This seems like a throw it out there comment without a real strong argument to back it up, minus something like oh, look at how Pop plays so and so. But for every example, there's plenty of counter examples to them, young guys who didn't get minutes under great coaches, most likely because they just weren't that good. Generally, top coaches have the ability to recognize GOOD young players, and find minutes/time for them. Not just any old rookie or young guy
I disagree respectively. I think if Pops had CJ and Leonard, they would be much further along. Also, thibs developed good young talent as well. Who knew about Butler or Gibson when they were coming out of the draft?
Leonard was a big time project coming out though, why exactly would Pops have him on a different track"? CJ has been delayed far more by injuries than he has been by Stotts. Again, it's something easy to say, with absolutely nothing to base it on. Thibodeau failed to develop James Johnson when he had him. Or Marquuis Teague. James Anderson was someone a lot of scouts loved for his scoring coming out of college. Then he fell on draft night to the Spurs and people got excited about it. And Pops didn't do shit with him because he wasn't all that good/ready. Pop wasn't ale to work his magic on turning Austin Daye into even a serviceable NBA player like a lot thought once they acquired him. They don't just wave magic wands and turn nothing into something is all I'm saying. People used to say that about Nate as well, how he hated rookies, regardless of how often it was shown to them how much he played rookies, when they weere GOOD rookies, like most any coach.
If Meyers and CJ could play like they did last night every game, then I'd go back in a time machine just to pick them again. Clearly me trashing them was the decisive motivation.
I agree with this. Just like with Dame, Stotts intent was to play CJ early and often. But then he missed the first few months of his rookie year and it set him back. Same this year, he started to look good, then got hurt and it set him back. True Stotts sat him in favor of AAA after the trade, but at the time before Aaron and Wes got hurt, we were starting to gel. But the bottom line CJ has developed nicely after only his second season. As for Leonard........like you say he was a project. And bigs develop slower. And now at the end of season 3 he has become a legitimate player. I actually give Stotts and his coaches a lot of credit for the way these two have progressed. Sure Leonard would have progressed quicker if he had Steven Adams minutes (Who also sucked early on) but we had other options. Neil is looking a lot smarter than he was a few months ago.......
