Sounds like Dalembert wants to go to the Heat

Resurrection is his, eh? Gotta love those rose colored glasses you're wearing, Rollin!

 

It is not the numbers. Hickson put up better numbers yet we probably aren't keeping him. It is the defense.

 

I've been on the Dalembert wagon since a month into the season. He is a solid player if we are looking at Leonard for our center of the future.

The only way I don't see us trying to land him is if Olshey has his sights on a player that will be the center of the now and future. Then I would suspect Leonard being the player used in getting that center.

 

We'll see firsthand his defensive prowess if he signs with our team during Free Agency.

I think he'll play closer to the 15-20 mpg range.

 

You'd be surprised what a Dalembert can do to help this team.

 

That makes sense. Leonard appeared lost most of the time defensively and apprehensive when setting a pick.

 

I know it sounds like a broken record, but Leonard is still so young. There is a lot for him to learn. He's possibly 2-3 years still away from ever reaching a star type center caliber. And who knows if he will ever get there...

With that said, I think there is a lot of upside to him. I think (maybe the homer in me) that Leonard will be at a caliber of Rik Smits. It maybe a reach, but I think the talent is there for him to be that type of impact player. Obviously he is more athletic than Smits, but I think Smits has more of the "bball smart guy" that I doubt Leonard will possess.

 

He was considered a project during the draft and he's still considered that. At least he can go onto the court and play!

 

Leonard would really really have to improve this summer (or get traded) for me to see that.

 

Yes he definitely can play, but at what level? We aren't putting pressure on him now. If we are banking on him being the CotF, then believe me he will have so much more pressure on him. It's how he handles the pressure that will be the true test.

 

It isn't about Leonard's improvement. That was in correlation to Dalembert's playing time downward trend.

 

That's why I think landing only Dalembert can't be the only center we bring in. The combo of Dalembert and Jermaine Oneal would be a solid rotation. Hopefully Aldridge will only play 35 minutes a game (slightly less than the previous two years), which leaves 13 minutes at PF (Claver may play some PF). I think Leonard (20), Jerm (10-15) and Dalembert (15-20) can share 50 total minutes per game.

 

The minutes have to be taken by someone though. You have Dalembert at 20 max. I don't see POR giving Leonard 28 minutes a game if he hasn't improved. Unless in this scenario you see another Center coming in who demands minutes?

 

Sounds like if we get Jordan or McGee we still might need another Center in free agency or the draft right? One only plays 25 minutes a game and the other only plays 18 minutes a game for their teams.

See I don't think so. Here they play right at 31 a game with us.

Same thing with Dalembert. If he comes here he plays 29 mins a game even if he was only playing 24 the season before this.

 

If he wants to go to Miami, or a winning team close to home, I don't see how much we'd be able to overpay to change his mind. He's made over 70 million dollars in his career. I know every little bit helps, and who wants to throw away a free million or two, but I don't think 5 instead of 3 is going to get him to come here.

 

That's an interesting perspective. All the names are from players that play around 20-25 minutes a game. All those players are capable of rebounding, defending and blocking shots. Maybe this is the plan of Olshey? That way they can still have Leonard get a lot of burn to develop. Then in two years, if Leonard is at the starting caliber level, you can either trade those players or move them to a back up role.

 

This guy (Dalembert) averaged at most 25 mpg 5 years ago. His playing time held steady for a couple of years and been going down since.

I don't see him playing 25-30 mpg as he's getting older. It'd be awesome if he found the fountain of youth!

 

If we are getting Dalembert, then we better find a Jerm-type player too. I agree that he's not going to give us anything more than 20 minutes per game.

 

Not all of the centers are the same, Rollin. You should know that.