Nolan will have better career than Irving

Not much substance to this bleacher report story except one guys gut feeling, but I think there are a lot of people that think Nolan is a sleeper.

11 months ago twggyy 9 comments 0 recs |

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Kyrie Irving, who's a poor man's CP3, will be a stud point guard, ultraefficient scorer, and perennial All-Star.

I predict Irving will quickly surpass the #1 pick last year, John Wall, who still reminds me of Steve Francis, albeit with a less selfish attitude and better health.

As much as I like Nolan Smith and have high hopes for him, he’ll be somewhere in the range of solid backup combo guard like George Hill — which’ll be his role as a rookie — to average starting point guard like Darren Collison. I expect Smith will eventually supplant Raymond Felton, who I view as a one-year stopgap and not a long-term solution.

"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."

by AK1984 on Jun 27, 2011 9:24 PM PDT reply actions

If Smith turns out half as good as Hill, we got a steal

Smith is going to have to find his niche in the NBA.

He is talented enough to play the combo 6th man type role the way Hill has for SA, but I think he might be better served to try to mold himself into a pure point and eventually challenge for starter’s minutes. I don’t see him ever starting as a SG for Portland, especially with Matthews inked for the next couple years, but he could well be the starting PG after Felton (continuing a long run of ‘meh’ to ‘meh+’ production out of our PG position).

by a fan who flunked gym class on Jun 28, 2011 2:08 AM PDT up reply actions

If Felton plays horribly then I think it will be the fault of Nate's.

Felton is more than capable of being a good top 15 starting PG in the NBA. He absolutely should not be allowed to leave unless we trade him during the season or sign and trade him next summer.
I don’t see Nolan becoming anything more than a good bench player perhaps even a PG but for now he is an all-around guard who will find it difficult playing the point the way that Nate likes it to be played.

by VinnyB on Jun 28, 2011 6:10 AM PDT up reply actions

Lets aim for a little more than half as good...

A poor man’s george hill is not exactly what you want from your first round pick.

by McSuck on Jun 28, 2011 6:56 AM PDT up reply actions

Hopefully he exceeds Hill as a playmaker, if we want him to be a point guard

Hill has never seemed like a point guard to me. His 2.5 asts in 25 mpg (career stats) are shooting guard numbers.

I have not seen enough of Smith to predict his potential. I do know that almost everything I’ve read on Bleacher Report has seemed pretty uninformed.

I’ll be happy if Nolan can make it as a decent backup at both guard spots, putting up something like 8 points, 2 boards, 3 asts and 45% shooting, in 20 mpg. That would be nice.

by byronirvin on Jun 28, 2011 11:41 AM PDT reply actions

HA.....HA...Ha.......

We must endeavor to persevere.

by Supercourse on Jun 28, 2011 12:57 PM PDT reply actions

I think it's interesting that Nolan practiced against the

national team. Nate was coach and I imagine that was a big part of what made them want to draft him. Nate said that on the radio. Perhaps Nate finally has a young point he trust. Hard to imagine.

by twggyy on Jun 28, 2011 5:50 PM PDT reply actions

john wall aint no steve francis and nolan smith aint no kyrie irving

" Yeah, this is pretty much me, every day. Staring at butt holes and getting my buzz on. "

by blazethenugs on Jun 28, 2011 7:24 PM PDT reply actions

If you read his draft express profile

there are times where he sounds like Brandon Roy as a point guard. I like this line
“Other prospects will be deemed to have more upside, but no one will have won more games, and college players with this type of profile very often end up exceeding what’s typically expected from their draft spot.”
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Nolan-Smith-1118/

by twggyy on Jun 29, 2011 8:50 AM PDT reply actions