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FEBRUARY BLOG
I consider Francisco Garcia a shotblocking sleeper:
He has a lot of good things going for
him...I was particularly intrigued with what he did in Louisville; he was an all-around player there, with good shooting ability
along with the ability to get rebounds and assists. He's versatile and also has long arms to get those steals and blocks which
he's getting right now for the Kings. He got off to a bit of a rough start early on with Sacramento but now he's really doing
well; some notable games:
Against Chicago: 8 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 STEALS and 3 BLOCKS off the bench
Against
Utah: 11 points, 3-3 3FGs, 1 steal, 5 blocks off the bench
Against New Orleans: 17 points, 6-6 FTs, 8 rebounds, 3
assists, 2 steals and 4 blocks
I'm most impressed with his block numbers right now. He does remind me a bit of Tayshaun
Prince, but Prince was never so prominent in getting those steal and block numbers, he was more of a contain defender. Garcia
looks like he knows how to use his length to actually get those numbers.
The Kings have already experimented using
Garcia at the point position right now, and he looks decent. He was erratic early on in the season but he has really improved
on that aspect. He's a bit of a steal for his position, but man would he really look good in a Lakers jersey right now--we
need that versatility, length and defensive ability.
More improved players: Biedrins, Kevin Martin, Danny Granger--and their comparisons to
Andrew Bynum
Great points; I was really amazed with
Biedrins the past couple of games. I remember in a game against us Biedrins picked up like 5 fouls in less than 10 minutes
and did nothing else; back then he was essentially just a six-foul type of player. But now he's really shown his tenacity/toughness,
dunking more and shooting a whopping 67% from the field.
The same could also be said about Kevin Martin. He was a
relative unknown last season putting up crappy shooting numbers and now he's shooting 50% from the field, 41% from three and
87% from the line. Francisco Garcia was also sdoing horribly early this season, shooting, but he's really developed his all-around
game--in a recent game against Phoenix, he had 8 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and 3 blocks OFF THE BENCH. I am
really starting to develop high hopes for Garcia.
Bynum, likewise, has shown improvement every game and is getting
one of the best tutors in the 'Cap. He's shown some great progress offensively as well as defensively, where he altered and
interfered with many shots from what I saw in the Memphis game. He is by no means a BUST, he's willing to learn (you can see
his eagerness out there).
Granger still has potential but it seems like he'll be a Josh Howard type role player. He's
almost close to being a finished product, contributing already a little on defense, rebounding, and a little bit of shooting.
He doesn't do anything well in particular though. I was interested in him, but I am no longer as enthused in him as in the
past.
One advantage of Kenyon Martin to LA:
K-Mart would also
increase our dunk total. K-Mart has 75 dunks, and our leading dunker is Kobe, and he only has 30 dunks this season.
Scot Pollard:
Resurrected?
I was impressed with the Pacers' Scot Pollard the most. It seems like
ever since Peja joined the Pacers Scot has bounced back with some crazy rebounding/defensive games. I guess it's the Kings
connection between them?
The Seed of Chucky
Yesterday we gave Chucky A CAREER HIGH in free throw attempts (12). That's quite inexcusable for a number of reasons,
especially since Chucky's only 5'11", not very athletic and has never really been known to get to the basket. That's just
wrong on a number of levels and a testament to Smush's bad man-to-man defense.
Aside from that, though, Chucky has
always been the same--quite frankly, he shows a game which resembles that of a bench player's. He shouldn't be able to put
up huge scoring or assisting games, and his lack of height/poor defense puts should put him off the bench. It's just that
Damon Stoudamire is out for the season, and Bobby Jackson also can't key the role of starter (he's been a sixth man all his
life) that bumped Chucky back to starter position.
Griffin for Wilcox swap?
| Quote: |
| Interesting thing I saw tonight during Hornets/Wolves - when Ricky Davis hit a three with 3 min left in the
4th, then they switched to a camera shot of the bench. While Madsen and a couple other Wolves were up cheering, Eddie Griffin
was sitting down with a blank look, and didn't even have his head turned to the Wolves basket where the players were. Just
shows more he probably isn't too happy, and with him being in Casey's dog-house, along with another DNP. |
There's already been talks about a Chris Wilcox/Eddie
Griffin trade. Seems to help both teams, the Clips will become a deadly shotblocking force even though they'll certainly miss
some of Wilcox's fiery intensity.
Raymond Felton ten times better as starter
The most impressive part of that is his shooting numbers. He was shooting horribly (31%) for much of the season, and
then suddenly as a starter he turned it on.
I actually like him playing the off-guard position along Brevin Knight.
Both are great ballhawks and like to ignite breaks with their great stealing ability. And both can playmake for others at
those positions as well. Kareem Rush has proven that he deserves to be a bench player this season.
Turiaf's intensity from the bench
That's why he's the perfect fit for
this team. He brings some well-needed intensity; Mark Madsen brought it for us in the past. In fact, that's the only reason
why Mateen Cleaves was in the league; for his cheering.
Whoa...Kwame?
Well, Kwame did well today, 3 dunks, made his layups and drew +1's. It seems like
he's made a 360 degree turn overnight; his hands/catches were better and he even made all his free throws without much hesitation.
So now we know how Kwame ended up averaging 10 points with Washington.
K-Mart to LA? (Part I)
Kenyon
Martin would certainly bring this team some well-needed intensity if this trade occurs; I'm not sure about the post game part
though, his is quite unorthodox and his game is primarily based on power. He'll also bring much more power, athleticism and
dunks to this team. And his post defense and interior defense is one of the best in the league, whether man-to-man or weakside.
In those respects we really need him, but would that move Kwame to center assuming that Mihm gets traded? Also, I wouldn't
give up Odom for Martin, that's taking away a key piece. In fact, I'd rather see Odom THROW those lobs to Martin.
Another
reason to blame our Grizzly loss:
Well, actually I'll say that we lost the game at
the 1st quarter. Nice comeback at the end, but it was ultimately our horrific defense (we gave an offensively-challenged Memphis
team 32 points in the 1st quarter alone) that led to the Laker loss. This game is yet more evidence that this team is quite
inconsistent between quarters, especially on the defensive end. Pau Gasol especially was exploiting our bigs early and Eddie
Jones and Chucky Atkins also did quite a bit of damage.
Kobe was also quite cold early, which brings me to the point--remember
Dahntay Jones held Kobe without a field goal for 16 minutes? Hmmm...I wonder if that's the same Dahntay that made that sort
of impact tonight. Anyway, Dahntay kept getting all these loose balls and hitting layups for them. Their intensity, early
on, was a lot better than the Lakers' tonight.
Please don't knock on Bynum
| B-Scott wrote: |
Andrew bynum- wasted draft pick. Dude is so freaking slow. His b-ball instincts are extremely SLOOOOOOOOW.
Should have drafted 4 yr senior Danny granger. Kobe is in his prime. |
1) Too many SFs on this team
2) We needed a big man, and that
applies even moreso to this situation now that Mihm is injured and Kwame fouled out late in the game
3) Bynum has
an assortment of raw physical tools and offensive moves, a lot of potential to improve and become a nice contributor down
the road
4) Tonight he exposed the ball a bit too much and Battier (whoa) and Tsakalidis blocked him, but hopefully
he'll improve on that
5) Granger seems to be playing it on level ground this year--nothing special, just contributing
silently, but nothing really noteworthy
6) Bynum is actually quite a mobile center especially for NBA standards
Reasons for the Memphis chokedown
Well, the first play I tend to be more
accepting. Yes, he should've run the clock down, but it was first instinct--he thought he had an open lane, the Grizz (that's
why they're a top defensive team) closed out well, Gasol came in and blocked the shot.
What should be more disappointing
is the fact that Odom gave up a three-point play on the other end of the court. If you get beaten, 1) either foul that opposing
player extremely hard in an attempt to prevent the basket, or 2) just give up the bucket, at least it would be a tie. What's
even more disappointing than that, however, was that when Gasol received the ball, there was no one fronting him so he was
able to take several steps toward the bucket to get the and +1. Here I blame it Odom for the bad play, and that ultimate cost
us the game.
Other moments which seemed less important at the time, but ultimately were crucial at the end, were Brian
Cook's quickly missed shot off a Kobe pass. I wouldn't advocate Brian taking that shot at all, he barely played the game and
immediately fired one up thinking he would be the hero. A smart veteran certainly would give up individual glory for the sake
of the team.
Smush also fouled Chucky at the end which ultimately put the dagger on us. This just attests to Smush's
horrible man-defense (he's expressed that throughout much of this season) and so he resorted to trying to poke the ball away
from behind. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way, and our defense as a whole was quite foolish at the end.
Another
moment that could've affected the game was when Gasol made two free throws--but just barely. Both of them were short but needed
rattles to get into the basket.
I can't blame Kobe for the last shot--who else would make it, given the circumstances?
I do have gripes that Kobe took too many dribbles before he got the shot off, and it looks like he barely got the shot off.
The Grizz, notably Shane Battier, have been burned by Kobe clutch-daggers in the past and it seems like they played him well
this time. They forced him to take a contested fadeaway shot. That's extremely tough to do, even for Kobe Bryant.
I
don't blame the game on any single player, it was just a continuum of the bad plays I listed above which led to this ultimate
chokedown. But if I were to blame someone the most, it's got to be Lamar (for giving up the +1).
Derek
Anderson on the block
Derek Anderson would be nice to have
off the bench IF HE WAS HEALTHY. He isn't, and so for now I would classify him on the same level as McKie. He's still a streaky
shooter though anyhow.
The problem with the T-Pups
The Wolves actually
have decent bench depth, but injuries, chemistry and the recent trade have all taken a toll on them.
Eddie Griffin
is a premier shotblocker blessed with incredible physical gifts, but he neutralizes all of that by not being a viable offensive
threat, as he shoots only around 35% from the field (unacceptable for a big man), refuses to play inside and can't buy a three
this season to save his life.
Troy Hudson is now on the trading block despite his wild offensive game; he's been injured
way too much last season and this season, and he's not helping the T-Wolves' cause.
Trenton Hassell is the latest
T-Wolf to step it up offensively, but he's still not gifted in that area, misses his fair share of shots and can't even be
a third-string scorer in his team. At best, his potential is that of a role player--Bruce Bowen. If he's stepping it up the
way he is, something's wrong with your team.
Rashad McCants and Marcus Banks have played well, but they are too young
and if they get meaningful playing time, something's also wrong with your team.
Anthony Carter is an offensive liability
all the way.
Marko Jaric has been the ultimate bust for the team; signed to a fat contract and hasn't done much, perhaps
has even regressed from his Clipper days. Not known as a good shooter, a great passer for the off-guard position but only
a decent one for the PG position. His steals have regressed and he's not really helping his team at all.
Ricky Davis
looks good creating an athletic tandem with KG, but he's no savior (as we've seen in his Cleveland days), tries to do too
much and is a ball-dominant player.
Mark Blount can be a nice player off the bench, but is a horrible rebounder by
all means. Nice offensive player though.
George's penchance
for offensive rebounds
George is a hustle player, occasionally he will get rebounds even in
the offensive end. He doesn't do it all the time, because he sometimes gets over-the-top calls, but a team can always count
of him to be fighting for rebounds with the big guys.
His shooting has severely regressed, though; I don't know whether
it's because he's getting less minutes, or that he's lost confidence, or whatever; he's shooting horribly from the line and
can't hit from the field well this season. He's not helping our bench production at all. It seems like he's playing more of
a scrappy game this season, but he severely needs to contribute more. He still has that inconsistency problem.
Bobby Jackson's
shooting gone south
I'd say it's more like Bobby Jackson's fault. He's still scoring, but
he's inefficient at scoring. 4-19 today for 17 points. Ick. And he only shoots 38% from the field, and he doesn't get too
many assists.
On Brian Cook's nice shooting games as of late
This could be the sign of things to come.
He's gained more primacy.
Kareem Rush on the block/analysis of his game
Well, I DID hear that Rush on the block yesterday, but only the Sonics seem interested in him right
now. Currently the Cats have a glut at the SG position, with guys like Raymond Felton, Bernard Robinson, Alan Anderson and
Keith Bogans who could all play that position. Bernard Robinson in particular is developing into a burly defensive player,
and is starting to catch my attention. But back to Rush, he simply hasn't been shooting well for the Cats and has every reason
to be traded. It doesn't seem like "he's serious in basketball", as Phil Jackson said in his book before, and sometimes he
just floats and drifts around the court, just waiting to get the ball and shoot. He doesn't handle the ball much and doesn't
exert much energy on both ends of the court, playing little defense and just willing to only spot up. And he's not even a
good shooter, he's a streaky one right now and he's already just an average shooter in my books. When he doesn't shoot well
(he only shoots 38% this season, so he doesn't shoot well much), he's one-dimensional because he doesn't board, pass well
or defend much. The Cats have more multi-dimensional players they could use, and it's evident that they (and I) am starting
to lose interest in Rush. Rush actually fits the Sonics bill, because he's all-shoot and no-D. Just perfect for them.
Kwame or Samaki?
Samaki was known
for his defense coming out of Louisville, but he developed into a decent complementary role player for us doing the dirty
work--grabbing rebounds, blocking some shots here and there, and making turnaround jumpshots (although with a little bit of
inconsistency). He wasn't the greatest offensive threat, but he did have a nice season with us where he averaged around 7
pts, 6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. However, he's always been an underachiever--never works hard, had horrible "stone hands",
and didn't develop much of an offensive game at all. Of course he's out of this league now because people realized he would
never fulfill his potential.
Kwame still has that potential, but like Samaki, he also has poor hands and even has
trouble hitting open 5 to 10-foot jumpers. He can't even make his free throws anymore, which makes me wonder whether his offensive
game has severely regressed from his days of Washington. He scores mostly on points around the basket. And most of all, he's
gifted with height, mobility, and athleticism--but he never uses it to the max on the offensive or defensive end. On offense
he's got low IQ, is careless, and can't buy a J. On defense, he preaches fundamental post defense and never really gets the
steals or blocks in that way. He plays like the prototypical role player and if he continues in this way he'll be worse than
Samaki. At least Samaki had better offensive attributes IMO, but Kwame has to realize his potential and become the player
he was projected to be in the beginning. He can only be a prospect for so long.
GS Rookies doin'
their thang
Ellis has proven some already. He got his first meaningful minutes, ironically, against
the Lakers, and played solid D and had a couple of flashy dunks against us. I've already heard comparisons of a frail Steve
Francis in his game already. His scoring ability is undisputed (he averaged over 40 ppg in high school) as well his athleticism
(35-40' vertical). That enough is enough to make scouts salivate. He's actually showing potential in defense now too, because
in high school he didn't play any at all. His only weakness is that he is no PG skills. Still, he has made an impact already,
albeit a minor one, but still an impact.
Chris Taft got some minutes earlier in the season and has shown that he can
hit a high percentage of his shots as well as block some shots. He's still a project, but he's shown something of a semblance
of being a legit NBA big man. He just needs to tune up his aggressiveness and intensity, but look for that to come in years
to come.
In fact, all three rookies have been doing fairly well for GS--Monta Ellis, Chris Taft, Ike Diogu. Hell,
even Aaron Miles showed a bit of something before he got cut.
Clarification of Calderon
Calderon was not even
part of the 2005 draft. He was signed as a free agent, and because he was little known then, only the Raptors were interested
in him
And these are the Rockets?
BTW, I realize that the Rockets' role players are much better than ours,
but they're also got an underachieving players over there...partially the reason why they are losing. When T-Mac and Yao went
down, who grabbed hold of the reins? No one. Juwan Howard, David Wesley, even the rookie Luther Head. None of these guys were
consistent enough--the first two are veterans slowing down. The last one is just a rookie. Juwan Howard and David Wesley used
to be good scorers, but now they are just complementary role players. Luther Head is just a very streaky sparkplug who has
recently put up a string of horrible shooting games. And ah yes--can't forget Stromile Swift. HUGELY underachieving this year,
shotblocking has become way beyond pitiful and his basketball IQ is underwater. Rafer Alston has regressed a bit as well,
throwing up pitiful shooting numbers. Dikembe Mutombo is getting way too old and not much of a threat offensively, and in
terms of the injury situation, there's Jon Barry and Bob Sura still in the pine. It's gotten so bad in there that the Rockets'
GM, Carroll Dawson, had to grab players such as Lonny Baxter, Chuck Hayes, and John Lucas from the NBDL talent pool. They
have a lot of talent, in fact, more talent than our team you can argue, but it's chemistry and their injury problems that
has really brought them down. But still, I don't think Kobe would win a championship with a bunch of underachievers.
First notice of Franky Garcia
Come on, the Clips are legit.
Anyway, Francisco Garcia had 5 blocks off the bench tonight. The next Tayshaun
Prince?
Rodney Carney
| The Kobe Era 2K5 wrote: |
Rodney Carney anyone?
Recently he has played pretty well, but looks like we won't have chance to get him,
cuz he looks a lottery pick. |
It's hard to get him, but he certainly looks like an intriguing prospect for anyone who gets him. It's hard to pass
up someone with such a sweet stroke and great hops, as well as a good build for the wing position. Reminds me of Richard Jefferson.
He's improved from his fading-away-within-the-game problems last year.
Hilton Armstrong
| Caron1 wrote: |
| Ryd, what do you think about landing Hilton Armstong with a late 1st rounder? Ive watched a lot of UConn games
lately and Ive been very impressed. Hes most likely a PF at the NBA level but has a good wingspan, is hard to push off the
block and is very active down low. Hes also got a good court IQ, something we are definitely lacking at that spot right now
with Kwame. If he was available in a late 1st round pick I think Id definitely jump on him. |
Yeah he's definitely up there for consideration.
I consider him a late 1st rounder, but he can go anywhere in between from mid-1st to early 2nd. I think he's proven a lot
this season after not playing much his first three years, and he's got a good build for the PF position, along with athleticism,
wingspan and good mobility. His offensive game is still a work in progress though, but we could certainly invest in him if
we wanted to. I'm not as high on him as others are, though.
Oh if we had a Rose
Rose could've been the tall PG we needed had the Ron Artest trade Sam Amico first reported actually occurred. It would
be nice to see a tall 6'8" Rose- 6'6" Kobe -6'7" Artest backcourt, I bet that would've meshed quite well together. It seems
like Rose hasn't slowed down a bit, I was watching parts of the game and he looked pretty active, swishing a couple of threes
and even getting to the basket and showing general energy. His offensive game is still highly valued and he could've provided
us with that along with some solid PG play--he would've been the typical Triangle guard Phil Jackson wanted. Oh well, but
it's over with.
Analysis of Sasha Vujacic
| LakRfAn wrote: |
| The best thing about the kid is that he doesn't turn the ball over. |
It seems like that is his best attribute, currently.
That's sad, because NBA teams just don't sign up players to handle the ball. On draft day, many scouts thought that he was
more of a combo guard who could converted to an NBA full-time point (like Marko Jaric) but it seems like that has failed.
He does have good court vision, but he's more of a system player and thrives passing the ball within the offense rather than
making plays for his teammates (that explains his lack of assists). He's also a very weak player, quite horrible athletically,
gets beaten off the dribble way too often even if he tries hard, most of hsi effort defensively is all for naught. Offensively
he rarely gets to the basket, doesn't handle contact well and only spots up for three pointers--that's not a good sign, and
especially since he's not a confident or consistent shooter as of yet, that's not good--he's had games, but he's had many
bad games where he also misses open shots. That's momentum killer and bad for the bench. At this point it doesn't look like
he has much potential--he's a system player who won't take risks, and he's basically a jack-of-all-trades master-of-none type
player. It seems like his lack of turnovers (he does have solid handles) is unfortunately his best attribute.
That
was essentially a quick recap of Sasha's game.
Don't give up hope
Despite the fact that we have lost our last three games, it's not like we're like the Queens, who should all but give
up their playoff hopes. WE ARE STILL IN THE 8TH SEED. Despite the injuries to Mihm and Odom, this team needs to play with
a sense of purpose, of pride, in order to advance further into the playoff seedings. I know it's not likely based on our recent
play/our lack of bench/our lack of defensive tenacity, but we had the same core similar in the season, and we have proven
we could win. This team needs to gain a sense of consistency, that's all. Many teams are still worse than us.
Ronny's impact?
| swolswol wrote: |
| SOMETHING THIS TEAM LACKS....HEART |
Exactly swol. That should really be enough to give
the team an energy boost.
However, I hope that he doesn't get into foul trouble every game...in the SPL and at Gonzaga
he was known to be extremely foul prone. He's got to reign that intense fire a bit on defense.
I don't look for him
to make an immediate impact, especially on offense. He was a great scorer at Gonzaga, but most of those shots were around
the basket and those won't be the same looks he'll get in the NBA. He needs to improve his stroke by a lot, as well as his
range. Defensively he's an enforcer, but not an intimidator or a shotblocker--he lets his intensity do the work. Hopefully
his game will translate well for us.
Prospective Lakers?
We seriously need a well-balanced, consistent offensive player and a player who has an above-average defensive reputation.
Fred Jones and Trenton Hassell are some of those players that fit the bill.
Brad Newley update:
Update on Newley:
| Quote: |
Townsville Bulletin: Q: Hi Noodles, did u speak to da Laka scouts after da games? what did they say?
Craig, Rosslea
A: I did speak
to them briefly but they keep what they are thinking pretty close to their chests, Craig. There was certainly no talk of contracts
just yet. |
Can Wafer respond to humilation?
What would be most interesting is to
see how Wafer responds to this ordeal. I don't think he's the type who goes down and sulks after this; the next time he gets
playing time, he'd probably posturize someone himself. He can certainly do that, but I doubt he would be get much playing
time. Today he was just the unfortunate victim of a bigger, stronger Kirk Snyder.
Ehh...and just because he became
a poster boy doesn't mean that he is trash at all. It's a rookie thing, and some are select victims of it. Come on, even the
7'5" Yao Ming has been posturized by Kobe before as well, and he's still a good player. It's embarrassing, but it doesn't
denigrate their game at all.
Give Wafer time. His game is raw, and I'm not expecting much playing time from him, at
least not this season. He needs time to develop, perhaps even in the NBDL seeing that guys from Gerald Green to Donta Smith
to Pape Sow have all seen a certain level of success there. He was highly talented both physical-tools wise and skillwise
coming out of college, and unless he takes a complete 360 turn, that's not going to change. Just keep him for now, give him
so game experience and eventually start to use him more. That's all I'm asking for.
My rookie-sophomore game gripes
Luther Head has severely regressed, at least shooting-wise, to the point that I'm
questioning whether he should really be in the sophomore roster. He started out shooting like 48% from three and now that
has bottomed out to 35%; not to mention that he is only shooting 37% from the field. Also, he just doesn't have any redeeming,
stand-out quality other than his shooting ability, and seeing that he lost his touch over the past couple of games, he may
not be the best guard on the sophomore roster. He's not overly athletic, he lacks true PG skills, he's just an okay defender
and his team has severely been losing and he hasn't really helped that cause. He's not a super scorer either, although 8.5
points in 28 minutes is good for a rookie, and the way I see it, he's more of an all-around, undersized SG.
I know
Raymond Felton has also been a horrible shooter, but at least he still has good passing skills and gets a lot of steals (4.3
apg and 1.2 steals, respectively). A lot more potential than Luther Head still, and I'm sure he would appeal to the fans more
with his blazing speed and his ability to make great pinpoint passes. Salim Stoudamire has had a couple of great offensive
explosions with Atlanta, and averages 10 points in 20 minutes, shooting much better percentages than Head is; to me, that
already warrants more consideration. And my PERSONAL PICK, Jose Calderon--he got absolutely snubbed. I know he doesn't appeal
much because he doesn't score much and doesn't utilize much athleticism, but his passing ability is just superb and he plays
very nice defense. At least let this humble guy make the roster.
It's all about Jumaine Jones
I
really loved JJ during his time here and I ultimately thought that he was a more consistent, talented player than Devean George,
even being three years younger. Jones already proved himself in Cleveland and with us to be a decent player while George,
although he had sparks of life with us, was never able to gain any sort of consistency. However, I realize that this is probably
the first game where Jumaine really broke off into extreme scoring mode, as his stats with Charlotte before this game were
relatively unimpressive (40% Fgs, 31% 3Fgs) but hey, Charlotte is like open territory--any decent player in the league can
have good games there because most of their key cogs are injured. Although I'm glad to see Jumaine have a good game, it was
against us--and he really brought it to us tonight. As RHCP duly noted, "JJ is hard." I'm glad to see that Kobe and even Phil
acknowledged him.
On the flip side, Kareem Rush (who I also liked during his time as a Laker) is having a horrible
season shooting the ball; he's showing his true colors, being a one-dimensional and when he can't shoot (around 38% this season),
he can't do much else. I've actually lowered his bar from above average shooter to plainly just average shooter now*.
*--Subject
to change
Marcus
Fizer--prospective sleeper?
Well, come on now; he's not that bad of a player,
at least offensively, from what I've seen in him playing in Chicago and even, to an extent, Milwaukee. In the dark days of
Chicago when they had Ron Artest, Ron Mercer and Brad Miller, he actually qualified as their sixth man. He averaged double
figures off the bench for consecutive seasons in Chicago, around 11-12 points. He's quite an offensive sparkplug and has a
very nice post game which we can sorely use (Kwame's is way too weak right now). Not to mention the added scoring boost we
need off our bench, and Fizer's undoubtedly a consistent offensive player.
His biggest gripes in the past were his
conditioning (he's missed quite a lot of games), the fact that he's undersized and lacks athleticism/physical tools, and the
fact that he played no defense. I'm a little concerned about the defense part, but I would have been willing to take a gamble
on him ONLY if we had the roster space. Seeing as we didn't, we can't really press our luck on him.
It seems like
Fizer's turned a new leaf, though; after getting out of the league, he seems to have regained some energy in the D-League
(yes, I know, the D-League), where's he's gained a newfound penchance for passing. He's had 8-10 assists in a couple of games
already--just something to note. And don't forget, this guy was a former lotto pick, and I don't even consider him a bust,
unlike Kwame Brown, because he's actually done something in the league already.
I give my props to Laron Profit
| DiehardLakerFan wrote: |
| rydjorker121 wrote: |
Come on, now; even though Laron Profit didn't
shoot super well with us, he at least gave us a consistently reliable player off the bench, something that I could not say
for the rest of the team. He couldn't hit his threes with us, but he took shots that he knew he could make, and as a result
of that shot a career best 47.6% from the field with us. I don't care whatever shots he takes, as long as he makes them and
scores 2 points, it's all that counts. And besides, I've seen worse in his jumpshot before with Washington; he probably shoots
around the same level of Luke Walton, but at least he has more offensive tools to unleash upon his matchups. Those comparisons
to Kobe in his moves and his first step towards the basket are quite valid as well; he has very good athleticisim, nice body
control, and good quickness. He sort of reminds me of a solid, steady veteran out there, helping to control our offense (he
does have legitimate PG skills, although he rarely used that with us) and defense as well, where he's very solid.
And
also give this man his dues; at preseason, everyone OBVIOUSLY thought that he was going to be the odd man out right away,
because we had Washington's cash to buy out his contract; however, he proved the doubters wrong and really made it a tough
decision for us with his savvy and intensity. Hell, that's why we decided to keep BOTH Laron Profit and Devin Green before
the season started. If Laron Profit did not injure himself, he MOST likely would still be on this roster, and someone like
Slava Medvedenko, Aaron McKie or Devin Green would be gone. Laron really brought some stability with our second unit, and
gives us yet another weapon. |
agreed - let's
hope we bring him back next preseason and give him another shot at the team |
Well, I don't know about that, but we all know what
happens when a player who did well with us goes to another team--we all saw that with Jumaine Jones tonight.
Will Conroy?
Yeah, but personally, I think Will Conroy would've been a better fit for this team; brings more offensive punch (although
he's not a great offensive player, that's more of a criticism of Aaron Miles's lack of offense), a better PG frame (especially
with the weight), and he's had the experience with some players in this team before in the SPL. He actually did well with
us but we just had little roster space to spare so we had to cut him; if we do need a PG, I see Conroy coming back to us,
not Miles. Miles has better playmaking and defensive skills, but he's just so solid that it makes you think Kevin Ollie--an
NBA journeyman. At least Will Conroy makes me think more along the lines of Derek Fisher.
Bynum update--Free Throw shooting?
Well, the notable is that Bynum did
have 6 rebounds in 8 minutes, although he couldn't throw the ball in the ocean tonight.
I am starting to develop questions
about his free throw shooting, especially after the comments that he made that "he shot free throws better than Shaq." After
going 0-4 from the charity stripe tonight, Bynum is a hideous 7-23 from the line this season, which is roughly 30.4%. I'm
sure that will improve in future seasons, but this is something to think about for sure.
Bynum hasn't gotten a block
in his last six games or so, but he's still among the top in blocks per 48. Just something to note.
Chuck Hayes has done well
Yeah, if it weren't for his size, seriously, he would be an early 2nd rounder and
possibly even a late 1st rounder. He's got the right mindset that all coaches love; good fundamentals, good intelligence,
excellent rebounding skills, very nice defensive ability, and even good passing skills. It's just that no one likes a 6'6"
PF, which is what he is. Houston probably is trying to convert him to a SF, but even so, it seems like he's thriving even
with NBA competition. He's a classic example showing that if you have the heart and guts, you can overcome all odds just to
make it to the league.
Another guy to look out for in Houston is Lonny Baxter; he and Hayes have made quite a formidable
rebounding duo.
Quick math on Fortson
So
far this season, he picks up 1 rebound for every foul he gets. So if he gets 6 rebounds (which he will probably muster in
about approximately 15-18 minutes, given his rebounding ability) he will probably foul out. I'm not so sure we need that kind
of player.
Ben
Gordon on the block?
It's funny, because I remember that the Bulls were
so enthused with Gordon after he became sixth man of the year last season--he averaged like 15 points in 24 minutes, and was
one of the more clutch players in the league. For a while I thought he would become untouchable and develop as one of the
Bulls' primary offensive players for years to come. However...it seems that Hinrich and Duhon have overtook him in the depth
chart, and the Bulls are looking for balanced scoring in Songaila, Nocioni and Deng. The Nugs can really get a good value
trade for Gordon because not too many teams have forgotten what he did his rookie season. He still has his weaknesses, such
as the fact that he needs to develop more of a PG mentality, but he's doing quite well as an undersized SG as well.
Hornets get Steven Hunter?
Yeah, Hunter makes up for the absence
of Chris Andersen real well. Defensively, he's got the tools and can be a presence at times with his shotblocking, but his
basketball IQ on this end is low and he picks up many silly fouls jumping on pump fakes. He's not a superior defender but
he's definitely got the mobility, ability to run the court, the height, the physical tools, and the wingspan to make a difference.
You can just forget about what he does on offense--virtually no consisten range, struggles to score except off easy buckets,
even lower IQ on this end than on defense, etc. Anyway, he gives the Hornets some much needed size as PJ Brown is a natural
PF--Troy Murphy with less range but better defense.
Kevin Martin analysis
Yeah, the Lakers did scout him on draft day. He was actually the classic late bloomer of the draft--he was once projected
to be a mid-2nd rounder because he came out of a small college where he barely got noticed, but his scoring ability and rangy
frame gave him the edge to be a 1st rounder. He had great workouts prior to the draft.
His game somewhat reminds me
of Kerry Kittles; decent scorer, nice athleticism, developing range, hustling ability, potential on defense, some rebounding
ability. He's certainly quite an improved player; still possesses an ugly stroke, but at least he can hit three pointers at
a good clip now. His ability to finish around the basket, attack the basket and get to the line is also something that intrigues
me. Hustles and plays good defense at times as well; it seems like Queens Fans want him to become the next Rip Hamilton, but
it's probably more like Kittles. A weakness of his, besides his jumpshot, is the fact that he may be a bit too humble--sometimes
he plays very well, and other times he plays very poorly, basically rendered invisible in the game. He's had games with 20
points and other games with 2 or 4. Probably comes with age, and should improve on that with more experience.
As for
Kevin being a Laker, I somewhat doubt it. We have our own SG in Kobe Bryant, and quite frankly Kevin has no PG skills nor
does he possess the weight to be a SF; he's a slashing, developing SG. The Kings would probably choose to start him next year
anyhow, and he probably won't want to come off our bench. I'm a bit intrigued by his development, but nothing special with
concerns to the Lakers.
JANUARY BLOG
How dare the comparisons with Antoine Walker and Robert Horry
Antoine Walker has low basketball IQ.
Robert Horry has high basketball IQ.
I think that says it all.
Frankly,
I'm not even sure how a team with Antoine Walker as one of its main core can make it that deep into the playoffs--especially
if Antoine's going to get his share of touches.
Some Sasha
Yeah, he's a decent pressure defender. At least he's more consistent than Smush in terms of defense--whether consistent
at being good or bad, it depends.
My take on the dunk contest
Hmm...Hakim Warrick is a relatively
unknown dunker IMO. He's long, lean and slithery with some bounce in his step, but I seriously doubt he would be a super dunker.
He's no Stromile Swift jumping jack either, so I doubt he would pose a threat. Not to take anything away from his dunking
ability, but I'm not sure if he fits the dunk contest bill either.
Nate Robinson should be something to see. J-Smoove
could have another repeat. Iguodala is quite underrated, and I think he has a legitimate shot at upsetting Josh Smith.
On Toronto netherworld and the Aaron
Williams trade
New Orleans can certainly resurrect Aaron Williams' career. He's not a legit center,
but he certainly plays hard in the Kurt Thomas mold and can hit the open jumpshot. He played well against us in the NBA Finals
for New Jersey, and I still remember the time he piggybacked on Shaq.
It seems like both Williamses (Eric and Aaron)
have wanted out of Toronto for a long time. Not to mention that the last Williams (Alvin) may be forced to retire due to his
long-lasting injuries. I think the Lakers could certainly use some of Eric Williams' toughness and defense, which I think
the latter is vastly underrated. Some team, anyhow, should jump on him.
Random thoughts on our young'un's abilities
I
don't know whether Phil is going to play Bynum more, but this game certainly has to change any negative impression he's had
of him. Cap' has really developed his game, and he's really become a legitimate offensive threat around the painted area,
at least based on tonight's performance.
I don't know if Sasha could ever shoot that well again, because he's been
hovering around mid 30's in terms of shooting percentage, but hopefully there will be more shooting nights like this to come.
I like Devin Green's ability to get to the line. Nice.
Bynum
Knicked the Knicks
Yeah, Bynum's long. He looked amazing out there,
even dunking on Eddy Curry. Some of his moves he totally smothered his defender to get easy hooks, and he also utilized his
drop step/spin moves to get easy buckets around the paint. I liked his last couple of moves, in which he got And-1's off of
layups while drawing fouls on Jackie Butler.
On Qyntel Woods
Talentwise, he's got it. Headwise, questionable.
Actually, I'm sort of impressed with what
he's doing with the Knicks in the past couple of days. He looks fairly smooth on the court but can utilize his nice athletiicsm
for dunks and other offensive opportunities. He displayed flashes of his talent in Portland, but he always got into trouble
and that sort of nullified any good he had. Yes, he's had comparisons to T-Mac and even was projected to go a lotto pick,
but he's probably just a role player at this level, think a DerMarr Johnson/Rodney White type player.
In fact, teams
such as Miami and Boston? weren't willing to give him the chance that New York gave him. In essence, they helped to resurrect
his career. He could very well have been out of this league.
Smush Parker analysis
Well, offensively,
Smush scores in bunches, usually within the same quarter; Smush has shown that once he makes his first couple of shots, he
can score in different ways, whether attacking the basket for layups/dunks or hitting spot-up jumpshots from three point land--that's
basically his offensive game, laid out, right there. But for whatever reason, whether due to mulling bad plays, losing confidence,
not getting enough touches, foul trouble, whatever, he just becomes invisible the next few quarters or so. He is NEVER able
to score consistently within the course and flow of the game, he lays out everything all at once, and I can't blame this for
lack of energy, because he's too young, or effort, because it still looks like he's playing. It's just that...he becomes invisible,
for a reason only known to him. He had a great start to the season, averaging 20 points in the first 3-4 games, but after
that he's severely cooled off and seemingly has placed himself in the role as a spot-up shooter and 3rd/4th tier offensive
player. His handles have improved some, although that's more of a product of his playing under control more, and he still
has a nice steals-per-turnover ratio. But he still can't create his own shot, or take off-balanced shots--that could be a
weakness showing why he doesn't score as much as he did early in the season, but it certainly doesn't explain his scoring
inconsistencies.
On defense, he's quite atrocious; he loses his man on defense at times horribly, and it's not rare
to see PGs get open layups off cuts and whatnot. This could be do to a lack of effort or intensity, because he does get down
on himself after bad plays, and he may not seem focused enough to be up to the task. PGs such as Baron Davis and Mike Bibby
have already burned him with a triple double and a huge offensive explosion, respectively. He's certainly got the ability/physical
tools to be a defensive stopper, as he intercepts many passes when focused and is a very good stealer off-the-ball, but on-the-ball
he gets burned way too often. In fact, even his steals have dropped a lot; he was once averaging 2, now it's around 1.7 and
he's not consistently able to produce a steal every game now.
On Fred Jones/Scot
Pollard trade rumors:
Fred Jones would be an interesting choice; I actually think that, although
people normally associate him with explosiveness, athleticism and the winner of the Slam Dunk Contest, he also tends to play
under control. Also, as reference, he's not a dunk freak this year either, he only has 16 dunks this year so far--although
that's still good for someone his size, but certainly not at the level of D-Wade. His potential is probably maxed out right
now, as I can't see him averaging more than 12-14 points per game unless he gets much more playing time. He'll amount to a
solid role player anyhow, and that's exactly what we need with the Lakers--a consistent, very solid, heady player. His stroke
and shooting ability has vastly improved, I used to criticize him on his shooting ability but it seems like he's quelled any
doubts of mine about that; and of course, he can attack the basket as well, he does a little bit of mix-and-match with his
offensive ability. Defensively, he can stick to a person's grill and play tough D, although he's clearly undersized to defend
SGs despite his leaping ability and long wingspan. Nonetheless, I think we can afford to get a solid 2-way player in him,
and although he has virtually no PG skills (can't run the offense, just plays SG for Indiana as a spot-up shooter/scorer)
he's by no means selfish and he can be a good passer within the context of the Triangle. His athletic ability is an added
plus.
As for Scot Pollard, as emplay said, he's clearly washed up. I remember times last year when he actually got
minutes and put up nowhere near the stats that he used to put up with Sacramento. He tires out centers with his constant hustle,
solid post D and rebounding ability, but those days are long gone--just like Aaron McKie. There's a reason why Indiana is
using David Harrison more. He may have been able to help us 5 years ago--but clearly not now.
As for the trade unto
itself, I wouldn't mind giving up Devean George, Brian Cook and Aaron McKie, but only for the right price, or for players
that we can use. For one thing, I don't think Scot Pollard would be able to help us, and although we're trading two semi-role
players and 1 injured player for a consistent potential sixth man-type player, we should have something rather than Pollard
added to the deal--perhaps even Anthony Johnson or a future 2nd round draft pick, that is, if salaries match.
Wolfy-Celtic trade
Wally Sczerzbiak, Michael Olowokandi, Dwayne Jones and future 1st rounder to Boston
Ricky Davis, Marcus Banks,
Mark Blount, Justin Reed, two future 2nd round picks to Minnesota
I think the Wolves got some much needed depth by this trade; they tired of Olowokandi and even used Eddie Griffin at
the center position, and the fact of the matter is, Dwayne Jones was still a prospect playing at the NBADL. Mark Blount can
be a fresh face for them, as Boston also tired out of their contract-year playing big man. Both big men still have talent,
and hopefully a change of scenery would help their games.
Wally Sczerzbiak puts a shooter next to Paul Pierce, which
they sorely need. Ricky Davis was essentially a clone of Pierce, with the triple-double ability, vast offensive game and electric
ability, so he was a bit expendable. Minnesota gets an athletic 2nd option next to Garnett, and I could see them thriving
together.
Marcus Banks and Justin Reed, the former especially, are players I like who may thrive in Minnesota given
playing time; not sure how Marcus Banks fits into the PG equation since Troy Hudson and Marko Jaric are above him on the depth
chart, but his defense may help. Justin Reed can also be a sleeper, as his defense is also fairly advanced.
The picks
swaps are trivial.
Lakers scouting Brad Newley?
Lakers scout Australian Brad Newley
Basically, he's a very creative offensive player with nice range and a good offensive game, and has decent athleticism
as well; also a very competitive player. However, he doesn't play good defense as of yet, and is a shoot-first player, being
ball dominant. He's also quite weak.
Here's a profile of him: Brad Newley
Here's another profile:
Brad Newley
He's starting to get some acclaim, and although he's considered a 2007 2nd rounder, he's stated that he wants to
enter this year's draft.
Personally I'm not a huge fan of what he could bring to this team, but just interesting to
know who the Lakers are actually scouting as of now.
On Mike James:
James actually fits the mold of the
typical Triangle offense PG; he's not a pure PG, but he always provides solid, heady, consistent all-around plays. He's a
sound decision maker, generally a smart player and has a very nice all-around game. He's not a super passer, but he can run
an offense well and find the open man. He's not a super shooter, but he can certainly hit the open shot, whether from mid-range
or three point land (hits both well). He doesn't have much physical attributes, athleticism or speed, but he has extreme heart
and toughness (a la Derek Fisher) to make up for it. He's also quite clutch and has proven to be a solid leader for a horrible
Raptors team, even having a couple of 30+ point explosions. He certainly plays like a veteran and is an upgrade from Smush,
but I'm pretty sure that the Raps know of his value and want something good in return for him. I like what James brings, though,
and his defense is very nice; he sticks with his man and plays with a lot of effort and focus on this end of the floor. He's
just a super-solid role player and we need more of that on this team, especailly at our depleted PG position.
However,
I doubt James would even be traded, unless he personally requests to get out of the Toronto basketball netherworld; in that
case, there is always the option of Marcus Banks. Banks is worse than Smush Parker currently, but he is a potential player;
I touched upon this last year, when we thought we got Marcus Banks rather than Jumaine Jones in the Gary Payton trade. Banks
brings us the very nice combination of physical tools, including athleticism, leaping ability, defensive lockdown tools and
the intriguing ability of both bulk and quickness. He doesn't play in control and gets less assists than Smush, but I'm willing
to make that trade off for some sound perimeter D. Banks can be a nice guy to develop off our bench, as he certainly won't
develop in Boston, where even the undrafted Orien Greene is favored over him. If Boston wants to save cap or roster space,
a deal of Aaron McKie for Marcus Banks can be consummated; or perhaps we can give away a draft pick for Banks, and then waive
a player such as Slava or McKie.
Eric Williams--good LA fit?
Actually, I would like him for this
team, only if we didn't have so many SFs; he's the consummate role player with above average defensive ability and the ability
to get to the line. Only a mediocre offensive player because his jumpshot is a little below average, but he can find ways
to score. His height (6'8") and his defensive ability made him a very nice role player at Boston, and I'm still at a loss
why Toronto opted to put him in the doghouse when he could certainly give them defense. He'll find a team, I'm sure he still
has some value.
Larry O'Bannon and Chris Hernandez
Okki--Larry O'Bannon is an undersized one-dimensional shooter in last year's draft.
We have better options than him.
Alleyhoops--Chris Hernandez isn't really considered a draft prospect, despite his
shooting and passing ability. He's strong, yes, but not athletic, and scouts seem to moving toward the more athletic, quicker
PGs nowadays. That's exactly the same reason why Derek Raivio isn't looked upon as a draft prospect. I can't see him as the
next Stockton either.
On Josh Boone:
| DWadeIsGod03 wrote: |
| Ryd, can you please explain to me what all of the hype around Josh Boone is? I have seen him live a couple
of times and plenty more on tv, and I have absolutely no clue why he is projected as a lottery pick. As you may know, I am
a huge UMass fan, and when UConn plays UMass, Boone can't even score on Rashaun Freeman, the star at UMass, who is projected
as a late second round pick or undrafted in next years draft. Boone has no offensive game what so ever, and he can't do anything
on guys with any strength at all. Even on the defensive side, I don't even think he is averaging two blocks a game, and he
is supposed to be a defensive specialist. |
His stock has taken a steady plunge, and scouts aren't
as interested in him anymore. He seems to get down on himself when the team isn't doing well, and his offensive ability leaves
a lot to be desired--he only scores on garbage buckets, layups, dunks, etc. He has no jumpshot yet. He plays like a blue-collar
guy despite his athleticism and shotblocking ability, and thus would only translate to a role-player in the next level; he's
no Emeka Okafor because his offense is a ways away. He doesn't have much potential either; I'd say he's a mid-1st rounder,
because scouts love big men with any sort of defensive ability.
Hassan Adams update:
| The Kobe Era 2K5 wrote: |
But what do you think about Hassan Adams? Is he worht for a 1st round pick? |
Bubble 1st rounder as now--he seems to improving
a bit though, and a team might fall for his athleticism and defensive ability, after seeing the level of success Ruben Patterson,
Fred Jones and even Dwyane Wade (to an extent) has had in this league. He still needs to show a better jumpshot though.
PGs and bigs galore in the draft:
| Caron1 wrote: |
Dee Brown will be available in the late 2nd round, trust me. Teams dont like the fact he, well...can't
shoot. The fact hes a winner and has heart will get him on a team somewhere, but hes not a first rounder. |
Yeah, he's probably a late 2nd rounder. His numbers
have really fallen off from last year, especially his shooting %'s, leading scouts to believe that Luther Head and Deron Williams
helped him with his #'s last year. He's been quite erratic this year also, and of course, his height is always going backfire
against him. Doesn't have much potential NBA-wise either, except to be a sparkplug-type player. Besides, there are many guards
who are simply better than him, whether in height, athleticism, passing ability, shooting ability, or potential--think Gabe
Pruitt, Marcus Williams, Randy Foye, Mardy Collins, Rajon Rondo, Jordan Farmar, Daniel Gibson.
| Quote: |
| If available, Id take Rajon Rondo, Daniel Gibson, Randy Foye or Guerillmo Diaz with our first pick. We already
have our future big, we need to address PG. Rondo and Gibson could start next year if they picked up the offense, and Foye
would be able to compete for some PT. Diaz is a little bit away, but still a solid investment. |
I like Rondo the best--amazing 7'0" wingspan and
just an absolute terror on the defensive end--gets a lot of steals and rebounds. A speedster too--we need that kind of play,
and his passing skills are excellent. I'm willing to take all of that despite his atrocious jumpshot.
Gibson has regressed
this year-Texas hasn't had a good season thus far--and Gibson's a huge part of it. His playmaking skills leave a lot to be
desired, and he sometimes forces the issue. He hasn't shown a lot of growth so far, but of course, he's still got a lot of
potential. Probably a mid-1st rounder as of now, but should come out 2007.
Randy Foye is an explosive combo guard
who likes to mix-and-match with attacking the basket and hitting jumpers. His scoring ability has always been undisputed,
and his playmaking skills are steadily developing. Not sure if he fits our team, as he somewhat reminds me of Steve Francis
(with less athleticism).
Diaz hasn't improved much this year especially with playmaking ability--that's why his stock
has taken a dive all the way to late-1st round territory. Has the lethal combination of sickish athleticism and shooting ability,
but his decision-making and playmaking ability have not improved. Probably won't fit our team, especially since we have our
own athletic-PG freak in Smush Parker.
| Quote: |
| 2nd Round I like two tough big guys. First the kid from Indiana, Killingsworth (an absolute tank, would immediately
help us with our toughness down low). Also, Wake Forest's Williams, hes also a very tough, aggressive inside rebounder. Add
either of those guys with Bynum down the line and we have a very good front court |
Killingsworth has toughness, but not too much potential;
he's got a tough and mature NBA-ready body but he hasn't shown a real consistent jumpshot yet. He's extremely turnover prone
for the college level, despite his decent passing skills to make up for it. He's a bit undersized and overweight as well,
so he may lack mobility for defense at the next level. His game is intriguing, but not sure if he's the right fit for this
team, or even for the NBA. He tried to declare a couple of years ago out of Auburn but to no avail; although he's drastically
improved, I'd only take him if he lands at the late 2nd round territory (right now he's a mid-2nd rounder).
Eric Williams
probably would just be a solid college player, but not really for the NBA, unless he can carve a Tractor Traylor comparison.
He's undersized and overweight, and although he's got brutish post skills, he doesn't have much else going for him. I'm not
a fan of undersized players, so I would skip him.
On Tyrus Thomas:
| BrOwNShIzZLe wrote: |
| Tyrus Thomas has caught my attention of late. |
Yeah, Tyrus has firmly placed himself not only on
the draft radar, but also in lotto territory. He had a great game against UConn, where he matched up against the 6'11" Hilton
Armstrong and still got around 7 blocks, altering countless other shots. He's an absolute pogo stick in the mold of Stromile
Swift; he leaps high, blocks a lot of shots and plays very energetically. To think that he was only 6'7" 190 lbs. a couple
of years ago and now he's 6'9" 218. He's really made some huge strides, and scouts are just infatuated with his potential.
Carlos Arroyo--good LA fit?
Never was a huge fan of Arroyo's game ever since he came into the league, although after seeing his first couple of
seasons in which he mostly played garbagetime, I knew that his passing skills would make him into a very solid role player.
However, he's essentially a poor man's Tony Parker--doesn't have a strong jumpshot, likes to attack the basket, drive-and-dish
and get teammates involved decently. A wizard with the basketball, and he was decent with Utah before he got relegated to
a role player in Detroit. Not sure if we need someone with a Tony Parker-like mentality on our team; Arroyo's among the top
in assists per turnover and assists per 48 this season, but those stats are deceiving because he seems to be a bit ball-dominant.
I'm not so sure if his mentality, combined with his lackadaisical defense, would help us in the Triangle.
Ndudi Ebi or Jay Williams?
In terms of getting a guy with potential,
raw physical attributes (wingspan and size) and a decent skill set (nice jumper), I'd pick Ndudi Ebi. But we have far bigger
needs than that, and besides, it seems like Ndudi hasn't resurfaced anywhere.
A pure PG who still has potential and
simply needs to be given a chance is Jay Williams--I would take the gamble on him, but since no teams have signed him yet,
I'm assuming that he still has some health concerns. After all, DerMarr Johnson returned from a car crash accident and became
a steady contributor for the Nugs; I'm guessing Jay would have the same effect. Besides, we need a playmaker, a steady floor
general, and a solid PG on this team, and Jay fits the bill.
I think Elden Campbell retired, but nonetheless he is
washed up and to the soft side so I wouldn't take a chance on him.
Jumaine Jones analysis:
JJ has always been a decent player, but only that. He plays to his strengths and that's
why he succeeds--but at the same time that also has made him just a serviceable role player, at best. He's always had his
bursts, but has been a bit too inconsistent--he tends to rely a bit too much on his jumpshot, and unless you're a pure shooter
(which he isn't), he is bound to have off nights. JJ has nights where he goes 0-5 from three and shoots horribly from the
field, not contributing much to the offense. He had that problem as a Cavalier when he got playing time, and also as a Laker.
With such good leaping ability and athleticism, he should also attack the basket more--he doesn't, although he can play around
the basket getting offensive rebounds. But he rarely gets to the line anyhow--that really stood out to me, for some reason.
He needs to take less jumpshots that's for sure. His rebounding combined to his shooting ability has been appealing though,
as he can switch between both forward positions and play nice defense. Also, he's only 26 and he's already quite a veteran
(albeit a journeyman) in this league, and that had also intrigued me.
Why did we pass on Chris Taft again?
| bumrusherer wrote: |
| KB8@CL wrote: |
| How again could we pass on Taft? |
because he
is lazy and has a bad attitude. |
I was actually sort of leaning towards him over Ronny
Turiaf at draft day, but I guess his bad attitude/horrible work ethic/laziness scared many teams off. Don't forget, this was
a guy who was once going to be the first overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft--and then he dropped, and he dropped, and he hit
his new low into the 2nd round. It seems like he's doing well in Golden State, and they took the gamble, and it looks like
it's paying off a bit.
We went with Ronny Turiaf because it was a safer investment--until he had his heart problems,
but still, I thought that Ronny fit well with this team, as he's just the opposite of Taft; a bit unrefined, yes, but just
a bundle of energy with his hustle and motor. Think Madsen with more skills--he was still a steal in the 2nd round because
many thought he'd be a first rounder.
We drafted Wafer because after drafting Taft, we were going to look for a guard--we
wouldn't draft two big men, as we also needed to fill the guard position (after all, we traded Kareem Rush). I heard reports
that Mitch wanted to look for a shooter, but somewhat "panicked" when Salim Stoudamire, Nate Robinson, and Daniel Ewing fell
off the board--so he picked what he thought was the next best shooter--Von Wafer. Von supposedly had a good workout with the
Lakers, draining 200 straight shots or something like that, so they decided to take the gamble on him despite his off-the-court
problems. He actually brings a solid two-way game and good skill set as opposed to the guys I mentioned above--and for that
reason I still think he can be a steal. He just needs time, the proper coaching (probably from Phil Jackson), the proper time
and grooming, etc., to develop into a solid player. He exploded in the SPL, and although that's lowly competition, that does
raise some eyes. His athleticism combined with his shooting ability and his physical tools is very nice. We just need to raise
him up slowly.
Will Wafer erupt?
I thought that we didn't see the "real" Von Wafer out there. Obviously I'm still a firm believer in the kid, and I'm
willing to give him many more chances. What do you expect? He's 20 years old and he was basically thrown into the fire tonight's
game, being expected to contribute. He looked a bit rusty with his jumpshot, and Phil was right with his "wild-horse" assessment--Wafer
looked to take every shot he got in his possession. Most of it was off and killed our momentum, but hey, I think we should
see what this guy brings. I liked what I saw from him in terms of instinct--he got down on himself after the two missed free
throws and capitalized by making his last two. He also got to the basket fairly well, although his jumpshot was pretty off.
I think he'll look better next game; despite his dominance over SPL competition, I think that he'll get used to getting some
playing time and capitalizing when Tuesday's game comes.
January 1, 2005
Happy New year everybody~!
Daily News calls Wafer "unstoppable scorer" at practice
EL SEGUNDO - Through the first three months of the season, Lakers guard Von Wafer
has garnered as much attention for his card playing as anything he has done on an NBA court.
There was nothing subtle
about coach Phil Jackson's decision to give Wafer a copy of "Poker for Dummies" when he handed out books to the Lakers players
on their six-game road trip last month.
Yet Wafer might have emerged with a winning hand from Friday's news that the
NBA suspended Kobe Bryant two games for a flagrant foul on Memphis guard Mike Miller in the fourth quarter Wednesday night.
There is a strong possibility that Wafer, a second-round draft pick who has played all of six games and 19 minutes
as a rookie, will start in Bryant's place tonight against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center.
"Von has a lot of game,"
Jackson said. "He's an aggressive player. Sometimes you've got to harness him a little bit."
The Lakers are down to
just 11 available players, three of them rookies, with Bryant suspended.
Wafer returned to the active roster only
last week when guard Laron Profit was lost for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
"I just try not to put
too much pressure on myself," Wafer said.
Wafer has been described by Jackson as an
"unstoppable" scorer in practice. The 20-year-old guard admitted Saturday he might benefit from not having to find his rhythm
coming off the bench.
"He has a world of talent," Odom added. "He's a great offensive player."
Jackson
surprised even the 20-year-old guard by playing him briefly on Christmas against Miami's Dwyane Wade.
Will Wafer respond to the challenge?
The thing is, he can score in a variety
of ways which includes shooting static threes, shooting off the dribble from mid-range and getting to the hole and finishing,
but it seems like players/staff have said in practice that the only thing Wafer likes to do is shoot the ball. I hope he doesn't
do that against Utah, because he's definitely shown in the SPL that he can also play defense, utilize his speed and do other
things as well. I hope he brings that kind of game tonight, and not look to shoot every possession he gets his hands on. He's
got a world of talent and hopefully he'll take a step to realizing that tonight.
And hopefully we'll see a couple of highlight reels--he's probably the best athlete
on this team behind Kobe (I think he's more athletic than Smush). Hopefully he just won't look to shoot at the perimeter all
the time. Although he's not a gifted passer or a good rebounder, hopefully he will put up some numbers from there as well.
Boris Diaw or Joe Johnson debate
Both
Diaw and JJ are very good all-around players, and although Joe certainly has more potential to be a star primarily due to
his shooting ability and better scoring instincts, I think Diaw brings a better solid all-around game than JJ. Granted, JJ
is extremely all-around with his defense, points, rebounds, assists, and floor general skills, but Diaw brings defense with
mentality, defense with physical tools, decent scoring numbers, more rebounds, even better passing ability, ballhandling skills
and pure unselfishness. Also, I've got to give credit to Diaw for finding his niche with Phoenix, because he certainly couldn't
have found it at Atlanta. I'm more enthused with finding the perfect, consummate role player rather than the player who forces
himself to be a star, and I think Diaw is perfect in that role. JJ was an extremely good role player, but if I were to ask
the Phoenix brass, they would also probably prefer Diaw to JJ. Its his unselfishness, passing ability and physical tools-sort
of D that gets him the nod.
The
falling Clippers
The Clippers are really struggling right now, and
you can't just blame Corey Maggette for it. It's mainly their horrendous defense, and Maggette, not known as a good defender,
wouldn't have helped it. Not only that, but a trend is starting to develop; the Clippers have lost to horrible teams when
both of those teams have been playing the 2nd game of a back-to-back. Both of those teams lost the 1st game, but ended up
winning the 2nd game.
The Sacramento loss was extremely horrible for the Clips; Sacramento was without Peja Stojakovic,
Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Bonzi Wells and yet the Clippers still ended up losing and giving former scrubs such as Kevin Martin
and Kenny Thomas career nights. That was absolutely no defense. And as for the Boston game, the entire team shot 56.6% from
the field and even hit 60% somewhere in the game. I watched parts of the game, and the Clippers rotation defense was horrible;
guys like Ricky Davis and especially Marcus Banks went to the lane at will for layups and hit virtually open jumpshots. So
account for the back-to-backs and the lack of defense, and there's really a problem. The Clippers record is sinking (not surprising
to some), and their overall team field goal percentage decrease numbers (they were #1 in the league before Boston's game)
is utterly sinking. They're starting to look like the Clippers of old.
EDIT: The Clippers have dropped from #1 to
#3 in the field goal percentage defense. Their defense is getting worse.
Melo's game: Around the basket
Melo is the 2nd leading leader in dunks this season, behind Shawn Marion with 68. 12% of his shots
are dunks, which is extremely high. Although not overly athletic, that tells me that some part of his scoring is done around
the basket, and he relies on his strength/tenacity to get there to finish. Getting to the basket is a huge part of his scoring
prowess, because although he's improved his mid-range J, that helps him to get things going.
Hassan Adams for LA?
He still lacks a good skill
set for the NBA, is undersized and hasn't improved on his jumpshot. He's extremely good at creating highlight reels and getting
to the basket, as well as playing good defense and rebounding, but his game translates more to a SF rather than a SG, and
at 6'4"ish, he certainly can't be a SF in the NBA. He still has potential with his athleticism, but the door is closing on
him because some say he has really regressed from past seasons, with little improvement. That's why he's around the 1st round
bubble, but of course, if he improves, I'd show some interest. I still think we should get a pure PG or a shotblocking big
man though.
DECEMBER BLOG
December 31, 2005
Marcus Douthit regresses
Douthit has severely regressed in his
game ever since he went to Europe. He lost his shotblocking ability, and although his offense improved, it still isn't NBA-caliber.
He was quite a horrible offensive center back at Providence, but at least he improved his mid-range J at Europe. Unfortunately,
many big men, even in the CBA, ABA, and other developmental leagues, have a semblance of a mid-range J. Thus Douthit fails
to stand out on offense. On defense, he used to utilize his wingspan/mobility/reaction time for blocks and steals, but he
doesn't even get those anymore. In the SPL he did nothing special, and now in the NBDL he's picking up more fouls than defensive
stats. He's definitely regressed, and we should relinquish his rights/cut him soon. I don't think he'll improve his game at
this point, he's Europe material.
Wafer opportunity?
I would prefer to FINALLY see Wafer
get some minutes. The opportunity knocks for him since Kobe is suspended, hopefully he will step up his game. I know that
he is a bit of a me-first, shoot-first type of player and can get lost understanding the Triangle, but hopefully he can bring
some intensity/scoring punch for us and show his skills. I'm looking for a couple of highlight reels
Boozer to LA?
Never been a huge Boozer fan, even more
so with his injury problems. In my classification of NBA players, he's a super role-player, nothing more, nothing less. Yes,
I know that he was a steal out of the 2002 draft, and he has successfully acclimated himself to the NBA game, but...I believe
that his potential is maxed out. He doesn't have the most impressive physical tools; a bit undersized, lacks good athleticism,
good reaction time, good wingspan, etc., as well--not a good defender. He basically produced the same numbers last year and
his rookie season; in fact, the only notable aspects of his game I like is his post game and rebounding ability. But with
his backstabbing of the Cavs, his injury problems and all his deficiencies I listed above, I wouldn't take him especially
with his hefty contract. And besides, after Jack Haley Halleyed the trade I doubt it would happen again.
Some Earl Watson love, but none for
Ron Murray
Earl Watson's sort of defense is extremely underrated, and I wouldn't certainly trade
him for Flip Murray. Just today he held Tony Parker to 6 pts on 3-9 shooting, compared to Parker's seasonal averages of 20
points on 53% shooting. That is some great defense, and not too many PGs play that sort of good man-to-man defense. Along
with Marcus Banks, I think he is getting overlooked in this aspect of the game--and this is precisely why he could perhaps
be a good Laker fit. Passing is not too shabby either--averaged a good amount of assists off Memphis's bench last season,
and he has some playmaking ability. And his athleticism is certainly above average, he once dunked over a crouching Desmond
Mason back in his Sonics days.
Ronald Murray's style of game is nearly a dime of dozen in the NBA; the most common
guard today is the scoring guard. Hell, there are many scoring guards who don't even make it to the NBA, and many more in
college. And yet another undersized shooting guard; although Murray has successfully made a name for himself after being a
low draft pick in the NBA, he's still not a good shooter and needs a lot of shots to get his points, although his athleticism
makes up for it. No PG skills either, not much defense.
December 28, 2005
A One-Sided Trade for Ron Artest?
Source: Artest looks to be bound for L.A.
By
Sam Amico
Dec. 28, 2005
Indiana is nearing a three-team trade that would send swingman Ron Artest to the Los Angeles
Lakers, a league source has told ProBasketballNews.com.
Meanwhile, Lakers forward Devean George would end up in Indiana.
The third team involved in the proposed trade is the Toronto Raptors, according to the source. The Raptors would send
Jalen Rose to Los Angeles -- and in return receive Pacers forward Austin Croshere and at least one player from the Lakers.
The source added that George and an undetermined player from the Raptors -- or perhaps a draft pick -- would be to
dealt to the Pacers.
"Basically, it's Artest for Devean George, with the Raptors getting involved to make it work
financially," the source said. "When and if it happens, this will be a trade that consists of plenty of throw-ins."
Three
weeks ago, Artest told the Indianapolis Star that he wanted to be traded. He later apologized to his teammates and told management
he would like to remain with the team. But Pacers president Larry Bird told The Indianapolis Star on Monday that he felt "betrayed"
by Artest, and said the Pacers will indeed trade him.
Artest has been inactive since his comments about wanting to
be traded, which came after he was injured against Dallas on Dec. 6. Since then, the Pacers have been flooded with trade requests.
Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh told the Associated Press on Wednesday the team had narrowed its options down from about 10
teams this week, but did not indicate when a trade might occur.
Artest averaged 19.4 points and 4.9 rebounds through
16 games this season. He was suspended for 73 games last year after the well-documented brawl during a game in Detroit
Croshere
is averaging 8.1 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Pacers, while Rose is scoring 9.6 points in just 25 minutes per game -- his
lowest averages in both categories in nine seasons.
George is also near his career lows in scoring (5.6 ppg) and field-goal
percentage (38 percent).
The source said he was not given a timetable as to when the proposed trade might take place.
"I hear they are very close to finalizing everything, he said, "but it sounds like there are a few kinks that still need to
be worked out."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
By-e George! Gone?
But
the thing is, George is currently playing in the Memphis game right now; if he was to be traded, I don't think he would play
this game. That being said, though, George is making a good last impression: 9 points on 4-4 shooting at the end of the 1st
quarter.
December 25, 2005
Some Christmas musings:
Hmm...Spree?
Spree was let go as a free agent, so we can just sign him
if we want to.
I bet Spree is still requesting a lot of $ though.
If no team hasn't signed him yet, I doubt
we have a chance.
Kwame Brown observations:
Kwame's defense is starter material IMO. His offense still needs some polish, especially finishing around the basket,
but I would certainly like Phil to experiment with his lineups and start Kwame again. He certainly has a lot more potential
than Cook, and he looks better than his pre-injury stint with us already. I think he can move back to the starting lineup.
On Kwame's defense:
The best part about Kwame's defense,
when he's focused and playing up to his potential, is that he rarely picks up fouls, contrary to our other big man, Chris
Mihm, who is the NBA's 2nd leaders in personal fouls per game with 3.9. In the 8 games that Kwame has come back after injury,
he's only picked up 14 fouls. He was averaging like 3.9 early in the season, but now it has dropped to 2.9 and looks to drop
even more.
As said about Kwame's defense, he's an excellent post position defender. He stays his ground, has the length/athleticism
to contest shots, and moves his feet well. Shaq is shooting career low percentages from the field (50%), but I think Kwame
had something to do with Shaq's 8-18 from the field. Rotation defense seems to be a different story though. But Kwame didn't
get into foul trouble today either (2 fouls).
Also, kudos for Kobe for holding Dwyane Wade to 5-15 shooting as well.
GP? Sigh...
The ups and downs of Chris Mihm
I actually thought that Mihm showed a better jumpshot (with a higher trajectory) off
the curl from around 15-18 feet both today and in the Orlando game. In the Orlando game he even got an "and-1", hitting the
J and drawing the foul. I echo KB8's sentiments, Mihm is not a bad offensive player, but his defense too often resorts to
fouling. I don't think that's only by reputation, Mihm simply uses his hands too much and picks up ticky-tack fouls. It seems
like he can't play any more than 25 minutes per game because of fouls, and that's unfortunate and that's why he's never been
able to average 10+ points or be a successful center in this league. Shotblocking is merely average from the weakside given
his physical tools as well, and he's not the best defensive center (there are many better than him). I would actually prefer
him lose some of his defense just to pick up less fouls--see how that works out.
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December 22, 2005
Rashad McCants observations:
Certainly isn't lottery material; actually,
scouts actually took notice of that and at draft day he was projected to be a late 1st rounder...25s to 30s range. But Minnesota
bit on him, probably because they needed scoring. But that's all Rashad really does...score. I mean, Ronald Murray, Cuttino
Mobley, etc., were all undersized scorers drafted in the 2nd round. And I'm not a huge fan of his scoring...he's a streaky
shooter, he'll need his shots to get his points. He already ranks among the top #20 in field goal attempts per 48 minutes,
and shoots less than 40% from the field. Fairly inefficient. He's an all right defender, more of an effort problem for him.
But all that doesn't equate into lottery material. He has zero point guard skills and isn't even the best shooter to begin
with--but on the flip side, he's been getting quite a bit of dunks this year and has shown his athleticism at times.
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December 21, 2005
Mailbag Question:
| Jorker, a wrote up was made on Wafer based on his performance at SPL. He said Wafer blew everybody away
with his athleticism, shooting ability, and just overall offensive presence. He said that he could be like a more athletic
Jason Terry. From what you've seen from him, do you agree? If so, is lack of triangle savy what is keeping him off the floor? |
Yes and yes. I don't think he'll get the assists
per game that Terry got with Atlanta, but the scoring/shooting ability are eerily similar. Also, Wafer's has more natural
SG size compared to Terry, and much more athleticism. And definitely, his traingle savvy is keeping him off the floor--in
the games we've seen of him in the regular season (garbagetime), he basically forced up shots and never really looked to pass
the ball. He's a me-first player for better or for worse, and certainly for worse in terms of the triangle.
Andrew Bynum observations:
I'm impressed with his rapidly expanding offensive game, and hopefully that will translate in the court as he gets more
minutes. I actually saw a fairly sweet hook shot in traffic against the Mavs' long-armed DJ Ilunga-Mbenga, so that was fairly
impressive.
But what is most impressive about his game as of yet is his shotblocking ability. He wasn't even known
for that when he was drafted, he was more known for his mobility, and here he comes utilizing his blessed long arms and mobility
to weakside shotblock. Very impressive.
On Laron Profit's recent bench production/improvement:
As for Laron Profit, over the course
of the season I started to gain more and more respect for him...it wouldn't even be a stretch to call him our best offensive
player off the bench, yes, even above Cook and George. Recently I've noticed that our bench has really stepped it up a notch
and Laron was really a huge part of that.
I know we got him primarily for his defensive reputation, but he's not your
average defensive stopper, only a one-dimensional defender; he's also got other weapons, such as decent ballhandling skills,
point guard skills and of course, very good athleticism. We saw that the game he got injured, when he took Keith Van Horn
off the dribble, went to the basket, finished on the other side and got a very sweet reverse layup. I think that he is the
younger version of Aaron McKie of our bench, and with that said, I don't even think it's necessary we need McKie...had Profit
not gotten injured though. Now, with McKie ready to come back in 2ish weeks, I'd say give McKie the chance, and hopefully,
he'd really step it up. Phil probably wouldn't use the shot-happy Wafer, but of course, I'd love to see him get playing time
(why he's in my avatar). But the point is, I was really impressed with Laron's ability this season, he brings poise, stability
and some timely scoring to our bench. To attest for that, he's shooting like a career high 87% from the line with us this
season.
Don't give Romain Sato a chance
I love Sato's physical tools and whatnot, but his offensive game just won't stand out in this league--he's just another
guy. I tracked him when he was in training camp in the Spurs and there was nothing that stood out--if he was truly a harasser/defensive
stopper, I would expect more steals/blocks. In Xavier, he was a huge defensive stopper...up until his junior year. In his
senior year, he regressed horribly defensively and that plummeted him from a late 1st rounder to a late 2nd rounder. And don't
forget, he's no PG, and still undersized for a SG despite his wignspan. Eerily reminsicent of Charles Smith, but unlike Smith,
I'm not sure if he'll get a chance in the league with the new influx of younger and more talented players.
But still,
I'd give him a chance in next year's SPL, see what he can do and whether he has improved; I wouldn't call him our savior and
make him step up to the plate right away.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 20, 2005
On Aaron McKie's injury/ineffectiveness
In the games I've seen with McKie,
a couple of observations:
1) His jumpshot's absolutely gone. Can't even make them when open. One of the reasons why
he's shooting pitifully, made even worse with his extremely unorthodox stroke.
2) Still has some passing ability,
but IMO probably around the same level as Sasha's at best. Not a super flashy passer who can peer through defenses, but gets
assists in half-court set plays primarily.
3) Can't really draw contact anymore, force the issue, make a super play.
As we've witnessed, he tried to attack the basket and promptly got injured. Rarely looks to attack now--seems a bit passive.
4) Still can bring intangibles to the team, solid position D, but still gets burned by quicker more athletic new-generation
NBA wings. What does that give you? Nada. Devin Green brings more of the same, brings more offensive punch (as sad as it is),
and actually has younger, healthier legs.
5) The thing I'm most impressed about is McKie's defensive rebounding ability.
Pretty nice. And that's sad.
All that said though, I just don't he's found a niche in this team 20 games in. Probably
don't look for that to change as he's ever sliding down the rotation. A waste of money? Most likely. He's not producing, blame
that on age, not on talent (we do have a former sixth man of the year in him).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 15, 2005
On David West's campaign for Most
Improved Player
So true. David's a humble, fundamental rugged post player in this league. Will never
be flashy, but gets it done with his toughness, hard work, rebounding and post play along with a decent perimeter shot. He
has all the basic tools to be a decent player in the NBA, albeit nothing more. 15 points 8 rebounds is about right for him,
he's actually contributing decently for one of the surprising teams (the Hornets) in the NBA.
Adam Morrison's Draft Stock Watch:
Yeah,
you can also look at my stickied NBA Draft players on the top of this forum for more about Adam Morrison.
He's an
extremely talented, effortless offensive player. Think Mike Miller in the moves he makes; shooting off curls, screens, off
the dribble, very pure mid-range shot with an improving three point shot (although that still needs work). He shoots from
everywhere and has the savviness/basketball IQ to get to the basket as well. He's horribly on the other end of the court,
lacks footspeed, athleticism, just a very slow player. However, he's been torching it in college right now and he can even
overtake Rudy Gay as #1 pick if he keeps this up. Not a huge fan of him, but his offensive game is raising the eyes of scouts.
As for other Gonzaga players, JP Batista is a heavy scoring PF for the Zags, but that's about it. Probably a late
2nd rounder at best. Derek Raivio is a thin rail PG, probably like Steve Blake, with good shooting and passing skills, but
lacks athleticism and eye-dropping ability. 2nd round pick next year's draft.
On
Ron Artest's defensive abilities:
Artest is a monster in defense because he's 245
lbs. and as an SF, that normally gives him about a 25+ lb. advantage over other SFs (I have even heard reports that he was
260, but that's a stretch). With his weight, just like LeBron who has the build of an undersized PF at 6-8 240, he is able
to create a lot of mismatches since he moves and plays like a SF (for LeBron, that's even more dangerous because his versatility
even allows him to play PG). Artest certainly knows how to create mismatches with his body, and he has an EXTREME killer instinct
which allows him to succeed on defense; he wants to win the game, knows his role on defense, and has always been a great anticipator/steals-getter.
His killer instinct plus his body combination really makes him a defensive terror, arguably the best perimeter defender in
the league. He's actually held many players down just by his mentality alone. He doesn't have the best speed or the most fluid
footspeed, so he does have his weaknesses on D, but his mentality/awareness more than make up for that.
On Chucky Atkins recently stepping up his
game:
Atkins had a horrible start to the season for Washington, shooting horribly off the bench, but he
edged a couple of hot shooting games (against Detroit and recently against Toronto) within them. I don't think "wanting out'
of Washington would help his case; after the Lakers season, people probably get a bad impression of him being a starter, and
he's clearly a bench player. Best bet he can ask is to get more minutes, but I see him getting no more than 22 minutes a game
for a team at most. The only thing he can do is shoot coupled with the occasional passing/floor general ability, but he doesn't
stand out in terms of anything else. A lot of PGs are like him, and more. It seems like Daniels's injury has put Atkins ahead
of him in the depth chart; and for that, he should really be satisfied. On the other hand, if Daniels wants out...
On Boris Diaw's insane improvements and why I wanted the Lakers to have him:
Yeah, Diaw's basically
the point forward for the Suns team. Sad thing was, I knew he had this sort of potential, this sort of game, when he was with
Atlanta and I really wanted to take a good look at him. In Atlanta, Diaw was very unselfish but didn't have the most talented
teammates (why he rarely got any assists), and he had the reputation of an offensive liability and a defensive stopper. Diaw's
physical tools--long arms, quickness, etc.--are enough to intrigue me alone, but combine that with his high basketball IQ
and his penchance for passing, and that makes him a very interesting player. Diaw has obviously found his picture-perfect
fit with the Suns' run and gun game, and is basically the second orchestrator behind Steve Nash. He fits because he works
extremely well defensively and sets up teammates on offense (he rarely looks for his shot, and I think that's for better since
the Suns already have so many potent scores they need to satisfy in House, Bell, J. Jones, Marion, and eventually Stoudemire).
He's obviously living up to his potential plus more--he and Brad Miller are virtually the only non-guards up there in the
top 20 "assists per game" list. It's obvious that Joe Johnson (or Al Harrington) can't lead teams by themselves and are just
complementary players, but Diaw is simply the perfect fit for Phoenix.
On Stromile
Swift wallowing in muck:
Swift is a huge talent with that lethal combination of excellent reaction
time, an unstopping motor, a sizable vertical leap, good mobility and unrelenting energy, but...he has underachieved and failed
to impress me this year. It's obvious that he still lacks fundamentals and is quite raw; the only thing I've seen from him
is a better jumpshot, but he's taking way too many this year and that simply isn't his game. He's best when he utilizes his
physical tools to get easy dunks (one of the quickest, if not the quickest, dunkers in the league) and play around the basket.
I think that he actually fit best with Memphis, when he played amongst a very deep team and that hid some of his deficiencies...in
Houston he's being counted upon as a guy who needs to step up, but hasn't yet (Juwan Howard is also underachieving). But I
liked the Swift in Memphis because he produced well in scoring/rebounding/shotblocking off the bench; the Swift in Houston
looks like a shell of his former self, he's picking up fouls way too rapidly. Admittedly, I was one of the proponents advocating
Swift to come to LA this offseason, and although we can still use his energy, he hasn't turned out what he was expected to
be. New Jersey can certainly use more high flyers to run with Kidd, and it looks as if Swift will fit that team more and perhaps
play harder on both offense/defense. Houston doesn't lose either, Swift didn't seem like the picture-perfect fit it was once
thought to be but they get an offensive center in Marc Jackson, and they desperately need scoring.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 11, 2005
On Artest to Lakers trade rumors:
Artest was the subject of many trade rumors in the first place because the Pacers were a deep team to begin with; even
if Artest gone, Stephen Jackson, Austin Croshere and Danny Granger are all more than capable of handling the SF spot. If Artest
does get traded, it would probably be due to the fact that Bird wants Carlisle to play Granger more. From Indiana's standpoint,
Artest does already have a below average track record and trading him for good talent at this point would be a nice bargain,
especially since they have so many guys who could play his position. I know Artest is virtually a perfect player on defense
but his offense--no matter how many points he scores--is pretty unfavorable. Danny Granger can turn out to be a physically
gifted defender as well as utilize nice offense given Artest's minutes.
Any trade with the Lakers would probably have
to involve Lamar Odom, because Odom and Artest probably couldn't coexist with each other at the SF positions (and moving Odom
back to PF is unfavorable) and because Indiana would want a special talent who is nonredundant to all the other guys they
have. I know Phil wants to keep Odom for Triangle's sake, but Indy would want a versatile player on their team after losing
Jonathan Bender to retirement. If we can get Artest and/or a Fred Jones, Scot Pollard, and Anthony Johnson combination, then
I would be particularly intrigued at the deal. I'm not a huge fan of Artest (particularly because of his antics and his offense)
but if any deal should be made, we should fill up the two spots (PG/big man) which we need the most.
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December 5, 2005
Laker Dunk Update:
Smush leads all PGs in dunks this year
AND leads the Laker team in dunks, with 10.
Chris Mihm has 8.
Kobe currently has 7. He's dunking less this
year.
Kwame has 6.
Lamar Odom and Laron Profit both have 5.
Cook has 4.
Devean George has
2.
Andrew Bynum has 1.
And those are all the Lakers who have dunked this season.
|
