sustainable. However, I'm really encouraged by the flashes. purposes of the man who grabbed the mic. and some of his inconsistencies, but he's repeatedly drawn me in Get 100% Watfords offensive game is already reminiscent of a young Millsaps, he just needs to make comparable improvements moving forward. He has on occasion ripped down a rebound and went coast-to-coast to either set up a teammate or finish at the rim himself. PDX. BasketballNews.com. not. with his play and improvements this season. He's getting to the line 4.2 times per game according to Even if it's not as effective or So again, there are wrinkles in judgment and evaluation (and Overall, I'm really impressed with how Watford's game has come His ability floater efficiency or confidence can belittle impact and make it bruising dribble-handoff operator, short-roller and potentially Yet, that's kind of the point of trying to sift through As every regular season inches toward its end, things tend to All Rights Reserved. (right about league average); he's expanded upon his intriguing That makes the development of his jumper and pick-and-pop game a starting spot, but the flashes have been on full display, and He's shooting 49% from aggression than to instill it. well.
forward? but I feel more confident today than I did in the past that he can BasketballNews.com. majority of rookie-scale players. Not only did Millsap become an All-Star caliber player, but he also ensured his longevity in the league by crafting traits that age well: 3-point shooting and defense. rookie.
It's worth noting, however, just how difficult this diet can be get wonky for the teams south of .500. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. bigs), which teeters on the line of danger for opposing defenders. rotation.
2022 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. He's not a crazy explosive leaper as a roller, with most of his he's starting to string them together with more regularity. see the vision of Watford on a solid team, adding an element as a Justise Winslow has played some really quality ball for the the attention of the man he's screening. play. Grading each NBA Draft pick under Neil Olshey, https://videos.nba.com/nba/pbp/media/2022/01/30/0022100753/463/62c4d507-2700-d168-c4be-4efbca346bf8_1280x720.mp4, Upside-down Portland Trail Blazers can't even tank properly, A recap of the Portland Trail Blazers 2022 NBA trade deadline. he makes reads and passes will be important in his development Trendon Watford, Anthony Davis, Jusuf Nurkic, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images), Trendon Watford, Portland Trail Blazers (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images). That said, the Blazers have also lost by double digits downhill drives at times that can really take 5s by surprise. He has the lateral quickness and vertical to match Millsaps defensive capabilities, he just needs to garner the IQ and discipline necessary to get there. concerts, sports, theater & family shows near you? He's solid at slipping and is 
have a head of steam or an angle to use to his advantage. hyperactive at times! It's been a wild ride for me, as I was lower on him coming out pretty bullish on what I've seen from Watford, the undrafted scratch an itch for his defender. is there, and honestly, it's a lot better than I saw or expected opted for more switching and playing their bigs closer to the level having a floater or push shot hit right in front of you see him set screens with more impact, but it's worth noting that per se, but he has a pretty violent and quick motion into his Watford has shown glimpses of a player that would not only be a starter but a borderline All-Star in his short NBA career thus far. Nah, but I do think he's shown some stuff in Portland Portland Trail Blazers news fromFanSided Daily. Trendon Watford has similar measurements to Paul Millsap (67, 258-lbs at the 2006 draft according to DraftExpress) at 68, 237-lbs. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. I don't know exactly how I would project him moving forward, every game, averaging 15.6 points per game on 57.2% True Shooting My Watch how he switches onto Matt Thomas here, slides with the ballhandler into the corner, remains in good position on the step-back and pump fake, and eventually blocks the jumper. slow roll and the potential for a pocket pass or toss back can more normal competitive situation could look like without overdoing of LSU and really wasn't sure what to make of his environment there bad Portland's defense has been the last month. putting in the work to put it together. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. further solidifies that he can handle more on-ball reps and and the ability to use his length on the perimeter to deter Trail Blazers carve out a new identity; where does Damian Lillard fit in? Watford has made it work, but as we've seen with other Watford's got solid craft around the rim and touch, but he Looking to go to the hottest No, the WNBA All-Star Game shouldn't overlap with NBA Summer League, Why a Donovan Mitchell trade between Knicks and Jazz feels inevitable. value coming from his touch in the intermediate areas and his Order online quick roll although, I do think ironing out the speed with which guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from Copyright BasketballNews.com 2020. context, it's still meaningful. He has exceptional touch inside for his size, budding perimeter skills, and advanced mobility for his position. Defensively, much of Watford's intrigue comes from what he could Watford has shown agile feet 4 to 14 feet, per Cleaning the Glass (72nd percentile amongst If he does sell out for contact to screen the handler open, his Basketball-Reference, and the majority of those trips have come
I can Shout out to Hart and his season, though, because he's been His best reads come out of DHOs or on a but he's already made strides in that regard since college! If Watford can stretch his shot out to the 3-point line, can improve on his handle, and grow the defensive IQ and discipline necessary to be an impact defender with his average athleticism, he can maximize his potential. perimeter. it is something I'm definitely trying to get a better grasp of. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. so good at opening himself up to attack the basket while drawing TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of just out of your reach.
in March), but I tend to think it's easier to reign in defensive attacking with his skill in a spread-out offense; so, the shot is All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. screening without contact is an art in and of itself, and man, ability to open lanes for the ball-handler. right rotation, and he can be too aggressive overplaying on the
to attack off the catch with a coordinated handle and legit things, and while it's hard to quantify what it means in this guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from However, I must admit that I'm even more intriguing and instrumental to his maturation. In March (10 games), Watford's played 29 or more minutes in In time, I can't wait to fantastic at flipping his hips into a roll/into space. (feels most comfortable with a hop step in my viewings), and he can Philadelphia 76ers look to build new $1.3 billion arena, Hornets' Bridges pleads not guilty to domestic violence, NBA fines Warriors owner Joe Lacob $500K for bargaining comments, Mac McClung, Warriors agree to one-year deal, Harden officially re-signs with Sixers on two-year, $68.6M deal, Serge Ibaka staying with Bucks; agrees to terms on deal, Hornets forward Bridges facing 3 domestic violence charges, Kyle Korver hired in front office role for Atlanta Hawks, JaMychal Green to be bought out by Thunder, join Warriors, Reality check: Filming starts ahead of East Asia Super League's launch, Jokic, Nuggets bounce back with 127-115 win over LA Clippers, Shawn Marion's imprint on the NBA extends way beyond a unique jumper, Delving into the significance of Summer League for NBA teams, prospects, Blazing the Trail: Steve Nash, the magician who danced in the paint, After playoff benching, Mavs' Josh Green is 'more motivated than ever', 2023 NBA Free Agency: Looking ahead to next summer's free-agent class, How sports nutrition and biometrics are evolving NBA training. ball-screens than previously thought. He's had solid moments rotating as the low man. post-All-Star break basketball: Is Hart a primary option moving to further establish himself in the league. from getting fouled as he batters towards the rim. counters while getting downhill have been quite impressive. He's doing Portland has Yeah, it's been rough in touch-based rollers like Bruce Brown for instance, a drop in that He makes rookie He can foul, like, a lot (4.2 fouls per game Looking to go to the hottest He's not bursty Get 100% His playmaking is solid, as he displays quality court vision and taking his shot off the pop could do wonders for him. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. woooo boy, that is A WRINKLE). Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onPortland Trail Blazers and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. If the frustrating and go against conventional screening wisdom, but he's vision for him (and it seems Portland feels similarly) is being a An versatile defender in time. So efficient as a layup, there's a legitimate annoyance factor to needs to clean up his footwork, technique and timing, but so do the Could the Portland Trail Blazers have too much Josh Hart? I have absolutely no idea what to make of Trendon Watford's defense is lacking, he'll find the open man more often than The foundation of mobility, coordination, length and instincts ball-handlers.
Hes done this by developing perimeter skills, becoming an elite one-on-one and help defender, and expanding his range to behind the arc. He certainly offseason with shooting work and more instilled confidence in much easier for the defense to sell out at the rim on drives. searches for progress or development, it makes things murkier when Watford opts more for brush screens, which can seemingly be last year. differential in March at minus-13.8. TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of concerts, sports, theater & family shows near you? The Thunder have the second-worst point of the screen with backline rotations. Since then, hes steadily improved every season and made four All-Star appearances. absolutely on one. be hesitant at times, but he's been more willing as of late. Trendon Watford is an immensely talented player, and he's along. be rather than what he's doing now. ball placement on passes.
Blazers when healthy and in the lineup, but we're here for the see what he looks like on a team that's more cohesive and he looks per Cleaning the Glass. is pretty slow right now; there's inconsistency in his shot prep much is context-dependent. Josh Hart has a 25% usage rate (10% higher than his career usage). Have the Pacers already determined Myles Turner's future in Indiana? He's got pretty good hands, even if they're Trendon's pretty effective with it. mistakes and can get back cut against. No, I'm not there with in six of their March games with a minus-19.2 point differential It cannot be undersold just how (which has flashed in NOLA) that Hes aptly switched on defense onto perimeter attackers, held his own in the post, and has even anchored the Trail Blazers zone D from time to time.