http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/60809/20090726/sessions_worried_about_competition_in_la/ And people think highly of a guy who isn't confident that he could clearly beat out Telfair? I think that should answer your question to why you never heard rumblings about us signing Session. The kid isn't nearly as good as people want to think he is.
I guess by that standard Chris Paul wasn't very good either because he also had issues with going to Portland because of Sebastian Telfair. Way to prove absolutely nothing.
Shit, the Clips also have Eric Gordon who plays a little bit of combo guard, I would be worried too if I were Sessions, but not because of competition, but because I was about to sign a contract with historically the worst franchise in NBA history. This actually reinforced for me just how smart Sessions must be.
If you think a college player being concerned of a young starting PG hurting his chances of succeeding is the same as an NBA PG being scared of a 2nd or 3rd string PG; then yes, it's exactly the same. He's going to have a hard time finding a team that has a worse backup PG than Telfair.
If Pritchard was smart, he could make the PG position as one of our strongest positions for the team for a long long time. It's pretty good right now, but with Miller's high mileage we are going to start wondering who will take over for him when the going gets tough. I like Bayless, but I don't ever see him becoming the PG this team needs. Pritch could come in and swoop Sessions up and stick him behind Miller. That would be a thing of beauty where I would no longer worry about the position.
Telfair was a fairly productive player last year. I wouldn't count him out entirely. He'll actually be one of the better backups in the league at the PG position IMO.
I don't think that your argument holds any water here, man. Why would Sessions want to go to the CLIPPERS, of all places, to compete with two other starting-ish level PGs? Ed O.
I don't think KP will do anything else drastic at the point guard spot 1) because he's shown he's pretty reluctant to move Blake or Bayless and 2) as much as I like Sessions having him play behind Miller (or vice versa in a year or two) seems pretty unlikely in that they are very close to being mirror images of each other (albeit vastly different levels of experience) and I don't think it's much in KPs philosophy to carry multiple players at one position who can't shoot the long ball. As for my own preference I'd be exstatic to see Blake and Jerryd signed and traded for Sessions, but it aint happening.
Well to be fair, at the time many people thought Telfair was on the verge of busting out, and Paul was unproven.
I have no problem that he doesn't want to backup Davis. I have issue with the fact that he doesn't think he's clearly better than Telfair. Telfair in no way, shape, or form should be considered a "starting-ish" PG on any team worth their salt. If he thinks he's a top 40 PG in the NBA, he shouldn't even be concerned with him. If he doesn't think he's a top 40 PG, then you can understand why Portland would think he's better than Blake or has more potential than Bayless, and therefore isn't willing to throw tons of cash at him.
Your quote said nothing about Sessions' fearing he couldn't "beat out" Telfair. It said that he didn't want to share playing time with Telfair (in addition to Davis). If he thinks the Clippers like Telfair and plan to give him minutes, it would cut into Davis' and Sessions' minutes, no matter what the depth chart is.
It's certainly debatable, but at his age and what he has already done I would probably take him over more than half of second string PGs. Sessions is certainly better, and depending on the makeup of your team you might even prefer him to Baron Davis but I can see where his reservations come from. For whatever reason, there doesn't seem to be much interest for him right now which boggles my mind. If I were him, I would sign a 1 year deal and prove it. Unfortunate for him, it likely won't happen under Scott Skiles as he got a pretty raw deal last season. He's in a tough position.
That makes zero sense to me. If Baron is healthy and playing 32mpg, then there is only 16 minutes left for the backup PG. If Sessions couldn't beat out Telfair, then it's possible you'd see a situation like we had last year with Sergio and Bayless. However, my point is, that if Sessions is any good, he would easily take all of Telfair's minutes, therefore Telfair wouldn't affect his PT.
It could also be that Ramon is overly sensitive. If you followed him last season, you would know he got about as much as a raw deal as anyone can get when it came to getting minutes. Even Bucks fans were dumbfounded at the limited minutes Sessions got when the alternative was Ridnour. Ramon clearly outplayed Luke Ridnour and still for the most part, got his minutes cut in favor of him by Scott Skiles. Some were suggesting that the Bucks organization were artificially trying to keep Sessions' value low when it came to contract time in the summer. It seems to have worked to some extent.
What are the odds that a young, unsigned, talented PG, with added potential would be unsigned heading in August? If we're talking MLE money, and there isn't 1 team willing to pay him that much, that tells me he probably doesn't hold all the characteristics I listed above.
1) That would be one horrible way to run a team. Not saying that the Bucks couldn't do such a thing! 2) The odds of "slipping" this past professional scouts and GM's is near impossible in my opinion. 3) Skiles would have to be given some serious job security to willingly bench a guy who is supposedly way better, just to save the organization some cash.
Even though Sessions would beat out Telfair, they'd all get minutes. The Clippers aren't going to pay Telfair not to play. Davis may get 30, leaving 18 on the table. If Sessions were the only other point guard on the team, he would get all 18 minutes. With another NBA-level point guard, he'll get less than 18. Even if it's not much less, 18 is already small. Every minute less is a problem. He said nothing about fearing that he'd be behind Telfair on the depth chart. Just that he didn't want to share minutes with two other point guards.
Have you ever thought the Bucks organization is there to win? I haven't. Like I said, it was puzzling to most Bucks fans that Skiles often favored Ridnour over Sessions. The Bucks are a horribly run team, I don't think that's disputable. I have no idea what's going on with Sessions, if it's anything less than a known drug addiction then I think it's mind boggling as to why there's not more interest out there. I'm not willing to say me and so many others were wrong about his prospects but we'll see how he does next season. I hope for his sake he's given an opportunity, and unfortunate for him I don't think he will if he's retained by the Bucks.
