You’re The GM: Kemba Walker Or Brandon Jennings?

Last week’s You’re The GM was somewhat of a surprise, in that DeMar DeRozan won the battle in a landslide over Lance Stephenson. This week, we turn our attention to two point guards who still have a lot to prove in this league. Both have clear strengths and weaknesses, and it would be fair to place both in the rung of players below the truly elite at their position. The players in question are Brandon Jennings and Kemba Walker, and given the chance, who would you rather have in your team?

Brandon Jennings 

Brandon Jennings is something of a unique player in the NBA. There are many reasons why he should not be a good player, and yet he is and has a loyal fan base as well. What’s most annoying about him though, is how stupidly good he is in NBA 2k. Seriously though, Jennings’ strengths are clear to those who watch him play, and he is able to score the basketball pretty well. In fact, his 15.5 points last season equalled his lowest ever total for a season, and that was his rookie year with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Being a part of the Detroit Pistons now and playing with somebody like Josh Smith, who loves his own jump shot, it is easy to see why this number went down. More encouraging for Jennings though, he has become a better passer in this league, something which some people worried would never come to him. His 7.6 assists last year was easily a career high, and it’s great to see him get others involved when on the floor these days. As also mentioned, he is a great scorer himself and is athletic too, allowing him to penetrate the paint.

His negatives though, have been well documented. It’s not that he can’t defend, it’s that he doesn’t really seem to want to. He is quick enough to stay in front of his man, and even then he doesn’t do that sometimes. He tends to jack up difficult shots, and for somebody so good offensively his career average of 35 percent from beyond the three-point line isn’t good enough.

He gets to the free throw line on average four times a game, but there is room for improvement there. What it comes down to is this: he can be a great offensive player, but only really in an environment tailored to him. This becomes complicated because he is not yet good enough to be “the guy” on a team who has the offense made to suit his needs. Will he ever be that good? The jury is still out on that one, but he certainly needs to improve his game in a lot or areas. The Bucks haven’t exactly fallen off since he left and that in itself tells you all you need to know about him as a player.

Kemba Walker

It’s kind of ironic, because a backcourt of Jennings and Kemba Walker could really pop. Let’s say this now before going any further: Walker is by far the better defensive player. Even though he is generously listed at 6’1″ he still hustles a lot defensively and can make plays on that end. So really, it is a no contest here. In fact, it’s probably safe to say Walker is a better two-way guard.

Here is where it gets interesting though. Last season, Walker scored 17.7 points a game on a rapidly improving Charlotte Hornets team. Now, it remains to be seen if that number will stay the same or increase with Lance Stephenson in town, but it does show us that Walker actually scored more points then Jennings last year. This is despite the fact Jennings is meant to be a great offensive guard.

Walker’s 6.2 assists per game were less than Jennings, and really there is room for improvement here given he has got crazy good handles. In fact, it is that ability with the ball which is most intriguing. Walker doesn’t venture into the paint a whole lot, but if he did, his crazy array of crossovers and spin moves could create a whole new element to his game. Like Jennings, he’ll shoot the dreaded long two ball, something he should work away from. He’s a career 32 percent three-point shooter, and that is a hideous number. Real improvement needs to be made here if he’s to make that next step as a player.

While Jennings has been in the league two years longer than Walker, it seems already that Walker is the more versatile player. He’s got more going for him, and you have to think his potential to be an elite defender is an exciting prospect for the Hornets. Make no mistake though, he still has some way to go before being considered a top point guard in this league, but he seems to be slowly getting there.

Verdict

When the conditions are right, Jennings is a force offensively, and can get you 30+ points on a good night. The problem though, is that those nights are few and far between with the Detroit Pistons and indeed the Milwaukee Bucks before that. On a perennial playoff team, where there are better players around him, he could do real damage. That lack of defense is a worry though.

Walker is getting better at his own pace, and while he’s pretty small, he gives it his all on both ends of the court. Some of what he does offensively is ill-advised, but like Jennings it would be interesting to see how he’d do on a better team. For me however, I’d take Kemba Walker, and it’s not even that close in my eyes. He can do more on the court and is entering his fourth season compared to Jennings’ sixth. The way Jennings’ career arc is going, you can see him still having poor shot selection and a me-first attitude in five years time. Who would you pick though? As usual, answers in the comment box below and the most votes wins.