papacass wrote:Dude isn't laterally quick, so why on Earth would you send him out on the wing to play against forwards in open space? Jump-shooting isn't his forte, so why would you make him take the majority of his shots more than 10 feet from the basket?
Gotta disagree with you here, Papa. What you've described is a shooting/small forward. Smart/talented power forwards post up low with their back to the basket and use their strength to get to the hole. I've seen J.J. do this before. He's got the quick spin, the nice footwork, and the quick hops that would make him a force to be reckoned with down low.
He's a power forward. He should be taking 85% of his shots within 8 feet of the basket and completely forget the jumper (unless he develops it in future years). The key is (1) him knowing where he's most effective on the offensive end, (2) him working to get that good position, and -- of extreme importance -- (3) his teammates getting him the ball there.
If that kind of play fits into Byron's offense, J.J. can be mighty effective for many years to come. If not, it's better to trade him and let a more flexible head coach take advantage of J.J.'s potential.