go'stags wrote:Doc, what do you think that means for Foye? I pretty much expect Gil to have a great year.
I was actually thinking the other day that Foye has a few similiarities to Billups. A high draft pick who didnt live up to expectations in his first few years. Their games are actually have some similarities as well. Both are good 3 point shooters who have shown to be clutch. Both came into the league as more of a scoring type guard, and can attack the lane when need be, but are not explosive finishers. Foye is very well built, just like Chauncey.
Itt took Chauncey a few years to figure it out, to adjust his game somewhat, to learn the veteran tricks and to better learn to run an offense.
Obviously Flip has a great track record for PGs, but I think Sam "phone home" Cassell can teach him a few things. Definitley the veteran tricks to help get by, but also can help him develop a mid-range game and maybe even help him post up some when he is covered by smaller PGs. Couple that with Flip helping him to run a team, and being surronded by veteran winners, unlike in Minny, and I think Foye can definitley be better here in Washington. Maybe thats what Ernie was counting on when he made the trade for Foye, and maybe Flip was thinking this when he saw Foye playing last year.
Actually Foye is in an interesting position here, he has a chance to carve a few different roles for himself and prove how versatile and useful he can be.
Coming out the gate you have to expect that a healthy Gilbert will carry most of the ball-handling duties. Gil's fast, deadly with the ball in his hand, has shown passing skill and inclination in his return to the game, and if he's regained his quix as well as his range then he's a deadly threat to shoot or drive. Foye is nice, but a step down in speed and unpredictability, handle, etc. Which means Foye's opportunities to play as a Billupsian guard will be limited except in relief of Gilbert or as an option-two ball-handler if the opponent overloads on defending Gil.
But Foye's game is excellent for Flip's off-ball guard role, the Rip Hamilton role (as seen last exemplified by NIck in Summer ball). He's sturdy, quick, has good range and can hit a jumper on a catch & shoot. And strong, with a low center of gravity, he won't go sprawling when you run him on a curl pattern and a frontcourt defender chips him a bit with a subtle hip check. He's not quite as slippery-slim as either Rip or Nick but has all the range you want and a decent quick-release shot. He's not a guy who absolutely needs to dribble the ball in order to get his shot off.
The potential depth at 2-guard means Flip can substitute freely when a player is gassing. Means he also can ask for full effort and activity at both ends from the position. Which ever player is selling out playing smart and quick that player may get the nod.
Foye's floor general game is a decent starting point for Flip as well. Fan scuttlebutt in Minny of Foye's PG skills went: Foye can either set up his teammates or he can go get his own, but he can't do both. He doesn't exhibit the 360 degree vision that the best PG's have, he's either watching or participating. Shooting & driving in close --or-- looking to set someone up.
Sammy Cassell teaching him a few midrange skills or back-down moves will do nothing but help his on-ball game so he doesn't need to be quite so all-or-nothing attacking the paint (with nowhere to go) or gunning from outside.
Seems he'd be a fine fit in that second option PG role if Gilbert takes a turn running laps when they're out there together (just to keep the opposing generals guessing). And in relief of Gil i(a few minutes per game) t doesn't matter if he's waiting on the play to develop while Nick runs a baseline strafing run, since he's a threat to shoot if you sag off him or turn your head trying to handle Nick when the bench gunner is out there. All he'll need are a few successful designed plays and a couple options off of them.
Foye next to Miller is not quite as good of a set piece though, way I see it. Unless Miller is at SF and Gil is running point. Then Miller can set the pin-screen in the paint that will free him to catch a pass, or screen then fade to the wing as a touch-pass three-ball target if the opponent recovers well and cuts off his shot.
I expect Foye's Billup-skillz will definitely improve over the next few years, if he sticks with the team for the foreseeable future. He's very much a hybrid of Flip's guard roles (Billups or Rip being the starkest exemplars of the difference) and is smart and hard-working enough that you could develop him in either direction. Or both. Given time.
Having played in a 3-4 guard offense in Villanova, seems to me he's been adaptable and not especially greedy for the ball. When Kyle Lowry was bashing his way to the basket like a cannonball on a spiral staircase Foye was content to stick outside in a catch-and-shoot role ready to stick the deep three. That patience and lack of ego will definitely work to his benefit on a team with a half-dozen other competent scorers.
Should be gratifying to watch him develop. Question being if he finds enough of a role this year and has enough fun with the squad that he's able to perceive a future here and will stick with the team. I expect working with Sammy and Flip, he'll want to stay if the money's right. And if we're winning.
