Which players did you guys have high hopes for but have looked horrible so far this season, this isn't exclusive to rookies. My two are Luis Scola and Boki Nachbar, I thought both would be key contributors this season.
Charlie Bell - I know he's a good player, but not so far this season. I'm sure the Bucks could use his help. Andrea Bargnani - Showed flashes of dominance last season. Hasn't progressed at all so far this year. Kirk Hinrich - Shooting 37%. Down in just about every category and has really hurt his team. Boris Diaw - Had a fluke year in his contract season. He has now attained full-blown bust status. Coming to an MSG near you. and... Yao Ming - His stats are fine, but there is no way his team should be 12-14. He should be Shaq with a better jumper and twice as many free throw makes, but he's definitely NOT that. He's starting to make me think it's never going to happen. What a shame that would be.
I keep waiting for Bargnani to go off one of these days, he looks and plays like one of those guys that has a great 2nd half.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Dec 21 2007, 10:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>How about Al Jefferson?</div> how high if expectations did you have for him?
I thought he would put up something like 25+ppg and 15+rpg since he would be the "star" of the Wolves. Thats why they got him right? It was basically KG for him.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Dec 21 2007, 11:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I thought he would put up something like 25+ppg and 15+rpg since he would be the "star" of the Wolves. Thats why they got him right? It was basically KG for him.</div> 25 and 15 is a bit much to ask (or so I think). KG never even put up 25/15 That is what the trade was, but it was more of a trade for tomorrow then today (although...with McHale around, who knows). I maybe expected him to be averaging some more points, but I wouldn't say 20/12 is a bust.
I guess so. lol But still he's not carrying the team to the extend we expected him. But then again, they don't have the team to get the wins.
Bostjan Nachbar, Kirk Hinrich, Charlie Bell, Shane Battier, Greg Oden , Etan Thomas, Luke Ridnour, Trevor Ariza, James Jones, Sergio Rodriquez, Zaza Pachulia, and the list goes on. Too many disappointments, but maybe just enough surprises (including Kelenna Azuibuke, Chris Kaman, Sean Williams) to keep me content.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Dec 21 2007, 10:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Charlie Bell - I know he's a good player, but not so far this season. I'm sure the Bucks could use his help. Andrea Bargnani - Showed flashes of dominance last season. Hasn't progressed at all so far this year. Kirk Hinrich - Shooting 37%. Down in just about every category and has really hurt his team. Boris Diaw - Had a fluke year in his contract season. He has now attained full-blown bust status. Coming to an MSG near you. and... Yao Ming - His stats are fine, but there is no way his team should be 12-14. He should be Shaq with a better jumper and twice as many free throw makes, but he's definitely NOT that. He's starting to make me think it's never going to happen. What a shame that would be.</div> Have you watched the Rockets play? Yao busts his ass out there on both ends. His guards are the problem in Houston, not Yao. Those guys jack up shots left and right while Yao is battling in the low block for position. The Rockets play street style basketball on 80% of their possessions.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shapecity @ Dec 21 2007, 12:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Dec 21 2007, 10:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Charlie Bell - I know he's a good player, but not so far this season. I'm sure the Bucks could use his help. Andrea Bargnani - Showed flashes of dominance last season. Hasn't progressed at all so far this year. Kirk Hinrich - Shooting 37%. Down in just about every category and has really hurt his team. Boris Diaw - Had a fluke year in his contract season. He has now attained full-blown bust status. Coming to an MSG near you. and... Yao Ming - His stats are fine, but there is no way his team should be 12-14. He should be Shaq with a better jumper and twice as many free throw makes, but he's definitely NOT that. He's starting to make me think it's never going to happen. What a shame that would be.</div> Have you watched the Rockets play? Yao busts his ass out there on both ends. His guards are the problem in Houston, not Yao. Those guys jack up shots left and right while Yao is battling in the low block for position. The Rockets play street style basketball on 80% of their possessions. </div> I've seen them. It's embarassing. But can you imagine what would have happened if the Lakers started playing that way and ignoring Shaq? Me neither. It can't all be the coach.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Dec 21 2007, 12:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shapecity @ Dec 21 2007, 12:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Dec 21 2007, 10:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Charlie Bell - I know he's a good player, but not so far this season. I'm sure the Bucks could use his help. Andrea Bargnani - Showed flashes of dominance last season. Hasn't progressed at all so far this year. Kirk Hinrich - Shooting 37%. Down in just about every category and has really hurt his team. Boris Diaw - Had a fluke year in his contract season. He has now attained full-blown bust status. Coming to an MSG near you. and... Yao Ming - His stats are fine, but there is no way his team should be 12-14. He should be Shaq with a better jumper and twice as many free throw makes, but he's definitely NOT that. He's starting to make me think it's never going to happen. What a shame that would be.</div> Have you watched the Rockets play? Yao busts his ass out there on both ends. His guards are the problem in Houston, not Yao. Those guys jack up shots left and right while Yao is battling in the low block for position. The Rockets play street style basketball on 80% of their possessions. </div> I've seen them. It's embarassing. But can you imagine what would have happened if the Lakers started playing that way and ignoring Shaq? Me neither. It can't all be the coach. </div> It did happen to Shaq several times when he played with the Lakers. When he didn't get the ball enough he'd stop playing defense, stop running up the court, and then throw his teammates under the bus when the team lost. paraphrasing .. Shaq's famous for his quote "If you want the big dog to protect the house you have to feed him." Yao did recently call out his team saying he felt he was traded to a new team because the intensity hasn't been the same. Alston backed up those comments saying the team lacks any passion. I just don't think it's fair to label Yao a bust. He's done his part.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shapecity @ Dec 21 2007, 01:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Dec 21 2007, 12:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'> I've seen them. It's embarassing. But can you imagine what would have happened if the Lakers started playing that way and ignoring Shaq? Me neither. It can't all be the coach.</div> It did happen to Shaq several times when he played with the Lakers. When he didn't get the ball enough he'd stop playing defense, stop running up the court, and then throw his teammates under the bus when the team lost. paraphrasing .. Shaq's famous for his quote "If you want the big dog to protect the house you have to feed him." Yao did recently call out his team saying he felt he was traded to a new team because the intensity hasn't been the same. Alston backed up those comments saying the team lacks any passion. I just don't think it's fair to label Yao a bust. He's done his part. </div> But that is my exact point. Shaq knew what was best for the team and forced them to be winers instead of selfish jerks. Maybe Yao is trying, but the results are not what they should be. I guess it's becoming a little like the KG situation. I guess "bust" was a little strong to describe him, but Yao's situation is not nealy as bad.
^ I thought he was overrated, but he's fallen off a lot worse than I expected. Kirk Hinrich's at the top of my list. Andrea's been a bit disappointing to me as well, but I watch him closely each game. Although his scoring has yet to get back to last season's level, he's rebounding and defending better and seems to have a better awareness on the court. Take that for what you will. I still think he'll get back on track eventually.
If Al Jefferson is considered a bust as a 22-year old who averages 20/12, then I wish my team had more busts. The true busts this season are Jermaine O'Neal and Pau Gasol. O'Neal went from a player who you could expect 20-24 pts and 8-10 rbs from on a consistent basis to a 15.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg averaging role player. He's only third on the Pacers in scoring this year (yes, even behind Mike Dunleavy). Likewise, Gasol's 21/10 last season has fallen to an 18/8 statline this season. It's not a significant drop in productivity, but you'd expect a player as young as Gasol to improve every season, but he's just become more timid and useless in Iavaroni's system. I was hoping for maybe a 25/12 type of year. After all, the guy's a 27 year old, seven foot All-Star who used to average 5 apg. There used to be no limits on his productivity. Also, Luol Deng, like Kirk Hinrich, has been a bit of a bust. I remember some of the unreal trade proposals bouncing around for Deng this summer, with even Kobe Bryant's name being offered up, but now his FG%, FT%, ppg, rpg, apg, and spg are all down, whereas his turnovers per game are up. Other disappointments: Andrew Bogut, Mehmet Okur, Ryan Gomes, Andrea Bargnani, Charlie Villanueva, and Bobby Simmons.
I didn't really mean it that way that he's been a bust. ( i know this is the busts thread) But I expected Al to carry the team a bit more than he's had. (but then again his team is not that good so the blame should be shared)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jonah @ Dec 22 2007, 07:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Biggest bust of the season? That girl who flashed at the Memphis game</div> PIC?YOUTUBE? RIGHT NAO!
The entire Bulls team. They were expected to be a force in the East, and were hopeful of advancing to the ECF. Now they're not even 8th seed (yet) and have been playing subpar all season long. You can pin it on Hinrich, Deng, Gordon, and Wallace. The only guy who's been respectable (near expectations) has been Nocioni.
